Millennial Calls Out The Fact That 90s Kids Never Had Water Bottles In School

My husband and I were chatting the other day about how, growing up, we never drank water. Seriously, as I filled up my daughter’s kiddie Hydroflask for the 10th time that day, I noted that, as a kid, I only had a water bottle for sports games. Other than that, I was sipping on milk, Kool-Aid, or when my mom was feeling generous, her Diet Coke. Water was nowhere to be found. My husband concluded that he grew up very similarly — dehydrated and filled with Tang.

Apparently, we’re not the only ones because other millennial adults are sharing their thoughts on our waterless childhoods on TikTok, joking about the new phenomenon of every Gen Alpha and Gen Z child having a water bottle within reach at all times.

A popular TikTok account, Bored Teachers, begged the question, “Does anyone over the age of 30 remember being allowed to have a water bottle in their elementary classroom?” before joking about the stressful nature of drinking from the water fountain where you took your three seconds and you got the hell out of there.

Another millennial stitched the video, agreeing with the OP, and adding his own experiences with the cutthroat water fountain line.

“It was pretty much Braveheart after recess. You had your three seconds. You had people counting down behind you. When you got done, someone would put their finger over the water, even though you had to press down as hard as you could, but you're done, Brandon, move along,” he joked.

“You'd have kids like, named Todd or Brian behind you kicking the back of your knees. Also, you're falling down, and you're trying to freaking just have your drink because you're not gonna get one until hopefully lunch or your next recess ... Kids nowadays just don't even have a clue what we had to go through in the 80s and 90s.”

Several 80s and 90s kids agreed with these takes, sharing their own experiences and thoughts in the comment section.

“No food, no drink, no gum, nothing!” one user noted.

“Dare I say prison sentence?!” the OP joked.

One user also noted, “We also didn’t have water as an option for lunch - just milk: 2%, chocolate or strawberry”

“I would have done anything for the strawberry milk option, even shirtless jumping jacks in PE,” the OP replied.

The fact that we never drank water as kids also explains why it is nearly impossible for me to meet daily water intake requirements for a “healthy lifestyle.” We have had no training!

This also totally explains why all millennials have emotional support water bottles as adults! This is why we’re throwing elbows at Target to snag a hot pink Stanley Cup. We are making up for lost time. We are overcompensating for countless years of thirst.