Time capsule openings always feel like a handshake across decades. But Dylan Schrader’s 25-year-old Crayola-branded capsule feels closer to a time machine. He packed it in late 1999, kept it sealed, and shared its contents in 2025.
Dylan Schrader, @FrDylanSchrader, shared what he found inside the time capsule in a long X Thread.
The first thing I pulled out was this AIDS flier. The sticker on it reminds me of something I had forgotten: the time capsule kit came with stickers prompting you to include different kinds of things. Here are some pamphlets from the late '90s. pic.twitter.com/2ai0CK35QK
— Fr Dylan Schrader (@FrDylanSchrader) January 1, 2025
Inside the time capsule were pamphlets warning teens about AIDS, HIV, alcohol, and drugs, using language and imagery frozen in a specific moment. Many viewers noticed how blunt the materials were, compared to today’s broader focus on harm reduction and mental health.
Among the paper stacks was a glossy Pokémon sweets ad alongside Pogs, small collectible discs that were once traded at school lunch tables.
Dylan Schrader / X / Man digs up his time capsule from 2000. What he finds inside shocks netizens.
Tucked in a corner was an old keyboard key, likely saved after a repair or out of curiosity. This tiny relic drew attention because tech parts today rarely feel worth keeping, showing how hardware once felt more personal, with repairs done at home rather than by replacing entire devices.
The devotional booklet carried handwritten notes in the margins, reflecting personal reflections mixed with faith-based readings. It gave followers a window into how people preserved and passed along spiritual materials before digital devotionals became common.
The faded paper listed a small slushie at 88 cents and a large at $1.08, numbers that feel impossible now. People compared prices in comments, realizing how cash and coins defined quick purchases before card taps and phone scans changed how everyday transactions feel.
A few photos showed relatives posing near a holiday tree and at a backyard barbecue. Their grainy quality and casual framing reflected an era before filters and instant edits, reminding viewers how family moments were often caught on film and left unpolished, with no chance for retakes.
The bright label read “Math Project,” a detail that sparked recognition from those who used floppy disks in classrooms.
The old coin puzzled some viewers because it was already a keepsake when sealed. Its inclusion added layers to the story, a reminder that past generations also left traces behind.
The button supported his mom’s school board run, its simple design showing the plain style of local campaigns. Compared to glossy mailers and sponsored ads now, it felt personal and direct, giving the capsule a political snapshot rooted in family pride and neighborhood-level engagement.
Dylan Schrader / X / Seeing floppy disks and a cassette made followers talk about how much tech has shifted in two decades.
Dylan recorded a mix of thoughts and jokes, reading a Calvin and Hobbes strip and quoting The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. He also included a poem and an Alanis Morissette song. Finding a player to hear it was a task, highlighting how formats change faster than we expect.
A folded sheet held careful handwriting asking if the future felt like 1984, Brave New World, or something better.
He ended with words of "peace" and "faith," leaving readers thinking about how simple letters once carried big ideas before instant messaging took over.
References to Britney Spears, Tamagotchis, and S Club brought back strong memories. The capsule became a conversation starter, showing how mass culture shaped identities before streaming algorithms, when songs and shows were shared experiences rather than personalized feeds.