Oct 15 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor
Everyone has gotten nostalgic at some point in their lives. Recently, I’ve noticed a trend on TikTok of videos designed to trigger nostalgia for both millennials and Generation Z. There are compilations of old advertisements that used to air in between movies or shows, such as Zoo Pals, Pillow Pets, Chia Pets or Tooth Tunes. I’ve also seen videos containing still images of old creepypastas like Jeff the Killer, Candle Cove and Slenderman. There are intros to old TV shows or music from a different time in our lives that make us feel a bit warm and longing for those days.
For myself personally, the most nostalgia-triggering media that I’ve seen recently was the image that made the legend of Herobrine so popular back in the old “Minecraft” days. I used to watch video after video of “real sightings of Herobrine” back when I was younger. This trend made me curious about what exactly nostalgia is and why we, as adults and university students, crave that nostalgia so much.
What exactly is it? — Originating from the Greek words nostos (return) and algos (pain), nostalgia is defined by the University of Florida as “the sentimental longing for the past, often triggered when a person reflects on cherished memories or even difficult experiences.” Nostalgia has an interesting history, originating from the late 17th century to describe the feelings soldiers had about their former lives before enlisting. Now, it’s much closer to the definition of sentimentality — to remember the good times in our lives where things were simpler.
How does it work? — According to Hal McDonald from Psychology Today, nostalgia has four different components that together create that rose-lensed memory of the better days of our lives.
The first part is self-reflection. This is the main defining trait of nostalgia. In a sense, everyone is their own “main character,” so our memories center around what happens to us. It’s the way we process our involvement with our past selves to our present ones in a way that generates a sort of reminiscent feeling.
Autobiographical memory is the next component of nostalgia. This is what gives us the context of our memories, the transcript of our lives and the way we remember living them. Think of it as the report of someone’s life instead of the movie, only we were the ones who wrote it. That accounts for some of us remembering things differently compared to a sibling or a parent.
Then, there’s emotional regulation. This is what causes the positive and negative emotions of nostalgia. While it is a mostly positive experience, with the memories of going to the store with grandma being fresh in our minds, there’s also the acknowledgement of not being able to do that with her as much anymore or even ever again, hence why this emotion is often described as a bittersweet sensation.
Finally, there’s the reward component. This part of the emotion is believed to be associated with the triggering of reward-related brain regions. Basically, the feeling from watching old YouTube videos is a free shot of dopamine straight to the brain.
What triggers it? — This varies from person to person, but there are a few common sources of our nostalgic kick. There are sensory triggers, such as the smell of cookies baking in the oven, bringing back memories of Christmas, or maybe the sound of a song brings back thoughts of a significant other. Sight, smell, taste, touch, sound are all possible triggers for the feeling of nostalgia. Aside from sensory triggers, there are also life transitions, such as moving into new spaces. A lot of students likely experienced an uncanny sense of nostalgia when packing to come to Western this year. Seeing a mostly empty room that used to have all sorts of things in it will often trigger memories of what happened in that space. Social interactions can stir up old memories as well, especially when reminiscing with family or friends. Personally, I always get nostalgic when I hang out with my friend group from high school.
Is it good or bad? — It can be a little of both. A survey conducted by Meta and Gallup found that 1 in 4 adults reported feeling a strong sense of loneliness. It’s also found that a lot of them were younger people in the age range of 19-29. One explanation for this is the fact that once a person reaches adulthood, they usually begin to break away from their childhood life at home. They begin to learn how to be an adult, which, as most know, can be quite difficult. However, it was found that nostalgia can offer a lot of benefits for a person. It can boost self-esteem, help find meaning in life, encourage authenticity and bring joy. According to the American Psychological Association, a study conducted during the holiday season found that feeling lonely actually helped people get out of the holiday blues. It was found that it aided them in finding purpose in their lives. It’s also fair to point out that it’s possible to be too reminiscent. Being too caught up in the past can make some unable to find any joy in the present. Other effects can occur, such as excessive sadness, a feeling of helplessness and even depression.
The best way to experience it — There was a time during a class when a student had mentioned the movie “Halloween Town.” A small group of students then began talking about it and what it meant for them growing up. It is a very nostalgic film for many and when experienced in a group, the effect was much stronger. According to Allen McConnell from Psychology Today, “People’s wistfulness reminds them of important moments and important connections to others.” Sentimental feelings can help strengthen their desire to connect more with others who share similar memories. I found my best friend because we can both quote Markiplier’s first “Five Nights at Freddy’s” series almost by heart.
Overall, nostalgia is much more than remembering the past when things were simpler. It’s a way to connect our past selves to our present. We became who we are because of these memories, whether it be the movies we grew up watching or the smell of spaghetti coming from a pot. While it’s important not to dwell on the past too much, there are benefits to being sentimental every now and then.
Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu
