'In 2088....'

S.Ans appear to remember the year they did everything!! So, in conversation, they would say things like, ‘in 1998 when I.......’, ‘I went there in 2001......’, or ‘in 2008........’. It really seemed odd to me and made me realise I don’t have a clue when I did anything! Like I couldn’t even tell you the year I started college here, without really thinking about it first. I guess we’re just used to say ‘a few years ago.......’. I wonder if it has a link to different viewpoints on time.