12 Weird Things Best Friends Did In The '90s

When you think about growing up in the '90s, the intense friendships that formed over that epic decade tend to stick out. As kids we were sure those bonds would never weaken. I mean, once you became blood brothers or pinky swear it's forever, right?

Those early friendships taught us so much about ourselves — they expanded our creativity, broadened our imagination, and tested our courage. We shared a lot of unique experiences with our '90s buddies, whether it was competing to see who could eat the most Pop Rocks at once or waiting for a specific song to come on the radio so we could record it for our mix tape.

Life has gotten a little more complicated since then, and with the daily adulting there is more to worry about than being picked last for kickball or getting lice from sharing butterfly clips. But when the trials of bill paying and the slog of the work week start to get you down, it's nice to remember the simpler time (when it was socially acceptable to eat pizza Lunchables everyday).

As a '90s kid, there was a lot of weird zany stuff we did with our BFFs back in the day, and it was incredibly fun. While our friendships today might be a little more mature, revolving around bars and dinner parties instead of cafeteria tables, that doesn't mean we've stopped being weirdos around our besties. So lace up your Keds, 'cause it is time to take a jog down memory lane and relive some of those weird things we did with our best friends in the '90s.

1. Pretending To Be Twins Like In The Parent Trap

When The Parent Trap revamp came out in 1998, everyone wanted to be Lindsay Lohan. Twins seemed to rule the '90s with the the Olsen twins releasing twin capers like Passport To Paris and Billboard Dad and Tia and Tamara's classic sitcom Sister, Sister. If you and your bestie were so close already, why couldn't you be related? Wouldn't it have been the coolest to have someone who could pretend to be you if you didn't feel like going to school? Sadly, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't convince any of your teachers that you guys were actually twins separated at birth (though in your hearts, you knew it was true).

2. Reading Each Other's Diaries

Diaries are meant to be private. They are sacred places to write about crushes, what the cafeteria served for lunch, and important current events like the Lewinsky scandal (though your parents wouldn't tell you exactly what it was). Your bestie was the one exception. Your bond was so tight, they knew where your diary was hidden (under the bed, of course). And some lazy days, you guys would trade diaries and read them out loud providing hours of entertainment.

3. Demanding To Get Your Ears Pierced At Claire's (At The Same Time)

You simply explained to your parents that you had to go together to hold each other's hands... and pick out matching studs.

4. Collecting Absolute Ads

In the 1990s the Absolute advertisements were so creative, you often thought they were the best part of the magazine. It was like a game for you and your friend to fill a big binder full of the vodka ads. You guys would get incredibly excited every time you tracked down a new one. Though the large collection may have made your parents a bit uneasy.

5. Sharing The Same Ring Pop

With friends like these, you don't need your own ring pop! You could just pass the same one back and forth. You've already had all the same colds so it was not like germs or cooties were a problem. As the commercial says, "it's a juicy jewel of flavor," and you guys even had the same favorite flavor. Sour blue raspberry, duh.

6. Testing Out Weird AOL Chat Rooms

If you were bored after school and your parents weren't home yet, there was no better time to logon and check out the creepy recesses of the world wide web. You and your friend could go on AOL and test out the chatrooms pretending to be someone completely different. Sadly, the ruse would be up when some rando eventually asked you to have cyber sex. Gross.

7. Trying To Talk Like The Spice Girls

You guys had to work on your British accents if you were going to be a proper Baby and Scary Spice for Halloween.

8. Spying On Older Siblings

If Harriet The Spy taught us anything, it's that spying is a fun way to spend a sleepover. You guys would grab your parents's binoculars, and quietly crouch together as you spied on older siblings, observing any suspicious activity (or alcohol consumption). Turns out, gathering information by spying is really handy for blackmailing them later. No chores for a week!

9. Watching The Secret Skinamax Channel And Being Forever Scarred

Staying up late and trying to watch all the shows you weren't allowed to see made you guys feel rebellious. But whether it was the static outline of late night porn or an educational documentary sex program, the TV inevitably left you with many more questions than it had answered (and some super strange dreams).

10. Obsessing Over Rider Strong From Boy Meets World

If the character of Sean Hunter wasn't enough to spark your sexual awakening, then Xena Warrior Princess would do the trick.

11. Practicing Your Yo Mama Jokes

You invented new yo mama jokes together, and practiced them tirelessly so that you would be prepared for any school bus warfare. As best friends you had each others' backs.

12. Always Choosing Dare, Because You Know All The Truths

Truth or dare could be pretty boring when you already knew each other's secrets. Though, it was kinda fun to make them squawk like a chicken for a few minutes. And not much has changed to this day.

Want more nostalgia content? Of course you do! Listen to Bustle's podcast The Chat Room, where we discuss everything Internet, from what's trending today, what we were up to in the '90s, and our experiences as women online.

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