Top 10 Things From the 2000s We Will Never Do Again

Before streaming, the way we used Netflix was by renting DVDs through the mail. We would curate our queues carefully, hoping that none of the movies we wanted to see had a “Very Long Wait.” In a time when physical rental stores reigned supreme, being able to get just about any DVD we could think of by mail, with no late fees, felt like a miracle. And if something wasn’t available on Netflix’s streaming service, waiting a few days for the DVD wasn’t a bad tradeoff. You can still rent discs through Netflix, but their library has diminished significantly. We love the convenience of streaming, but we still miss the excitement of getting one of those red envelopes in the mail.

We know it wasn’t exactly legal, but it’s hard to describe the thrill of putting your favorite songs on a blank CD, especially if it was for your crush. The previous generation had to record songs off the radio, so this felt like we were truly in the future. But there were still some kinks to work out. One of the worst experiences was receiving a “burn error” message right before the CD was finished. But if it all went well, these mixes soon became fixtures in our portable CD players and boomboxes. We don’t know where they went, but they were arguably the best compilations ever made.

Dr. Robert Atkins created his eponymous diet in the ‘60s, but the 2000s is when the craze really took over. Some had the misconception that all you needed to do on Atkins was avoid carbs and then you'd lose weight. But it required more discipline than simply eating bacon instead of bread. Some followers were even restricting essential foods, like certain vegetables, because they had carbs. Numerous medical associations criticized the diet for its impracticality, and it's doubtful it can cause long-term weight loss. If you’re looking to lose weight for good, it’s gonna take more than a fad diet.

To find songs for our mix CDs, we had to rely on peer-to-peer file-sharing services such as LimeWire. But even though we were getting these songs for free, it wasn't always a cakewalk. Sometimes we’d find the song we want, but it was a low-quality version taken from the radio. Other times, the song would be completely mislabeled, and we were led to believe Bob Marley wrote “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” rather than Bobby McFerrin. And then there was the possibility of downloading a virus to the family computer. The generation growing up on Spotify doesn’t know how easy they have it.

Did you spend much of the 2000s at Hot Topic, hoping others would notice how cool your bright, pink hair and eyeliner were? If so, you probably considered yourself a “scene kid.” Like many other youth-led subcultures, scene thrived on defiance of the status quo, even if it meant trying to fit in with countless other scene kids. Music was another core part of scene identity, with emo and pop-punk bands like My Chemical Romance and Paramore making so many young millennials feel heard. Okay, maybe it was just a phase, but it was still a healthy stage of adolescent development, even if we don’t go so hard on the mascara now.

Parents won’t buy you a PlayStation or Xbox? Well, there are still plenty of other ways to be a gamer. Like playing Minesweeper, for instance. If your computer had Windows, then you probably remember many rainy afternoons of clicking on squares, trying not to get blown up, figuratively speaking. At first, we would just click around randomly, but we eventually started using our critical thinking skills. Of course, sometimes, we had to guess and it would backfire. But if the internet was down and there was nothing on TV, a game of Minesweeper - or ten - was a decent solution. You can still download the app on your phone, but in such a competitive market for mobile gaming, Minesweeper will always feel retro.

Want to feel old? The original iPod turned twenty years old in October 2021. We cannot overstate how much of a game-changer this was when it came to listening to music. To be able to fit hundreds of songs into one device that could fit into your pocket was like discovering fire. Sure, it was a bit clunkier than later models and you couldn’t make phone calls or surf the web on it, but that didn’t matter when you were able to soundtrack your life like never before. Who can forget the sound of the click wheel as we looked for the perfect song? The iPod reminded us why we love music all over again.

“Appointment viewing” has changed a lot since the 2000s. Now we’re binge-watching thought-provoking shows like “Squid Game,” but back in the day, we raced home to see brief snippets of music videos play while a studio audience screamed. MTV’s “Total Request Live,” or “TRL,” was a daily countdown show where the top 10 most-requested videos of each day were played. Plus, all the hottest celebrities came to promote their new releases. And who didn’t love watching when they left the studio for spring break and summer episodes? We always dreamed of making it to Times Square to be in the audience, but at least we did our part to vote our favorite videos to the top.

Before the iPhone, the most desirable cell phone was a Motorola Razr. It might’ve looked like an ordinary flip phone, but its ultra-thin design gave it a sleekness that outshone its clunkier competitors. And it wasn’t just looks. The Razr was also ahead of the curve when it came to front-facing cameras. And there was no better way to feel stylish than with a hot pink Razr. Motorola brought back the Razr as a smartphone in 2020, but the poor reviews and ridiculously high price suggest this phone is best kept as a fond memory of the 2000s.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

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AOL Instant Messenger was the most important communication platform for so many millennials. There was hardly anything more exciting than creating your first screen name - which was no doubt something incredibly cringey - and chatting with your friends when you should be in bed. We would obsess over our away messages, get nervous about messaging our crushes and work through our problems, one message at a time. We learned what LOL, BRB, and TTYL all meant from AIM. There are other messaging platforms available now, but none fill us with the same warm feelings as this one. If we knew there was ever going to be a world without AIM, we would’ve shown it more appreciation.