Nostalgia and Revisiting Times Gone By
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Music, films, and books have a way of transporting us back in time. Picking up a book we’ve read before or rewatching a film brings us back to the moment we first encountered them. Or maybe they hold a special place in our lives because of their connection to a moment in time. While there are films and songs from my teenage years that I find myself revisiting even now, I’ve never thought too much of the books that I read years ago. Lately, I have been thinking about how books aid in revisiting your past. It’s almost like jumping into a time machine.
Nostalgia is defined as a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. For me, my relationship with the books I read as a child and as a teenager brings back memories of joy and contentment. As a child, I read a lot of The Baby-Sitters Club and Nancy Drew books—a lot. I loved the friendships the girls in The Baby-Sitters Club shared and the lessons they learned during each book which in turn educated me. I admired Nancy Drew’s independence and adventurous spirit—something I attempted to emulate. Both remained my companions throughout grade school. The protagonists in both series were older than I was and reading through the books was a way to imagine who I would become when I was their age. Their experiences gave me something to look forward to. Would I get a job babysitting neighborhood kids and continue to have an unbreakable bond with my group of friends? Or would I go on adventures and solve mysteries around my town?
As I got older, my interest in them dwindled and I moved on to different titles, but over the years I have found myself occasionally thinking about the time I spent reading them. Although I haven’t reread any of the books, when I think about them now I find myself revisiting those days of reading after school and getting lost in the pages. The days of waking up on Saturday mornings for breakfast and cartoons followed by hours of reading and playing outside come flooding back. These books remind me of simpler times. I’m reminded of spending time with my family, going on trips and playing video games. As a kid, the responsibilities some of us had didn’t reach further than making sure our rooms were clean, chores were done, and homework was finished. And I guess that’s why as I’ve gotten older and have taken on more responsibility, revisiting these books and the escape they offered has been such a respite.
When I entered my teen years, my taste in books changed. I wasn’t as interested anymore in simple books that ended wrapped up in a pretty bow. The more real life issues I encountered, the more I sought out books that felt relatable—whether in situations or just the overall feeling of teenage angst. I found myself seeking out books like The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides, Dear Diary by Leslie Arfin, and Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress: Tales of Growing up Groovy and Clueless by Susan Jane Gilman. While what the women in these books went through and experienced weren’t exactly things I myself had to deal with, I could relate to the rollercoaster like emotions they dealt with. The hopelessness that sometimes would encompass one on a whim. The sometimes complex relationships with friends and love interests. The promise of a future and all that it can bring. These are the books that carried me through my teen years into young adulthood. They are the ones that I have gone back and reread. They remind me of being on the cusp of adulthood, getting ready to venture out into the real world on my own—something that like anyone in their late teens, early twenties I couldn’t wait for.
Looking back at these books now in my first year of my thirties I’m brought back to being a teenager. Revisiting the books I read during this time in my life reminds me of when I would spend hours looking forward to being in my twenties and what I would be doing with my life. It reminds me of all the grand plans I had made as a naive teen. It brings me back to living at home and a sort of ease I felt during this period.
In a way, revisiting these books fills me with a great deal of joy. I’m reminded of the girl I was who dreamt so freely and saw the world as being wide open to me. These books allow me to hark back to a time when the future seemed so far away and like I’d never reach it. As I spend more time thinking about the books that shaped my childhood and teenage years, I not only think about the great memories I have associated with reading them but also how they can help me now. I don’t think I’m alone in wanting to regain some of that independence and adventurous spirit that was so abundant or making grand plans for the future without thinking of a potential failure. Nostalgia and revisiting times past not only allow us to remember what was but also what can be.
About Karla Mendez
Karla Mendez is a writer and artist based in Florida. She is obsessed with buying books at a faster pace than she can read. An avid journal keeper, her favorite part of the day is watching the sun rise as she writes. She is always happy to discuss books and films - find her on Instagram at @kmmendez
