10 Things Boomers Did That Gen Z Finds Totally Bizarre
From tangled cords to waiting weeks for a single photo, here are 10 Boomer habits that leave Gen Z scratching their heads in disbelief.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Boomers grew up in a world where patience and analog tools ruled the day — think of waiting days for photos to develop and unfolding giant paper maps on road trips. For Gen Z, who live in the instant gratification era of smartphones, streaming, and digital everything, many of these everyday Boomer habits seem downright bizarre. This list explores 10 real, quirky things Boomers did that make Gen Z go, “Wait, people actually did that?”
1. Using Landline Phones With Cords
Adria Berrocal Forcada from Unsplash
Imagine having to stand right next to a wall just to talk on the phone — and if you moved too far, the call dropped. Boomers grew up with these tethered devices, sometimes even sharing one phone for the whole family. For Gen Z, who grew up texting on pocket-sized smartphones, the idea of being physically chained to a call sounds like a throwback to the Stone Age.
2. Developing Photos at a Store
Annie Spratt from Unsplash
Before Instagram filters and instant digital snapshots, Boomers had to take their film rolls to a store and wait days — sometimes weeks — to see how the photos turned out. The suspense of “Did I get a good picture or a blurry mess?” was real. Gen Zs, who can snap and delete a hundred photos in seconds, find this waiting game almost torturous.
3. Writing Letters and Waiting Weeks for Replies
wes mboh from Unsplash
Long before DMs and quick texts, Boomers communicated with handwritten letters that could take weeks to travel across cities or countries. Crafting a letter was a deliberate, often heartfelt process, but the wait for a response tested even the most patient. For Gen Z, who expects instant replies, this slow communication seems almost unreal.
4. Watching TV Only When Shows Were Scheduled
Santiago Avila Caro from Unsplash
Boomers had to plan their evenings around TV programming times because there was no way to record or stream shows. If you missed your favorite episode, tough luck — you had to wait for a rerun. For Gen Z, binge-watching entire seasons anytime is the norm, so the idea of a “TV schedule” feels like ancient history.
5. Relying on Encyclopedias for Homework
James from Unsplash
Before Wikipedia, Boomers had massive, multi-volume encyclopedias at home, and research meant flipping through heavy books page by page. It was a slower, sometimes frustrating way to find info but also encouraged patience. For Gen Z, who can Google anything in seconds, the physical effort of digging through encyclopedias is a bizarre memory.
6. Using Maps Instead of GPS
Andrew Stutesman from Unsplash
Road trips for Boomers meant unfolding giant paper maps, sometimes battling wind or rain while trying to navigate unfamiliar streets. They had no voice-activated assistants telling them to “turn left in 500 feet.” Gen Z, raised on Google Maps with live traffic and reroutes, can’t imagine the stress of getting lost without a digital guide.
7. Carrying Cash for Everything
Giorgio Trovato from Unsplash
Boomers often carried wallets bulging with cash and coins, and paying by credit card wasn’t as common everywhere. Many stores didn’t even accept cards, so cash was king for daily transactions. For Gen Z, who use contactless payments or apps, the thought of counting exact change at the register feels outdated and inconvenient.
8. Using Typewriters for School and Work
Florian Klauer from Unsplash
Before computers, Boomers typed essays and letters on clunky typewriters, where one typo meant starting over or using correction fluid. There was no backspace or undo button, so mistakes were permanent and often embarrassing. For Gen Z, who live with autocorrect and cloud backups, the idea of painstakingly typing on a machine that can’t fix errors is almost incomprehensible.
9. Waiting on Hold with Elevator Music
Alexander Andrews from Unsplash
Calling customer service often meant enduring minutes of repetitive, cheesy elevator music while stuck on hold. Boomers had no option but to wait patiently or hang up and try again later. Gen Z’s instant messaging and chatbots make this hold-music ordeal feel like an unnecessary torture from the past.
10. Using Payphones in Public Places
Steve Gale from Unsplash
Before mobile phones, Boomers relied on payphones in the streets or stores to make calls when away from home. You needed exact change and often raced to finish your call before the meter ran out. For Gen Z, who never needed to memorize phone numbers or carry coins just to make a call, this system sounds utterly strange.