The trap of nostalgia: looking back on 2020

In 2020, the world seemed to come to a halt. The streets were empty, and the daily hustle and bustle of life was replaced by a feeling of uncertainty. Homes became offices, classrooms and anything else we needed them to be. Yet, as we get farther away from 2020, some people have started feeling nostalgic for the chaotic year.

Nostalgia can be a powerful emotion that allows us to look back on the past, but sometimes, we look back with rose-colored glasses, romanticizing a time that has passed. Was it the slower pace of life, the unity in shared struggle, or something else entirely that makes us feel nostalgic for 2020?

Dr. Krystine Batcho, a professor at LeMoyne College and a licensed psychologist specializing in nostalgia and human-computer interaction, created the Nostalgia Inventory, a widely used tool for measuring nostalgia, and regularly contributes to Psychology Today in addition to teaching psychology. Bacho defines nostalgia as “the notion of longing for or missing aspects of a person’s personal lived past.

Bacho also stated that nostalgia plays a key role in unifying different aspects of our lives. It connects us to our authentic selves over time and helps us reflect on our lives and how we have grown. Additionally, she said nostalgia helps us to navigate emotional conflicts. By revisiting different memories, we can process any tension, making it a powerful and healthy emotion that can foster personal growth.

Freshman theatre and dance major Jackie Cooksey said she defines nostalgia as being taken back to a specific memory by a sensory experience.

“Whatever I’m doing, it’s like I can recollect what I was doing, where I was, what was going on, and I just remember more things as they happen. It’s like if you were sitting in a chair, and you feel like some hot chocolate, you go over to the machine and brew yourself some. You might take a sip of that hot chocolate and be like, ‘oh, I feel nostalgic, I feel like I’ve done this before,” Cooksey said.

Certain moments in our lives can evoke nostalgia. Sensory experiences like a certain smell or the texture of something can transport us back to the original memory. But sometimes, our memories can be unreliable, remembering only the good parts of a memory instead of the whole thing.

Bacho says our memories are selective and often inaccurate, which shapes how we experience nostalgia. We may remember only the positive aspects, like the friendships we formed during lockdown while overlooking the memories of conflict going on during that time.

“When you think about a time period in society, it has so many components to it. One individual might be nostalgic for that time, but they’re not thinking about things like racism or discrimination or even conflict. They might be thinking, ‘oh, I had wonderful friendships then.’” Bacho said.

When we think back to 2020, lots of different emotions come up. Memories of online classes, being able to spend time with our families, laughing at videos online. But there’s also those memories of lockdown, people getting sick, and being apart from loved ones.

The way we experience nostalgia is different from one another. While one person may only remember the feelings of unity people felt during lockdown, another may only remember the ones they lost. Cooksey said she feels some nostalgia for 2020 when she thinks back.

“I know for me personally, I miss the people I lost right after or around that time. I know that's true for many people. I also feel as though some people miss the comfort of their own homes, not having to worry about walking into work and putting themselves in social situations. Maybe they were struggling in classrooms or big learning environments were really tough for them, so they miss that more intimate environment where they were able to just take things in,” Cooksey said.

During the 2020 lockdowns, a lot of people found an unexpected sense of community amid the isolation, while others felt more isolated than ever.

Cooksey said she felt a mix of community and solidarity while she was in lockdown.

“I feel like in some ways, there was more community, and we really gathered together to try to make things work. And then in another way, it kind of tore us apart. I feel like there was a disconnect in that sense. But there were certain things that did feel smoother because we were all dealing with the same situation,” Cooksey said.

On the other side, senior Advertising and PR major Caroline Slade said that she missed being in a classroom during lockdown.

“I was productive at home, but when it comes to school work, it was a lot harder to learn things, so I’m glad we were able to come back in person because learning online was hard,” Slade said.

Dr. Bacho said that nostalgia for different life experiences is part of the human experience. Dating back years, we can find literature depicting nostalgia across the years.

“I was really impressed to find references to nostalgia before it ever had the name nostalgia, and those references go back thousands of years. It probably is part of the human experience, so it’s always been there as potential. It cuts across all cultures and all historical time periods,” Bacho said.

Our nostalgia for 2020 is shaped by personal memories and emotional experiences we dealt with during that time, often highlighting the positive while overlooking the challenges. Some recall unity and community, while others only remember the isolation. Whether it was the slower pace of life, solidarity, or the comfort of being in our homes, 2020 remains a significant part of our collective memory.