By Dana Brawer
Sadly, Blockbuster announced yesterday all their US stores will officially be closing. Although the stores themselves have become obsolete, like the VHS tapes that helped bring the company to fame, we'll always have a soft place in our hearts for the Blockbuster experience. So, thank you, Blockbuster, the reason we got through high school and actually wanted to hang out with our parents. Here's what we'll miss most:
1) Pummeling people to get to the New Releases
2) Weaving through the endless VHS aisles
3) Finding weird check-out line candy
4) But still forcing your mom to buy it
5) Fighting with your sibling over who gets first movie pick
6) Deciding whether to pay extra for DVD instead of VHS
7) Drafting the perfect movie list
8) and then praying the films are actually in the store
9) Finding out the film you thought was checked out is actually available
10) Going on a date and finding the most romantic movie
11) Bonding with your sibling as you frantically try to repair the tape that's been eaten by your VCR
12) 'Real' movie butter popcorn
13) Running into every single peer and teacher
14) Going in for one movie
15) And coming out with an unexpected favorite
16) Rewinding that tape
17) Convincing your mom to let you watch an R movie
18) Calling your friends on a landline to actually plan a movie night
19) Renting games and movies at the same time
20) Seeing that cutie from class picking out a cool movie
21) The 'CLINK' of the return slot
22) Memorizing the upcoming arrivals list
23) Renting every film in a series and not sleeping for a week
24) Awkward 90s ads
25) Having an actual place to go find a movie instead of the internet