Nostalgia is the new escape method

I have noticed a rising trend of nostalgia. Videos and compilations of things from our childhoods. Toys, old computer games, old stores we might have went to. And I don’t think I’m the only one. Nostalgia has kind of become the new escape method for a lot of us/ Instead of facing everything that’s going on in the present, we slip back into old memories, old shows, old songs. Basically anything that can make us feel like things were simpler, even if just for a little while.

It can be something small, like rewatching the same Disney movies we played on repeat as kids. For me, it’s sometimes putting on a cartoon I haven’t seen in years and letting it play in the background, because it instantly brings back this comforting feeling of being young. When the biggest problem in my day was finishing homework before dinner. For someone else, it might be digging out an old video game console and playing Mario Kart like we use to, or listening to an album they wore out in high school. Even something as random as eating a snack you loved when you were twelve can bring that rush of comfort, like a bowl of Lucky Charms or grabbing a pack of Fruit Stripe gum and Bug Juice from the gas station.

And the truth is, we do it because the present can feel overwhelming. The world, moves fast, expectations pile up, and sometimes it feels like there’s no break. Nostalgia is the closest thing we have to pressing pause. It’s a way to remind ourselves of a time before all the pressure, before heart breaks, bills, and endless to-do lists. Even if those days weren’t as perfect as we remember, they carry a kind of safety we long for now.

But here’s the thing, nostalgia isn’t just about missing the past. It’s about the comfort. It’s a coping tool. It’s the reason why so many people are drawn to “throwback” playlists on Spotify or why old fashion trends keep coming back around. It gives us a break from the present while also reminding us that good moments do exist. If we’ve had them before, we can have them again. Of course, there’s a balance. Nostalgia can become a trap if we stay stuck there. Always looking back instead of building forward. Things like hoarding old toys, knick- knacks, even old news articles. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that the past was better and that nothing will ever compare. But the truth is, the past feels so safe because it’s already written. We know how those stories end. The future feels scary because it’s still being written, and that’s uncomfortable.

Still, I think nostalgia has definitely become the new escape method. But maybe that’s okay. Maybe revisiting old songs, old shows, or old photos isn’t just running away. It’s also a way of grounding ourselves. A way of remembering that even when things feel uncertain, there are still parts of life that are simple, joyful, and worth holding onto.

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