Nostalgia, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a sad pleasure experienced in recalling what no longer exists: a wistful or sentimental yearning for a return to or the return of some real or romanticized past period or some irrecoverable past condition or setting”. While most people do experience some sort of nostalgia, the feeling comes in many forms. People can experience nostalgia from watching old TV shows, movies, listening to old music, looking at photos, or just thinking about time periods in general. Most Osbourn students were born in the late 2000s or early 2010s, so the question is, can and do Osbourn students experience nostalgia? Or are we all too young to remember or appreciate another time period that distinctly?

Nostalgia has a lot to do with memories of younger years, which you may wish you had enjoyed more now that you’re older. “The first memory that comes to my mind when I think of nostalgia is when I used to play Roblox with my cousin. We used to play pretty much every genre of game on Roblox, but we haven’t had enough time to enjoy that anymore. I do miss it a lot, but I usually go back and play the game by myself to experience it,” said sophomore Briy Moody.

Songs are a big part of the nostalgic feeling. Something about the beat and melody of specific songs can transport you back to a past time. “Gummy Bear transports me back to elementary school. My goodness, the way that it was so overplayed,” said sophomore Savannah Santiago. While some students, such as Santiago, may experience ‘bad’ nostalgia from songs being overplayed in the past, others feel reminiscent in a good way when hearing specific songs. “An artist who immediately transports me back to middle school is Bo Burnham. He became popular during the pandemic, but I was obsessed with him before that, his special “Inside” was incredibly influential during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it comforted me as someone who was also experiencing depression,” said senior Ian Knox.

Nostalgia does not only come in the form of remembering time periods you lived during, though. Some people can have nostalgia for times they weren’t even alive for, such as the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s, because of movies, music, and the general vibe of the decade. “The 80s have always been appealing to me. Maybe it’s the FNAF phase, but the 80s also had such an interesting, rich culture as America began to find its place as it developed into modern society,” said Knox.

Thinking about the time periods you weren’t alive during makes you wish you were around for certain historical events. With thousands of years of human history, the possibilities are endless for history you wish you were around for to experience and have nostalgia from. “Hear me out, Woodstock ‘99. One of the best band lineups in history. You had Godsmack, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Green Day, Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Creed, The Offspring, and so many other great artists that performed,” said sophomore Lee Tiede.

Do you ever think that one day you’ll be nostalgic for the time period you’re living in now? Many Osbourn students predict that they will. Teenage years are full of growth, friendships, drama, and overall, they’re a time where you’re figuring out the world and maturing. Many older people you meet will prefer movies, TV shows, music, and other forms of media from their teenage years over newer content, because it reminds them of a time when they were young. Current seniors may have the most nostalgia for high school after they graduate. “10 years from now, I think I’ll be most nostalgic for the friendships I made throughout High School. We are all going our separate ways, and I know many of us are gonna stay in touch, but to be completely honest, life does get in the way of things. We have to learn to make time for each other whenever we can! So all in all, I’m excited to branch out and make new friendships in college, but I will always and forever appreciate the close friendships I made throughout my 4 years at Osbourn,” said senior Gwendolyn Boles.

What have we learned from this article? Osbourn students definitely experience nostalgia. Nostalgia evolves and grows as you get older, so who knows? Maybe when you’re older, you’re going to be nostalgic for when you were a teenager, so enjoy these years, and look into the future with an excitement for new opportunities, experiences, friendships, and journeys. “I just miss being a kid. I miss not worrying about what others may think about me or having to worry about the future. Being a kid is filled with wonders and adventures. I also miss recess. I used to play the house cat whenever we’d play family,” said Tiede. Nostalgia is a weird feeling, but it’s one almost everyone experiences. It’s a part of being a human and moving with time. Leaving the past behind is hard, but the future has the possibility of being even better if you put your mind to it.

So what do you think? Do you experience nostalgia? Do you think you’ll experience nostalgia for this time period in years from now?