40 Nostalgic Photos That Will Emotionally Damage You (In The Best Way Possible)

Remember when the biggest crisis in life was accidentally taping over your favorite VHS? Or when the internet made weird screeching noises before blessing you with 10 minutes of laggy browsing? Ah, simpler times. Nostalgic photos have a way of hitting us right in the feels, taking us back to a world where flip phones ruled and responsibilities were just a future problem.

Today, we’re bringing you a collection of legendary images that will catapult you straight back to the good old days. From childhood snacks that mysteriously disappeared to fashion choices we thought were cool, this trip down memory lane will make you laugh, cringe, and maybe shed a single, dramatic tear. If you’ve ever said, “Back in my day…” unironically, welcome—this one’s for you.

#1. Wooden playgrounds

Source: Xnightx0wlx

#2. The magic that was the Scholastic Book Fair

Source: MccreesKnees

#3. The GE alarm clock that everyone seemed to have

Source: 2ezyo

#7. I’m really missing the “transparent tech” craze of the late 90’s and early noughties

Source: Away_Flounder3813

#8. Tremors 1990 ‧ Someone actually found the spot

Source: mrthree1zero

#9. Remember when you didn’t have to enter your personal info online to win a soda?

Source: VitruvianHooligan

#10. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, N64. The warehouse

Source: JM-Rie

#11. The Motorola RAZR. Still the coolest cell phone to be produced

Source: Boojibs

#12. Eye Witness Books. The best part of the Scholastic Book Fair.

Source: TheKingoftheBlind

#13. Pencils with cartridges

Source: Lexjiggler

#14. Who remembers this [ice cream] from school?

Source: 42iseverywhere42

#15. Did anyone else have a stage in the cafeteria of their school?

Source: Zolebrow

#16. So today, I accidentally broke my autistic brother’s favorite Dragon Tales plate and I can’t find it anywhere online. If someone finds one like or similar to it (online or in your basements) I’d pay you for it and you’d be really helping us out! THANK YOU, INTERNET FOLK! 🙂

Source: meatygonzales

#17. Removing the faceplate of your car stereo so it wouldn’t get stolen

Source: ebjazzz

#18. I know you all remember the Spacemaker pencil box!

Source: FatSloppyPecker

#19. 90’s TV cabinet. I remember needing to push on the glass doors to open them

Source: SeattleMana

#20. Now that all the stores in Alaska closed, this is the last Blockbuster in the United States. It is in Bend, OR

Source: Whoshabooboo

#21. Those red pebbled cups from the pizza joint with the arcade when you were a kid

Source: Kiarray

#22. Lindsay Lohan taking photos of the paparazzi with a disposable camera (2004)

Source: Tony_Tanna78

#23. Being a kid and eating this. (Cup of Dirt)

Source: tbones357

#24. Glittery sand lizards

Source: Reddit User

#25. Remember watching the pipes screensaver?

Source: IHaveShitToDO

#26. Who else had this toy sword?

Source: Luc4_Blight

#27. The creepy movie known as James And the Giant Peach

Source: trystancutty

#28. Anyone remember Corduroy the department store bear?

Source: aproneship

#29. Starving your calculator to death

Source: Mea05cer

#30. Who remembers these switchblade combs?

Source: foreignhoe

#31. The little critter book series

Source: Austin90743

#32. Most will remember his as Batman, some will remember him as Catman/Mayor Adam West, but everyone will remember him as an amazing actor of our childhoods. RIP Adam West

Source: yeahscience62

#33. Those bright green volume bars

Source: Skinnerlikesdogfood

#34. Space Cadet was my childhood

Source: SEMiTRiCKY

#35. Burning the sickest CDs in the neighborhood

Source: Jeffrey_Strange

#36. Bristle Blocks, do these look familiar?

Source: HellotoHorse

#37. Yes kids, back in the day, we’d have to remove the faceplates from our car stereos so they wouldn’t get stolen

Source: jsakic99

#38. See-through electronics

Source: rysterf

#39. The smell of opening a brand new can of Play Doh

Source: colburn317

#40. Kelloggs Star Wars Spoons

Source: Reddit User

Did one of these nostalgic photos unlock a forgotten memory? Did it make you question why we ever thought low-rise jeans were a good idea? Tell us your favorite nostalgia moment, and if you have a cursed (or blessed) old-school photo to share, drop it in the comments—we promise we’ll only judge a little.