The late ‘80s was the time when Gen X was reaching their youthful prime, with classics like Seinfeld and The Simpsons hitting the screens for the first time. A viral video of high school students at their desks in 1989 has sent Gen X down memory lane, and they cannot help but gush about old times on social media.
The fashion was nearly uniform, with dramatic hairstyles like the feathery blowout and the mullet or a flattop for the young men who wanted to keep things simple. The camera moved around, showing other features like heavy dark eyeliner on a few ladies’ eyes.
What was school like in 1989? Viral video gives us all a glimpse
High school students, 1989. pic.twitter.com/p3Trb4lT3Z
— A SLICE OF HISTORY (@asIiceofhistory) August 7, 2022
High school in 1989 is significantly different from today as cultural, technological, and social changes have happened over time. There were hardly any phones for instant texting, so friends relied on personal communication, landlines, or handwritten notes for conversation.
Students relied on libraries, not Google, and textbooks over their iPads to prepare for tests, and study groups were more common. An X user noted that the high schoolers were more present at the moment, unlike these days when everyone is glued to their smartphone. “Phones and social have desensitized some many people. I don’t know if we will ever get back to this,” they said.
Gen X reacts to the 1989 high school video
The one-minute footage taken at Paramus High School in New Jersey went viral with hundreds of thousands of likes and comments from nostalgic users who could relate to the post. “Best days. No pronouns, no CRT, no politics, no phones, no tablets, the world felt smaller then, we always wanted to be out with our friends, it was about good music and get-togethers,” someone reminisced.
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Some people made the conversation more interesting by sharing their own photos from back in the day, proving that the style at the time was a cross-country trend. “I had at least three of these hairstyles in the 80s! This one is the spitting image of me,” a lady gushed.\