The Sweet Ache of Yesterday

So what does nostalgia do?

It makes you reminisce the sweet memories of your worry-free childhood and gives a momentary satisfaction that good things did exist in this cruel real world. The biggest target audience that wants their childhood back is the Gen Y, aka millennials. As people enter their 30s and get real jobs while struggling to survive in this crippling economy, they want a sense of comfort of the simpler times through nostalgia. Also, they have adult money now. Which means they can spend it on whatever childhood dreams they had but couldn’t afford.

Women are seen buying Nerf guns, lego sets and hot wheels for their boyfriends, and women are being gifted barbie themed accessories, aesthetic cottage core kitchen sets, and the resurgence of pink is more than evident to everybody. The millennials are a substantial target market with disposable income. In order to tap into it successfully, you just need to remind them of a sweet memory of the past and an assurance that they get to relive it in today’s day and age.

The resurgence of nostalgia is more than a passing trend; it is a response to the complexities of modern life. For millennials, nostalgia provides a comforting retreat, reminding them of simpler times.

The simpler times include a happier, freer version of yourself. How would you get to that version?

Here’s how:

1. Do things the original way:
   In a digital age, returning to analog activities like writing letters, using film cameras, or playing vinyl records can offer a piece of that cherished childhood experience.
2. Document your memories:
   Keeping a journal, making scrapbooks, or digitizing old photographs can preserve memories that you might value forever.
3. Reconnect with your loved ones
   You often lose track of the whereabouts of the ones you used to have a fun time with. Catch-up with your 6th grade bestie, call your grandmother and keep up to be reminded of your happy roots.

But what makes nostalgia so precious? 

Sometimes, life moves so fast that we forget how it felt to just be. That’s why people often find themselves longing for the past- for the comfort of simpler times. It’s not about wanting to go back in time. It’s about wanting to feel the way we used to feel. 

Like when you hear an old song and suddenly you’re back in your childhood bedroom, singing into a hairbrush. Or when the smell of a certain dish reminds you of your grandma’s kitchen. These moments make us pause- they remind us of a time when things weren’t so complicated. They were light, happy, and more real. Back then, happiness came from little things- playing outside till sunset, watching cartoons on Sundays, licking maggi masala’s packets while cooking, or just laughing with friends with no phones in sight. 

In today’s fast-paced world, nostalgia gives us a break. It brings us back to ourselves. It’s not about the past- it’s about what we’ve always valued and longed for deep down: connection, simplicity, and joy. 

And sometimes, all it takes to feel that again…. Is a familiar tune, a handwritten note, or a moment to breathe.