Growing up in the 1970s came with its own set of unspoken rules – things everyone just seemed to know without being told. From phone etiquette to fashion dos and don’ts, these were the unofficial laws that governed teenage life. Let’s take a trip back to when these unwritten rules were as clear as the bell-bottom jeans we all wore.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Never Tie Up the Phone Line
- 2 2. The Front Seat Belongs to the First Person Who Calls “Shotgun”
- 3 3. Don’t Change the Radio Station in Someone Else’s Car
- 4 4. Always Rewind the Tape Before Returning It
- 5 5. Never Wear White After Labor Day
- 6 6. Last One to the Car Sits in the Middle
- 7 7. Don’t Break Up the Band
- 8 8. The Two-Ring Rule
- 9 9. Save the Best for Last
- 10 10. No Cutting in Line
- 11 11. The Bathroom Mirror is Sacred Territory
- 12 12. Never Rat Out a Friend
- 13 13. The Three-Day Rule
- 14 14. Always Split the Last Piece
- 15 15. Gas Money is Non-Negotiable
- 16 16. The Bedroom Door Protocol
1. Never Tie Up the Phone Line
The cardinal rule of telephone usage: keep it under an hour, especially during dinner time. That phone line was your family’s lifeline to the world, and tying it up for hours chatting with your friends was a sure way to incur parental wrath. If someone needed to make a call, you wrapped it up – no questions asked. And if you heard that telltale click of someone picking up another extension, that was your cue to say goodbye.
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2. The Front Seat Belongs to the First Person Who Calls “Shotgun”
This was sacred law among teenagers. You had to be within sight of the car to call it, and once called, it was binding. No amount of whining or bargaining could override the power of “shotgun.” The only exception was if someone’s girlfriend or boyfriend was present – they automatically got precedence, much to everyone else’s annoyance.
3. Don’t Change the Radio Station in Someone Else’s Car
The driver was the supreme ruler of the radio dial. If you were lucky, they might ask for suggestions, but reaching over and changing the station yourself? That was like declaring war. This rule became even more important when cars started featuring those precious 8-track players. You just didn’t mess with someone’s music setup.
4. Always Rewind the Tape Before Returning It
Whether it was a VHS from the video store or a borrowed cassette tape, rewinding was non-negotiable. Nothing was more frustrating than popping in a movie or album only to find it at the end. This was such a universal rule that video stores would even charge a fee if you brought back an unrewound tape. Be kind, rewind wasn’t just a slogan – it was a social contract.
5. Never Wear White After Labor Day
This fashion rule was strictly enforced by the unofficial teenage fashion police. White pants, shoes, or belts after Labor Day? You might as well have shown up to school in your pajamas. The only exception was tennis shoes, but even then, you had to be careful about keeping them pristinely white all year round.
6. Last One to the Car Sits in the Middle
The dreaded middle seat – that uncomfortable hump in the back where you had to straddle the drive shaft. Being last to the car meant you were sentenced to this automotive purgatory. No amount of negotiating could save you from this fate. It was just understood – you snooze, you lose… and sit in the middle.
7. Don’t Break Up the Band
When recording songs off the radio onto cassette, you never stopped recording in the middle of a song. It was considered almost sacrilegious to cut off a song halfway through. You either got the whole song or none of it. This rule also applied to flipping through albums at the record store – you never separated the Beatles, Pink Floyd, or Led Zeppelin albums.
8. The Two-Ring Rule
When calling someone’s house, let the phone ring exactly twice, then hang up and call back. This was the universal signal that the call was for the teenager of the house. It saved you from the awkward conversation with your parents and gave your friend a chance to get to the phone first. This system worked flawlessly—until call waiting came along.
9. Save the Best for Last
When making a mixtape, the best songs always went at the beginning and end of each side. The middle was for the filler tracks. This wasn’t just about music – it was about creating the perfect emotional journey. And you always, always left a few seconds of silence between songs. Blending one song into another was considered amateur hour.
10. No Cutting in Line
Whether it was for concert tickets, movie premieres, or the lunch line, cutting was a cardinal sin. The only exception was if your friend was holding a spot – and even then, you could only join one friend, not bring your entire social circle. Breaking this rule could result in immediate social ostracism.
11. The Bathroom Mirror is Sacred Territory
During the feathered hair era, bathroom mirror time was a precious commodity. You didn’t rush someone who was perfecting their Farrah Fawcett flip or trying to get their bell-bottoms to hang just right. This was especially true before a big date or school dance. Some things just couldn’t be rushed.
12. Never Rat Out a Friend
The code of silence was absolute. Whether it was about who really scratched Dad’s car or who was dating whom, you kept your friends’ secrets. This rule was so deeply ingrained that breaking it could end friendships. Even under parental interrogation, the standard response was always “I don’t know” – even when you definitely did know.
13. The Three-Day Rule
After getting someone’s phone number, you had to wait at least three days before calling. Calling too soon made you look desperate, but waiting too long meant you weren’t interested. This delicate balance caused endless anxiety and countless discussions about the perfect timing. The rule even applied to calling back after a date.
14. Always Split the Last Piece
Whether it was the last slice of pizza, the last french fry, or the last cookie, you always offered to split it with your friends. Taking the last piece without offering to share was considered the height of selfishness. This rule taught us about sharing and fairness, even if it meant cutting a single M&M into four pieces.
15. Gas Money is Non-Negotiable
If someone was driving, you chipped in for gas – no questions asked. Even if it was just a quarter or fifty cents, everyone understood that gas money was sacred. This was especially true during the gas crisis when filling up could mean waiting in long lines. The driver never had to ask; passengers just knew to offer. Breaking this rule could cost you your spot in future carpools.
16. The Bedroom Door Protocol
A closed bedroom door was a clear “do not disturb” signal, whether you were having a private phone conversation, listening to records, or writing in your diary. Parents might override this rule, but siblings and friends were expected to knock and wait for permission to enter. The only exception was if you heard a new album being played, then you could knock and ask to listen along.
