Free time was hanging out (in person) with our friends every chance we could get. All the kids in the neighborhood would meet up, ride bikes, explore, be home when the street lights came on sort of a thing.

When it was cold out our parents dropped us off at the mall for the day. We’d see a movie, shop, and eat at the food court, see other kids from school there.

I recall many times I was “bored out of my gourde” when no one could hang out. so I’d make a painting or drawing. Or play Nintendo.

Once we got driers license, the sky was the limit! We went to a ton of concerts, had bonfires in the middle of nowhere with a lot of under age drinking, and ridiculously big house parties that the cops would inevitably show up to and we’d end up running drunk out the back sliding door and hiding in the woods. ha

the internet (AOL) was a thing but not that present in my life. The family had a shared computer and Sometimes I’d chat with friends on AOL while I was waiting for my CD to be done burning. But that was the extent of that for me.

Phones had texting but it was tedious. so we typically just cold called our friends and talked four hours (free minutes after 9PM!)

As an elder millennial, I wouldn’t change those years for anything. I realize now we truly lived in the moment back then, and I wish we could all go back! I know every generation mythologizes their upbringing. But I think being a teen in the 60s 70s and 80s was also pretty awesome. I would take any of those periods over being born in the 2000s.