TBT: Pinoys Share Their Favorite Pastimes from the Pre-Smartphone Era

Since their inception, smartphones have become extensions of our bodies. But can you remember how Pinoys kept themselves entertained in the pre-smartphone era? We don’t have a time machine, but this Pinoy Reddit discussion is helping us reminisce.

Watching whatever’s on TV

Having a TV at home used to mean having the world at your fingertips. While the selection was somewhat limited to local shows and a few cartoons/anime (unless you had a cable subscription), many of us would kickstart our day by switching on the TV.

Renting movies

Streaming shows via phone was only a mere dream back then, so Pinoys flocked to video rental stores like Video City or ACA Video to catch the newest movies. We rented VHS tapes, VCDs, and even DVDs, but had to return them on time to dodge those sneaky penalties. Some video rental shop owners even went as far as to pay us a home visit if we“forgot” to return their precious videos.

Reading pocketbooks or magazines

Most Pinoys who grew up pre-smartphone were probably once buried in a pile of their pocketbooks and flipping through glossy magazine pages. True Philippine Ghost Stories, Precious Hearts Romance, Candy, K-Zone — you name it. Collecting these titles was the peak of Pinoys’ childhood and teenage years. 

Listening to the radio

The radio industry might be dialing down these days, but it was everything for those who didn’t have TV (or just didn’t find anything worth watching). Sometimes, the radio drama shows were addictive enough to stop us from whatever we were doing to know the nail-biting conclusion.   

Playing outdoors (i.e. touching grass)

How could anyone resist the allure of the great outdoors, especially when surrounded by the beauty of lush greenery or bustling streets? There may not have been high-end smartphones to capture the fun times of playing Chinese garter, piko, ten-twenty, or even catching spiders back then, but those moments are stamped in the core memories of Pinoys.

Browsing encyclopedias

Before ‘googling’ became part of the modern lexicon, most Pinoy households were ruled by gigantic encyclopedias sitting on the shelves. They came in various editions and usually had a black or brown hardcover. Think of it as the internet compressed into hundreds of pages.

Hang out at computer shops

Back when the internet wasn’t as accessible as it is today, it was normal to spot internet cafes left, right, and center. Pinoys only needed to shell out less than PHP20 to scroll their Facebook/Friendster/MySpace/Multiply profiles or watch the newest drops on YouTube. Computer shops were also a hit among kids because they could play numerous online games.  

Collecting teks, stickers, and marbles

Move over K-pop photocards and Sonny Angels! Stickers, marbles, and teks were the OG collectibles. With countless designs to choose from, you could get these tiny treasures in sari-sari stores and wet markets. It was also easy to do trades, and the thrill of finding rare teks or stickers never failed to spark excitement. 

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