Those under 25: how well do you remember your life before the internet?

[Brawndo]

I'm 23, and I was kind of a late-bloomer when it came to internet - I didn't get internet at home until 1999. Even still, I barely remember what life was like because the internet is so pervasive in my life for school, news, socializing, getting information, and making purchases.

Recently I was in Eastern Europe and I went a month without regular internet access, and I think I adjusted rather well. However, I'm fairly certain that there is a sizable percentage of people online (especially those under 16 who have been connected their whole lives) that would become depressed and withdrawn if the internet suddenly disappeared.


What about you guys?

 

[Ironic Pirate]

I tend to remember snippets, going up stairs, having a fight over transformers, but nothing too concrete, not like a whole day or anything.

14, if it matters.

 

[sheogoraththemad]

I used to play more singleplayer and the sims

 

[Scobie]

DELETED

 

[Simple Bluff]

I didn't get the internet until 2006. But I heard it was the most frustrating thing ib the world before broadband, so no love lost I suppose.
But I use the internet mostly for plager... research into homework assignments, the only sociable site I ever frequented was a Pokemon thing. So, in that sense, I wouldn't miss it if it was gone, but I tell you, homework would become a whole lot more awkward.

 

[Dabox1]

Well i'm 15, so I only really remember starting to use the internet when I moved into my new home when I was 7. SO - to answer your question i remember my preschool to 2nd grade years being pretty care free without the internet. Then it just got more enjoyable

 

[Polaris19]

I was about 7 when I was exposed so I don't remember much past that to begin with but I have quite a few vivid memories, like my first day of school, our old house, chasing my brother around our old apartment complex with my bike (that ended badly...). So I guess pretty good considering how young I was.

 

[Funkiest Monkey]

I'm 16, and my family didn't even own a PC until I was 10.

I do have a lot of great childhood memories though (as in... 12 and below). Most involve fighting and playing videogames.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Internet? Hell I had the internet in Primary School, since year 4.

But before that? Streets Of Rage, Sparkster, Street Fighter, Alex Kidd and Golden Axe.

Oh, and The Ninja. If you've even seen that game in motion before, I love you. And I'm 22 by the by.

 

[adamtm]

I mostly relied on friends and sneakernet.
Also delicious delicious gaming magazines that completely became obsolete nowadays.

Oh and around 65484321843454 hours clocked into Fallout and Fallout 2.

 

[The Real Sandman]

I actually kinda remember the days before the internet became big.

It was a simpler, more wholesome time filled with wonder and mystery where the sun shined and the children fro...

...wait no, this was the early 90s.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I mostly relied on friends and sneakernet.
Also delicious delicious gaming magazines that completely became obsolete nowadays.

Oh and around 65484321843454 hours clocked into Fallout and Fallout 2.

You'd be surprised. I opened up an Edge Magazine from 2005 and I actually read some of the articles, and I was like "wow...this is actually really good!"

This is pretty much the only place I can say I've seen really well written articles these days.

EDIT: Oh! And I remember playing WWF on the field with my friends. Christ that was dangerous, we were doing submissions like we were getting paid to damage the other person!

 

[Fallen-Angel Risen-Demon]

I can't remember not having the Internet.
14.

 

[SuccessAndBiscuts]

I kinda vaguely remember parts of it, but the truth is It was never really involved in my life until my mid-late teens.

(for perspective I'm 20 now)

Then again I have kinda blocked out the vast majority of my young life. Not that it was particularly bad it was horrible just that I don't value it in the slightest. My life started at 19 everything that happened before that I deem interesting but ultimately without value because the person I am didn't really exist.

You would be as well asking me if I remember my time in primary school (UK) I remember a few events and a general "feel" but I really don't care much about it.

 

[Aethren]

Before the internet was books, single-player games rented from the library, and Oregon Trail.

Oh, those were the days...

 

[Azure-Supernova]

Ummm, mostly my days pre-net were spent hanging out on private property with the constant threat of getting chased off it by the farmer and his combine.

 

[OceanSapphire]

I remember my life fairly well before the internet; I didn't really get access to the internet until I was about 13ish. Since then, I've been hooked. But thanks to the internet, I get less reading done, and get outside less.

I'm 17, if it matters.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I was late to the internet as well. I didn't get to really use and understand what it was until middle school (2001) and I didn't really get to look around and explore it until a bit later (2003, the year internet actually got to my home)

Before the internet I remember asking classmates in elementary school how to pull off fatalities in Mortal Kombat. I also remember thinking to myself at one point during Final Fantasy VII ((PC version)this being after I bought the game guide) "Aw, man! I can't believe she had a level four limit break!!."

Speaking of Final Fantasy though, I also remember getting the game guide to FFIX. Remember that book? It was about half done and only gave all of its information if you logged on to a certain website. I didn't have home internet at that point and, the school had blocked the site I needed to go to.

My first big sites were gamewinners.com and newgrounds.com. I still go to the later regularly. I didn't open my first e-mail account until about 2003.

I am 22