Do I Remember Life Before the Internet? Honey, I Survived It.

Daily writing prompt

Do you remember life before the internet?

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Oh, sweet summer child—if you’ve never had to untangle a phone cord while your mom yelled at you to “get off the line so she could call Aunt Marlene,” then buckle up.

I’m a Gen X-er and life before the internet wasn’t just different. It was feral.

We had real social networks—called front porches and rotary phones.

You didn’t text someone “I’m here.” You honked from the driveway like a respectable delinquent. If you wanted to date someone, you had to call their house and risk dad answering the phone with a suspicious growl that could wilt a houseplant.

We kept our photos in something called an album, and the only filter was your mom licking her thumb to wipe a smudge off your cheek before the flash went off.

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Research? We had a library—and a librarian who could out-Google Google.

If you needed information, you physically hauled yourself to a library and hoped the Dewey Decimal gods were merciful. A term paper involved index cards, a highlighter, and a ritual sacrifice of your weekend. Plagiarism wasn’t a copy-paste—it was rewording enough to throw off your teacher’s suspicion and hoping your handwriting looked naturally intelligent.

Entertainment was… unpredictable.

You had four TV channels, and if your sibling was feeling spicy, they’d steal the remote and you’d be stuck watching a documentary on migratory birds. Again. If you missed your favorite show? Tough beans. You waited for summer reruns or got really good at pretending you’d seen it.

We recorded songs from the radio onto cassette tapes by timing the pause button with surgical precision. You haven’t known stress until you’ve tried to cut out a DJ’s voiceover with half a second’s notice.

And yet… we thrived.

We drank from hoses, got sunburned, and knew how to entertain ourselves with nothing but a stick and some imagination. We weren’t constantly reachable, and somehow that meant people respected your time more, not less.

We survived boredom without a screen. We knew the pure thrill of hearing “You’ve Got Mail” before it meant spam from a guy selling crypto moon dust.

So yes. I remember life before the internet.

And while I wouldn’t trade my Wi-Fi and GPS for a beeper and a map, I do miss the magic of a world where the unknown was actually unknown… and you had to look up at the stars—not a screen—for answers.

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Wanna revisit that nostalgic glow but still keep your Wi-Fi? Join the Voguegenics Community where we mix retro heart with modern sass, and remind you that glow-ups aren’t just digital. 💅

Dorey Duncan Scott Senior Litigation Paralegal

Hi! I’m Dorey Duncan Scott, a mother of three, wife and fashion entrepreneur. I started my career in fashion back in the early 90’s when I did print, still and runway modeling. I studied Fashion Merchandising, Music Business and Marketing, while also obtaining certificates in such industry-necessary areas such as make-up, styling and runway choreography. In addition, I had work as a spokesmodel for several brands, appearing in print and in person. As a former model, turned senior litigation paralegal, artist manager and on-air personality with a passion for fashion, beauty, and personal development, I bring a unique combination of style, strategic thinking, and legal expertise to my work. My years navigating the legal world have sharpened my attention to detail, while my experience and passion for fashion, beauty, and personal development drives my desire to help others feel empowered and help them in their journey toward self-empowerment. My experience in the fashion world has taught me the power of confidence. 

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