Ah, the good old American Online days of the '90s. I find myself reminiscing about those times often, taking a stroll down memory lane and indulging in a wave of nostalgia. There are many things I miss about those early days, but one aspect that stands out to me is the chatrooms. Oh, the chatrooms! They were the heart and soul of AOL, offering a virtual space where people from all walks of life could gather and connect.

You see, there were different types of chatrooms available. AOL created the default ones, where you would land in rooms named "lobby" or "town hall." Then there were rooms dedicated to poetry, travel, and other specific interests. Additionally, there were public created chat rooms, where users could create their own spaces of conversation. Of course, AOL also had their Auditorium chats, showcasing interviews or discussions with various personalities. And let's not forget the private chat rooms, where whispers of cyber activities (code for sex talk) could be heard. Oh, you know who you are, lurking in those shadowy corners, seeking privacy from prying eyes.

One of the things I truly miss about those days is the notion of becoming a regular in a chatroom. When you frequented a particular room often enough, people began to expect your presence. It was a sense of belonging, of being a part of something. To establish yourself as a regular, you had to play the game. When you first discovered a room, you would hang back and become an observer, lurking for a few days or even weeks. Conversations were brief and to the point during this observation period. But as you became more familiar with the personalities and the regulars became acquainted with you, conversations started to open up. Suddenly, you were one of them - a regular.

Ah, the room troublemakers! Back in those days, we had guides, members with special privileges who doled out justice. We affectionately referred to them as the TOScops, a nod to the AOL Terms of Service. We even had little wave files to play at appropriate times, injecting a sense of humor and camaraderie into the midst of mischief. I remember one chatroom regular, screen named Kyra or some variation of it. She would always talk about feeding the Snerts (Snotty nosed egotistical rude teenagers) to her man-eating couch. Snerts, an acronym referencing those disrupters who haunted the chatrooms.

Chatroom regulars often formed their own clubs or cyber gangs, each with their own unique qualities. Some were noble in their intentions, while others were more questionable. Yet, no matter their nature, they all made the experience fun. How could you tell they were part of a group? Well, they would add three letters or special characters to the front or back of their screen names. So, a screen name that was once AllieCat3 could transform into AlliecatTNV or XVTALLIEKTXVT. And you could bet that at least one or more of those members had a program that granted them access to rooms a little quicker when they were full. Oh, those cool, and sometimes annoying, programs that added extra flair to the chat experience.

In those chatrooms, I made countless friends. I learned so much about them - their likes and dislikes, their dreams and fears. Through AOL, I even had access to some of their phone numbers and addresses. Some of us even took the leap and met in real life, solidifying those genuine connections. And, of course, there were those of us who remained unofficial members, refusing to change our screen names. I wasn't one of them, since I had a whopping 45 screen names between 1993 and 2014, but I understood their stance. And who could forget the cliques? Those groups that formed within the chatrooms, creating bonds and serving as virtual families.

Oh, how I miss those days of AOL and its lively chatrooms. They offered a sense of community and a place to belong, even if it was within a digital realm. The memories I have of those times are dear to me, and I look back fondly upon the special moments shared with online friends turned real-life connections. So, if you were a part of those AOL chatrooms and experienced those cliques, know that you hold a special place in my heart, forever engraved in the history of the cyber '90s.