But there are other things we wish we’d done back then, yet very few of us did.
From being there for the decade’s iconic gigs to solving the most impenetrable puzzles of the 80s, how many of us can actually say we did these things?
This 80s bucket list features some of the most memorable music, TV shows, movies, toys and video games.
How many of these things can you say, hand on heart, you achieved before the decade was out?
Congratulations if you’re able to tick off one or more of the items on our list, but if not you won’t be the only one.
The ship may have sailed in some cases, but it’s not too late to achieve a few of these 80s goals.
What do you most regret not having done in the 80s, and what is your proudest memory from the decade?
If you’re a fan of 80s nostalgia, you might like this look back at things you’ll only remember if you went to school back then.
1. Solved a Rubik's Cube... without cheating
The Rubik's Cube had the world in a spin during the 80s as its popularity exploded. But how many of us actually managed to solve the fiendishly tricky puzzling without looking up the solution or resorting to peeling off the coloured stickers? | National World
2. Saw New Order at the Haçienda
There were many iconic gigs we all wish we'd been at during the 80s, but few could match seeing New Order perform live at Manchester's legendary Haçienda nightclub. The band, best known for their mega-hit Blue Monday, teamed up with Factory Records to help finance the superclub. They performed there a number of times during the 80s. Madonna, The Smiths, and The Stone Roses were among the other big acts to appear there in the 80s. New Order's Bernard Sumner is pictured here on the dancefloor of the Haçienda in 1989. | Universal Images Group via Getty Photo: Peter J Walsh/PYMCA/Avalon
3. Got in the audience for Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops was essential viewing during the 1980s, when all the biggest acts were desperate to appear on the famous show. It was filmed before a live audience, but getting tickets was not easy. Duran Duran are pictured here performing 'Girls on Film' on the long-running BBC show in July 1981 | Getty Images Photo: Michael Putland
4. Completed Tetris
Tetris was created in 1984 in Russia and became a global phenomenon after hitting the worldwide market in 1988. Players were hooked on the simple but infuriating stacking game, but it took more than 30 years for anyone to complete. 13-year-old Willis Gibson became the first person to 'beat' Tetris in 2023, after reaching level 157 and causing the game to crash as no one had been expected to get that far when it was designed. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: DIMITAR DILKOFF