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I find myself lost in a daze of melancholic, nostalgic yearning, soundtracked by the Goo Goo Dolls.
The 90s and 00s are playing out on every channel I am unconsciously tuned into. I am watching “Dawson’s Creek” on TV. My kids are dressing in 90s sportswear. I am obsessing over Carolyn Bessette’s clean-line dressing. Even The Body Shop has revived the pungent classic Dewberry to complete the overdose of nostalgia across all my senses.
And I cannot get enough!
I am hooked on watching all the variants of 90s throwback reels—not just the “How I looked in the 90s” ones (which are often entertaining through winces) but the ones created simply about being alive in that era. What Saturday mornings were like in the 90s. What school was like in the 90s. I eagerly watch and then send them to friends and family with a nod to the shared memory I’m sure my “digital gift” will evoke.
For those of us now in our (gulp) 40s, the 1990s and 2000s hold a special place. It was a time that felt less digitally connected, but absolutely more carefree.
Alongside the visual memory-jogging nature of these clips, I am also feeling something else when I watch them: comfort, safety, and a general sense of calm. It has long been known that nostalgia can be a mood booster, but the overwhelming feeling of being swaddled in a security blanket when I watch these reels is one I am most interested in.
Ironically, that desire for the disconnected simplicity of yesteryear is being fed to me through the injection of social media and streams I am very much connected to. Yet I am finding that it harbours a touch of medication that is thoroughly needed for this 40-something geriatric millennial. It feels like a burst of oxygen in an increasingly suffocating environment—like the lifeboat Jack wasn’t lucky enough to get on, like the glow from the crackle of the campfire of our youth
And we Gen Xers and geriatric millennials can’t get enough.
According to research published in a Forbes article, “New Age Nostalgia” has its roots in our yearning for simpler times, a profound, almost bittersweet memory of being disconnected from our phones, our laptops, social media, and the internet. The article states, “…nostalgia is associated with a sense of meaning in life, and simultaneously increases our overall sense of purpose and fulfillment.”
It feels like our collective nostalgia has become an anchor for a shared past that, in these divisive times, feels like the connection we have all missed. We can connect with our peers, regardless of who they voted for, on the shared common memories that once united us, in a sense of togetherness we now lack. Whether reminiscing about covering our books in posters from Smash Hits, the TV on wheels and projector at school, memories of certain hymns, particular lunchboxes, or those platform boots that stood proudly below our Spice Girls poster in a bedroom adorned with moons and stars.
So, why do we gravitate toward these periods?
Psychologists suggest that during our formative years, when we take our first glorious steps into independence, we form our deepest friendships, meet our first loves, and often achieve early successes, such as buying a house, getting a job, or earning a degree. These key milestones create a “gold standard” in our minds, flanked by good old rosy retrospection, and imprint a good-vibe memory thread on us that we often associate with the period when it all happened. This nostalgia can be triggered by a sound, a smell, a TV show, a taste, or anything from that era.
It’s also been discovered that nostalgia spikes in middle age and when we’re stressed! (shock horror) As we hit one of our most transformative periods—think nests starting to empty, careers hitting their pinnacles, perimenopause and menopause—it is likely that we are even more attracted to the nostalgia of our past, as nostalgia is often triggered by more negative states, such as loneliness, isolation, and high stress.
Research shows negative moods and loneliness are common triggers of nostalgia and can heighten or diminish responses to it. This could directly explain why, in these times of economic and political world stresses, we are seeing a significant spike in these 90s trends and throwbacks.
Further research shows that nostalgia, that sentimental longing for one’s past, is a highly social emotion: “Analysis of nostalgic narratives has revealed that when one is nostalgic, they nearly always reflect on people (e.g., friends, family) and social gatherings in which they are surrounded by others (e.g., parties, weddings, family reunions). If nostalgia fosters social connectedness, people may become nostalgic when feeling socially disconnected to restore that connection.”
I am almost certain it’s not the 90s or 00s we yearn for, but some common ground. Nostalgia has come of age, and we are desperate to reconnect. In short, nostalgia reduces stress and loneliness and strengthens identity and meaning—something we all need a good, healthy dose of in the current climate.
So the next time you roll your eyes at another 90s throwback post or reel, perhaps stop, watch, and ingest some of that nostalgic goodness. It could be just the pick-me-up you needed today.
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