As I sit at my computer, signed onto the Internet, I think to myself how times have changed since this technology was first introduced. Even though the Internet has added much convenience to our lives, there’s something special about the simpler times we used to experience.

Here are 10 examples of the way life used to be before we were introduced to the Internet:

1. We played actual board games with our family.
flickr/Britt-knee
Playing an actual board game on Family Game Night is much better than playing an online version with a complete stranger. Don't you agree?
2. Years ago, people actually visited malls to do all of their shopping.
flickr/Larry Miller
Some people still do all of their shopping at malls, but many have moved on to online shopping. Sadly, many shopping malls continue to close as online shopping continues to grow in popularity.
3. Back in the day, we depended on encyclopedias to do all of our research.
flickr/Rishabh Mishra
I can still remember looking through my grandparents' set of encyclopedias whenever I was curious about something.
4. Kids loved playing outside.
flickr/Kelly Polizzi
These days, kids aren't as interested in playing outside as they were before technology took over. I know of kids as young as 5-years-old that spend several hours playing computer games. Some of these young kids even have their own iPad.
5. There was a time when we looked forward to renting a new release from our local video store, even though it was ALWAYS rented out.
wikipedia
Today, we have the luxury of renting the newest releases from the Internet and are able to watch them instantly. This is great, but not everyone has this luxury. This is why video stores are greatly missed.

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6. We read actual books.
wikimedia commons
It's great that we now have the convenience of downloading our favorite books onto a handheld device, but there's something special about holding an actual book and flipping through its pages.
7. Our mail correspondence required a pen, paper and stamp.
flickr/Karen Cox
Not anymore! Today, email lets us send letters to anyone without the need for a pen, paper and stamp.
8. More friendships were maintained in person.
flickr/Kreatively Kristin
Because social media didn't exist years ago, friends would actually meet up and hang out regularly. Nowadays, text messaging and Facebook chats are used to keep friendships going.
9. We waited until the following day to receive news updates through a newspaper.
flickr/Jon S
Because of the Internet, we're now able to learn about the news the moment it occurs.
10. Photos were mostly shared through scrapbooks and photo albums.
pixabay/condesign
Now, many people upload their photos to online albums so they can share them with family and friends who live far away.

In what other ways has the Internet brought about change in our lives? Share your thoughts with us below!

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