No matter what age you are, you were born in a definitive decade. Each period brought us something special. Whether it was from music and movies, or life changing discoveries or great world leaders, it all came from a specific decade. Amongst many of the students here at the University, the 1990s are a sheer favorite that most can connect with and wish to go back to for even just one day.
When speaking about the 90s, perhaps the biggest piece of nostalgia and definition came from the popular music that emerged. It was a new sound for the pop genre and it dominated the scene. The emergence of The Backstreet Boys and N*SYNC paved the way for boy bands everywhere, and a little girl from Louisiana, named Britney Spears showed everybody who the new pop princess was. They all gave us earworms that live on today and have become karaoke and dance favorites.
While the music erupted out of every speaker, people were flocking to the cinemas as well. Adventure movies flourished more than ever in the 90s. “Jurassic Park” and “Independence Day” are just two examples of movies that fired up big screens everywhere. People were getting lost in the imagination that sparked from the movies. Even Disney sprinkled their magic pixie dust and cemented the way for animation to flourish. Television was a staple too. “Friends” is still a beloved comedy show today, that sitcoms strive to emulate.
“The 90s were the greatest. I feel bad for those who won’t get to experience what we did. I miss the shows, the clothing styles and the trends during that time. The 90s were some of the best years of my life. No worries, just easy living,” said Hannah Simmons, a senior political science major.
The clothing styles may be outdated now, but the trends sure were big back then. Flannel shirts rocked thanks to the grunge trend. Overalls with one strap undone were cool thanks to “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Scrunchies, butterfly clips and mood rings couldn’t be avoided. If you paired your attire with a tattoo choker or a slap bracelet, then you were considered hip. Throw in a pair of jelly shoes or Sketchers and you were one to be reckoned with. These looks were a staple amongst the popular bleached or crimped hairdos.
“I miss *NSYNC, The Spice Girls, Furbies and Saturday morning cartoons,” said Alexa Nappi,
a senior biology major.
To many, this decade was seen as a simpler time. Technology was present, but not as advanced as it is now. Nobody was texting to solidify plans. Kids would walk down the street in order to contact their friends. Payphones were in an abundance compared to now.
“With raising kids, I think that the 90s were the best decade. The 90s brought us so many great things,” said Janet Dustman, Student Services Assistant. “We had the Spice Girls, boy bands, No Doubt and Nirvana. We had ‘Friends,’ Nickelodeon’s ‘All That’ and ‘Seinfeld.’ We had Lisa Frank school supplies, rings pops and beanie babies.”
Dustman added, “We had innocence back then. We all wore neon surf clothes and scrunchies. It was a fun and safe time to raise kids.”
While many students were born in America, there are many international students as well who have experienced the 90s. Were things from that decade different or similar in other countries?
Born in Saudi Arabia, Msaad Abdulaziz Albryah, a sophomore computer science major, said, “The boys played with Matchbox cars and the girls played with their Barbie dolls.” Nineties treasures were loved by kids from all over the globe. No matter where anybody is from, this could be a common interest or shared memory for many.
The 90s bring up so many memories for people who lived through them, just as any beloved decade would for a person. What makes this era very special to most students is the fact that many lived through it. This was the prominent time of their childhood years. These were the years of sheer fun for them, where schoolwork wasn’t as heavy and the impending future career was not so close that it could be touched at any moment. Of course, it was not always easy and breezy, but these Spice Girl bubblegum filled years are treasured forever for various and colorful reasons.
IMAGE TAKEN from thecollegeprepster.com
PHOTO TAKEN from your90s.com
