Adults Explain To The Younger Generations What It Was Like To Fly Before 9/11
Evil changed the world as we knew it on September 11th, 2001.
After the terror attacks against the United States, the experience of traveling changed around the world. More people were anxious about riding on air planes, but life wasn't going to stop because of the actions of evil men. Though the effectiveness of the TSA and other airport security is debatable, many countries around the world opted to have stricter guidelines at airports to at least make passengers feel safer.
Redditor u/omfghewontfkndie asked people who remembered traveling before 9/11 what it was like, and people discussed how it was overall more enjoyable to go on planes.
20. It was easy to ambush celebrities
"you could go through security without a ticket. my mom supported my teenybopping days, so 13 y/o me met a backstreet boy when he got to his gate. thanks AOL chat rooms for being the first reddit"
19. Flying was a big even
"My 90 year old dad is still shocked men don't get dressed up in suit and ties, and women in a church dress while flying.
I guess prior to the 80's it was so comparatively expensive that for personal trips it was like going to a formal.
I remember the cheapest price for flight from Houston to Philadelphia my dad could find in the mid 70's on a weeks notice was $650. I remember because that was huge amount of money and he decided to take a weeks vacation to drive there and back.
45 years later you can easily find such flights for less than $400."
18. Painless bag checks
Giphy"Put your carry-on on the conveyor. Walk through the metal detector. Take your bag. Off you go."
t0f0b0
17. Kids often flew alone
"Easy preezy. I travelled back and forth by myself to Washington from Phoenix every year since I was 7. I went through security with a pocket knife and had a really fun time on planes."
16. Gate agents really didn't care
"I once got into Canada using an expired 6 Flags Over Texas season pass as my I.D. in lieu of an actual passport."
15. It was good to be a child on a plane
"McDonald's Happy meals in flight, getting wings from the captain and seeing the cockpit."
14. Planes were BYOB
"I sat with four other passengers in first class and shared half a bottle of Captain Morgan from my backpack.
The flight crew brought us all the mixers we wanted."
13. A picture on a credit card? Wow.
"Travelled on a plane from Canada to USA with the picture on my American Express Credit Card because I don't drive."
12. No stressing over ounces
"Oh god, guess I'm an Adult© now.
It was way more relaxed. You didn't take your shoes off, didn't have to take electronics out, and there was no limits on liquids. Overall much better experience."
11. Only surrender real weapons, please
The ticket counter asked if we had any weapons. My dad and I pulled out our Swiss army knives. The lady just repeated, 'Any Weapons?' In an irritated tone."
10. "Security was a joke..."
"Easy. Security was a joke. You could bring small knives on the plane, and everyone could go to the gate.
I once had to turn my cell phone on to prove it was a real phone and I got really annoyed at that level of scrutiny."
9. No hassles...
"Back in the late 90s when I was traveling often for work, I'd wear steel-toe boots and bring a laptop bag stuffed with tools and never got hassled."
8. No ID checks
"I had a 30 minute drive to the airport but could leave the house 1 hour before departure. The bag checked 20 minutes before would still make the plane.
Half empty planes were pretty normal. I once had all 5 seats in a row on a 747 flight, so I laid down and slept. That started changing in the 1990s, more about $ than security.
You could buy a stranger's return ticket because no one checked IDs."
7. Planes actually had a smoking section
Giphy"Let me do you one better: in the late 80s you could smoke on them mother******s"
6. "It was so lonely at the gate..."
"The biggest difference I remember is that my grandparents used to greet us at the gate as we got off the plane, and come to the gate with us while we waited for our flight back home. Obviously you couldn't get on the plane without a boarding pass, but you could get through security without a boarding pass.
It was so lonely at the gate after 9/11."
5. I have vague memories of this happening to me
Giphy"I remember being taken up to see the pilot in the late 90s when i was a kid - later on I assumed i must have imagined it, but my parents assured me that they would genuinely take people onto the flight deck for a look around."
4. Forty-five minutes
"Remember when the McAllister family from 'Home Alone' made it from the suburbs to O'Hare for an international flight in 45 minutes? That Easy."
3. Less racism and prejudice
"There were still people who had flying anxiety but seems like a ton more now. Also you didn't have to show up hours ahead of time and worry that you're still too late. People who looked the slightest bit middle eastern weren't stared at"
2. Everything is checked
"I only traveled by plane a handful of times before 9/11 and I was young (6-8 years old) but the difference was huge from what I can remember, it was just so much more hassle free, and people could wait for you when you got off the plane right where you were getting off! Now you gotta take off your shoes and get EVERYTHING checked, they go through your stuff, it takes so much longer now."
1. It was better overall
"Aside from the security and the process of getting to the plane, the overall flight experience was way better. There was def more leg room which was awesome. Longer domestic flights 2+ hours even had economy meal service if you were flying during a mealtime. Drinks were provided as a full can without having to ask. Flights were actually a bit faster because gas prices weren't an issue. This all started to disappear throughout the 90s and early 00s. Meal service was first to go."
How People Really Feel About The Person They Lost Their Virginity To
"Reddit user Turbulent-Ad-7862 asked: 'How do you feel towards the person you lost your virginity to? Do you still remember them?'"
There is a reason that Madonna's "Like A Virgin," a sexual anthem of innocence lost has resonated with the world from the instant she fell to her knees on that 1984 VMA stage to this very moment.
Everyone remembers their first time.
And their first person.
Maybe they were and still are your first love.
Maybe the sight of them can make you ill.
No matter the reaction, we remember.
That person played a major character at a turning point in life.
That's hard to forgrt.
Redditor Turbulent-Ad-7862 wanted to hear about everyone's thoughts on the first person they had sex with, so they asked:
"How do you feel towards the person you lost your virginity to? Do you still remember them?"
Oh... the first.
I have two. (Not at the same time).
One of each gender.
Still care deeply about both.
HER
Happy Its Me GIF by Kiaundra JacksonGiphy"Pretty sure she was the one who got away, but we dated in high school and she moved away before our relationship could find a conclusion. At this point, it's probably just nostalgia... lol."
Dewey_Bosh
Oh Them
"I don’t feel one way or another. I haven’t seen her in over 20 years or so. I haven’t thought about her in years until this post."
1980pzx
15~ years for me and exactly the same. This post reminded me of her and honestly, I hope she’s doing well. A quick Facebook search shows she married the guy she dated after me and they had a kid. That’s wonderful and I’m glad for her."
UncoolSlicedBread
"Same situation for me, only it has been more like 10 years instead of 20! I actually almost forgot about the guy until I saw this post, lol."
MsSibylline
Best Of...
"Well on the 'hot/crazy' matrix she was firmly in the top right-hand corner lol. So I remember her very vividly, the sex is still some of the best that I've ever had. Luckily I had some older and wiser friends who kind of dragged me out of that relationship. For which I am very grateful. I have no idea what became of her, and I don't particularly care. :-) "
BeerPoweredNonsense
Better than me...
"I miss her, to be honest. She was fun, fiercely intelligent, and far too good for me. It was humbling being completely ill-equipped to argue with her, but fun to watch her demolish adults in debate and run rings around them in conversation. It’s been 22 years since I last saw her, 17 since we last communicated by email. She has a family of her own now and inevitably was an enormous success in her career."
Prudent-Earth-1919
Still Strong...
just married love GIFGiphy"I've been with her for 10 years and I hope to still be with her for another 60 or so."
Caractacutetus
"I mean, we've been married for 15 years and have 5 kids. I guess she's OK."
aroundincircles
It's amazing that people can make it work for life.
It gives me hope.
Though I'll stay a cynic.
Why Not?
Snl Queen GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphy"Oofta, I do remember them. But it’s not a romantic story at all. I was caught up in the 'everyone is doing it, better get it over with' and I lost it to a stranger at 15. He was also 15 and it was his first time. 😩 "
Ashley0716
So far, so good...
"Pretty damn good. It's only been a few months but I'm totally into him and (despite his self-proclaimed aversion to relationships) he pushed to be exclusive and he's texting on an almost daily basis wanting to get together. As for how I feel, 50% horny, 40% happy, and 10% anxious sums it up well."
_eviehalboro
Memories
"It was my high school girlfriend. I ended up breaking up with her. We hooked up again about 6 months after the breakup. Just casual sex. No labels. Ended up going to different colleges in the same city. Hooked up and went on some dates during our freshman year. Still no labels."
"Eventually she basically gave me an ultimatum. Said she emotionally couldn’t do the casual thing any more. Basically, we get back together for real or we go our separate ways. I wasn’t willing to get back together, but I respected her decision and didn’t want to toy with her feelings. She wanted to be together, and I knew that any kind of just treating her like a normal friend would have only given her hope. So I basically just cut out all communication."
"That’s been 8-9 years ago now. She seems to be doing well. Just recently got engaged. She was a good girl, and I’m happy for her. Wish it didn’t have to end as it did because she was cool and I liked spending time with her. But it would have been selfish and emotionally manipulative to do anything besides cut off communication as I did. I have nothing but fond memories of her. I hope she’d say the same of me."
ShitfacedGrizzlyBear
17
"He was a friend I met during a school theatrical production. I was 17, I told my dad I was staying back at school to do assignments and then hiked it to his place. His father nearly caught us. He’s a good person and has come so far. He was addicted to prescription meds for a long while. I won’t ever forget him and I hope he’s doing well since coming off that sh*t. :) "
OttersAndOttersAndOt
Ugh... HER
Angry Fed Up GIFGiphy"I still remember her, but I hate her guts now. She ended up cheating on me, and then thought it would be alright to still be friends after."
Ghoulthrower676
The one person we can't ever forget.
Good or bad experience... that first time and person stays with us.
No matter how we might feel about living luxuriously or practicing smart money management, we all have something we like to splurge on from time to time.
And while some of us really enjoy splurging on food, we also can agree on the things we don't feel are worth splurging on.
Redditor LocalInactivist asked:
"What's a luxury food you just don't get?"
Gold Leaf... Anything
"Gold flakes/powder on whatever food of the day is au current."
- ConstantReader70
"You're paying a lot of money to crap gold."
- draggar
Violent Soup
"Shark fin soup. It's a nice broth, but the atrocities committed are hardly worth it."
- human_male_123
Questionable Mincing Choices
"Wagyu burgers / snags / mince products. Marbling doesn’t matter anymore if you’re mincing it."
- Ok-Astronaut-7593
What the Fugu
"To some extent, Fugu."
"It's a poisonous blowfish that only qualified trained chefs in Japan are allowed to prepare. I had it three times I think, and I understand the folklore around it and why it's expensive, etc."
"But to be honest, the taste is pretty bland and 'like any other white fish' and nothing special, really. Your lips get numb a tiny bit and it makes for good stories, though, so no regrets..."
- LannMarek
Diminishing Returns
"Not food, but drinks; I don't get people who spend 1500 to 2000 dollars or more on a bottle of wine. Does it even taste that good?? It seems more like something people do to show off to others than anything else."
- Creative_Recover
"A 1500-hundred bottle of wine is going to taste better than a 15-dollar bottle. But not a HUNDRED TIMES better."
- VibrantPianoNetwork
That's an Escar-No
"Escargot. My brother swears by it. I don’t get the allure."
- MeAndJohnWhoo
"Escargot: because just eating garlic butter with a spoon would be uncivilized."
- ahecht
"Nutritional Value"
"Bird's Nest Soup."
"My rich aunt came to visit our family when I was pretty young, and I finally got to try bird's nest soup. It was something like 1500 dollars for a family-size serving and it tasted like nothing."
"I get it's supposed to have all kinds of nutrients and s**t, but guess what, so does a ton of other foods. I think that's probably a big part of why I argue with my mom so often about how pointless a ton of 'medicine' is"
- completelytrustworth
A Side of Hypocrisy
"It's not that I don't get it: they're delicious, but it is funny to me that most people are repulsed by the thought of eating bugs but think lobster and crab are a delicacy."
- seanofkelley
Tragic Ortolan
"Ortolan. You traditionally cover your head when you eat it, out of shame. Not that I have ever eaten it. It just seems such a 'f**k you' to nature."
- promise_me_jetpacks
A Fair Point
"Eating things where it will kill you if it's not prepared properly (like Fugu being poisonous)."
- curlyquinn02
Not Here for the Caviar
"Caviar. I had the opportunity once to sample what I was told was really good caviar. It tasted like Neptune's salty a**hole."
"If I had the money to buy high-end caviar, I would buy fifty bags of Doritos instead."
- Wadsworth_McStumpy
A Shortened Lifespan
"Veal's kinda mean considering how intelligent and full of life calves are."
- freeslurpee
"Vaguely Fruity Vinegar"
"I know this will make me look like an unsophisticated yokel, but Wine."
"I just don't get the appeal of vaguely fruity vinegar."
- atlanticzeolot
Expensive Treasure Hunt
"Truffles. I don’t get the hype."
- Candid_Term6960
"They're good in some things, a bit of truffle oil and some extra herbs in a cheap pasta sauce can make it really tasty, but overall it's just a weird mushroom, and not great by themselves."
- venemousb***h
Not So Great Morning
"That coffee that comes from beans some cat species digests and craps it out. How is that a good morning feeling?"
- Rainbow-Mama
Everyone's welcome to like different things, but these Redditors certainly made some great points about why these are foods and drinks they will not spend money on.
People Who Made An 'If We're Still Single At 30' Marriage Pact Explain How It's Going
Most of us like to set goals to motivate us toward a desired result rather than waiting for something to manifest itself.
The goals that are typically positive may include achievements like reaching a specific body weight, completing higher education, or saving enough money to purchase a home.
And then there are the goals that are more like consolation prizes because they seem unattainable in the present, like securing a relationship by a certain point in time.
Those who might be familiar with the last scenario shared their updates when Redditor eurekathatsit asked:
"How is your 'if we are single by 30, we’re getting married' friend doing?"
Tragedy strikes.
Canceled Plans
"Had a Married at 40 option."
"Lost contact with her for a few years and had started to rebuild our friendship. She’d got married and moved away, but was in the process of splitting up and remembering her old life."
"Had arranged to go and see her in her new flat, big night out planned. But then contact suddenly stopped again."
"Found out about 6 months later that she’d had a car crash and died instantly. Her (still) husband hadn’t told any of her old friends what had happened."
"She was the first one from our friend group that had died. It hit hard. Still think of her often and the mischief we got up to in our late teens."
– GeeGeeDub
Cancer Sucks
"We both got married before 30 to other people. She married a cool dude and had 4 kids. They had a beautiful family and so do I. I was genuinely happy for her and glad we didn’t 'end up”'with each other. She died of cancer a few years ago when her youngest kid was still in elementary school. My heart breaks for her and her family. I feel closer to them than they realize because I knew her since middle school. I think of them often and hope they are finding peace and happiness in this crazy life."
– walkabout16
Loss Of A Dear Friend
"With us it was 'if we are still single at 65 let’s just move in together - at least we like each other.' We met first year at university and had been close friends ever since."
"She died of breast cancer at 63. Miss her every day."
– Nagsheadlocal
Some managed to find success, while others, not so much.
Married Life
"Not me, but I have a former coworker that made that pact with his senior high school prom date. Lost touch for 7 or so years. Reconnected at the 10 year high school reunion. Got married 2 years later. Now 2 kids with a third on the way and VERY happy. It was cool to watch the majority of that story go down"
– Accountabili_Buddy
Going Along With The Ruse
"I married her sister. I never wanted to marry her, she was my friend and she thought of the 'if we aren’t married by 30.' thing."
– TheChzMouse
Tending The Garden
"He’s unhappily married to someone else. Spends all his time gardening now."
– MrFurleysJumpsuit
"so uh how’s the garden?"
– whatproblems
Love Success
"I kissed her this morning when I was leaving for work, we get married in 3 days."
"No joke, made the pact, reconnected in person after a few years on my 31st birthday which is 3 days before her 30th, we went out for a date and we haven’t spent a night apart since. And in 3 days we say the ol I Do’s."
"Thank you all for the kind words and the awards, I’m going to show my fiancée this later after work, she’ll love it. Wedding is in 2 days! (Aug. 18)"
– ArcAddict
A Wild Life
"She’s been living a WILD life. We made the pact at 22, she got married by 24, divorced by 25, new relationship and got pregnant at 26, married at 28 and divorced at 30."
"In that time she dropped out of college, went back to college, completed her associates, got nailed for a few drug charges and is currently fighting for custody of her kid with the dad."
– Goopyteacher
The feeling wasn't mutual when the pact was revisited.
Taking A Pass
"I’ve made that pact with so many people that I hope no one comes to make claims when I turn 30."
– anonfallenstarz
"So about our pact."
– TheNonMurderingSort
Seven's A Crowd
"He has like 5-6 kids. He actually hit me up when we were 30 (were 32 now) and asked about the deal. I was like “dude don’t you have like 5 kids???” I was not gonna take on that circus 😂"
– yoinkss
Bad Timing
"We made the pact at 15 as a joke. We finished high school, college and moved into early adulthood while he dated other people. I was single until 23 when I met my match who I’m still with to this day."
"This year he broke up with his girlfriend because he said he loved me and couldn’t be friends anymore because it was too hard for him."
"It sucks but I wish him the best."
– Caramel_Kind
It's understandable why people set such goals, especially if they want to make sure they are not settling for each other after kissing a few frogs.
But who's to say true love won't manifest in your 40s?
It's not an ideal benchmark, waiting to see if the other person has either found love or is still waiting by 30, because love is unpredictable and seems to come when you least expect it.
As they say, love is patient.
Unfortunately, people are always not.
There is not one, correct way to parent.
After all, different children have different needs, and as a result some parents might need to adopt different methods so that their children can learn a lesson.
That being said, if there isn't one right way, there is definitely one wrong way, particularly regarding what some parents might say to their children.
Even though it might not seem like it at the time, all children take in and hear everything their parents tell them.
Some things parents say to their children might have lasting consequences, haunting them for the rest of their lives.
Redditor under20letters was curious to hear people considered the absolute worst thing parents could say to their children, leading them to ask:
Most Likely The Other Way Round
"I literally heard a mother say this to her child in the ER the other day."
"The kid was just talking to his mother about the usual stupid kid sh*t and she shouted 'YOURE RUINING MY LIFE! YOU OPENING YOUR MOUTH RIGHT NOW IS RUINING MY LIFE'."
"He put his head down and said sorry."
"My mom had her bad days but she never said sh*t like that to me."- PearlJamDudeVoice
Makes You Wonder Why They Did In The First Place
"If I could do my life over I'd never have had children."- FrogGob
Hurtful At Any Age
"'I feel like I have to love you because you're my child, but I don't like you at all'."
"My mom said this to me when I was 10 years old."- ATrulyTerriblePerson
So, So Wrong
"Saying that something is wrong with your brain."- Fit-Caterpillar-9729
It's What They Don't Say...
"Nothing, blaming them, not saying I’m proud of your or I love you."- FM_Apollyon
"Absolutely nothing."
"If you don't communicate, ask about their day, if you genuinely do not care about who they are as a person, it's just as damaging as saying the most hurtful things."
"So, if you really want to hurt someone, don't acknowledge them as a human being."- EeerrEeer
"Giving them the silent treatment over some offense (real or imagined)."- kenaisourdough
So Much For It Being The Thought That Counts
"Mine said to me when I was six years old: thanks for the [in school handmade diy] Christmas gift."
"'But you know we never use xyz, so this is useless'."
"'Why would you make that?'“
"Because I didn’t have a choice, and the teacher told us to?!"
"Can’t remember what it was, but this stuck with me."
"Been anxious about gifting them anything ever since."- SnicketyLemon875
As If They Know What That Is
"'Why can't you be normal?'"- Tail_Nom
Words Of Encouragement Are Not So Difficult
“'You just ruin everything'."
"'I hope you never find happiness'."
"'Hope your in-laws make you suffer'."
"'Hope your husband cheats on you'.”- Kindly-Try-7223
Where To Even Begin
"Take your pick, I heard all of these at various points during my childhood:"
"'I put my life on hold for (insert child's age) years for you/so you could exist'."
"From mom when she wanted something from me and I didn't immediately drop everything and come running."
"You don't live in a democracy, you live in a dictatorship, so you don't get a vote'."
"From mom at a young enough age that school hadn't gone over democracies and dicatorships yet, i was probably just trying to share an idea for plans or something."
"'You'd better quit backtalking me/being disrespectful'."
"When in the right during a disagreement with either."
"'Alright, put em up then' and 'you wanna take this outside?'"
"From dad who thinks challenging his 12-13 year old son to a fistfight is the way to deal with anger."
"I'm sure there's more that i haven't unrepressed yet."- kbyyru
And That Falls On Them...
"My parents had this saying: 'children are like pancakes the first one always fails'.”
"I’m the oldest of 2."
"At first I thought they meant it as a joke but after hearing that almost weekly for the past 18 years, I think they actually mean it."- thoyo3
And They're Probably Exhausted Of Not Being Loved.
"I'm so tired of pretending to love you."
"Not mine, read it in a similar post a while back but it stuck with me."
"I can't imagine the trust issues a kid would have hearing that said to them."- nenev
Blaming Them For Everything
"My mum said so much filth to me as a kid, as well as literally making me live in it."
"For better or for worse, til about age 11, I remember hardly anything, my brain has just completely deleted it all."
"But I'll always remember when she told me that she'll die soon from me and the stress I bring her."
"When she said this to me, I was already living my dad full time and only saw her one day a week after school and went home to my dad again in the evening."
"I wasn't even a bad kid, I was so quiet and could entertain myself."
"Little me didn't deserve to hear that."- THEgingerONEhasRISEN
Make no mistake, sometimes children need discipline and need to be spoken to sternly.
But scolding only works if it comes from a place of love.
As long as there's love, children will thrive, and any child who doesn't get the love they deserve is a deprived child.