Nostalgia...90's

The word “nostalgia” evokes images of everything from classic cars to flare jeans. I often think back to holidays off school, when I was younger. When I would stand in front of the minuscule television, hip thrusting and gyrating around, performing all the moves the cheerleaders did in Bring It On. Thinking back on my adolescence, full of Backstreet Boys,NSYNC , Aliyah, Monica, and Britney Spears on my grey walkman, which I had to share with my brothers. Toffies every day that surely gave me all those pesky cavities, and Disney Channel Original Movies, Mulan being my fav. My siblings and I used to recite Mushu's lines even in our sleep. Watching Harry Potter And The Sorcerers Stone ten times in a month. Matilda, crazy Miss Trunchbull. I often feel a sense of longing for those easier days; what worries or responsibilities did I have? (Besides trying to play kati, kalongo, knocking, etc)

The 90s began 30 years ago, meaning that nostalgia for that decade today is akin to nostalgia for the 70s in the year 2000. And no one made a fuss about that. Yes, the 90s are officially nostalgic. Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts, every generation also tints their pop culture with rosy reminiscences. Now, it’s the millennial generation’s turn.

The ’90s nostalgia gained serious traction in recent years, fuelled by total pop culture recall like the resurgence of the sitcom Friends, Full House to Charmed, and who could forget about the Gilmore Girls (Though we’re still trying to.) Christmas was the best season, it not only meant new clothes but also staying up late. Dancing to lingala, competing among cousins.

When people experience negative affect and loneliness, they may be more likely to experience nostalgia. Which helps [them] kind of overcome a negative experience that they’re having. Millennials are in the middle of a transitional period in their lives-starting careers, living independently, and paying bills- they’re looking to hold on to a simpler time when responsibilities didn’t all occur at once. This results in the very definition of nostalgia: a bittersweet longing for an individual’s valued past, i.e. our obligation-free childhoods, filled with all the TV shows that are now getting reboots or revivals.

Interested in diving into that 90’s nostalgia with full force?

1. Have a Disney Channel Original Movies marathon.

My friend told me that Disney is a scam because there's no happy ever after in real life, but Disney is not a scam, try watching them with a different mindset. See where the villain is coming from.

Here are 10 of the best original(although I’m always open for debate) from the ’90s if you need some ideas:

1. The Lion King

2. Sarafina

3. Mulan

4. Aladin

5. Sleeping beauty

6. The Thirteenth Year

7. Smart House

8. Don’t Look Under the Bed

9. Beauty and the beast

10. Pocahontas

2. Make a 90’s playlist

I highly encourage watching the original music videos and participating in all the dance moves. Yeah, dance, even people like me who have both left foot.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. TLC

2.Aqua

3.Backstreet Boys

4. Awilo longoma

5. Mary J Blige

6. Spice Girls

This is not a complete list, we have plenty of 90s memories; but, there's something about music that has an extraordinary ability to transport us all to a place usually in our childhood or a vivid nostalgic memory. It triggers a scene in your head where you can not only see the moving pictures, but you can feel the raw emotions that a particular song has sparked. The idea of a ‘memory bump’ or a ‘reminiscence bump’ is a psychological term used to determine the age at which we would have likely had an emotional connection to music.

Having an amazing playlist is an awesome resource that not only allows you to create an amazing music experience, but they have tools and training to help carers integrate music into an individual’s life. With this, the 90s memories still live on.

Xo