Have you ever found yourself humming a TV show theme from the ‘60s or a poem from your fourth-grade class? It’s weird what sticks in our brains, even all these years later, when it’s mostly pointless. Let’s look at 18 facts and skills you probably still remember now, even though they’re quite useless now.
Multiplication Tables Up to 12
We all remember the days when we had to chant the multiplication tables with the rest of the class during Math lessons, and “12 times 12 is 144” is practically hardwired in our brains. Now we’ve got calculators on our phones, this skill is pretty much useless. Even so, we’re grateful we came from a time when we actually had to know this.
State Capitals
There’s a good chance that if you ask a boomer, they’ll be able to tell you the name of almost every state capital under the sun. Sacramento? That’s California. Austin? Texas, of course. All those drills we had in school paid off, but now it’s just a piece of trivia we use to impress those younger generations.
Cursive Writing
Penmanship used to be a big deal, and we’d spend hours looping our Ls and curling our Cs. Of course, writing this way seems quite old-fashioned now, but it does come in useful when we’re trying to make a card look nice. It’s a shame that it’s been replaced by text messages and typing instead.
The Presidents in Order
Some of us took real pride in being able to remember the names of all the presidents from Washington to our current leader. It was a sign that you really cared about our great nation’s history, although it’s mostly just a party trick now. There’s not really a time this skill would ever come in useful.
Diagramming Sentences
Diagramming sentences wasn’t everyone’s favorite memory, but it used to be a handy way to understand the rules of English grammar. Who knew breaking down sentences into diagrams could help make the rules stick? It’s certainly old-school and pointless now, but it was effective for its time.
Classic Poems
We’ll always remember those lines from classic poems like “The Road Not Taken” or “Because I could not stop for death.” They gave us our first taste of how beautiful and complicated our language could really be, even if we didn’t understand that at the time. Sometimes, those lines still randomly pop up in our heads.
The Periodic Table
Chemistry class meant memorizing the periodic table, which we have to admit was quite pointless. Unless you’re a scientist, when are you ever going to need to know that Hydrogen is H and Gold is AU? Of course, it helps us understand sci-fi shows a little better, but that’s really about it.
Morse Code
For some of us, learning Morse code made us feel like secret agents, even if we were just using it at amateur radio clubs or scouts. Today, this skill is mostly useless aside from a few jobs, but we still remember how to tap out those dots and dashes to send a message. Just hearing those beeps is enough to bring those memories flooding back.
Analog Clock
You hardly see analog clocks nowadays, thanks to those digital clocks that are basically everywhere. But when you grew up, analog clocks were the only way of timekeeping, and you’d have to understand how to read that big classroom clock if you wanted to tell the time. While it’s not as useful today, we’re still proud that we can read a clock.
Long Division
One memory we probably wish we could repress is that of learning long division. We’d spend hours solving problems with pencils and paper, and it felt like we’d never get anywhere. Even though we don’t use this skill all the time, it’s still useful when we’re splitting the bill at dinner. There’s a certain satisfaction in doing it without a calculator.
Constellations
Looking up at the night sky and picking out constellations like Orion and the Big Dipper felt like we were touching the stars. They told us stories of the night sky, and we still think about it during those clear, starry nights. It’s nice knowing that, no matter what happens, those stars will always be there to welcome us.
The Gettysburg Address
“Four score and seven years ago” are words that we’ll remember to the day we die. When we learned about Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, we felt a connection to the history that makes our nation so great. Even now, hearing those words reminds us of the struggles and victories that have brought us where we are today.
Childhood Phone Numbers
Back before cell phones were a thing, you had to remember people’s phone numbers because there was no other way to save their information. Most of us probably still remember our childhood home numbers and maybe even our childhood friends’. They’re a piece of personal history that we’ll carry with us forever.
Using a Typewriter
Learning to type without a backspace key on a typewriter used to be so important, and you’d eventually develop a rhythm that sounded almost musical. Of course, it’s hardly a high-demand skill today, but we still feel those waves of nostalgia whenever we see an old typewriter. You just can’t beat the feel of those keys under your fingers.
Square Dancing Calls
Depending on the day, square dancing in class was either a ton of fun or a complete embarrassment. Whatever your opinion, we still remember those calls of “allemande left and do-si-do,” and we’re always ready to laugh about them at school reunions. It’s a skill that’s sure to make you feel young again, no matter your age.
Identifying Plants and Animals
If you told us all those years ago that, in the future, you’d be able to use your phone to identify any plant or animal, we wouldn’t believe you. But back then, knowing your birch from your oak or a cardinal from a blue jay was a useful skill. It was a way to help us connect with nature, even if technology makes things a lot easier today.
Story Elements
Understanding the plot, characters, and setting helped us to truly get to grips with a book in the past. These ideas taught us how to get lost in stories and later share our favorite books with our loved ones. We’re grateful that we’ve still got these skills, especially during a time when media literacy is at an all-time low.
Using a Slide Rule
Since we didn’t have calculators back then, we had to understand how to use a slide rule for both high school math and science. Of course, it’s a useless skill now, but we feel proud that we know how to solve complex calculations by hand. That was a time when solving a problem felt like a real achievement.
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