Nostalgia x Gen Z.

I often hear my dad’s voice inside my head saying “simpler times” whenever he talks about his early 20’s compared to mine.

In our world today, you can never guess what nonsense is just around the corner. Gen Z, in particular, consistently lives in an enigma of change. Starting with 9/11, then the iPhone, COVID-19, and so on. With all of the chaos- how do we find a way to escape and cope? Our record player, comfort 90s sitcom, juicy couture velvet tracksuit. Nostalgia is the most perfect medicine to comfort us. It even makes me feel a bit more at ease knowing I could bring up listening to Jesse McCartney or coloring with smelnells in this writing. 

But, how did this love for nostalgia within our generation happen? It seems past generations were more intrigued by the future. Movies like Blade Runner and Gattaca filled movie theaters. Fashion collections such as the Mugler Fall 1995: Le Cirque directly played off the idea of futurama. Meanwhile, it seems as if Gen Z is glued to the past. The When We Were Young music festival, Taylor Swift rereleasing her old songs, and reboots of old shows like Gossip Girl.

Here’s the million dollar question- is nostalgia healthy for Gen Z? The main answer is yes. For plenty of reasons too. Loads of research have been done regarding nostalgia and its benefits. Scientists have found that the introduction of forms of nostalgia reduces stress. And boy, aren't we a generation that is full of that. Through nostalgia, we get to revert back to a time when life was much simpler. 

As a generation that is also known as the “iGeneration” we have been in constant connection with what people are doing (whether we like it or not.) We can see our long-distance bestie “BeReal” as she’s at a club in Miami. Or we painfully have to see where our ex-situationship is having brunch on their Instagram story. At some point our constant connection to each other makes us feel disconnected and very alone. As we look back at our early years, we remember our pure authentic experiences with one another. No phones, Tinder swipes, or responsibilities were even a consideration. Nostalgia is a time portal to a period where everything seemed genuine and pure. There was not a care in the world.

As young people try to figure themselves out, researchers look at nostalgia as an optimistic tool for our generation. It’s a stable coping mechanism for figuring out who we are as a human being. As we look back at our past selves, we can find comfort in where we came from and how far we have come to get to where we are today. Nostalgia is a source of inspiration for us. We can look back and say “This is who I was, this is who I am today, this is who I aspire to be.” 

So, go for it. Rewatch Drake and Josh for the millionth time or maybe even buy a pair of low-rise jeans. At the end of the day, Gen Z’s love of nostalgia is more than okay.