Turn Up The Nostalgia - It’s Good For You
Nostalgia: More Blasts to Your Past
Between our efforts to put 2020 in our rearview mirror and a future that’s a little too murky for our taste, these days we like to stay grounded firmly in the present. However, there is one exception that will make us throw it in reverse: indulging in some good, old-fashioned nostalgia. The very definition itself—“a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations”—should tell you it’s ok to hop in the wayback machine now and again. And you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that these days we are indulging in a lot of nostalgia as science says we should. A 2020 study in Frontiers found that nostalgia is a powerful tool for our mental health and our feelings of social connectedness.
Make a mixtape.
We are sure you could conjure up the vision of a favorite mixtape—that one with a slightly smeared, marker-penned title like “Summer 1985.” Perhaps like us, you still can’t hear certain songs without next anticipating the first few notes of the song that always followed it (shuffle was not a thing). If you hung on to said tapes, kudos to you. For the rest of us, services like Spotify make it a lot easier than trying to press the record button at the right time. Start with a song that you feel strongly about and go from there. One nice feature of Spotify is that it will suggest similar artists and songs to add. Let yourself fully go down the rabbit hole and start reaping those mental rewards we mentioned. Then share your creation with friends to multiply the benefits. Need some inspiration? We love this playlist from our friends at The What.
Eat your feelings.
Of course, you could always just buy the thing itself: Captain Crunch, Ho Hos (our personal favorite), Funions or some Rocket Pops. Or you could try your hand at making some homemade versions like this recipe for Spaghetti-os or this one for Magic Shell. One more option: Stroll the virtual aisles of Old Time Candy, where you can shop by the decade (their boxes make a great gift).
Play like a kid.
The possibilities here are endless. Get yourself Twister, Monopoly, Candy Land or Life. Shoot some hoops or jump rope. Puzzle away, or try your hand at a craft. Or, as if they were reading your nostalgic mind, Lego has just launched their “Adults Welcome” collection. You’ll find us fondly remembering Ross, Phoebe and crew while building this replica of Central Perk.
Rerun your after-school favorites.
Since we were the original latchkey kids, we know you had an after-school line-up. You know, the things you watched when you promised you were NOT watching TV (your parent would verify whether the TV set was warm when they got home). Due to the magic of streaming, many of your beloved favorites can be found once again. We admit to occasionally even indulging in some of our Saturday morning cartoon favorites on Boomerang. This recent reunion of the “Fresh Prince” cast really had us feeling feelings—in a good way. Will had no idea how “flipped-turned upside-down” life could truly get.
Wear your way-back.
Under the guise of more sustainable fashion, we have been slowly reassembling our eighth grade wardrobe—and we have been pleasantly psyched by how well our favorites have held up. Think Benetton sweaters and rugby shirts, vintage Brooks Brothers broadcloth striped shirts (Rowing Blazers makes a nice version of the famous “fun shirt”), old patterned Patagonia Synchillas, anything ESPRIT—even some GOTCHA surf. Our best luck has been had on Etsy (where else?).
