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2008 vs. 2018


Eliwoodman12

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Every year, I reminisce about anniversaries. Ten years always pops into my mind the most. I compare and contrast between then and now and try to figure out if life was better back then than it is now. 

 

So I ask, was 2008 better for you than 2018? or is 2018 better than it was a decade ago for you?

 

For me?

 

2008

-high school graduation (was so glad to be away from high school and start fresh)

-intro to college

-Celtics winning Finals, Sox and Patriots lost

-first car

-music felt certainly better

-recession, but politics wasn't as crazy as it is now

-Facebook still felt fresh. Myspace was sort of a thing still.

-No Twitter, No instagram, no snapchat. AIM was still a thing.

-Blockbuster was still a thing, though my local one closed that year I believe. 

-My phone was the pan tech duo, loved Qwerty keyboards on phones.

-Wii. Loved the first two years of the Wii because the gimmick was fresh and not as much clutter. But 2008 was probably the last year I fully enjoyed it. There were gems later on, but Mario Kart and Smash Bros were dope. Didn't love Brawl as much but still enjoyed it.

-felt like I had more freedom and time to do things than 2018.

 

2018

-adult responsibilities, stressed on finding full time job, paying bills, etc.

-sports teams are still consistent enough for me to enjoy them

-new car (bought in 2017)

-music is much worse, don't even get excited to hear new music anymore because it sounds all the same.

-I pretty much hate all of social media now. Too many trolls and arguments. 

-My favorite stores continue to close down

-Phone is iPhone which I've had for years. Maybe time for something new.

-Switch>>>Wii, though one thing I do miss was the gatherings I had over my house with people playing with the Wii. Haven't had any of those experiences on Switch. Because people don't like to play local anymore. :(

 

I think as of right now, I will say 2008 is slightly better? Only because at the end of the year I was in college, with years ahead of me to make new friends, obtain degrees and just experience new things. 2018, I feel like it's just the same old routine with nothing exciting really happening. Hopefully my situation will change and can get that excitement that I got when I first entered college. Just looking for the right opportunity, in this case job.

 

 

 

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2008:
Still had terrible social anxiety, just starting to make friends in my area but still super alone
Quite unhappy with my family situation
Brawl was a big disappointment and I was already started to get tired of video game stuff. That just made it worse
Unrequited crushes
Floating through 10th/11th grade without being a part of anything that was happening around me.
Parents were difficult the few times I got the chance to get out of the house
Constant feeling of missing out on life

2018:
No more social anxiety but still very much a shut-in
Still recovering from depression that peaked in 2014
Super poor, quit my last job two years ago when i was suicidal, barely getting by with some help from roommates
Sorta not entirely unrequited love lol but we talk nonstop and it's one of the few things keeping me afloat
In a constant cycle of starting and failing to improve myself
Unhappy with my life but lost how to change because I don't desire traditional success and being a zombie/cog for more basic comfort always destroys my mental health
Also knowing I have to be a leech to some degree on my friends and family to survive and feeling as though I won't ever properly have the means to repay them, in kindness or in a proper friend/family relationship.
Never seeing any growth with regards to online stuff because I'm the flakiest person on Earth
Watching racists and cryptofascists rise in numbers rapidly in my country
Having to cut out loads of people from my life due to all of the fallout from that, without really being able to replace them
The impending stress of knowing global warming and capitalism will both be crises in my lifetime and most likely nothing will be done to fix/replace them
Knowing I still have the privilege of not feeling many of these things in my life directly and not being able to do anything for those who don't
Yet focusing on my small interests despite everything is the only way to retain any degree of mental health at all
---

well, after reflecting on it for a while
past and present both kinda sucked.
life is shit, QED

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2008:

Adolescence. Memories of "real life" during this period are mostly fuzzy compared to the vivid and important things that were happening to me online, which is where most of my attention was focused. In early spring I became a moderator on a forum I'd been frequenting since September the previous year. Alongside me, they hired a few other guys that I ended up being friends with. The four of us started an off-site chat where we started talking pretty much every day. A couple of us have never stopped; the others still visit on occasion. I think of 2008 as the year that spawned perhaps the most important friendships of my life. The moderating was a pretty important experience too; not just in a general sense but because I was moderating on-and-off for this site for years after, rose up to administrator in late 2013, and then quit the site after it was bought in 2014. (It no longer exists today.) That whole saga was foundational for me, on the same level as my time in school.

 

2018:

Everything is more complicated now that I'm an adult, but it probably felt just as complicated back then. The background details from 2008 have faded away, whereas everything right now is painfully in focus; the horror of watching America collapse, my own responsibilities as someone who is technically an adult, my myriad failures, flaws, and disorders. The main thing I'll probably remember about 2018 is the friendships I've formed at work, the first time I've had something resembling a social life in about five years. Now, instead of thinking about my internet life all the time, I'm constantly thinking about my job and the people I work with. I often feel empty and unsatisfied when I get home at night. But when I'm around my favorite coworkers, I'm as happy as I can remember being. I have to keep reminding myself that to keep from being overwhelmed by everything else.

 

Both years are about new friendships. If I had to pick which one was better, it's probably 2018, on balance. It's easy to forget the mundane shittiness of middle school and high school. The present day can be mundane too, but it's much more bearable, and almost a relief sometimes because we know how bad the world can unexpectedly get.

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2008:

• I was a sophomore/junior in high school

• Was heavily into technology

• NSider2 was still a bustling, active site and I was one of the newer members of staff

• I was mostly a loner aside from a small group of friends, but this was mostly by choice because I didn't share many interests with most classmates

• My Wii got a fair bit of use still

• Grandparents and other close family still alive and tight-knit

 

2018:
• I've graduated college/university. Twice.

• Been working professionally as a software developer for a few years

• Obtained a New Zealand resident visa less than a year ago, allowing me to stay in the country indefinitely

• Run Ninfora

• Have a sizable group of friends - sometimes more than I can feasibly keep talking with frequently enough!

• Run a Discord server for said friends

• Technical Support MVP on Blizzard's forums

• Sold the lion's share of my cryptocurrency near the all-time high after holding onto it since 2011/2012

• Just as much into technology as ever before

• Play primarily on PC, but also have a Switch (hooray for no region locking!)

• Grandparents and other family members passed away; other members of family moved across the United States

 

I'd like to think that life has been going quite well for me over these past several years. I have incredibly fond memories of my time back in 2008, and I do often get lost in nostalgia - especially when I think back to my time with family - but I try to always keep moving forward and have goals in mind. I think that I've definitely come out of my shell IRL over the past decade, and I attribute a lot of that to the level of comfort that I gained from interacting with others online.

 

When it comes to politics, I'll just say that I feel quite fortunate to not be in the United States anymore during all of this. There's been some real nastiness boiling over these past couple of years, but it's not really something that I encounter in my daily life here, thankfully. I'm more politically motivated than ever, though, and I'm looking forward to voting in NZ in these coming years.

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2008- 

  

-Junior/ Senior. HS.

-Planning on going to college. No job yet.

-Resented being in band even slightly more. 

-Did Beauty And The Beast. 

-18, so I voted. I even took AP Government because of presidential debate thing.  

- I think I had an iPod at this point. No cells. Didn't get one until maybe college. 

- No car. Basically, I carpooled. Never took driving stuff until later. 

- Healthier I think. 

- Being in band meant I never took P.E. 

- Better music. There was even a song duet called INTO THE NIGHT played by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback fame and Carlos Santana. And this was before I thought Nickelback sucked. 

- Only listened to Top 40 chart stuff. Until later, never heard of some classic rock artists. I was a jaded kind of guy. 

- I got a Wii, DS, PS3, and maybe an X360. I think it was mostly newer games until later.  

- Had GH4 and RB2. This was before things went down. 

- Began to appreciated a blue-suited spiky-haired attorney series even more. THIS WAS BEFORE MY GROWING RESENTMENT OF CAPCOM TOOK OVER. 

- Was a big YU-GI-OH guy. 

- Grandpa is still alive.  

- I think this is when THAT SITE was in its infancy.   

- YouTube in its infancy. This is when I learned of AVGN and Nostalgia Critic. This was before... *cough*  

- Mostly watched cartoons. Then Scrubs came into my world... maybe later? 

-Fan of the Pokemon series. Began to lose interest in the anime. Cared about Naruto a long time ago. 

- Single, and I didn't mind.  

- No glasses, but BRACES. 

 

2018-  

 

- Graduated college.  

- Got a job after two years after college. Work at a movie theater. And I live in an apartment now.

- Never did anything band related. Focused on my Theater Arts Major and my Latin Minor. I love mythology. 

- Did way more shows now that I have more time and school's not a thing. I work part-time. 

- I voted in 2016. I refuse to tell anyone who I voted for since it might trigger some people.  

- I still have my iPod and with the money I had from my new job saved up for an iPhone. Not the X though. I heard about the unique charging system. It costed my at least 1000, but it was so worth it. 

- Finally got a car and my license. But, it was basically a gift and used by one of my relatives. But, I still have it after 4 years. 

- I'm nearly 28. HURRY UP BIRTHDAY, I DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF "THAT" CLUB! 

- I know I'm getting "bigger". I'm going to the gym now. Band failed me. 

- What's on the radio about 90% of the time? I mean the Top 40. I like some songs, but the rest are just... boring. 

- Found out about more metal and older and newer rock songs that aren't on the Top 40 but DON'T SUCK. I think it was in 2009 when I became more interested in the past.  I even went to some concerts recently. The last one I saw was Weird Al. He did just mostly original stuff, but there were a few parodies. 

- I still have my stuff, except I had to finally say goodbye to my PS3 and replaced it, and I got rid of the X360 years ago. I now have a 3DS, Switch, PS2 (which was technically my grandfather's before... well...), a WiiU, and a PS4. I even have a laptop and a new PC. And Amiibos. 

- Have most of the RB and GH games. Live sucked, but Rock Band Rivals or whatever is doing better than the release of 4.  

- I love the Ace Attorney series, but it's been 7 years, and no news of a Gyakuten Kenji 2 remake on the 3DS. We might not even get Dai Gyakuten Saiban and its sequel. I still love the series, and even though I hated that is was digital only, I got Spirit of Justice. 

- Better appreciation for some retro games. 

- Still a big Yu-Gi-Oh guy. I love the TCG. Never went back to the anime. Abridged stuff is still going.  

- My grandpa has passed away. ... There has been a lot of noticeable passings recently. Had to say goodbye to his house in 2014 I think. 

- My cousin married and has kids. 

- This site is here. Hi. 

- YouTube sucks with its persistence of ads, and the UNSKIPPABLE ones. Especially for cars.  

- Been more of a fan of YouTube personalities however, but I've stopped watching a few because of... interesting matters. 

- Still watch cartoons, but also more... shows with actual people. My favorite animated show Phineas and Ferb finally had a finally after maybe 10 years. And I'm glad Fairy Odd Parents is FINALLY done. Except Spongebob is still alive. Never was one for Adventure Time.

-Became a fan of WWE in 2014. When the Daniel Bryan scene was around (he has a story mode in the next game), and it was I think after Summerslam when BROCK LESNAR because champion of little worth. Seriously, as of now, he has not put anyone over with the UC belt, and worse is his opponent, whom I hated since 2015. Summerslam 2018 might suck because of the Main Event. But, there are ONE OF TWO PEOPLE who can solve it.   

- Fan of Pokemon. Haven't watched the anime since.  

- Going to my local Comic Con. THIRD YEAR! Last year I met my childhood icon Veronica Taylor and showed her my Pikachu amiibo. Even got a signed autograph on my wall! This year it's going to have to VAs of BOTW Zelda and Prince Sidon from BOTW. YEAH! And some other cool guys. 

- Finally an Incredibles 2 movie, and I loved it. Not better than the first, but there are a few things I loved more than the first movie. 

- Have yet to see Ant-Man and Wasp.  

- Single, and I don't mind.  

- Got back into Tekken in my college years. I played 3, but picked up 6 after I matured. I have an interesting story with 3 in particular.  

- No braces, but GLASSES... But's it's no longer "nerdy" so who cares. 

- Got caught up with Naruto with the games and the Wiki. But, Dragon Ball has made a huge comeback recently, and Super has finally concluded. BROLY MOVIE CONFIRMED! 

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2008 - Mom kicked me out of the house to live with my psychotic father because she was too much of a drunk and was tired of trying to support me.  I finished High School last year, had a job, lost it, and was faffing about.  Life was dark and I hated being alive from the shitty household I lived in.  I started actively listening to music as more than just a distraction and more as a serious hobby.  A black man was elected president and my father was suitably upset.  I had my last Christmas with my mother.  I was an anxious wreck who lived in constant fear.  I wrote about it a lot.

2018 - Living with a friend I've meet online going on 4 years.  Dissolved the relationships with my parents entirely and haven't seen my mother in nearly a decade.  Tried the college thing and didn't work out, ran out of money and mental health issues sabotaged my ability to push myself.  Went on some roadtrips and met some people I wish I had met sooner.  Fell in and out of love.  Came out of multiple closets, which in Trump's America is terrifying.  I don't live in fear anymore but a lot of those feelings don't ever really leave and I still have a great deal of trouble functioning as a normal adult in society.  I wouldn't necessarily say I'm happy but mainly content and indifferent to what life might bring to me since I don't have strong feelings for much of anything anymore.  I still write about it a lot.

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2008:

- Finished freshman year, now into sophomore year of highschool. Freshman year was one of my best years of school.

- Regularly see friends in person and online messaging (mainly Gaia Online, but Facebook was starting to make a presence)

- Learned how to ride a bike.

- Was buying DS games almost weekly. I can't even recall where I was getting the money from, but I regularly rode my bike to Gamestop.

- Primarily only played RPGs.

- Bad social anxiety, coupled with awful facial acne that hurt my image for years.

- Started writing in a journal. It's actually just a .txt file.

- Most of my free time was being outside, staying at a friends, or playing games at home while my brother and mom were out.

- Terribly ignorant of politics. But hey, I was 15.

- Primarily wear eye contacts.

- Listened to music on my SanDisk MP3 player with 1GB of storage. 

- Windows Vista. 256MB Memory. Kill me.

- Vault soda.

 

2018:

- I graduated college a year ago.

- I've been working my current job that's in my field for the past year.

- I've been driving for a year now, too.

- I have more money in savings than I would have imagined in 2008.

- I think I've bought all the 3DS games I want at this stage.

- I usually refrain from buying games unless it's something I really want because my going rate of finishing games has drastically slowed down.

- Been dating my girlfriend for over two years now.

- Seeing friends irregularly, usually several months apart. Life has taken its course for most of us.

- Been wearing glasses regularly for two years.

- Eating healthier now. I've reduced my sugar intake, I no longer drink soda, and I'm more conscious on proteins.

- Coffee is wonderful.

- Linux may be a hobby of mine now.

- Much more aware and much more concerned with politics. The future of my country is looking bleak, and that's not even accounting the impact climate change will have.

- Still living in the same county as 2008. Because of my job, I'm much more geographically aware of the area than I was even a year ago.

- More open-minded on videogame genres, including tough-as-nails platformers and dungeon-crawlers.

- Most of my free time is spent in my room, at my desk or playing a game. I still live with my parents, partly because me renting somewhere wasn't financially reasonable with my work hours.

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2008:

I hardly remember anything at the time, since I was just 5 years old at the time. I guess it's considered my best year since I barely knew much about the world?

 

2018:

Practically the most enlightening year for me.

Just about to start high school this fall.

Had the most falling outs with friends, rekindled my love for games and reading again.

I finally got serious onto my art.

My brother and me almost got separated again.

I finally lost my temper in class, it wasn't a pretty sight.

 

So, I guess there's that.

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  • 2 weeks later...

2008: 

-Was a little awkward third/fourth grader who really only enjoyed playing with Bionicles, Transformers, Yugioh, and video games and not sports or anything physically demanding like all the other kids

-Parents had been divorced for three years at this point but I wasn't really bothered by that for some reason

-Internet experience mainly consisted of watching anime AMVs and custom Bionicle tutorials synced to Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, and basically any edgy song from the early 2000s. Oh and also Crazy Frog music videos, fake trailers for Jurassic Park 4, and Addictinggames.com

-Dad lived in a nice house and we had a half husky/half wolf breed who was just, like, the best fucking thing ever

-Kinda had a weird social dynamic with my other elementary school peers wherein I somehow managed to make friends with the popular kids despite my awkward and moody personality, though in hindsight I probably weirded them out a lot and the only reason why they were friends with me was because they were constantly told by adult authority figures to not be mean to kids like me. 

-Didn't know how to ride a bike or a scooter or a skateboard or skates or anything really

-Cried in school a lot when things didn't go my way

-Prided myself in being seen as the "smart kid" simply because I memorized the useless schlock my teachers threw at me and followed directions well enough, which was a ticking time bomb of an identity crisis waiting to blow up in my face.

-Had a helicopter mom that coddled the fuck out of me and did shit behind my dad's back, especially after the divorce, like placing me in an after school day care for autistic children despite the fact that I wasn't actually autistic. That kind of shit really stunted my social development and really fucked with me until I realized what I was becoming during my first year of college. 

-Wanted to become a paleontologist when I grew up because I liked dinosaurs and memorized a lot dinosaur facts

-Thought that White and Nerdy and Riding Dirty were the same song because I sucked at listening to song lyrics

-Holding a phone for a couple of seconds felt like holding forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eve

-Had little to no coordination in my body 

-Easily scared of, well, anything really, especially horror movies. 

 

2018:

-Awkward first/second-year college student who is slightly more outgoing than before but suffers greatly from social anxiety and ADD

-Only recently completely recovered from a burned bridge with a former high school crush and even managed to rebuild the friendship entirely over the course of this recent summer vacation

-Also only recently recovered from an identity crisis wherein I realized I had no applicable skills or any real talents in anything because of how I grew up as a mindless pseudo-intellectual sheep that followed directions well. But now I'm taking measures to correct my life so it's been improving

-Only recently realized the extent to which my neurotic, overbearing, manipulative, and coddling mom was willing to diminish my dignity as a child because of easy access to certain school and government-related resources, her own insecurities, and a warped sense of pride

-Dad lost a lot in his life and now lives in a guest house. Our husky/wolf hybrid is probably either dead or about to die, but we haven't seen him since 2011 when we had to leave him on a dog ranch during a major move. 

-Learned how to ride a bike, a scooter, and a skateboard during my senior year in high school

-Phones don't feel that special anymore which makes me sad for some reason

-Grew a bit of a backbone though I'm still limited by my fear of getting on people's bad sides

-Have become more physically active in recent years, even going so far as to develop some definition in my abdomen

-Realized that I want to write, possibly even direct, stories (still refining the pilot script of a Yugioh spin-off story which can hopefully transcend fan fic status) and dabble with acting, though I'm majoring in Journalism because I still want to be useful to society in some capacity rather than end up as a failing artist 

-I've lost my passion for anything related to Lego, and my passion for Transformers has progressively dwindled to a mere appreciation of a couple of shows and the engineering and craftsmanship that goes into making some of the figures

-Still have an interest in Yugioh though it's become too expensive and complicated for me to really commit to it

-Experienced what it's like to chug vodka and take acid (not at the same time though) so that's pretty fucking neat.

-Still have no real coordination, though I've forced myself to loosen up my previously tight and rigid body a bit so now I look more natural. 

-Am also basically a stoner 

Edited by Sir Grim Locksmith VIII
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