Strong nostalgia brought on by major change -- Help with handling it?

On and off for the past few months, I've been having very strong feelings of nostalgia. Nostalgia for things like Pokemon, video games, and just general kid-ish things.

As I have been completing college applications during the same time frame, I believe that the life change that college represents and is is the root cause of the nostalgia. That, in addition to a discovered liking for things from The '90s (which is the time in my life, despite being very young, that I remember being most happy and carefree), is what I think is fueling the feelings of nostalgia.

Even though I feel like I know what's causing the feelings, however, I don't really know how to deal with them. I feel rather stupid and childish because I want these things (or, at least, what they represent), even though I know that it's a generally normal reaction to seek things of comfort during major life changes.

I'm getting increasingly frustrated and saddened by the nostalgia, and I'm not sure at all what steps I can take to ease it. I think it's something I should discuss with my counselor at some point soon, although it's not the most pressing issue on the plate there.

27 here, finished college 3 years ago.

Ever since the beginning/middle of College, I had these sudden flares/bursts of nostalgia for video games, movies, books, etc. If you think about it, you have all these at your disposal. So instead of playing the latest Video Game, try to play your old fave ones on an Emulator. Having an emu is a great way to scratch these sudden itches. I find myself playing some old game on the ZSNES emulator from time to time.

The very act of playing or rewatching a movie (for me) calms me and puts me into a mood where I see these things as great things from the past I can use for some sort of mental time travel if you like. I play a SNES game, I'm immersed in the past, thinking of random past events, and when I finish playing, the need for these nostalgic things is "gone". Of course, not completely, but it's normal to have your own past in your heart at all times.

Hope this helps

Nostalgia's fine. This: "I'm getting increasingly frustrated and saddened by the nostalgia", however isn't. Why is this? "Nostalgia for [...] kid-ish things." is this a clue? Do I need to quote C.S. Lewis at you?

Sometimes you just want to play an old game. There is pretty much nothing stopping you from buying and playing those games, or using the emulator that was suggested. PLENTY of people in college play pokemon, and various other games.

I also get nostalgic relatively often. I get nostalgia for songs I used to listen to and games I used to play. Usually, I find the songs on You Tube (or my record shelf) and the games on my computer (as I don't have a console ATM.)

One thing I long for is Metal Gear Solid, every one of them. I got MGS 1 when it was new, and it was awesome. I waited for 2 like crazy people wait for the Rapture. Same for 3 and 4. I get very nostalgic every time I play any of them or watch the videos on You Tube.

Same for Final Fantasy IX, some SNES games that I've got on my computer, and so on.

And books! I keep reading Terry Pratchett's books over and over again. I used to read at least one of his books per month, though recently it's been more like 2 books every 3 or 4 months. They're always amazing.

And since I'm Finnish, I guess I gotta mention Donald Duck comics (which are the second most popular paper publication in Finland, after the largest Finnish newspaper.) Special reference must be made at this point to Don Rosa. The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck is always very nostalgic, partially because of the nature of the narrative.

Actually, that leads me to the point I was gonna make. One way to alleviate nostalgia is to listen to or read or play something that is about nostalgia or has major themes related to nostalgia. American Pie by Don McLean is a great example. Another one is Billy Joel's Piano Man.

You could also play any game at all that lets/makes you go back to the beginning after you've been away for long, especially if something's changed after you left. Cave Story does this, and so does Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Oh, and I could go on and on...

EDIT: And I will, because I forgot to list Animés with nostalgia themes. I'm talking about Kanon and Clannad. Also, Gungrave, except that I found the last couple of episodes silly.

edited 18th Jan '12 4:21:12 PM by BestOf

I recently moved- purely by chance- into a house on the street where I grew up. The nostalgia level was crazy, so just gave into it. I live in the 1980s now.

Seriously, though, it's just that you're facing major change and it's normal to want to have familiar things around in those circumstances. Just don't try to retreat into the past and you'll be fine.

edited 18th Jan '12 4:25:24 PM by InverurieJones

Dude, "Piano Man" just makes me more depressed. Unless other people sing along. Either way, good call with "American Pie".

I still keep all my favorite old computer games in a folder on my laptop, Baldurs Gate, Fallout, Starcraft, Icewind Dale, Unreal(not tournament, the original)

Every now and again, I fire them up and play.

The first 3 games are ones that I also often play when I get nostalgic. Especially Starcraft... Oh, and Red Alert 1 and 2!

I've been getting that feeling lately, as well (though there hasn't been any recent major change); I find the best thing to do is just run with it until you get bored.

There's nothing wrong with being nostalgic for things. Just remember that change is the central feature of the whole universe, so you either have to accept that it'll happen or...

...no, you pretty much have to accept that it'll happen.

The more time passes, the more I want to play Warcraft II again.