This is one of my more fun posts. I'm taking time to honor a decade that always gives me fond memories: the 1990s. This is when I was in my teen years and early 20s and became a legal adult.
I'm going to talk about cultural, historical, and personal things that affected me in the 90s.
Sports:
This is when I got into sports heavily, mainly football, basketball and baseball. It was a good decade for the teams I rooted for. My Atlanta Braves won the 1995 World Series, the UNC Tarheels won the national championship in 1993 with help from Chris Webber's historic timeout, and the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre won the Super Bowl in 1997.
The NBA was extremely exciting as the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan dominated the decade. I'm a New York Knicks fans, and we were a very physical team back then, making it to three NBA Finals. No one was better probably ever than those Bulls of the 90s, especially the 1995-1996 team.
I also played high school football during this time. They were some of the best moments I've had and taught me a lot.
Music:
I was just getting into hip hop, and loved alternative and R&B. The radio was worth listening to then. I would tape songs off of the radio, and even record entire CDs onto cassette. Man the cassettes I had! I was just getting into CDs. I loved my dual cassette, CD player stereo. It lasted me the final half of the decade. The artists and groups that defined the decade for me includes Hootie and the Blowfish, Third Eye Blind, Live, 2Pac, Biggie, TLC, WU Tang Clan, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Boyz II Men and Jodeci. The music then was so soothing and real. No autotune and everyone was talented.
Entertainment and technology:
Many people didn't have cell phones and the Internet was in its infant stages as well. You actually had to use pay phones and read real newspapers in the 90s. Kids played more outside and didn't hang around on the laptop or phone. We did play video games though. I loved my Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis and N64. Zelda, Techmo Super Bowl, and Street Fighter 2 were some of the popular games to play. On TV, the only reality show was The Real World. I loved watching In Living Color, Martin, Boy Meets World, The Wonder Years, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The Simpsons were still popular also. And two of my favorite movies, Friday and Forrest Gump, were released in the 90s. I still have both on VHS.
History:
It was quite a groundbreaking decade for the media also. The news wasn't as watered down and political. Bill Clinton was President, and the economy was booming. He was caught cheating on his wife with a White House intern, and people still loved him. Of course you had the infamous OJ trial. People watched the trial and verdict nonstop. Most my age remember where they were when the OJ verdict was read, or the tragic events at Columbine High took place. Racial relations, gangs and rioting skyrocketed also following the Rodney King beating. Anita Hill helped changed sexual harassment in the workplace. Things were so affordable back then. You could rent a video, get a pizza, and still have gas money all for $20.
My personal achievements
The 90s is where I came out of my shell and became a man. I graduated high school and experienced the real world. I was on my own for the first time and enjoyed the freedom. I was developing more self confidence and swagger. I realized there was a bigger world outside my small town and I wanted to see it. Most of my family was still alive and I got to enjoy time with them. I hadn't yet experienced a lot of deaths so I was still in a state of innocence. I also started writing poetry and eventually did poetry slams. I felt more educated and cultured.
I love the 1990s and I often relive many moments from those years. We all have special times in our lives and mine was this span of 10 years.
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