National Retro Day 2021: 6 Fun Ways To Revive Memories Of The Pre-Smart Era

Looking for an excuse to look back at a time before the internet and smartphones? This weekend may just be the perfect time to do it as we observe National Retro Day on Saturday.

Most people are now so used to the internet, social media and smartphones that it's sometimes hard to remember the time when we didn't have them. Whether your "retro" is the classic 1950s, the bustling 1980s or the more recent 1990s, many who have lived through those times would remember how much simpler life seemed.

People had to use phone books to look up a landline phone number, wait for the films to get developed before they could see the photos, rent movies and look up the TV guide to see what time their favorite shows were on.

There are, of course, many good things that come along with today's more advanced technology, but on National Retro Day, you can choose to look back at the old days and cherish those memories. Even younger people who didn't live through those times can also celebrate the occasion and perhaps have a glimpse of what it was like.

Here are some of the ways we can celebrate National Retro Day, courtesy National Day Calendar, Retro Theme Party and Checkiday.

Dress up

Whether you're going for a classic 1950s outfit or the bright colors and wild curls from the 1980s, National Retro Day is the perfect time to bust out the old look we once loved. If you're going for the 1960s or 1970s look, rock a pair of bell-bottoms and perhaps take a photo of your retro look with an old-school camera.

Host a movie marathon

Movies are an excellent way to celebrate National Retro Day. For the occasion, why not choose a decade and watch the celebrated movies from that period. For instance, if you choose the 1980s, "Back to the Future," "The Goonies," "E.T." and "The Breakfast Club" are just some of the movies you can add to your list.

If you're not feeling like watching a movie, Checkiday suggests going for television shows instead. Whether it's "Cheers" or the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," watching classic television shows can help you go retro for the day.

Reminisce

You can have a look at some old memorabilia you may have collected through the years, whether it's old toys, photos, sports cards or even soda bottles. Perhaps you can show them to a younger person to give them an idea of how things were back then.

Play old-school games

National Retro Day falls on a Saturday this year, so if you're itching to have fun and play games, why not choose a board game or some other classic game that you used to play? Or if you really want to play video games, then perhaps you can opt for the classic consoles such as Nintendo or Atari 2600.

If you don't have access to any of those consoles, there are still other computer games that will surely bring you back to the time when you still had no internet access.

Try to unplug

Whether your retro is the early 1990s or much earlier, reducing internet and smartphone use is one of the sure ways to help you get that retro feeling. It may be a little hard considering how much technology we use nowadays, but it's a simple way of getting a feel of how it was like back then.

For instance, if you want to contact a friend, why not try calling their landline instead of texting them? If you have a vintage car, why not go for a drive around town? Whether you do it in your retro clothes or not, it's still a simple but good way to relive the good old days.

Listen to music

Those who love music can also celebrate the occasion by playing songs from their chosen decade. It doesn't even have to be on vinyl or cassette tape as long as one enjoys the great music.

No matter how you choose to celebrate National Retro Day, the idea is to fondly look back at the time before the internet and smartphones. And as one of the founders of the occasion, Rubert Duran, explained to Retro Theme Party, you can "make it your own retro." This simply means there is no right or wrong way to celebrate the event.

And once you've had your fun, go ahead and share your ideas using the #NationalRetroDay. Perhaps this would also encourage others to take some time to reminisce and have a little fun.