Eve Davies
We all have them: a nostalgic song that takes us back to car rides with friends or certain family parties, a TV show that sends us back to school days when we’d rush home to sit in front of the television with a Munch Bunch or Happy Hippo, or even an advert that transports us back to writing our Christmas lists all those years ago.
Surrounded by ever developing screens and audio devices, the media has undoubtedly had an impact on human memory. Our access and exposure to media has significantly increased over the last two decades, specifically in terms of quantity and available modalities, meaning it has seeped into almost every aspect of human life. Since we can’t escape the media, it is inevitable that it influences the perception that we have of our pasts.
“My childhood memories are certainly driven by various media”
How many times have you heard a grandparent remark ‘Oh, this takes me back’ when a certain song comes on the radio, a parent say ‘I used to sing this to you when you were small’, or a friend say ‘This song reminds me of last summer’?
My grandmother can recall which film she watched apprehensively while each of her eight grandchildren were born, showing how the media becomes part of our memories; it enhances them with the ability to take us back in time to pinnacle moments.
My childhood memories are certainly driven by various media, and often Disney is at the heart of them. This is how the timeline goes….
Although my personal memories are vague considering I was less than three years old, my parents often talk about my older sister’s obsession with Toy Story. Her famous and overused line was ‘Put Doy Dory on Daddy’ (yes, the D’s are intentional). We’ve many video recordings for proof.
Trips to Disneyland Paris brought the media to life – a magical and mediated world driven by Walt Disney’s texts and creations where many memories are captured.
By my late years at primary school, I was a Disney Channel addict. Every day, before and after school, I’d be glued to The Suite Life of Zac and Cody, Hannah Montana, Good Luck Charlie, Wizards of Waverly Place, or even Phineas and Ferb (which I never would have admitted).
“The blessing that was Disney+ over lockdown drenched me in nostalgia.”
I went through a High School Musical obsessed phase. I’d listen to the sound track daily; I still know most of the script of the three films. I even had a HSM-themed room, including a ‘locker’ made of plastic poles and printed fabric; nevertheless, I thought I’d hit my prime.
Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale, and Miley Cyrus were most girls’ idols, but there was nobody I wanted to be more than Vanessa Hudgens (aka Gabriella). Partly for her sweet nature, partly for her gorgeous looks, partly for her scientific brain, partly to be a lifeguard at Palm Springs, but mostly so I could be Troy Bolton’s girlfriend. I often emulated her outfits out of whatever I could source from my own, my mum’s, or sisters’ wardrobes. Can you tell I was a no.1 fangirl?
The blessing that was Disney+ over lockdown drenched me in nostalgia, alighting a warm feeling inside. The sound of the character’s voices and a glimpse of the familiar settings immediately take me back in time; back aboard The Suite Life on Deck, living the ‘Best of Both Worlds’ with Miley, and admiring the Wildcats.
“This is probably the point when the media starts to distort young people’s perception of general life.”
Most of my memories from my school days are permeated by the media, as it was firmly set in my routine. The media impacts how I remember these days and the nostalgia I feel impacts how I remember the media; it is a dual relationship, for sure.
By the time I reached comprehensive school I’d moved on from Disney Channel to the likes of Netflix and E! where I could watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians and lose myself in Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars. Precisely, Gossip Girl takes me back to Autumn 2014, at the age where I could let days pass snuggled up with a hot chocolate.
This is probably the point when the media starts to distort young people’s perception of general life. When we start to think that we aren’t good enough because we don’t look like the people on our screens or have as much money as them. Add in social media and that’s when things start to get tricky.
It is true that the media modifies not only what we remember, but how we remember. We remember certain points in time because of the songs we were listening to, or the TV shows we were watching. On that note, I think it is important to be selective with the media we consume, to keep it positive and our memories as happy as we can. In our modern world, the media is part of our diet. Ultimately, if we put in good energy, we’ll usually get good energy out.
There is potential for nostalgia in all that we consume. Think about years to come, what will bring you back to now? Drake’s new album or Squid Game might not seem important to you right now, but one day they might be.
Featured image courtesy of Ian Dooley on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image.
evedaviess
Eve is 22 years old and lives in Swansea. She has recently graduated from Cardiff University with a BA in English Literature. Eve's main interest is in lifestyle writing, particularly health, food, and travel.