As graduation approaches, many seniors experience a strong feeling of nostalgia, especially for childhood toys, shows and activities. Items like Shopkins, Webkins, Squishes, Silly Bandz, and shows such as ICarly, PBS kids, Dino Train, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, along with old neighborhood games mentioned repeatedly. Students light up when describing these memories with enthusiasm and excitement.
Nostalgia peaks now as seniors experience the rapid pace of their last year of High school, the sense of time passing quickly, and the pressure of upcoming decisions. Revisiting childhood memories provides comfort and a sense of stability. Reflecting on earlier years can also help students process the bittersweet mix of emotions that come with leaving a familiar environment.
Students identified settings that trigger nostalgia. “I feel nostalgic when I walk by my freshman English teacher’s room or by my old lunch table,” recalled high school senior Daisy Vazquez-Martinez. “Those moments make me feel happy.”
Tori Moyer, another senior, said she experiences nostalgia when she teaches at her old elementary school. “I picture myself playing on those same monkey bars,” she explained, also sharing how her handprint in the hallway is a meaningful reminder of her time in that space. She described the whole feeling as “bittersweet.”
Former senior in high school, Sullivan Heying, looked back on his senior year and noted that saying goodbye to teachers felt different. “It’s probably the last time I’ll ever see them again,” he said, adding that he has good memories with many of them. He described his elementary school walk through as meaningful because he was able to see his old teacher who still remembered him.
When asked how he remembers his senior year, Sullivan said he sees it as “the last time to be surrounded by the people I grew up with.”
For many seniors, nostalgia is not about longing to return, it’s about understanding and appreciating what shaped them as they prepare for what comes next.
