Things I Miss (and Don’t Miss) About the 2000s

Ah, the 2000s—a glorious, chaotic blend of flip phones, frosted lip gloss, and MySpace top friends. For those of us lucky (or unlucky) enough to live through it, the decade was a unique era of trends and technology that now spark equal parts nostalgia and embarrassment. Let’s take a fun stroll down memory lane and relive the things I miss (and definitely don’t miss) about the 2000s.

Things I Miss

1. The Simplicity of Flip Phones

Remember when texting on a Motorola Razr made you feel like a tech wizard? T9 predictive text might’ve been a pain, but the satisfying snap of closing your phone after a dramatic conversation? Iconic. Bonus: No social media-induced FOMO.

2. Friday Night Blockbuster Runs

There was something magical about walking through the aisles, arguing over which movie to rent, and hoping the newest release wasn’t already gone. Streaming is convenient, but nothing beats the suspense of physically holding your entertainment destiny in your hands.

3. The Joy of Burned CDs

Crafting the perfect mix CD felt like creating a masterpiece. Bonus points if you used Sharpies to decorate it with hearts and inside jokes. Sharing one with a crush? That was the ultimate love letter.

4. The Wild West of Early Internet

MySpace taught us basic HTML (thanks, profile customization!), and AIM screen names were our first attempts at personal branding. “xXCoolSkater42Xx” was a vibe, okay?

5. Cartoon Mornings and Sitcom Evenings

Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network owned our mornings, while shows like Friends and Malcolm in the Middle taught us life lessons disguised as humor. TV was an event, not just background noise.

Things I Don’t Miss

1. Low-Rise Jeans

Whoever decided jeans should hover below your hips was clearly not concerned about comfort. Pair them with a belly chain and you had peak 2000s fashion… and peak regret.

2. The Pain of Limewire

Downloading a song often came with a side of viruses—and let’s not forget the crushing disappointment of accidentally getting a remix instead of the real deal.

3. Frosted Everything

Lip gloss, eyeshadow, tips of hair—everything was frosted. Why did we want to look like we were perpetually caught in a snowstorm?

4. The Fear of Calling Someone’s Landline

“Hi, may I speak to…?” Those six words were terrifying. Answering machines were the original anxiety-inducing voicemail systems.

5. Glitter Everywhere

From body spray to locker decorations, glitter was the ultimate flex. But it also stuck to everything—your clothes, your face, your pets… and it never left.

Conclusion

The 2000s may have been a cringe-worthy era of questionable trends, but they also had their charm. It was a simpler time of creativity, face-to-face connections, and enough awkward memories to fill a scrapbook. Whether it’s the nostalgia of burned CDs or the shared trauma of glitter, one thing’s for sure: the 2000s left a mark on us that will never fade… just like the glitter.