Top 10 Hardest Everyday Choices of the 80s

#10: Coke or Pepsi?

It may have been 40 years ago, but this problem still splits people apart. Back when Coca-Cola changed its age-old formula, loyalists had the biggest decision to make: get with the times, hoard as many Classic Coke cans they could find, or jump ship to Michael Jackson’s “Pepsi Generation.” You might think it’s a lot of fretting over a carbonated drink, but back then, picking your favorite soda was a way of life. Picking one was like settling on a permanent personality trait. And when many did switch over to Pepsi, Coca-Cola responded by bringing back the “Classic” taste. Although most celebrated the end of this dilemma, some still preferred New Coke. But be prepared to face some serious mockery your way if you did.

#9: Picking the Right Songs for Your Mixtape

Making a playlist today takes minutes. In the ‘80s? You better clear up your entire afternoon. With only around 45 minutes on each side of the cassette, songs had to earn the right to be there. So, do you open with A-ha’s “Take on Me”? Is Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” worth sacrificing seven minutes? And you better not mess up the recording halfway through – there’s no “Ctrl-Z” saving you in the ‘80s. Then the pièce de résistance of the experience: naming your masterpiece. Which do you prefer? “Summer of ‘85”? “Songs to Play When Mom Isn’t Home”? Or just name it after your boyfriend or girlfriend? This isn’t a Spotify playlist you’ll forget tomorrow – it’s a time capsule you carry with you for decades to come.

#8: Picking a Trapper Keeper Design

Nothing makes you feel your age quite like hearing a youngster ask, “What’s a Trapper Keeper?” Because back then, choosing the perfect Trapper Keeper was like the initiation into the school year, something you lived with until the next summer. Do you go bold with neon colors? Or are you more of a geometric shapes kind of guy? What about going with your favorite cartoon character instead? After all, this thing went around with you anywhere – almost like a sidekick on the go. For some, it was even a status move, and the one with the coolest Trapper Keeper could find themselves moving up the school’s popularity scale. No pressure, though; it’s only your entire reputation at stake here.

#7: Save Money, or Spend It All at the Arcade?

Before you had Game Pass or Steam for an endless bevy of titles, the arcade was like a whole gaming universe of its own. The catch? You only had five dollars in your pocket…if you’re lucky. So, do you go all out having those blissful hours going 20 rounds at “Pac-Man” or do you be responsible and save your money for later? Let’s be honest: it was usually the latter. While games were cheap on paper, basically nobody played just the one time – not when you could go all day trying to get the highest score. With most people’s activities taking place outside of the house compared to today, where you can stay in all day, even quarters were less pocket change and more like your social lifeline.

#6: “Cabbage Patch Kids” or “Transformers”?

For some, there were only two types of children. The “Cabbage Patch Kids” or the “Transformers” kids. It was like picking between two lanes to decide what your core personality was going to be. As for parents, it could never be both. Not when you can hear your wallet’s empty stomach rumbling. And so, shoppers battled over which ones they could snag, as either fandom made the choice for us. Of course, you also had to consider your whole family. Can one “Cabbage Patch Kids” child co-exist with one who likes “Transformers”? Decisions, decisions. Either way, congratulations. You’ve just discovered why your parents keep saying toys are getting expensive.

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#5: Deciding Which Video Game Console to Buy

To be fair, this problem has followed us into the 2020s. But the term “console wars” wasn’t coined for nothing. In the ‘80s, picking a console meant making a commitment, almost like going steady with your high school girlfriend. Because once your parents bought you one, good luck getting another for the next few years. If we’re talking mid-to-late ‘80s, then it’s a fight between the NES and Sega’s Master System. But how do you choose between “Super Mario Bros.” and “Zelda” against “Alex Kidd,” “Phantasy Star,” and “Out Run”? And what do you do when your friends land on the other camp? How do you swap cartridges then? And so, console wars became less about gaming and more like deciding on your “defense budget.”

#4: Record Over a Blank VHS Tape, or Save It for Something Better?

Before streaming came along to push recording to the brink of extinction, there was a time when VHS tapes were as good as it got. TV without worry about schedules. That sounded like an absolute dream…at first. Unfortunately, your VHS collection didn’t come with unlimited storage space. And so, here we were: wrestling over recording a movie you really want to watch later, or keeping the tape blank just in case there’s something better later. What’s worse? That would be running out of any blank tapes at all. At that point, all you’ve got left is picking which ones you’re ready to record over. A moment of silence for all the tapes that were accidentally taped over. They live now only in our memories.

#3: Mullet or Perm?

Remember when you looked at yourself in the mirror in the ‘80s? That flat, lifeless hair. Was that really how you wanted to face the world? Not when Jon Bon Jovi, George Michael, and just about everyone on MTV was walking around with enough volume to block out the sun. At the time, there really seemed to be two ways to go. A perm could get you those glorious curls with enough hairspray to threaten the ozone layer. Or you could grow that mullet – nice guy in the front, bad boy in the back. No matter which side of the hair camp you were, these styles remain forever etched in family photographs ever since.

#2: Radio or MTV?

Many mourned the closure of MTV’s linear music channels in 2025. But back in the ‘80s, it was MTV that was sounding the death knell for radio as the dominant outlet for music. But while MTV definitely had all the stars, the latest tracks, and the videos, radio could go with you anywhere. It was like trying to stay loyal to a long-term relationship that just wasn’t working next to a more exciting, seductive option that was younger, flashier, and knew exactly how to get your attention. You could technically adapt and embrace MTV, but then what about your guilty conscience? By this point, “abandoning” radio was almost like breaking up a major, serious relationship. We were well past the “it’s not you, it’s me” stage.

#1: Calling Someone Without Knowing Who’ll Answer

Probably the biggest (and most relatable) dilemma that plagued the ‘80s generation. Picture it: you’ve finally worked up the courage to call your crush. You’ve rehearsed everything you’re going to say. You’re not taking no for an answer. And who should pick up the phone? Their dad, of course. With no social media, all you could do was ring someone up at home, hoping no family member intercepts the call. Otherwise, you’re probably looking at awkward small talk while your friend is being summoned to the phone. The worst part? There was no way around it. There’s no texting your crush to say, “Come online.” You want that conversation? Pick up the phone, dial the number, and accept your fate.

Are there any other ‘80s tricks and traits you can think of? Let us know in the comments.