Life

What Your Favorite '90s Pen Says About You

by Megan Grant
A person selects a marker from a drawer full of colorful stationery, holding a notepad with sticky n...
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Back in the '90s, writing was a different kind of art form, thanks to the vast array of non-digital tools we had at our disposal. There were all kinds of pens, pencils, and markers — so what does your favorite '90s writing tool say about you? Were you fun and carefree, or a bit more anchored? A trend-follower, or a trendsetter? Was your life a little more black and white, or did you enjoy a vibrant splash of color? In many ways, these choices not only helped define us in our childhoods, but also affected the way people looked at us. I can still remember the snickers and side-glances my classmates gave any time a kid whipped out a No. 2 pencil, even though there is absolutely nothing wrong with a classic.

All of this also reminds me of how fun growing up in the '90s was. We took something as simple as scribbling answers to test questions or passing notes to a friend and turned it into something we actually enjoyed. And I don't know about you, but anytime we walked into class and saw scented markers spread out on every table, we knew something super cool was about to happen. What were some of your favorite writing tools growing up in the '90s? Here are 10 old-fashioned favorites, and what they might mean about you.

1. Multi-Colored Retractable Pens

Life is like a box of chocolates; and when you're feeling extra adventurous, you close your eyes before picking a color.

2. Really, Really Big Pencils

What are you trying to compensate for? The regular-sized pencil you were using last week was beautiful, no matter what anyone else said. Stay true to who you are.

3. Tiny, Little Stub Pencils

You need to learn to let go, man. It's over. Move on.

4. Erasable Pens

I feel like you might have commitment issues. You want to have your cake and eat it too. Buck up, Nancy. Either stay true to what the pen was designed for, or switch to something less permanent. There's nothing wrong with a bright yellow pencil and an eraser to match.

5. Mr. Sketch Markers

Your teacher looked the other way every time she caught you sniffing your paper, but she drew the line the day you tried to eat one of the markers. You troublemaker, you.

6. Milky Pens

Everyone had to have them, and you wanted to fit in. Milky pens were kind of the Ugg boots of the '90s... you know, back when everyone was still wearing Ugg boots.

7. Mechanical Pencils

You were the softest, most delicate creature wandering the hallways at school. Those little sticks of lead snapped all too easily, but you must have the magic touch.

8. Gelly Rolls

Sure, any chick could go out and buy a few of these individually; you, though? You bought full packs — in glitter and metallic. Everyone loved you, didn't they?

9. Pop-A-Point Pencils

You must have the patient of a saint. Those little pieces never stayed pointy for very long, and you couldn't sharpen them; you didn't want to waste an entire piece because it was dull, though, so you just kept at it. And don't even get me started on what happened when you lost a piece. Give yourself a pat on the back. Seriously.

10. Enormous Pencil Toppers

Look out! We've got a future bodybuilder on our hands. Those things were fun, but they totally threw the weight off. You must work out. A lot.

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