Scents, Songs, and Sudden Memories

What makes you feel nostalgic?

Nostalgia rarely comes from big moments. For me, it’s usually triggered by something small, especially smells.

A couple of days ago, I was at a hens party and we were asked to make something out of Play-Doh. As soon as I opened the tub, the smell instantly transported me back to my childhood. Sitting at home or in school, hands covered in bright colours, completely absorbed in play. It’s amazing how one familiar scent can unlock memories you didn’t even realise were still there.

Music also has the same effect. Listening to songs from the eighties takes me straight back to my youth, a time that feels simpler and slower now. I’m reminded of sitting with my sister, listening to my dad’s vinyls, the crackle of the record filling the room before the music even started. Those moments didn’t feel special at the time, but looking back, they absolutely were.

Nostalgia, I have realised, lives in the senses. A smell, a song, a sound, and suddenly you’re not where you are anymore. You’re where you once were.