Things I Thought Were SUPER Fancy Growing Up In Lubbock

Growing up in Lubbock was anything but fancy at my house. We weren't what you'd call "poor," but we certainly didn't spend an arm and a leg on anything we didn't actually need. My parents always bought used cars, shopped at thrift stores, and held onto things in the fridge a few days past their expiration dates because they were "still good."

Here are a few things I considered downright fancy growing up in the 90s in West Texas.

Homes With a Second Story

If you had stairs in your house, you were rich.

It didn't matter if you had a small home or the stairs only led to a tiny loft.

Stairs = top-tier luxury.

Refrigerators With Ice Dispensers

If you could get ice for your drink without even opening your freezer door or loading up an ice tray, you were 100% a millionaire. Bonus points if you had the "crushed" ice option. Swanky as hell.

Going to Olive Garden

My first date in high school took me to Olive Garden, and I was just sure he was going to propose to me or something. Olive Garden!? Holy moly! I've hit the jackpot! 

There was no proposal. Just a lot of soup, salad, and breadsticks. I didn't complain. I was in heaven.

Ordering Anything Besides Water

If my parents let us order a Coke with dinner, I assumed my dad was doing pretty well in the old wallet department. It was usually tap water or nothing at all.

A Backyard Swimming Pool

My best friend had a backyard pool, so I felt rich by association. Thanks, Jessica!

Read More: Why Dippin Dots Remain A Beloved Treat In Lubbock

Going to Hasting With Extra Spending Money

If your mom gave you more than a 5 dollars bill on a trip to Hastings, you were living the friggin' dream. I was lucky to be able to get a fancy coffee and still have money left over to tip the barista, or grab something from the little quarter machines by the front door.

Name-Brand Cereal

Despite my parents being relatively well-off, we usually get the big bags of off-brand cereal from Walmart. If your box of cereal came with a toy, I was totally looking forward to breakfast at your house after the sleepover.

Having Your Own Phone Line in Your Bedroom

I BEGGED my parents for my own phone line for YEARS until they finally gave in. They didn't do it for me so much as they did for themselves. I was spending hours talking on the phone, and they were missing important calls, one after another. Whoopsie. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

A Trampoline With No Patches

I remember ruining ours one year by jumping on it with lit sparklers in my hands. I'm blaming my folks for not watching me more carefully...

Ordering Pizza

Having pizza delivered was a big deal at our house. My mom would tell me to go find the phone book and cut out the best coupons so we could get a good deal. No coupon? No pizza. Plain and simple.

I remember being really embarrassed by a friend I invited to my birthday party one year. I asked my mom if we could make our own little pizzas, so that way, everyone could put their own toppings on them. I thought it would be fun. One girl was very quick to tell me that "only poor people do that."

What a little twat.

Central Air That Actually Worked

Some houses were hotter than others during the summer. Walking into someone's house and being cold enough to need a sweater was some top-tier rich kid stuff.

I'd be grounded if I even looked at the thermostat wrong. My parents kept it at a sweltering 78 degrees in there, and there was zero ventilation in my bedroom. It was miserable. It's one of the reasons I refuse to budge when it comes to keeping my house absolutely frigid, regardless of the time of year. I'll pay extra to not sweat to death, thank you very much.

Riches Aren't Everything Around Here

The funny thing about growing up in Lubbock is that fancy to us was often pretty dang simple. We weren't really impressed by flashy cars, expensive clothes, or celebrity lifestyles. We were just stoked we could get crushed ice without...uhh...crushing it ourselves.

Looking back, honestly, some of these things still feel a little fancy today...

If you spot me at Olive Garden, draped in silk and pearls, no, you didn't.