Best of the 90s.

For some reason, I've lately been thinking about that wonderful decade of the 90s. The primetime of my youth years, I'd venture to say. I was not yet an awkward middle schooler with bad hair and a skewed sense of "fashion," nor was I mixed up in the intricacies of teenage politics and gossip; but instead, a carefree pre-double digit youngster, loving all the offerings of the 90s. And...I miss that.

There are many things that seemed to be solely "90s," that I look back on with such nostalgia. Let's take a gander down memory lane.

• Beanie babies. My obsession with beanie babies was as big as, if not bigger than, my modern day obsession with the color pink. I remember my Mom taking me around to different stores that sold Beanies (JT Puffins, anyone?) to see if they had any new ones I had yet to collect. I dare say she enjoyed it almost as much as I did, wink. I also collected every.single. 'Teeny Beany" from the Golden Arches. More accurately, two of each. One to open and play with, and one to keep safe in the plastic wrap. Psychotic? Perhaps. When I think about it now, these miniature stuffed animals were pretty dumb...I kept them (tags on, of course) under my bed in huge drawers and they were barely cuddleable, as they were the size of my adult hand. An incredibly fond memory, nonetheless. 

• Tamagotchis. Looking back now the idea seems so ridiculous. But this handheld technology was absolutely genius. Feed it, play games with it, clean up it's dumps. How did this not get old? My parents actually gave these to my soccer team in place of a trophy, which was amazing. 
• Saved by the Bell. I longed to be Kelly Kapowski, punch Jessie Spano, be best friends with Lisa Turtle, date Zach Morris & AC Slater, and do some nerdy things with Screech Powers. Remember when Jessie went bat shit cray and took all those caffeine pills and Zach stopped her?! You will now. 

 

• Chat rooms (A/S/L?), IMing, away messages, SHOUT OUTS.
• The Spice Girls. Tell me whatcha want, whatcha really really want. Baby and Ginger were my idols. I dreamed of one day being just like them. I had SG Barbies, SG pencils, SG lollipops, Spice World: The Movie, and they were my first concert. Needless to say, I thought I was the shit when my Mom took to Ragstock to outfit myself for what I will remember as one of the best nights of my life. Don't you just wish platforms and around-the-arm barbed wire tattoos would come back into style? 

• Honorable mention: 
• Are You Afraid of the Dark? 
• Da Bulls (two 3-peat NBA Championships! Cray.)
• Surge
• Fresh Prince/Family Matters
• Starter jackets
• Goosebumps 
• Babysitter's Club

I did my best to recall some great 90s moments and memories. I think it's safe to say it will always be a fun decade to look back on.