Cootie catchers, the original 151, and be kind, rewind! Remember when Blockbuster VHS tapes had the “Please Remember to rewind!” stickers? There was even a warning that said if the sticker was broken then you had to buy the tape! Oh yes, and we did call them tapes. Today’s kids, and even the earlier 2000s kids, will never know what it was like to be forced to wait for their show to rewind while you stood close to the VCR with your head touching it, trying to listen for the distinct stop. There are so many things that 90s kids dealt with that 2000s kids never have to, but there are also some amazing gifts that would be underappreciated today. Such as Tamagotchis, Bop Its, Pop Rocks, the real Power Rangers, and those mechanical pencils. Even the ones with all the heads in the tube that you were screwed if you lost one. Who cares, it matched your Lisa Frank or Ninja Turtle binder! Which you set right next to the coveted orange VHS tapes, the world’s best video games, and your Walkman.

Let’s face it, nothing today is like it was back then. But there is one thing that makes today way better! And that is memes. To celebrate, let’s take a trip down memory lane as we take a look at what makes the 90s and the 2000s so different! Oh yes, and need we mention…you just lost the game! And yes, you are playing, there isn’t a choice. You’re welcome.

24 Learn Some Appreciation

Kids in the ‘90s may have seemed like ungrateful little brats to adults, but compared to kids today, it’s pretty ridiculous.

Kids in the ‘90s were actually easily and cheaply bought off.

Give them a soccer ball and they would be kept busy for days. But give them any kind of gaming system and they were 100% pleased, it hardly mattered which game they got. The only thing that held them back was that one spoiled kid that would say, “well, you only have the grey Ocarina of Time? Ha, mine is gold. Your parents must be poor! Your dad’s a hobo and your mom is [insert expletive here]. She’ll have to got to work soon if you know what I mean.” But if you think about it, that kid was just ahead of his time.

23 Five More Minutes!

This one is more than true! While 90s kids enjoyed video games and getting on their computer to play Color/Paint or Minesweeper, most of the time, they just wanted to play outside. There were so many adventures to be had out there.

Your bike was your steed that traveled everywhere with you.

I mean, you pretty much weren’t allowed to be ten yards away from your house without an adult, but still, no stone was left unturned in that yard.

Kids of the 2000s refuse to step foot outside. When everything can be done via the internet, including hanging out with friends, then why leave the house? Maybe because there’s a whole world (or yard) out there to explore, and you are the perfect advocate! We’ll call you Indiana Jones!

22 The MTV Generation Romance

There was no greater disgrace in the ‘90s then this — movies talked about it nonstop! With movies like For Keeps and others demonizing teen shenanigans, it’s easy to see why everyone was so ashamed. Even in the earliest 2000s when Riding in Cars with Boys and Where the Heart Is came out, it was still seen as a big deal. Whether this is a good or bad thing is debatable. After all, acceptance is the key to peace in some cases, but when does it get to the point of no return? This meme is a funny/sad combo that really straddles the line between ok and too far. It's hard not to laugh though. The times certainly are changing.

21 The Influences Are So Different!

Sitcoms were amazing in the 1990s. That’s where they shone. With shows like Boy Meets World showing us how to grow up, form relationships, stay safe and responsible, and respect our parents, we were set.

But now, kids don’t have those kinds of constructive shows to enjoy.

They have Jersey Shore and Keeping Up with the Kardashians. What can you learn other than what not to do? Does anyone remember the episode of Full House where Jesse had gotten into an accident (motorcycle, I believe) and was too proud to ask for help, so he fumbled around? Little Michelle tried to help him sneakily but knew exactly why he wouldn’t seek assistance. There was so much to learn from every single episode of these shows and kids today really need to go back and watch them.

20 We’re Swimming In A Data Stream

Does anyone remember Zoogs? The data alien guys that lived between the TV and computer screen? They introduced us to online computer games and were our host on the Disney Channel most of the time! And what about Aaron Carter? The other Jesse McCartney? Those two were every girl’s dream.

And every guy liked Lizzie McGuire.

For us, Hilary Duff will always be relevant. Though saying that our childhood was better than the kids of the 2000s is rough, it is safe to say that it was definitely different. This whole meme is nostalgia overload. Just imagine when those right photos are on the left and the gen after Generation Z is on the right with theie Zenon-gear staring at us old folks.

19 We Look Like Aunt Gertrude

Needless to say, most adults are jealous of the way kids are dressed these days. Just look at them, they still look better than we do now, with our own money. It’s difficult to comprehend. Then we remember that we are the ones dressing them, and it isn’t so bad. But back in the 90s, when we were too young to pick out our own clothes, we ended up looking like our grandparents, or so it seems looking back.

Wild hair, big bangs, and windbreaker pants.

It’s like a nightmare come true, but would we trade it for anything else? Nope! We secretly adored that furry bear with a real bow on our sweater that Gertrude bought us. I mean, the bow matched the one in our hair!

18 I Hope They Have The Watermelon Ones!

Those watermelon gumballs were to die for! Like literally, I’d give my life for one. But only if I get to put the quarter in myself and it rolls down the twirly thing. Not saying that 2000s kids are all messed up for wanting wi-fi. We all want wi-fi. But sometimes, it’s nice to be a kid and enjoy those little things. If you’ll notice, those quarter machines are usually empty or surrounded by 20-something “kids.” Because the nostalgia is so strong and your mind convinces you to want that temporary dragon tattoo and crystal Pokémon. Might as well get a ring for your mom too.

I would always ask to go to Pizza Hut rather than McDonald’s as a kid because the machines had better toys than the Happy Meals did.

17 It’s A Freaky Friday

While Lindsay Lohan’s best movie is no doubt Mean Girls, her first major movie was The Parent Trap and it was adorable! She was adorable, now, it seems that she has gone downhill, and hard. Though she’s cleaned up a bit this last year, in the mid-2000s, she was at her worst, and still can’t get any work.

She even made a fake list of men that’s she’s slept with.

When it was blamed on her addiction, she refused treatment! That paired with showing up late to move sets and confusing political views (she even supported Harvey Weinstein) has made it hard to like her lately. If only we could get that little ginger back, then life would be complete again. Please redo Freaky Friday or The Parent Trap!

16 Urkel Did It Before It Was Cool

Steve Urkel was seen as the ideal nerd of the 80s and 90s. But if you look at his style, he was actually someone who would be considered cool these days. In reality, this one is fantastic! What was seen as someone to make fun of is now someone to admire. He even wore his pride in suspenders. The Urban Dictionary’s number one definition for Hipster is, “a subculture of men and women typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.” Or simply, “definitions are too mainstream.”

While a similar meaning to Nerd can be described as someone who, “does not adhere to social norms.” They are one in the same.

15 Kick Your Feet Up

This makes so much sense to 90s kids and no sense to 2000s kids. So let’s explain. When you watched TV as a kid, you didn’t make an event out of it. You sit down and watched what was on or waited until exactly 7 pm because that’s when your favorite show came on. Nowadays, it seems the going thing is to get your caramel mocha latte, soufflé, warm, fuzzy socks, social media to entertain you, and you pressed play. The whole process would seem tiring to a 90s kid who just wanted to watch their show.

You didn’t want to put socks on, you wanted to feel free.

Besides, who had time? The show was starting right now! You would miss the important theme song that you loved to dance to.

14 What Happened To Rap?

Once upon a time, rap actually had the coolest, most meaningful lyrics. They talked about love, the lost, giving up, and giving in. It talked about true love and everything it meant to the artist. Now? Rap is a disgrace compared to what it used to be. Despite what many believe, rap used to have class. Take Tupac Shakur, for instance, who is known as the best rapper of all time.

One of his bet lyrics is, “Though back at the time I never thought I'd see her face. Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place. Lady, don't you know we love ya? (Dear Mama). Sweet lady, place no one above ya (You are appreciated).” Now imagine Nicki Minaj singing that…she wouldn’t.

13 Sitting On The Pot

This one is hilarious and completely surprising! We all thought we were the only one. When you were a kid, likely you got bored during your alone time. Please tell us that you didn’t read the shampoo bottle, air freshener, soap dispenser, or toilet paper package. It’s okay if you did, everyone did.

There was nothing better to do…aside from business.

Now people just take their phones with them. Everyone does it, just not everyone admits to it, right? Gone are the times when you searched the restroom, looking for something to read because staring at the wall was anything but ideal. Aren’t we so grateful to have a nice game to play or eBook to read while we’re sitting there? I mean, I don’t take my phone to the restroom…no one does, right?

12 High Score In Snake

Did you know this game is considered vintage now? When all we had was the old Nokia (and beyond) the only game that was available was that Snake game. Nothing wrong with it, in fact, it was the most addicting game there ever was. Most of us could sit there for hours without flinching. But kids of the 2000s and today would get so bored with it, so fast. But I guess that means that the older generation here would beat them in 1v1 matches. Since they seem to excel at everything handed to them it’s nice to have that tiny upper hand. There might not be any “losers” allowed today, but on ‘90s turf, the losers aren’t allowed in our blanket fort! We even have snacks…and Snake!

11 The Most Infuriating Change

This may make you smile, but it’s the most infuriating thing that has ever happened. Back in the 90s, if you got bad grades, it was your fault. You didn’t study hard enough or pay attention in class. But now, it seems kids are getting more and more power. That cannot be healthy for the kid to always think that they are right. We can still remember what it was like to always be wrong, and that was hard. But don’t you think there is something in between where we look at the situation for what it is. And definitely don’t put adults down in front of children. Where is the respect? There’s this thing called happy-medium and it needs to be put to use.

10 Gak Got Gone

Gak was one of the world’s greatest inventions. It was like the slime we saw on Nickelodeon, which we just so happened dreamt of having dumped on us. Go figure! Anyway, when you had Gak, you were cool. But when you dropped it and it picked up every piece of crud on the street, you were back to nothing again.

Kids these days can’t appreciate that tiny heartbreak, and that could be a good or bad thing.

As long as they have their phones, they can be pretty content, as their whole life is stored on the thing. But of course, you can just transfer everything over if it breaks, which means that breaking it loses you nothing and gains you a new phone, so there’s that.

9 You Can Do That?

It wasn’t until this day that I realized there were mouses (mice?) that you could wash like they were a coffee mug. In the ‘90s, if you were lucky enough to own a computer, you had to remove the cap and ball in order to clean out your mouse with a q-tip or else it would stop working. These days, there are little things called “dust catchers” on your mouse. They look like little rubber friction things. But that’s not their only purpose.

Their purpose is to prevent dust from entering the important bits.

But when that isn’t enough or you eat too many dusty Cheetos, then you can literally buy a waterproof mouse. Great for sweaty hands or Blitz Ball (Final Fantasy) score keepers.

8 Just 24 Shots

Back before digital was a thing, we used film to develop photos. If you had a photo shoot, you had a limited amount of shots allowed. Selfies weren’t a thing because no one wanted to risk getting a bad shot or wasting their expensive film on such a thing. Nowadays, with the invention of camera phones, you can get that perfect shot…after 500 bad ones with your phone. All you gotta do is delete them. Does anyone remember the last time that they saw a printed photo that wasn’t at grandma’s house?

When everything is on the cloud, then there’s nothing to worry about. Unless you get hacked, which is an entirely different ‘90s vs 2000s problem. Hacking used to be something you did when you got choked.

7 Pants On The Ground

Once upon a time, JNCO jeans were banned in schools for showing your underwear, as well as being easy to hide magic drinks and other substances in. But now, skinny jeans are often banned for being too tight, showing to much, and cutting off your circulation in unimaginable ways. We don’t really know which is worse, but considering people still wear baggy jeans that they can’t walk without holding up, I’d say that it’s worse today. But the comparison isn’t really fair.

For their time, those JNCO jeans were absolutely hideous and dangerous.

In that case, let’s not compare and instead say that we should all really just wear decent jeans every now and then. Try to be unique in other ways, like maybe having the decency to wear fitting jeans.

6 Asian Laughing Guy

Kids of today have no idea who this dude is, but trust us, he has a name. The idea that one day kids will only know Jack Nicolas from his memes is truly heartbreaking. The retired Chinese professional basketball player once played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Now, all he is a face that is saying, “oh, pleeeaase!” and is a great response to someone who is beneath you. You’d think we could have taken one of his quotes like, “Fortune cookies are a good idea. If the message is positive, it can make your day a little better.” Or, “If you're going to learn a new language, you can't try to be perfect. You'll stop yourself from talking. You just have to let go.”

5 It’s Raining Cats And Dogs

Kittens are kids too! It turns out if Tom and Jerry were relevant today, then Tom would do nothing but sit on the computer all day looking at cat memes and “how to catch a mouse” videos on YouTube. Then Jerry would go stay at a safe house while he filed a lawsuit against Tom, and started his own company just because he can. The days when they just hit each other on the head with hammers are over. A revolution has begun. Balls of yarn are for old people, not cats. Cats are made to entertain the internet (which is now considered a group of people) alone. After all, this is a meme of a cat, so it’s kind of doing its feline job as you read this.