Society has outgrown many old-fashioned habits, but some are due for a comeback. Not everything from the past is harmful, and some things may find a new life in our current culture when many are embracing everything vintage. Here are 19 habits society needs to bring back.
Playing Board Games
Board games were most popular from the late 1800s to the late 1900s, and even though they still exist, society has moved on to video games. Playing board games is an old-school habit that is perfect for passing the time without technology, so we should make it a more mainstream hobby.
Making Your Own Clothes
In our current world of unethical fast fashion and cheap fabrics that don’t last, making our own clothes is an obvious alternative, yet barely anyone does it. Children aren’t taught to sew at school anymore, so most people grow up unable to stitch on a button, let alone make entire outfits from scratch!
Handwriting Letters
Nowadays, text messages and social media chats are the most frequent forms of communication, but nothing beats the old-school charm of a handwritten letter. The Saturday Evening Post recommends writing letters because they’re more meaningful, show effort, and can be treasured. It’s also a great way to channel your mind.
Scrapbooking
Some people enjoy scrapbooking, but it’s a rarer hobby nowadays than it used to be. Making a scrapbook encourages creativity and also gives you a fun memory book to flip through instead of scrolling through pictures on your phone. There are even mental health benefits to old-school scrapbooking because it’s so relaxing.
Listening to Vinyls
Anyone can listen to music online nowadays, but there’s something beautifully vintage about putting on a vinyl record. Vinyl records provide a more authentic listening experience because it captures the depth of the music and fills the entire room with sound. They’re also lovely to browse through when you’re bored.
Gardening
Gardening is another old-school habit society should bring back for mental and environmental health. Unfortunately, people are too busy to keep their gardens in order, so there’s a lot of wasted potential. Making gardening an attractive hobby would encourage people to be more environmentally friendly and transform our outdoor spaces.
Using Fine China
We associate fine china tea sets with our grandparents, but they’re incredible heirlooms that we should treasure. Back when throwing dinner parties was the norm, people would utilize beautiful dinner sets, so why don’t we use them anymore? It would teach people the value of old fine china and encourage better meal habits.
Walking in the Countryside
Walking is a great way to clear your mind, but busy cities don’t offer the relaxing atmosphere as the countryside. The National Trust reminds us that walking in nature provides a change of scenery, clears your mind, and improves your fitness. Doing this in the countryside is the perfect healthy habit to bring back.
Cooking Meals From Scratch
Home cooking isn’t extinct, but most people use canned, frozen, or processed ingredients to make their meals. There arguably isn’t time in everybody’s schedules for daily meals cooked from scratch, but even cooking from scratch once a week would promote healthier eating and increase people’s cooking skills.
Keeping a Journal
We might associate writing down feelings with children who keep diaries, but journaling was a popular habit for adults in the past. Keeping a journal gives you a safe place to work through your emotions without judgment, and it’s also the perfect way to wind down at the end of each day.
Writing Down Your Goals
Goals are integral to success, but only a few people commit them to paper anymore. Writing down your goals is an old-fashioned habit that gives you something physical to focus on. It’s also satisfactory to cross completed goals off your list and enjoy your success.
Picking Your Own Flowers
Flowers help brighten the home, but store bouquets can be expensive and often don’t last very long. Instead, why not pick your own flowers out in nature and create your own bouquets? This old-school practice lets you choose which flowers you like best and really gets you back in touch with nature.
Smiling at Strangers
Smiling at a stranger is a simple act, but it can change the course of someone’s day. Verywell Mind teaches that smiling relieves stress elevates mood, makes you more attractive, and helps you stay positive. Sharing that joy with strangers is an old-school habit we should all bring into our daily lives.
Completing Puzzles
Like board games, puzzles are a fantastic hobby for relaxation. Completing puzzles instead of watching television, playing video games, or scrolling through your phone is a great way to detox from technology and intellectually stimulate your brain. Our grandparents took pride in completing puzzles, and we should, too.
Regular Family Gatherings
People who are close to their families love meeting up, but it can be hard to find a time when everyone is free. Creating a schedule for regular family gatherings is a great habit to get into if you want to spend more time with your loved ones, just like our ancestors did.
Shopping Second-Hand
There’s a reason so many things don’t last as long anymore: they’re of poorer quality. That’s why society needs to popularize second-hand shopping like people did in the past. We could find higher-quality items for cheaper prices and also create less waste. Second-hand stores are an old-school staple that we need more of.
Holding the Door For People
Holding the door open for people is a simple sign of respect, but it’s an old-school habit that many people nowadays think is outdated. However, it shouldn’t be, and we should all strive to do kind things for strangers to improve society. Respectful habits should never go out of fashion.
Reading Newspapers
You can read newspaper articles online nowadays, but there’s nothing like the feeling of holding a real newspaper. Back when baby boomers were young, people read physical newspapers every day, and it’s a habit we should bring back to educate society on current world news.
Volunteering in the Community
Last but not least, volunteering used to be a huge deal, yet only a few young people do it anymore. HelpGuide suggests volunteering as it positively impacts communities and makes a difference in people’s lives. In general, it helps change society for the better, so it’s one of the best old-school habits to pick up nowadays.
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