Do you remember life before the internet?

Do you remember life before the Internet? If you don’t, let me take a walk down memory lane…

It was a time when going viral meant you were probably infected with a virus, and a streaming service had nothing to do with water.

Communication wasn’t instant and gratifying back then. You couldn’t just slide into someone’s DM’s or tweet at them. If you wanted to talk to someone, you had to pick up the phone and call them, or worse, walk over to their house and knock on their door. There were no filters, no emojis, and definitely no snaps.

If you needed information back then, you couldn’t Google it. You had to go to a library, grab a book, and actually read it. Heaven forbid, you had to skim through the index or flip through the pages to find what you were looking for. It was a real test of your patience, focus, and intellectual curiosity.

Entertainment was also different. If you wanted to watch a movie, you had to plan for it days in advance. There were no Netflix, no Hotstar, and definitely no chill. You had to go to a video rental store, pick out a VHS tape, and hope that it wasn’t scratched or had been rewound by some inconsiderate previous renter. If you wanted to listen to music, you had to carry around a Walkman or a Discman and swap out your CDs every hour or so. I remember having a walkman with a casette.. it was a gift for passing by my papa. I use to adore it and cried for days when my cousin brother broke it after I lend him . I hated him … He was older and i trusted him . Well.. we don’t talk anymore… It was that important for me.

Okay back to the topic, Shopping involved more effort as well. You couldn’t just Amazon Prime everything to your doorstep. You had to leave the house and go to a brick-and-mortar store. Reality was closer back then. You had to see and touch what you were buying and there was no arguing with a sales associate about whether the item was on clearance or not. You had to pay for the things you wanted with cash or check and there was no Google pay or PayPal .

But you know what? Life was simpler back then. People had more meaningful conversations, read more books, and spent more quality time with their loved ones. They didn’t have to worry about messaging back in five seconds or curating the perfect Instagram post. It was a slower pace of life… but it was more connected to the world around us.

So, as much as we love the Internet and all the conveniences it brings, let’s not forget what life was like before the times of snappy tweets and GIF replies. Instead, let’s cherish the memories of what it was like to live in the moment without a smartphone in hand.

Life before the internet,
Was a simpler time indeed,
No endless scrolling feeds,
Or instant gratification needs.

No emojis to express,
No filters to impress,
No texting or messaging,
Just talking and addressing.

Entertainment was a task,
No streaming, just Rent-a-Tapes,
No binge-watching for days,
Just waiting for movie dates.

Shopping was an adventure,
No one-click buys to engage,
Just wandering through the stores,
And touching things on display.

Life was slower, that’s for sure,
But it was simpler too,
More engaging, more connected,
Without the internet breakthrough.

So let’s cherish those memories,
Of a life that was serene,
And when we need an escape,
Remember what life was like before the internet scene.

© Karpop Riba