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Ever felt, smelt, seen or heard something and been instantly transported back to “the good old days”? I know I have. Memories of the past can make us feel sad, or warm and fuzzy inside. They might even make us wish we were still little… living in a carefree time, unbothered by the stress of adulting, and the chaos of social media.

“Nostalgia is often triggered by something reminding you of a happier time,” reads the description of the r/nostalgia online community. It’s a place where 1.4 million people come to laugh and cry about days gone by. If you find yourself missing your childhood, fear not. We’ve lined up an epic trip down memory lane with a few blasts from the past that are bound to stir up all the nostalgic feels.

In the words of the online community, “grab your Pogs, Surge cans and Thriller cassettes” and keep scrolling for Bored Panda’s top picks from the page. Don’t forget to upvote your favorites!

#1 The Ge Alarm Clock That Everyone Seemed To Have

Image credits: 2ezyo

#2 The Family Computer

Image credits: IrishAzrael

#3

So today, I accidentally broke my autistic brother’s favorite dragon tales plate and I can’t find it anywhere online. If someone finds one like or similar to it (online or in your basements) I’d pay you for it and you’d be really helping us out! Thank you, internet folk! 🙂

Update: Daniel has received the dragon tales plate thank you so much for everyone's support and help

Image credits: meatygonzales

Nostalgia is generally seen as a positive emotion. The Oxford English dictionary defines it as “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past.” Some research suggests nostalgia has the ability to boost our mood and give us a sense of meaning in life. According to Psychology Today, nostalgia can also increase our self-esteem and get us excited about the future.

But you might be surprised to know that nostalgia was once seen as a mental illness. “For centuries, nostalgia was thought to be synonymous with depression. During the Thirty Years War, several Spanish soldiers were discharged from the army with nostalgic symptoms,” reads the Neuroscience Of site, “The term nostalgia – formed from the Greek ‘nostos’ (homecoming), and ‘algos’ (pain) – was coined by the 17th-century Swiss physician, Johannes Hofer, who considered it to be a mental disorder.”

#4 90s PC Speakers

Image credits: i_wanna_pee_on_you

#5 Wooden Playgrounds

Image credits: Xnightx0wlx

#6 The Magic That Was The Scholastic Book Fair

Image credits: MccreesKnees

Interestingly, past research has found that people are more likely to feel nostalgic on cold days than on warm days. And that the fuzzy feeling we get with heart-warming memories can literally warm us up. “Our study has shown that nostalgia serves a homeostatic function, allowing the mental simulation of previously enjoyed states, including states of bodily comfort; in this case making us feel warmer or increasing our tolerance of cold,” said co-author of the study, Dr Tim Wildschut.

#7 Space Cadet Was My Childhood

Image credits: SEMiTRiCKY

#8 Ahhh Yes, Square Slices Of Pizza At School

Image credits: Whitlow14

#9 Tvs With Built-In Vcrs That Had Like 13-Inch Wide Screens And Were The Coolest Thing You Could Have In Your Bedroom

Image credits: Steven Schultz

According to another study, feeling nostalgic might even help relieve mild pain. Researchers from Beijing’s Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences gathered 34 adults and split them into two groups. One group was shown images that made them feel nostalgic. Think children’s games or cartoon characters from the past. The second group looked at more modern images that didn’t evoke nostalgia.

#10 Pencils With Cartridges

Image credits: Lexjiggler

#11 The Old Cartoon Network

Image credits: TheUnknown135

#12 Who Remembers This [ice Cream] From School?

Image credits: 42iseverywhere42

After viewing each image, participants were exposed to a “heat-pain stimulation of varying intensity” on their right arm. And while this was happening, researchers were measuring their brain activity. The results showed that one group felt less pain than the other. And that “nostalgia triggers real effects in the brain by activating pain relief mechanisms, such as an analgesic effect.” Similar to taking paracetamol.

So, if your head hurts a little at the moment, there’s a chance you might feel better after looking at some of the images on this list of flashbacks.

#13 Cross-Section Books From The 90’s

Image credits: 4khz

#14 Glittery Sand Lizards

Image credits: reddit.com

#15 Mechanical Pencil Sharpener- Sharpened Many Pencils In School Using One Of These. Always A B***h Whenever You Had To Sharpen An Unsharpened Pencil

Image credits: umasstpt12

Does the smell of cookies being baked remind you of your childhood? Or maybe a particular cologne or perfume brings back memories of your ex. There’s actually a science behind why certain scents stir up such strong reminders of past people, places or things.

As Inverse reported, “Smells from childhood are particularly powerful in this respect because very often our first exposure to scents is in childhood. Our brains form particularly strong connections during this process in case recollection of the smell is important for survival.”

#16 Skip-It

Image credits: reddit.com

#17 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, N64. The Warehouse

Image credits: JM-Rie

#18 Anyone Else Remember The Weird, Course Texture These Bouncy Balls Had?

Image credits: Shaxai

Clay Routledge is a psychological scientist, and somewhat of an expert when it comes to what role nostalgia plays in giving us meaning in life. “Nostalgia is one of the self-regulatory tools we use to remind ourselves that we matter,” he said. Routledge believes that nostalgia breeds optimism and resiliency. And if there was one time we needed resilience, it was surely in the dreaded year of 2020.

#19 Jackie Chan Adventures (2000-2005)

Image credits: FullyDisappointed

#20 Flipping Through These As A Kid Trying To Find Your Favourite Bands Poster

Image credits: beardynolando

#21 Working On The Car With Your Dad So You Can Learn How To Fix Stuff. All I Learned Was How To Hold The Flashlight And Get Yelled At

Image credits: reddit.com

If you found yourself reminiscing more than usual during the Covid lockdown, you probably weren’t alone. “Nostalgia is a resource that people use to move forward,” revealed Routledge. And boy did we want to move forward and fly into a future that didn’t involve Covid or lockdown.

Interestingly, nostalgia might have played a part in helping some of us get through those dark, lonely days. We daydreamed about the pre-pandemic times, when we could hang out freely with our friends and family, or just simply walk out our front doors.

#22 Rectangle Pizza Was The Heavy Hitter Of School Lunches In The 80s And Early 90s

Image credits: defactosithlord

#23 I Know You All Remember The Spacemaker Pencil Box!

Image credits: FatSloppyPecker

#24 Drawing Your Sun In The Corner

Image credits: reddit.com

As Inverse puts it, “those feelings were triggered by loneliness and a stressful situation, but they were also motivating — propelling us to believe that if we could just make it through, the reward of those in-person visits would be worth the wait.” And ironically, a few years later, some people are now nostalgic for the days of face-masks, social distancing, and isolation.