You unexpectedly time travel to 1985 with no way back. What do you do?

In reality, I was born two years after 1985, so that would mean I did not exist back then. However, had I been born before the said year then I'd rather I was a newly born baby. That way, I could start my life all over again. I did well in primary school so I'd leave it as-is.

When I reach high school, I could maybe skip the rebellious phase and just be a good daughter to my parents. Since I didn't do well during the first three years corollary to my rebellion, perhaps I could change that part and just be the straight A student I would have been had I not been caught up with teenage angst.

College was good so I'd keep it as-is, friends and academics-wise, but maybe I could add a part-time job or two since I never bothered to contribute to the family's income until I graduated from college. Also, I'd have to get a scholarship before graduating. This would enable me to work abroad - maybe Japan or the UK - just as I relive my early 20s again.

Fast forward 7 years later, I'd be where I am today but thanks to the time reboot, I'd now be a novelist receiving a steady stream of royalties and living a carefree life instead of a copywriter working for the offshore branch of an Aussie company. Not that I'm complaining about my present but it wouldn't hurt to change a bit of your past to do things a little differently and much earlier (so that I'd be doing something else today).

 
If I were in 1985 I would look up my parents and freinds I have lost along the way. I certainly wouldn't tell them who I actually am because they would think I was crazy, but this would give me one more chance to be with them knowing that in this time they are now gone. I would also invest in stocks that I know will skyrocket to help support myself in the new time line. As for my younger self, I would try to stay away from because as some say it might not be a good idea to be near the other you in the past. Maybe I would leave a letter for my younger self, trying to warn them about some of the choices they make or don't make, and to hang in there in their life.

 
Wow, 1985. Well, I guess I did always want to see the 80's, not for any personal reason, they just seemed hilarious. I think, as many people have said, I would definitely invest in companies like Microsoft, and various other technologies as they were created. Aside from the obvious financial gain, I would take the opportunity to enjoy and experience all the Metal music I love that started in the late 80's and early 90's. So, in short, I would use all the money I made from investing and use it to travel the globe and go to see bands that I am not able to see how, or that were in their prime during this time.

 
If i was in 1985 Simple: Who lives in 1985 ? Of Course Dr Emmett Brown

I'd Just go to Hill valley "borrow" His time machine head back to the future :D

 
Dizzie's 12 Step Program for Time Travel Recovery

1) Mourn over the loss of my current life while living in a homeless shelter for substinence.

2) Make a commitment never to interact with my younger self in order to avoid a paradox or altering the life I've led to this point.

3) Commit to keeping as low profile as possible (in light of my below plans) in order to avoid changing the course of history until the point in time that I departed arrives again. This is done out of further fear of disrupting spacetime, altering my past, etc.

4) A false identity and new social security number should be fairly easy to come up with at this juncture. I will tell federal employees that I am Amish and assimilating into society against my family's wishes. I will produce a family bible or false record of name and birth. If that doesn't work, I'll buy some credentials underground or something.

5) Timing the stock market for a quick profit is very impractical, even on companies that I know will rise significantly over time. Therefore, I will hitchhike to Vegas where I can work a menial job, save what I can, and legally bet on major sporting events to the best of my recollection. At the least, I can bet against the Buffalo Bills in 3 superbowls in the early 90s if I recall.

6) Once I have significant capital, I can then begin to make more long-term investments, particularly after the dot com bubble around the year 2000.

7) Exercise, eat healthy, and have plastic surgery done to make me look younger.

8) When the point in time of my departure arrives, go back to my wife and kids, 30 years older than when they saw me last. Convince them of my legitimacy.

9) Provide them with the ability to live a more comfortable lifestyle, give charitably to society, and follow their dreams.

10) Urge my wife to find a younger husband and to think of me as an old friend. If she refuses, accept her charity very graciously. If not, move on with life accordingly in understanding.

11) Tell my story to the media and the scientific community.

12) Profit!

#Sci-FiShawshankRedemption

 
Well i just enjoy myself stacked on that timeline and i hope i can still hear the Beatles sing. By the way, i should be the drive of Obama's car so probably i would be the right man of Obama as of now. lol

 
I've been thinking about this since the question was first thrown out there. All fun aside, when it comes to getting a job and a place to live things were a lot easier back then. People read your resume but never checked to find out if you really have a degree. There weren't credit checks whenever you wanted to rent a place to live. Cashier jobs didnt require background checks. If I stop thinking about how hard it is today and consider how much easier it was back then I realize it wouldn't be nearly as hard to start a life as I thought.

 
Well, I would have a lot of knowledge about the future. I would know what's gonna be the next big thing.

Honestly I'll just invest into the stock market since I'll know what's going to be big in future.

After that, I'm set for money so I'll create a website similar to the ones popular today.

 
Buy stock in Microsoft, Google, Paypal, and a few other companies that I know are going to be big after finding a job. I would gain a job that would allow me to be a recluse though, working from home. That way I do not have worry about unintentionally changing anything.

 
I'd live my life the best I could.

But on November 1, 2000, I'd start posting on the internet under the name TimeTravel_0, claiming to be a time traveler from the 2030s.

If John Titor is real... That should get his attention (or piss him off)

 
I don't really remember the 80's I was really young for them. First, I would earn money to invest in items/products that I knew were big while also trying to explore and really experience the 80's because I didn't get to before. Then I'd kick back and write some sci-fi novels and speculative fiction. They may not get much of a following at first but later, I would be hailed as a genius. In the 90's, I would stock up on ReFuelin energy drink (which I can no longer find anywhere and used to love). I would seriously stock it like I was planning for it to be gone because I know it soon ill be. By then, at least some of my investments should be mature and earning really well so I would pick a piece of land, find some like-minded back-to-the-land hippie types and start a small commune.

 
At the least, I can bet against the Buffalo Bills in 3 superbowls in the early 90s if I recall.
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Dizzie;You reminded me...I forgot the best part of 1985...Da Bears!! I could watch them do it all over again and maybe, if I could get to Da Coach, I would warn him about Miami. Well...maybe it's better not to temp fate.

Now, how do I talk myself out of the end zone seat I had that year.

 
I think I'd have to go to an 80's arcade and play centipede as well.
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Oh man, I'd love this. I was born in 83, but there were still proper arcades around in the early 90s and I loved hanging out there.There was one I went to a lot in high school out in Portland, Oregon. We're visiting there soon, I'm going to go find out what happened to it!
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You can play your favorite games again on your PCs. There is an emulator, named mame32. You will need installed it on your PC, and you will need the rom-extractions from the games, that you like, or the such called "ROM"s.I already played to the end all of my favorite games.

P.S. Both the emulator and the ROMs can be downloaded from internet.

 
You can play your favorite games again on your PCs. There is an emulator, named mame32. You will need installed it on your PC, and you will need the rom-extractions from the games, that you like, or the such called "ROM"s.I already played to the end all of my favorite games.P.S. Both the emulator and the ROMs can be downloaded from internet.
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Yes, but a real 80's arcade was awesome. :)

 
Some Mame32 fans build their own arcade machines, by making the shape from furniture wood, placing a monitor and a computer inside.

 
I would definitely buy some stock! I would also buy lots of clothes and music. I love both from that period. I would try to talk my other self out of getting married later in the decade. LOL

 
If that could happen to me, I could of course & only start by telling my other self that I would ask him to seek a law legislator, e.g. a lawyer, able to follow the case of us both, any further suggestions, pls.?

 
1. Play amnesiac. No ID, no believable family tree or relations? Sorry, I have no idea who I am!

2. Tamper with tons of harmless tech in the confines of my padded room, showing that I have an immense "talent" for it (of course using ideas that did not exist yet. Even without blueprints, a lot of stuff can be jury-rigged from the basic idea).

3. Casually make suggestions to others about stocks, political bets, etc. No need attracting attention to myself. Maybe take a cut of the money, giving me an income without the hazzle of ID.

4. Escalate #3 into real estate, buying up places I know will become valuable (it's easier to recall than stocks, IMHO).

5. Make tons of video games before they become a multibillion industry.

6. Conquer time and space with my endless fortune.

7. Take that young and talented kid on Youtube under my wings and provide a fitting career and role model for him before he becomes the Justin Bieber we know.

 
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