15 People Born Before 1990 Share the Now-Useless Skill They Have Because of It
Growing up before smartphones and instant internet access meant learning how to do plenty of things that younger generations rarely have to think about today. People had to remember phone numbers, navigate unfamiliar places without GPS, troubleshoot computers, and figure out everyday problems without looking up a tutorial. Those experiences left many adults with oddly specific abilities that still come in handy occasionally, even if technology has made most of them unnecessary. When Reddit users born before 1990 were asked about their most outdated skills, the answers brought back some seriously nostalgic memories and a few unexpected talents.
Wrapping School Textbooks With Paper Bags
“I could wrap a school textbook with a brown paper bag perfectly, and I used to do it at the beginning of every school year.”
Knowing How to Win the Oregon Trail Game
“I know exactly what it takes to get my entire family safely to Oregon in the original Oregon Trail computer game.”
Making Paper Fortune Tellers
“I can still make those little folded paper fortune tellers where you pick a color and a number to reveal your fortune.”
Folding a Tent Back Into Its Original Bag
“I once managed to fold an entire tent back into the tiny bag it came in after using it for a whole weekend.”
Reading Almost Anyone’s Handwriting
“I can decipher practically any handwriting, including the kind of doctor handwriting that nobody else can make sense of.”
Rewinding Cassette Tapes With a Pencil
“I can rewind a cassette tape using nothing but a regular pencil, which used to be a pretty useful trick.”
Memorizing Dozens of Phone Numbers
“I still remember the home phone numbers of most of my friends from the 1970s, but I couldn’t tell you the current number of a single one of them.”
Navigating With a Paper Map
“I can look at a physical road map, figure out exactly where I am, and plan an entire route without needing GPS.”
Changing Radio Stations Without Looking
“I can adjust the presets and switch stations on an old analog car radio without taking my eyes off the road.”
Organizing Files and Folders on a Computer
“I know how to properly organize documents into folders and find files on a computer instead of relying on the search function every time.”
Touch Typing Without Looking at the Keyboard
“I can type incredibly fast without looking at the keyboard, including numbers, because I learned proper touch typing in school.”
Texting With a T9 Keypad
“I can still type entire messages using the old numeric phone keypad without looking, even though I haven’t used one regularly in years.”
Writing a Check Correctly
“I know how to fill out a paper check, write the amount in words, and complete all the little sections that younger people rarely encounter anymore.”
Reading and Writing in Cursive
“I can comfortably read and write in cursive, something that used to be taught in school but isn’t nearly as common in everyday life anymore.”
Starting a Computer Game From a Floppy Disk
“I can boot up an old computer and start a game directly from a floppy disk using DOS commands.”