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Our childhood never ends. Yes, we get older but the core memories from that time, surrounding everything from the people we hung out with to the places we visited continue to live in our head rent-free, occasionally reminding us about themselves when we least expect them to.

However, not all of them are equally vivid, and some might need a bit more stimuli to come back. And the internet is excellent for this task. There are entire communities where people are actively reminding one another about the good old days. (We've already covered some, like the one dedicated to '80s & '90s memes.)

The Facebook group '2000s Y2K Childhood' is one of them. It currently unites 74,600 members, and whether you grew up during that era too or are just interested in learning more about it, their posts perfectly illustrate it. Here are some of the most popular ones.

More info: Facebook

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    Aside from the few fearmongers threatening the end of the world, the dawn of the new millennium felt, at the time, like entering the future.

    Humans marveled at how far technology had advanced in the 20th century. Just under half of all American homes had the internet and were able to Ask Jeeves for the location of the nearest RadioShack and create bad AOL screennames.

    The mobile phone was becoming less of a brick, and you could even play 'Snake' on one.

    #4

    These Speakers

    These Speakers

    Nostalgia Video Report

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    SynthaCybe
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I remeber these always switched on with a satisfying whoomph! That and the urge to put your finger in the hole.... (get out of the gutter pandas!)

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    There weren't any social media apps to scroll through immediately after opening your eyes in the morning (and just before closing them at night).

    Even Friendster, the often-mocked social network, didn't exist until 2002, and Facebook wouldn’t appear until two years later.

    So how was everyone spending their time?

    #6

    Nobody Knows

    Nobody Knows

    Bebo Osorio Report

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    Austin A.
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    waiting on a 4h download only to find out it's dubbed in Hindi with subtitles in Chinese

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    #9

    Petition To Bring This Mcdonalds Back

    Petition To Bring This Mcdonalds Back

    Stephanie Nicole Jones Report

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    Cara G
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Seriously though, what happened to McDonald's? I go in there every day to pick up people's Uber orders and it's practically a graveyard of the majestic palace of fun it was in the days of yore. Empty, touch screen kiosks for placing your order, and then a bag is dumped on the counter when it's ready. One manager in the front and a bunch of line cooks in the back. It is extremely sad.

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    As Allen Kim and Breeanna Hare pointed out for CNN, they waited patiently for the news.

    If you weren't reading the newspaper or sitting in front of the TV, you could go hours without knowing the latest crazy thing the president said.

    In 2000, daily weekday circulation for newspapers in the US was estimated at nearly 56 million.

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    #10

    Mentally I’m Here

    Mentally I’m Here

    Nostalgia Video Report

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    A Wild Bean
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Took me a second to realize that this isn't literally a picture from my old school... wow some things are just universal, huh?

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    #11

    Grandparent's Secret Handshake

    Grandparent's Secret Handshake

    Nostalgia Video Report

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    Angrywolf
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My grandfather made a game of it, 5 guilders in his closed fist and I had to get his fingers open, If I succeeded, the money was mine, Loved the game.

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    #13

    The Most Iconic Four-Way Call To Ever Exist, Prove Me Wrong

    The Most Iconic Four-Way Call To Ever Exist, Prove Me Wrong

    Tracey Earlam Cook Report

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    Higgleton
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The... only... ever four way call to exist? Can't imagine there's a lot of competition in this category at the Oscars

    Royal Stray
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It isn't though, a lot of 2000's girls shows used to have multiple people calls like that

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    She_was_a_sk8er_Bratz
    Community Member
    10 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The four-way call on Bratz: "Hey girls, Sleepover at Cloe's tonight?" Much cooler imo

    urfavswiftie
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i kinda wish i grew up during this time, it looks so much fun \:

    AliJanx
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nah. It's the Bud Light guys. Whatsssssup...whasssup.....whazzzzssssup....whatsuuuuuuup

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    In order to document your life, you had to carry around an extra device: an actual camera; the concept of the cameraphone was still a few years away from becoming mainstream.

    And Netflix was just getting started: it could recommend movies, give you three DVDs at a time, and let you keep them for as long as you wanted. “The dream 20 years from now,” CEO Reed Hastings said in 2002, “is to have a global entertainment distribution company that provides a unique channel for film producers and studios.”

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    #14

    Damn Not Even The Fast Charger

    Damn Not Even The Fast Charger

    Leon McJunkins Report

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    okpkpkp
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some guy at my HS entered a contest where you had to be 18 so he put his parent's names and they won a houseboat. They sold the boat and bought their son a brand new 1969 PURPLE Dodge Charger. I'd see him crossing the bridge to school revving his potent engine.

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    #15

    I Remember Coming Home From School Every Evening To Watch The Best Lineup

    I Remember Coming Home From School Every Evening To Watch The Best Lineup

    Anonymous participant Report

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    OWEN CASH
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'll take Saturday morning Bugs Bunny / Roadrunner cartoons over these anytime.

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    #16

    I Had One Of These I Was Sad When The Marker Dried Out Though

    I Had One Of These I Was Sad When The Marker Dried Out Though

    Abi Marmolejo Report

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    tor
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Loved these. Had a going away party in 8th grade and all my friends signed one. So cute

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    #17

    Do They Think Kids Don’t Use Paper ?

    Do They Think Kids Don’t Use Paper ?

    Masøn Vautøur Report

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    Hotdogking
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What? Do they now sing 🎵We just got an email, we just got an email, we just got an email, I wonder who it's from?🎵. Because that will hurt me on a personal level

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    But why do we feel nostalgic for these things? Krystine Batcho, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at LeMoyne College and a licensed psychologist, thinks that this emotional experience allows us to get a better understanding of our own selves.

    "It helps to unite our sense of who we are, our self, our identity over time," Batcho said. "Because over time, we change constantly, we change in incredible ways. We're not anywhere near the same as we were when we were three years old, for example. Nostalgia, by motivating us to remember the past in our own life, helps to unite us to that authentic self and remind us of who we have been and then compare that to who we feel we are today."

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    This also gives us a sense of who we want to become in the future.

    #18

    Out Rockin My Jeans From 2004 Today!

    Out Rockin My Jeans From 2004 Today!

    Mark OM Report

    #19

    Having Cell Phones In 2000s

    Having Cell Phones In 2000s

    Silvia Marie Report

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    Higgleton
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Flexing your Nokia 3310 on those with a 3210 because it had snake 2 and you could go through the walls

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    #20

    Ooooh Yikes

    Ooooh Yikes

    Bailey Lalonde Report

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    sky
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i have a ds and i had this game but i dont know where it went lol

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    "The other way that nostalgia serves an essential psychological function is that it is a highly social emotion. It connects us to other people," Batcho added. "It does that [in] so many beautiful ways. In the beginning, when we're very young, it's part of what bonds us to the most important people in our life, our parents, our siblings, our friends. As we go through life, it can broaden out and extend to a wider sphere of the people we interact with. It's a social connectedness phenomenon and nostalgia is in that sense a very healthy pro-social emotion."

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    And online communities such as '2000s Y2K Childhood' only back up these words.

    #22

    Halloween In The Early 2000s

    Halloween In The Early 2000s

    Jazmin Sutton Report

    #23

    Yasss

    Yasss

    Jazmin Sutton Report

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    OWEN CASH
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So glad Britney seems to be doing well now after years of being unjustly persecuted by the media.

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    #24

    The Man Who Had A Piercing On His Thing And Got Electrocuted

    The Man Who Had A Piercing On His Thing And Got Electrocuted

    Silvia Marie Report

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    Porribix
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sat on the water filter of a hot tub, formed a seal around his a**s and sucked his intestines out.

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    #25

    I Love Shrek Lol

    I Love Shrek Lol

    Jazmin Sutton Report

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    Gul Dukat
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "I've heard there was a secret chord that David played, and it pleased the Lord..." One of the saddest moments in CGI history

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    #26

    Who Remembers These Growing Up In The 2000’s

    Who Remembers These Growing Up In The 2000’s

    Derek Brown Report

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    A Wild Bean
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Unpopular opinion, I never liked these because they fit really weird and got stuck in my hair (Edit: I know they're bracelets. I have no idea how they ended up in my hair)

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    #27

    One Fine Day A Woof And A Purr A Baby Was Born And It Caused A Little Stir

    One Fine Day A Woof And A Purr A Baby Was Born And It Caused A Little Stir

    Raymond Black Report

    #28

    I Use To Love This Game!

    I Use To Love This Game!

    Bebo Osorio Report

    #29

    Yea To Take Her To The Mall To Get Some Food And Leave

    Yea To Take Her To The Mall To Get Some Food And Leave

    Nostalgia Video Report

    #30

    Good Ol’ Triangle Club. Where Everybody Knows Your Name

    Good Ol’ Triangle Club. Where Everybody Knows Your Name

    Nostalgia Video Report

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    #32

    The 2011 Mcdonald’s Happy Meals Were The Real Thing!

    The 2011 Mcdonald’s Happy Meals Were The Real Thing!

    Rebecca Ayers Report

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    #34

    Miss Those Days

    Miss Those Days

    Jami Janai Report

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    starsailor (they/he)
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i actually have a ds and 3ds! i bought the ds during the pandemic and the 3ds like a year ago. i haven't touched the ds since 2021, but i love my 3ds! i also have a gameboy color and gameboy advance!

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    #37

    Def Nostalgia As An Older Teen But Yes

    Def Nostalgia As An Older Teen But Yes

    Jami Janai Report

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    Peppy Piplup
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Couldn't relate to most of this article because it was all early 2000s when I was a toddler but THIS. THIS is THE nostalgic image. I remember having Squinkies, slap bands, silly bands, a leopard Pillow Pet, Temple Run, Littlest Pet Shop, a Wii, 3DS, Loom bands and Lego Friends. All this image is missing is Zhu Zhu Pets

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    #41

    Miss This Show

    Miss This Show

    Jazmin Sutton Report

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    Rapunzel With The Loced Hair
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think this is what gave me an obsession with reality dating shows. It's trash TV but I can't look away (please send help)

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    #42

    If U Had One Of These In The Late 90s And Early 00s U Were A Cool Kid

    If U Had One Of These In The Late 90s And Early 00s U Were A Cool Kid

    KP Evans Report

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    Stary_cat
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Kind on but off topic I hate when kids at school walk around with boom box’s and speakers blaring drake or some other rapper.

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    #44

    A New Aged Furby. I Had A Fijit Friend And I Was Convinced That It Was Possessed Because It Would Turn On By Itself In The Middle Of The Night

    A New Aged Furby. I Had A Fijit Friend And I Was Convinced That It Was Possessed Because It Would Turn On By Itself In The Middle Of The Night

    Kylie Holderbaugh Report