Trenton, NJ – Growing up in New Jersey in the 1980s and 90s meant living by a set of unwritten rules that would seem bizarre, even reckless, to anyone raised in today’s tightly regulated, constantly connected world. It was a time before smartphones, viral videos, and social media outrage—when kids were more independent, neighborhoods felt smaller, and the boundaries of what was “acceptable” were very different.
One of the biggest differences was the telephone. Back then, calling a friend meant dialing just seven numbers—no area code needed unless you were calling out of town. Without caller ID, every ring was a mystery, and the race to answer first was real.
You also had to memorize everyone’s number or keep them in a “little black book.” Moving to a new house meant saying goodbye to your old phone number forever, and prank calls were a weekend sport.
Transportation rules were looser, too. Riding in the back of a pickup truck wasn’t reserved for parades or beach trips—it was how families and friends got from one place to another. Kids sat on wheel wells, adults leaned against the cab, and no one thought twice about it. Today, most states ban the practice on highways, though a handful—including Alaska, Arizona, and Wyoming—still allow it.
Even grocery shopping had a different vibe. Many supermarkets had “Do Not Accept Checks From” boards posted at the register, publicly listing names of people who had bounced checks. Alongside them were credit card books cataloging numbers tied to bad accounts. This form of public shaming was just part of business—something that would never fly in today’s privacy-conscious era.
If you needed to make a phone call away from home, your best bet was to knock on a stranger’s door and ask to use their landline. While it sounds risky now, in many communities it was common courtesy to let a neighbor or even a stranger place a call in an emergency.
Errands for parents were another area where rules have shifted. In the 80s and early 90s, sending your child—sometimes under the age of 10—to the corner store to buy cigarettes, milk, and a few lottery tickets was routine. No clerk asked for ID, and cigarette vending machines were a familiar sight in bowling alleys and diners.
Smoking wasn’t confined to homes and bars. In workplaces across New Jersey, lighting up at your desk was normal, and teacher lounges in schools were often clouded with cigarette smoke. Some teachers even kept flasks in their desks. On airplanes and in hospitals, smoking sections were standard, and nobody questioned it.
Socializing was far more spontaneous. If you were bored, you could just walk to a friend’s house, knock on the door, and see what happened. Parents didn’t coordinate playdates; kids made plans on the fly, often ending up outside for hours. Parents would send their children out the door after breakfast and expect them home when the streetlights came on. If you were late, you might hear your name being yelled across the neighborhood—an informal but effective dinner bell.
Halloween was also more unfiltered. Costumes in the 80s and 90s often pushed boundaries in ways that would spark immediate backlash today. Blackface, offensive stereotypes, and risqué outfits were worn without fear of going viral or losing a job.
Travel habits were different, too. Hitchhiking was a legitimate transportation option, especially in rural areas without buses or trains. While concerns over safety grew by the late 80s—fueled in part by movies like The Hitchhiker—it was still common to see people thumbing a ride along New Jersey roads.
And then there was discipline. Public spanking of children was not only accepted—it was expected by some. Parents didn’t face stares or judgment for smacking a misbehaving child in the grocery store aisle. In fact, other parents might nod approvingly or offer “tips” on technique. Today, such an act could bring a police report or child services investigation.
The world has changed dramatically since those years. Cell phones, surveillance, and tighter laws have erased many of these practices, while shifting cultural norms have redefined what’s considered safe, respectful, or acceptable. For those who grew up in that era, it’s a reminder of just how much the rules of everyday life can change in a single generation.
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Key Points
- Many everyday practices in 1980s and 90s New Jersey—from hitchhiking to kids buying cigarettes—are now illegal or socially unacceptable.
- Unsupervised play, spontaneous visits, and public discipline were considered normal.
- Smoking, looser transportation safety, and public shaming were routine parts of life.
From cigarette runs to streetlight curfews, Jersey life in the 80s and 90s was a different world entirely.
