One of the best moments to remember are those times in your childhood that make you wish you were a kid again. Whether it’s a certain game, smell or area that takes you back to the good ole’ days.

Times when you didn’t have to worry about college, taxes, growing up, etc. Sometimes, it’s nice to take a trip down memory lane.

Have you ever walked into a public area that smells like.. nostalgia? For example, every time I enter an elementary school, the aroma smells like it did when I was a child. There’s something about the scent of crayons and public-school lunches that remind me of when I was a small kindergartener still learning how to tie her shoes. 

If you were like me as a child, television was the best thing in the world.

There are certain TV shows/movies that take you back to the old days. Personally, Disney’s “Princess and the Frog” is the most nostalgic. As a black child growing up, I never had any strong role models to compare myself to. Seeing a young black woman rise above the hardships life threw at her encouraged me to rise above mine. While Tiana spent half of the movie as a frog and the other half as a struggling waitress, it was still nice to get that small amount of representation that kids need. “Princess and the Frog” is a classic that makes me miss my childhood and it is still one of my favorite movies to this day. 

While some people like to remember movies and TV shows, others recall certain games they used to play.

When I was young, I used to pretend I was a wolf, prancing around the house and howling at any moving object. My cousins and I would play this game every Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. I look back at those memories now and think how unusual it must’ve been for my family to witness their children acting like literal animals. However, it puts a smile on my face remembering how much I used to cherish those moments with my family. 

There are so many things that could bring up nostalgia, as we have previously said.

However, for many people, one of the most obvious things to bring back a childhood memory are certain places where they used to go. 

During most of my elementary life I was online schooled.

My third grade year, we took a field trip to a museum called “Exploration Place.” There were so many different stories and objects to explore. My favorite place there was the “airplane station.” This was surrounded by multiple different types of planes and explained the history of how aircraft became as advanced as it is today. This single area in the museum helped me discover my huge obsession with flying. I wanted to become the next Amelia Earhart. 

I love taking trips down memory lane.

Remembering good times is crucial for one’s mental health. Not to mention, it’s fun.

While things may not seem bright and dandy sometimes, remembering those small moments could help you move forward, and encourage you to create more happy moments in the future.