Once the architects of cutting-edge expertise, millennials now find themselves navigating a landscape where the skills they once perfected have become relics of a bygone era. This exploration delves into 11 such aptitudes that, once hip, have now taken on the label of “has-been,” shedding light on the transient nature of proficiency in our rapidly changing world.
Memorizing Mobile numbers
We Millennial kids had to memorize all of the phone contacts we could need, including those of our homes, best friends, and emergency services.
The people who make up Generation Z never struggle to remember the phone number for their favorite pizza shop since they always carry an electronic Rolodex in their purse.
Many of us can recall the phone numbers from our youth but cannot recall those of our partners.
T9 Texting
Cell phones from the first generation lacked sophisticated keyboards and swiping features. Instead, they came with the standard keypad with nine numbers, each of which stood for three to four letters.
The 9-digit keyboard helped millennials become proficient texters. Although it hurt our thumbs, we quickly mastered the art of typing messages like that.
The T9 abilities we developed are now out of date, and new mobile devices make messaging more accessible.
CD Ripping
While Gen Z and Gen X both have Spotify playlists, Millennials used CD burners. To create our mix tape, we learned how to get music from our preferred cassettes (or online sharing platforms) and burn it onto a CD.
The more recent playlists, we must confess, are far better than any burned CD.
Learning TV Channels by Heart
We had cable before streaming. There were dozens of channels, but a lot broadcast awful shows that nobody watched. A lot of us had 5-10 favorite stations, but figuring out what was on them was a headache. Our best reference was the TV Guide channel, although it took a while to get to the one or two stations we watched. We had to memorize our preferred stations and keep a close eye on the TV Guide to figure out when the shows we liked most were going to start. Kids nowadays won’t understand the difficulty since they have easy access to everything they want to see.
Word Art
Word Art predates graphic design. The first generation to utilize PowerPoint presentations for academic work was the millennial generation, and they soon mastered the use of Clip Art and Word Art to make their presentations stand out.
Considering how far design software has come, this skill is all but outdated, but PowerPoint still provides some alternatives for individuals who are unwilling to let go of it.
Using a Floppy Disk
Some adolescents aren’t even familiar with the save icon’s graphics. One of the earliest methods for backing up work done on a computer and moving it to another machine was the floppy disk.
Millennials picked up the skills necessary to format these CDs, set aside disk space, and organize their information swiftly. Floppy disks were obsolete with the development of CDS, and now that cloud data and thumb drives exist, no one even considers the original floppies.
Bead Lizards
Crafting has become a popular trend thanks to creative Millennials. We crafted beaded lizards to show off our artistic ability. A number of us went as far as selling them to our peers, showing off our early enthusiasm for side jobs.
“They are attempting to bring it back,” says a Redditor. “My six-year-old and I just created a few bead lizards! She attached one to her bag and gave one to a buddy. They claimed it was a big success.
Perhaps the skill is still useful after all.
Configuring the VCR
Do you recall the days when the only way to guarantee you weren’t left out of a show was to record it on the VCR?
Those devices saved lives, but they were oddly difficult to use. To avoid missing the newest episode of the show you enjoy most, you had to make sure that the clock’s time was accurate and that the record time was set precisely.
We no longer require the VCR programming abilities of Millennials since we can now watch anything we want, when we want.
Cursive
Generation Boomers often make fun of younger people for not learning cursive. Since the development of digital technology, elegant handwriting has become obsolete. Millennials were probably the last to study it in school.
A lot of Millennials claim that they never learned cursive properly. One of them questioned, “Did you not end up having just a crazy mash of both cursive and printed and cursive handwriting?”
Some others claimed to still use it.
Collect Calls
Payphones were available before mobile phones. If you were unable to pay, you had the option of calling someone on collect service, in which case they would accept the call in exchange for outrageous fees.
For the recipient to determine if they wish to accept, the service asked you to provide your name.
Will you take a collect dial from XYZ?” The machine would inquire.
Millennials discovered a way around the cost by substituting their message for their name.
Hacky Sack
The most popular millennial sport involved us kicking a ball around to keep it off the ground.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, hacky sack teams were common on college campuses and on playing fields, but they are now extinct, much like 8-tracks and VCRs.
We do not have the chance to demonstrate our great hacky sack talents, but millennials will remember them with affection.