Neev - Week 13 - Nostalgia: a love-hate feeling

That feeling when you look at your own baby pictures; that feeling when you smell that exact sense that takes you straight back to childhood but you're never able to identify where it's coming from; that feeling when you stare deeply at the colorful lights on a Christmas tree in the dark or at the flickers of a Diwali diya patterns of light are etched into the back of your eye; that feeling when you look at old playgrounds and swing sets and feel that intrinsic inclination to run out onto them: nostalgia is pretty powerful.

An iconic picture of a Chuck-E-Cheese, a place
 many people from my era have fond childhood
 memories of.
Many times I catch myself reminiscing about my childhood self. I catch glimpses of him in some of  the countless little energetic and curious boys I see and interact with at the Exploratorium. I catch glimpses of him through random scrolls on the  family Shutterfly account. I catch glimpses of him throughout little moments and memories that take  me right back to the early years of my life. 

In these moments and memories, however, I feel  both happy and sad. I feel a wide grin on my face reflecting the contagious smile of a 4 year old me.   At the same time, I would feel my lip quiver just a bit knowing that that same 4 year old me can't be brought back, with those moments of joy and innocence and unlimited childhood energy only being able to be relived through memories.

Nostalgia can be a really positive feeling, but only when it's felt with a limit and within a positive mindset. It can remind you of the good times and innocence you've been through, motivating you to keep pushing on, especially for your younger, innocent, childhood self. However, it can also lead to nostalgic depression if longing for the olden, golden, simpler times takes over your appreciation of the present. In my opinion, the best way to experience the great feelings of nostalgia in a balanced way is through the quote: "don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

Comments

  1. James ChanMarch 23, 2025 at 11:12 AM

    Neev, your post hurt me inside just a little bit. I get that same feeling of wishing I could turn back time and go back to the days when I was carefree and didn’t have to worry about school, work, or just life in general. In my opinion, it’s best to carefully balance nostalgia with optimism. Nostalgia for the past inspires me to try to live life to the fullest. My childhood reminds me to take time for myself to relax and live carefree. However, I balance that with optimism for the future. When I think about my future dreams, it inspires me to work harder, so that I can live up to the goals, hopes, and dreams I have. What do you seek in the future?

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  2. Julia WanMarch 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM

    Hi Neev, this blog captures the feeling of nostalgia really well. I like the specific examples you give such as staring deeply at the lights on a Christmas tree and when you smell something that inexplicably takes you back to childhood memories; I've experienced both of these before and it's so interesting that these specific instances are common among all of us! Nostalgia does bring both a sense of joy and loss, as you simultaneously recall positive memories and also come to the realization that you'll never be able to experience those memories in the same way again. Your advice to use it as motivation to live life to the fullest is a good reminder, because it's easy to get caught up in the past and forget that we will one day also have nostalgia for the present.

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  3. Arnav KheniMarch 26, 2025 at 9:56 PM

    Hi Neev. I have often heard many people talk about how they wish they could turn back the clock and relive their childhood memories. The idea of having happy memories that you perhaps cannot have once again gives this melancholy feeling. While it is nice that it happened, it is painful to think about how we can never experience it once again in our lifetime. That being said, if I were given the choice, I would not want to turn back time. It just feels like a hassle. Even if there are a few happy memories and carefree moments, I would have to go through school all over again. Even if it would feel a lot easier compared to now, I would still have to go through more years of school, which feels incredibly tiring. I cannot wait to be an adult, as that is when I feel like I can truly start my life. While I do understand this desire to go back to a time when things were easier, I feel like things would get tiresome in the case I go back and in the case I move forward. Both will be more joyful in some ways and tiresome in others. So I choose to move on. Overall, I like how personal this blog is, and how you lay out your feelings of nostalgia through describing the impossible situation of going back.

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  4. Arushi NaiduMarch 26, 2025 at 9:56 PM

    Hi Neev! Nostalgia is my most favorite path to walk down. But it also hits me with the overwhelming sadness that I will never get to experience those same memories again. Just a week ago, I went for a walk with Aanya to our elementary school park and we both felt like we were in fifth grade again, surrounded by reminders of our bright, patterned leggings, bickering of who gets to go on the swing first, and the euphoric feeling of being void of stress completely. No essay due at 10:00 PM, no assignments to run back to…Just the comfort of watching the sun set on the horizon knowing we would spend hours more running in the grass. As much as I want to sprint back in time to these memories, I always try to remind myself that I am still living through moments that I will want to run back to in the future. Late night drives, time-stopping conversations, spontaneous adventures…I cannot wait to look back in time knowing that this present moment will eventually be part of the path of nostalgia that I revisit so often.

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