3. The Pencil of Dreams
Adults understand precisely how frustrating it may be when we can’t locate a pen. But not having a pen back in the 1990s immediately led to Every 90s child desired to use a pencil in school, after all, and this was due their one very clear goal in mind. They aimed to perfect their pencils until they resembled the amazing specimen below. It must be small and sharp; we would not take less.
For any self-respecting 90s student, the search for the ideal pencil stub was a ritual of passage. It was about reaching pencil perfection rather than only about having a writing tool. Searching for that elusive, ultra-sharp point, we would spend several hours at the manual sharpener cranking away until our arms ached. A pencil became more valuable the shorter it got. It was like a badge of honour, evidence of our commitment and endurance.
Of course, just a small number of people succeeded in really reaching this aim. And those folks will always be part of 90s nostalgia history. So, if you did, give yourself a back-off pat. Envy of the class, these pencil virtuosos had small graphite stubs that inspire awe and respect. Not to be overlooked, though, the hazards involved; one incorrect action could result in a painful graphite stab wound. And Lord forbid you drop your beloved pencil stub; discovering it on the classroom floor felt like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Still, the bragging rights exceeded every blister and lost pencil.
4. Can You Smell This?
Though that’s exactly what this picture has done for us, it’s remarkable how one nostalgic picture may arouse all of your senses. Are any other youngsters from the 90s going through this? Actually, one of the greatest pleasures somebody in the 1990s could have was opening a fresh pot of Play-Doh; the aroma was divine. It smelled strong and fresh, a clue of some major calamity to be ahead.
It’s trademarked because that unique Play-Doh scent is so recognizable. One smell and you find yourself back in primary school, seated at a small desk, poised to let your imagination flow. Anyone who has ever popped open a fresh container will almost certainly be familiar with its perfume, which is equal parts salty, sweet, and somewhat musky but almost tough to describe.
Although this new Play-Doh smelled and looked great, it didn’t exactly stay this way for very long. The hues were all mixed together into one massive Play-Doh mound within a few hours. Still, that was part of the entertainment value. Combining colors to produce fresh hues, rolling out “snakes,” constructing tiny worlds, and yes, sometimes trying to eat it (despite our parents’ warnings). The smell, the squishy texture, the vivid colors, and even the taste—admit it, we have all been curious—the Play-Doh experience was a whole sensory adventure. Though most of our works turned out as amorphous blobs, the delight was in the process rather than the result. Not to mention the delight of squishing it back into the container at the conclusion of playing; if you could get it all to fit, then that is!
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