Top 10 Things Only 2000s Kids Will Understand
#10: The Mii Channel Music
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Nintendo make some incredibly catchy tunes. Case in point – the now iconic Mii channel theme song. There was nothing like kicking back and listening to this bizarre yet incredibly captivating piece of music while you fiddled around with your Nintendo Wii avatar. The catchiness quickly caught on, and soon everyone was humming this little tune in school. Luckily, we have all collectively remembered just how great this piece of music is, and it’s now been remixed several times, and can often be found in Vine or Tik Tok videos. Good luck getting it out of your head!
#9: Losing “The Game”
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With the rise of social media came the rise of viral trends. Before The Ice Bucket Challenge, there was The Game, a weird mind game that blew up with the advent of Facebook and Twitter. The rule was simple – if you thought about The Game, you lost. And if you thought about The Game, you needed to publicly announce it, which could be done verbally or through social media. Naturally, the rules were a little muddled. Does it count if you’re discussing The Game with a friend? Does asking what The Game is immediately disqualify you? Does it count if you think about The Game after someone mentions it? No one really knew. Hey, we didn’t say it was perfect!
#8: The Golden Age of Emo Music
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Sure, teens can be moody. But the teens of the 2000s REALLY wanted people to know just how moody they were. And it definitely wasn’t “just a phase”, Mom! While emo was slowly rising throughout the 90s thanks to popular punk bands like Weezer and Green Day, emo hit its peak in the mid 2000s. Here you had bands like Panic! At the Disco, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus all vying for attention. Meanwhile, teenagers were decked out head to toe in black, complete with pin-straight, jet black hair (usually straightened and dyed), nail polish, skin-tight jeans, and thick eyeliner.
#7: Inexplicable Layers
The 2000s were an…odd time for fashion. Mostly because everyone was walking around with totally inexplicable layers, like they had to flee their house and could only bring whatever they could carry. Skirts and dresses layered over leggings? Sure! Jeans under dresses? Weird, but certainly not unheard of. Jacket over a jean jacket over a sweater? Oh, you betcha! And who can forget the paragon of 2000s fashion – a super baggy short sleeve shirt, usually plaid, layered over a long sleeve shirt? Why did we do it? Hey, it was cool at the time!
#6: Neopets
The internet was a game changer not just in terms of day to day life, but also for video games. One of the most popular websites was Neopets, a “Sims”-like experience that saw users creating and caring for digital pets. Like “The Sims,” there wasn’t really an objective; you just explored the world of Neopia and cared for your Neopet. Despite the website launching in 1997, it didn’t breach the mainstream until late 1999, and its popularity snowballed well into the 2000s, eventually leading to similar ideas like Webkinz. And yes, you can still visit the website and create little digital companions.
#5: Owning a Flat Iron Was a Requirement
Remember when we mentioned the pin-straight emo hair? Well, that type of ‘do doesn’t often come naturally! If you wanted to rock that iconic pin-straight swoop that hung down in front of your eyes, you needed to own a flat iron. Or at least have a friend who owned one . . . and could show you how to use it! It was a lot of work to look just like everyone else, but hey, it was the style! We wonder when the emo swoop will come back around? They do say that fashion goes in circles…
#4: Team Edward or Team Jacob
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And here we come to one of the greatest conundrums and quandaries of the early 21st century – Team Edward or Team Jacob? On one side you had the quiet and mysterious Edward, played by the deliciously handsome Robert Pattinson. On the other you had Jacob, played by the perfectly sculpted and charismatic Taylor Lautner. Did you go with the quiet brood or the friendly hunk? Did you want Bella to get with the vampire or the werewolf? The discussions were endless, and we’re not sure there ever was a clear winner.
#3: MSN Messenger
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Teenagers today have numerous options when it comes to instant messaging. But what did we all do before mobile phones were an everyday item? Why, MSN Messenger of course! Around the time that Facebook statuses were still in third person, MSN Messenger dominated the landscape. That weird green bubble person and the butterfly are all you need to kickstart the memories, and suddenly you’ll find yourself recalling things like emoticon shortcuts, winks, and nudges. And who can forget logging in and out in the desperate hope of attracting the attention of your crush? There was nothing quite like the pure adrenaline rush of seeing their dialogue window pop up in the bottom right hand corner!
#2: “Guitar Hero” Vision
“Guitar Hero” was REALLY popular for, like, two years there. Remember when everyone thought DragonForce were the absolute pinnacle of rock? While “Guitar Hero” was a complete blast, there were some downsides. Perhaps the biggest detriment to playing the game was “Guitar Hero” vision. This is when your vision got really wavy and distorted after a particularly long session, which would sometimes result in dizziness and nausea. It wasn’t dangerous, and it would usually go away after an hour or so. But that hour would be a total trip. Forget watching a movie or reading – your vision was crawling, and you were stuck with it. Before we get nostalgic with our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Conversations Consisting of “Family Guy,” “Shrek,” or “Mean Girls” Quotes Livestrong Bracelets Limewire/Napster Avril Lavigne As a Fashion Icon RAZR Flip-Phones
#1: Harry Potter Fever
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There’s simply no way to understate how important, dominating and decade-defining Harry Potter was. It was arguably the biggest franchise since “Star Wars,” and it was one of those unbelievably rare stories that managed to span generations and continents. “Snape killed Dumbledore” became the most famous plot twist since “I am your father,” and the world was at an absolute fever pitch when “The Deathly Hallows” was released in the summer of 2007. The air itself was electric, massive lines were formed the world over, and the internet was ablaze with speculation, discussion, and theories. There hasn’t been anything like it since, and while the MCU comes close in terms of pure pop culture dominance, we still think Harry Potter fever gets the edge.
