WHAT IS NOSTALGIA?

Nostalgia is the sentimental feeling for a previous time or place with typically positive connotations. The feeling is often used to help remind us of who we used to be and reflect on how we change and grow as people. The term was coined by a 17th century medical student as a way of describing the anxieties portrayed by Swiss mercenaries fighting away from home. Nostalgia is sometimes associated with melancholy – a feeling of deep sadness or gloom with no obvious cause – due to the sorrow links with past or unhappy memories. Phrases such as “the good old days” or “golden years” are often used to describe nostalgia.

TRIGGERS

Movies: certain movies or even film eras can trigger nostalgia as that could be what they grew up watching and what influenced them the most. Certain movies could have also shaped how they perceived the world as they grew up or what kind of lifestyle they wanted to live.

Music: listening to old music that they enjoyed, or was just played, can bring back memories or experiences from that time, whether it was certain songs their mother used to sing to them or the song they used to play with their friends.

Environments: natural based elements such as weather, temperature or even specific places can produce nostalgia, causing the homesick feeling for experiences of nature, species, and past environments.