Things We Miss, And Why They Should Return

We’re basically the last generation that really remembers what life was like before everything lived on a screen. And honestly, that feels like a flex. We got the best of both worlds. We know how convenient things are now with streaming, AI, and countless number of apps. But we also know what it felt like when moments weren’t constantly interrupted, recorded, or rushed. There was a certain vibe to life that is hard to replicate today, a kind of patience and presences that made even the small things feel meaningful. 

Kids these days will never understand the low key stress of running to the restroom and making it back in time during tv commercial breaks, playing outside until its dark, going to Blockbuster to rent out movies, or waiting all week to watch something at a specific time because there was no other option. Waiting for things wasn’t annoying. It made them feel earned, a little more real where we appreciated the little wins a lot more. Kids nowadays will say “boring” when they hear what life was like back then. But boredom wasn’t a bug in the system, it was a feature. It gave us space to think, create, and just…exist without constantly being plugged in. 

So we asked our DJs one question: What is something “old school” that should make a comeback?. The responses are a mix of nostalgia, surprising, and honestly relatable. Here is what our DJs have to say!

DJ JD, Host of Sunshine and Rainbows

I believe one thing that should make a comeback is genuine closeness with our neighbors. Being a neighbor should mean more than simply living next door to someone; it should mean contributing to a shared sense of community through mutual care and support. 

Since COVID, I’ve noticed how distant people have become. Years have passed since the initial lockdowns, yet many of us have grown comfortable staying inside, rarely interacting with those who live right next to us. It feels like we’ve lost something important. I miss the time when it wasn’t unusual for a neighbor to knock on your door with a plate of cookies or offer a simple act of kindness just because they could.

I understand that strong communities still exist. There are neighborhoods that remain close-knit and supportive. I also recognize that not everyone feels safe getting to know the people around them, and sometimes caution is necessary. You never fully know who you might be living next to. Still, I believe that making an effort to know your neighbors should be an essential part of living anywhere. Amid ongoing civil unrest and political instability, when contacting law enforcement in an emergency risks escalating the emergency, relying on those in your immediate community can be both quicker and far more effective.

My family has always tried to build relationships with the people on our street, and over the years, that effort has come back to us in meaningful ways. When I was younger, a neighbor would often see me walking home and offer me a ride. In return, my family would share food or small gestures of appreciation. That exchange wasn’t about obligation; it was about care. Because of the kindness they showed me, I would never hesitate to help them if they needed it.

Community is a powerful thing. It creates a network of support, trust, and shared responsibility. Forming relationships with the people who live around you may be one of the simplest ways to build a community you can lean on when it matters most.

DJ SIERRA, HOST OF IN OUR FEELS

Something “old school” that should come back in “dumb” technology. It feels weird calling it old school, because social media wasn’t even a common thing until I was in middle school (I graduated high school in 2015).

I think technology that isn’t always connected to the internet and other people should make a comeback, such as the iPod, Nintendo DS, using a pen and paper to write class notes instead of a laptop, and digital cameras. While digital cameras have come back with a quick popularity, I mostly hear people say it’s for the “aesthetic” of it. My view of why these things should make a comeback is from the perspective of this being the only option when I was growing up and not an aesthetic choice.

When I was in high school, cellphones were never allowed to be seen. You had to be off campus property before pulling out your phone and if they saw it, it was taken away. It didn’t matter why you were using it. Even pulling it out for 5 seconds to look at the time wasn’t allowed. It helped us better connect to not only what we were learning, but also helped us better connect to one another. I believe that growing up without being constantly connected to the internet helped our brains and our mental health. We didn’t know what was happening everywhere at all times. We were able to focus on what we were doing and then when we had access to the internet we could learn everything that had happened while we were offline. If I wanted to take a picture at school (or even at home since I didn’t have a smart phone for a long time), you had to pull out an actual camera to take it. Even then, I would often be told to put it away because it wasn’t allowed.

Having to hand write our notes instead of typing them up on a computer made us take down the information better and remove any distractions that are easy to face now-a-days. By not having technology that was connected to the internet we were able to shut our brains off easier than it is now. If we wanted to go on the internet we had to actually sit down at a computer to do it. I look around now and see groups of friends hanging out and they are all on their phones a lot of the time and not even talking to each other. Social media and the internet as a whole has warped our ability to communicate outside of a screen. I think if we removed this tether that we have from ourselves to the internet we would have better attention spans, less need for outside validation, people wouldn’t contribute someone’s talent or worth to their numbers or virality, we would be more independent thinkers, and have more clarity in our thinking. 

DJ ESME, Host of Spur of the Moment

My favorite part of birthdays in the past couple of years has become the birthday card. Not the fancy store-bought ones, but the ones crafted entirely by the hands of my friends and family. Covered with stickers, glitter, drawings, and sometimes poor handwriting, they always warm my heart with their bits and pieces strung together to showcase love and appreciation. 

I’ve gotten into the habit of handmaking cards for my friends’ birthdays as well, and sometimes even Christmas. I don’t just give people a short birthday wish or “happy holidays”. I use handmade cards as an opportunity to properly express the impact that people have made on my life. Giving myself the space to sit down with my thoughts on someone and physically pour it into something they can hold in their hands has become one of my favorite ways to feel connected to people. Not only that, but the physicality of it also means that they will literally be able to carry that love with them as long as it remains between you and the other person. Every card I’ve ever gotten from a friend or family member, I’ve kept. No matter if a person remains close in my life, or if the relationship has soured, cards and letters will always serve as a reminder that love has been here. 

Seeing as physical media has been getting popular as of late, I hope to see a resurgence in the art of handcrafted cards and gifts in our generation. 

DJ Des, Host of Dreamer’s Dial

There are few things in life comparable to the feeling you get as a growing child who owns a USB-stick Mp3 player. My light pink USB Mp3 player ruled my entire world- every song carefully selected, listened to with the intention and fervor only a child could have. There is a lost art in plugging in that chunky USB stick into a big, boxy desktop, finding your favorite songs on YouTube, copying the link, and pasting it into a YouTube to Mp3 converter website. Successfully downloading a song’s audio file onto my Mp3, was my earliest example of a dopamine hit.

On this Mp3 of mine could be found Macklemore’s 2010 hit songs, Black Eyed Peas’ 2005 and 2009 albums (shoutout Monkey Business and The E.N.D), Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday, Ariana Grande’s debut albums, and an array of so much more…. ending with Zac Efron’s “Bet On It” from High School Musical 2, a song that was the soundtrack to the shenanigans I did while riding my bike around the neighborhood. I will never forget the way it felt to own this small piece of musical treasure; the way it instilled plugging in headphones and tuning the world out as a core trait of mine.

We did not need to progress past USB stick Mp3 players and YouTube to Mp3 convertor websites.

DJ Z, Host of From My Playlist To Yours

There are a lot of “old school” things people want to bring back—flip phones, handwritten letters, even Saturday morning cartoons—but for me, nothing deserves a comeback more than the Nintendo Wii.

The Wii wasn’t just a gaming console, it was an experience. It brought people together in a way that modern gaming sometimes forgets. You didn’t need to be a “gamer” to enjoy it. Everyone from little kids to grandparents could pick up a controller and instantly understand what to do. Swing the remote like a tennis racket, and boom—you’re playing. It was simple, fun, and honestly kind of magical.

And then there was Wii Sports. That game was everything. Bowling in your living room, getting way too competitive in tennis, or trying to master baseball swings. It somehow made you feel like you were actually there. It turned regular hangouts into full-on tournaments. The excitement, the trash talk, the cheering—it’s hard to recreate that same energy today.

What really hits, though, is the nostalgia. Hearing the Wii Sports theme randomly while scrolling on TikTok feels like being transported back in time. Suddenly, you remember the sound of the menu music, the Miis, the feeling of coming home and immediately turning on the console. Those weren’t just games, they were memories.

As things got more advanced with better graphics and complex systems, something got lost in between it all: the pure, simple joy that the Wii brought.

Nothing beats that feeling of everyone crowding around the TV, laughing, moving, and actually being present. And that’s why I think it deserves a comeback.