Memories

Our Alma Mater

ʻAiea High School Alma Mater

Our Class Song

“If We Hold On Together” — originally performed by Diana Ross; written by James Horner & Will Jennings. Covered by Kealiʻi Reichel.

Our Class of 1995

Image of classmates in the gym posting for a class picture

🕰 How well Do you remember 1995?

🎵 Music

  • Top hits included: “Gangsta’s Paradise” (Coolio), “Waterfalls” (TLC), “Fantasy” (Mariah Carey), “On Bended Knee” (Boyz II Men), “One Sweet Day” (Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men).

🎬 Movies (1995 Blockbusters)

  • Toy Story (first full-length computer-animated film)
  • Batman Forever
  • Apollo 13
  • Pocahontas
  • Braveheart (Best Picture Oscar)
  • Se7en

📺 TV Shows People Watched

  • Friends
  • ER
  • Seinfeld
  • The X-Files
  • Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
  • Full House
  • Locally in Hawaiʻi: Hawaii News Now anchors and Hawaiian Moving Company were big Sunday staples.

👕 Fashion Trends (1995)

  • Flannel shirts, baggy jeans, Doc Martens
  • Crop tops, chokers, butterfly clips
  • Bright windbreakers (surf/skate brands in Hawaiʻi like T&C, Local Motion, and HIC were huge)

💵 What $50 Bought You in 1995 vs. Now

  • In 1995, $50 had the same buying power as about $100 today (inflation ~2× since then).
  • $50 in Hawaiʻi could cover:
    • Dinner for two at Zippy’s or L&L plus dessert
    • Two full tanks of gas (at ~$1.05/gal)
    • A new pair of Doc Martens on sale
    • Or a round-trip interisland ticket (on special).

🏝 Local Hawaiʻi (ʻAiea / Oʻahu) 1995

  • Sports: UH Rainbow Warriors football in the old WAC, high school rivalries still big.
  • Politics: Governor was Ben Cayetano (first Filipino-American governor in the U.S.).
  • Culture: 90s were the height of the local “Jawaiian” music wave (Kapena, Fiji, Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole).
  • Pearlridge Center was still the big hangout mall for ʻAiea kids.
  • Ala Moana Center was expanding with new anchor stores.

🚌 Transportation in Hawaiʻi (1995)

  • Gas: about $1.05/gal statewide average.
  • TheBus: single ride fare was about $1.00 (monthly pass ~$25).
  • Cars: popular student/young adult cars included Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas, Nissan Sentras. SUVs like the 4Runner and Pathfinder were gaining popularity.
  • Freeways: H-1 traffic jams already a daily grind!

💻 Technology & Internet (1995)

  • Windows 95 was released (major milestone).
  • Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn were the new game consoles.
  • Pagers were everywhere; cell phones were still rare and bulky.
  • Internet was dial-up, with AOL and Netscape Navigator. Websites were basic text and images.

📦 What Would Have Gone in a Time Capsule?

  • A floppy disk, cassette tape, or mix CD
  • A disposable camera
  • A Zippy’s chili cup label or Spam musubi wrapper
  • A Toy Story VHS tape
  • Class T-shirt
  • A pager (or Nokia brick phone)