16 Once-Everyday Behaviors That Are Basically Extinct
Here's a list of everyday habits and rituals that were once common but are now nearly extinct due to technology and cultural shifts.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Everyday life once included routines that today’s generation may never experience, from rewinding VHS tapes to waiting for photos to be developed. These behaviors, once so normal, disappeared almost overnight as technology reshaped how people communicate, shop, and entertain themselves. This list revisits 16 examples of habits that defined past decades but are now relics of history.
1. Rewinding VHS Tapes
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For years, people ended every movie night by rewinding a VHS tape to the beginning. Many rental stores even charged fees if tapes were returned without being rewound. This once-common ritual vanished as DVDs and streaming replaced VHS.
2. Memorizing Phone Numbers
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It used to be normal to memorize dozens of phone numbers for friends, family, and work. Today, smartphones store everything for us, making memorization unnecessary. Most people can barely recall even one or two numbers without looking at their phones.
3. Burning Music CDs
Roberto Sorin from Unsplash
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, burning CDs with custom playlists was an everyday hobby. Teenagers proudly shared mixes with friends and labeled discs with markers. Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music made the process obsolete.
4. Using a Payphone
Marissa Lewis from Unsplash
Payphones were once on nearly every street corner, serving as lifelines for travelers and people without home phones. Dropping coins into the slot and waiting for the dial tone was a routine part of communication. Now, mobile phones have made payphones almost disappear.
5. Printing Out Directions
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Before Google Maps and GPS, people printed MapQuest directions and placed them on the passenger seat. Drivers followed step-by-step text instructions instead of real-time navigation. This once-essential habit has been entirely replaced by digital maps.
6. Renting Movies from Blockbuster
Stephen Holdaway from Unsplash
A trip to the local video rental store was once a weekly family activity. People browsed aisles of VHS or DVDs, picking out titles before rushing home. Streaming services like Netflix ended the ritual and shuttered rental chains.
7. Carrying a Walkman or Discman
Florian Schmetz from Unsplash
Listening to music once required portable cassette players or CD players. Commuters often had bags full of tapes or discs to enjoy on the go. Smartphones and MP3 players erased the need for separate music devices.
8. Sending Postcards from Trips
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Vacationers used to send postcards with handwritten notes to loved ones back home. The ritual added a personal touch, even if the cards arrived after the travelers returned. Today, instant photo-sharing and messaging apps have replaced the tradition.
9. Collecting Loose Change for Payphones and Vending Machines
Kenny Eliason from Unsplash
Having a pocket full of coins was once necessary for payphones, vending machines, and laundromats. People even kept jars of change at home for emergencies. Credit cards, apps, and tap-to-pay systems have made coins nearly irrelevant.
10. Waiting for Photos to Be Developed
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Taking pictures with film meant dropping rolls off at a photo lab and waiting days to see the results. People carefully chose each shot since film had limited exposures. The rise of digital cameras and smartphones ended the wait.
11. Recording TV Shows with VCRs
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Before DVRs and streaming, viewers recorded shows on VHS tapes to watch later. Families labeled tapes with handwritten notes and kept entire collections. On-demand platforms have made this practice unnecessary.
12. Flipping Through a Phone Book
Waldemar from Unsplash
Phone books once sat in every home, providing pages of contacts for local businesses and residents. People relied on them to order pizza, find plumbers, or get directions. Today, search engines and apps have completely taken their place.
13. Taping Songs Off the Radio
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In the 1980s and 1990s, kids waited for their favorite songs to play on the radio with blank cassettes ready. The recordings often included DJs talking over the music, but that didn’t matter. Streaming services and instant downloads made the ritual obsolete.
14. Writing Checks for Everyday Purchases
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People once wrote checks at grocery stores, gas stations, and department stores. It was a slow process, often requiring ID verification. Debit cards and digital payments made paper checks nearly vanish from daily life.
15. Calling Movie Theaters for Showtimes
Jake Hills from Unsplash
Before websites and apps, people dialed local theaters to hear a recorded message of movie times. It was a normal part of planning an outing. Online listings and apps like Fandango ended the need for phone calls.
16. Waiting for the Newspaper Delivery
Roman Kraft from Unsplash
The daily newspaper was once the main source of news, arriving each morning at people’s doorsteps. Families shared sections over breakfast, from headlines to comics. With digital news updates available instantly, waiting for a paper feels outdated.