As teenagers get older, their childhood memories become nostalgic. Whether it’s childhood movies or throwback songs, they are associated with the memories of that specific time teens watched or listened to them. But, are teenagers who are notoriously in a hurry to grow up supposed to feel nostalgic while still living through their childhood?
“I think of nostalgia as reminiscing about the past and missing certain memories and experiences that now you no longer live,” senior Madeline Babcock said.
Growing up can mean leaving behind certain entertainment, such as toys or movies. When teens hear the theme song of one of their favorite childhood TV shows or smell the food they used to eat around the holidays, it can bring them right back to that moment.
“The holidays, like Christmas time, [feel nostalgic to me] just because my family used to do a lot together and those are our strongest family traditions,” Babcock said.
Pop culture
Songs like “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus or “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry remind teens of birthday parties, Bar or Bat Mitzvahs and just spending time with their friends. Hearing these songs after not listening to them for a while brings teens immediately back to those events. Whether that time was associated with positive or negative feelings, those same feelings tend to be brought back when listening.
The same can be said about childhood movies. Disney and Pixar movies overwhelmed the childhoods of current teenagers. Movies such as “Frozen” “Toy Story” “Incredibles” and “Tangled” became staples in households, representing a time of youth and fondness. Sitting in the theater, watching the Pixar lamp jump onto the “I” can bring teens right back to their early childhood.
Elementary school
A child’s introduction to school is an exciting time, filled with new and fun experiences. Learning how to spell your name, counting to 100 and many fun activities fill each school day with joy. Elementary school also abounds with special activities and parties that teens savor.
“My fondest thing from elementary school was the Field Day. I got the silver medal at long jump [one year so that’s why I really like Field Day],” freshman Poppy Cypher said.
For many, sitting on the rainbow tile carpet and listening to a read-aloud from the librarian or teacher feels nostalgic. Elementary libraries contain memories that many hold close to their hearts. It was a place of imagination, whimsical characters and places that transported now teens to a fictional world.
“I remember going to the library [and] having a readout with my first and second-grade teachers, just like having book clubs,” junior Alexandria Krouse said.
Pressure
Teenagers can feel pressured into thinking about the things they don’t experience anymore. With family members or teachers constantly telling teenagers to be more mature and not act like kids anymore, it can lead teens to reminisce back to when “life was easier.”
“As a high schooler, it is normal to miss your childhood because teachers are telling you to not be a child anymore, but you still want to hold onto being a child,” senior Max Epstein said.
Teenagers often feel like they need to grow up fast, but at the same time, want to stay a kid. They start to feel nostalgic about their childhood while they are still experiencing it, especially when reminiscing on parts of their early life. However nowadays, teens feel like they need to mature and act older when in reality, they should be allowed to act their age.
“I feel nostalgic when I’m reminded of old children’s shows I used to watch,” junior Sasha Rotton said.
Nostalgia is a feeling that often visits the minds of students, especially when going through phases of adolescence. When seeing or noticing something that used to be a key part of one’s childhood, that warm feeling of nostalgia quickly arises, and often makes teens’ minds wander back into a softer period of time.
During challenging times in the lives of high schoolers, the feeling of wanting to go back to a time when studying for the SATs was non-existent is heavily prevalent. The weight of AP classes being lifted off and the only worry is when the next Barbie or Marvel movie comes out is something many teens wish they could revert back to. Societal pressures and responsibilities that teens experience shouldn’t hold them back from experiencing these moments that they will eventually be nostalgic for.
