ADVERTISEMENT

Ready to blush? Just kidding—nobody enjoys making their cheeks burn out of involuntary embarrassment in awkward situations. But this time, we are taking you on an emotional rollercoaster where it may be the only option.

It’s called blast from the past. Remember your 8-year-old self drinking coke in a wine glass, thinking you were as tipsy as auntie Becky at a family reunion barbecue, ready to pass out on the floor and beg for salvation? What about the time you cried for 10 days straight after finding out that gum you swallowed would stay in your stomach forever? What if I told you that you're not the only one? In fact, that little kid with ginger frock from school, your cousin from Wyoming, and I was all secretly doing the same weird things. So, let’s go down this cringe-inducing memory lane were things we all did as kids are laid out on the table.

Pandas, is anyone having a déjà vu moment? Then share your experiences and childhood memories in the comments. Also, scroll down below to see what Krystine Batcho, a professor of nostalgia at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, told Bored Panda about the influence that childhood experiences have on the course of our lives.

#1

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

emersonic420 Report

Prof. Krystine Batcho, a licensed psychologist and scholar in nostalgia, has developed a universal tool to measure our emotions towards the past using The Nostalgia Inventory Test. It measures how deeply and often people feel nostalgic.

Bored Panda asked the professor about the role our childhood memories play in our lives. “Childhood memories can influence adult lives in a number of ways. They can contribute to our overall sense of happiness in life.” Social experiences we had when little turn out to be crucial. “Positive childhood social events, such as family get-togethers during the holidays or parties to celebrate birthdays or achievements, help establish good self-esteem and healthy social skills in adulthood.”

Prof. Batcho’s life-long research has suggested that “positive childhood memories are associated with more adaptive coping skills in adulthood.” For example, people with happier memories of childhood were less likely to turn to counterproductive ways of dealing with stressful situations, such as substance abuse or escapist behavior. Healthy coping is not something we’re born with, but rather “is learned during childhood by role modeling trusted adults, and memories of how respected adults coped with adversity,” said the professor.

ADVERTISEMENT
#4

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

FahadKhreji , rudyright Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
What does a Foxxy say?
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to draw on my erasers and then stamp them on my skin whilst the pen ink was still wet.

ruxandra-ana-vasilescu avatar
Xandra
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to do that on paper, to make my police "credentials" official. The stamp literally said "Official"...

Load More Replies...
getsuyoubi avatar
Monday
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was so satisfying to do this....but it ruined the look of the eraser..

cedahinea avatar
Cee Mor
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ahhhh as an art teacher, who provides erasers, I can tell you this is the bane of my existence!!!

bpbperic avatar
Night Owl
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never did it and hated it and was confused when I saw someone else's eraser ruined like that

jenicathomas avatar
Jenica Thomas
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nooooo as an artist this is a waste of a perfectly good eraser!

shannonodland avatar
Dippin Dot
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not a professional but I like to draw, and my OCD kicks in when an eraser is dis formed.

Load More Replies...
feehofmann avatar
Fee Hofmann
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And when the tip broke off inside of the eraser, I went into surgeon mode in the middle of class. 😂

ximennajimenez avatar
Ximenna Jimenez
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did this and showed it to my friend. don't do it if they have trypophobia

cruzarts avatar
Steve Cruz
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I pulled the eraser out of the end of a pencil and used the metal tube to core out a hole in a large eraser so it would slide over the end of the pencil and could be kept in place with RUBBER CEMENT.

bethannlubert avatar
BA Lubert
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Once I did that I would have to throw it away and get a new one.

juliet_bravo avatar
Jill Bussey
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hated how this looked, so never did it to my erasers. Then a classmate got hold of it and stabbed it to death.

rooteetwo avatar
Snorkeldorf
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to make fake fingernails out of Elmer's glue. Make a rough dab of the nail on wax paper and let it dry. Peel it off, cut it to size, get it wet on the back and stick on your fingernails. It worked and looked great for a very short period of time. That was before you could buy fake stick on nails. Who knew?

kyler avatar
Kyler
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still do when the teacher talking crap to my ears

bookied7 avatar
Arieana Mays
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to do that all the time I drew an bird on one eraser than a human on the other one and play with the erasers

ameliatiernan avatar
Amelia Tiernan
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would write "yes" and "no" and then would ask it questions like a magic 8 ball.

eviewilliams avatar
Evie Williams
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My teacher would get the shits from people doing this, writing their names on it, and tearing them apart.

elizabethcheckai avatar
Elizabeth Checkai
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would impulsively stab and draw on my erasers, and then my perfectionism would kick in and I'd get pissed at myself and throw it away.

purplepal1956 avatar
Barbara Stewart
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I forgot about the eraser, I confess I used to do this. Brings back junior high memory.

deannawoods avatar
deanna woods
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think we all did this, especially if the teacher was boring.

goawaydemi avatar
VVOOIIDD
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We would get sent to time out of we were caught doing that in my elementary school

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Most of us deeply cherish powerful childhood memories and carry them throughout our lives. Batcho explained that this phenomenon is called a “'rosy retrospection,' that is, a tendency to remember the past as better than it really was.” But there might be an evolutionary reason for it, because “a favorable focus on the past helps most people remain healthy and happy despite the practical and emotional challenges of adult life.”

On the other hand, one's current mood has a tremendous influence on memory retrieval. “When we are sad or depressed, we are more likely to remember negative events in our past and remember past experiences less favorably.” That’s why if you’re in a bad mood, it’s better to leave those blasts from the past for another time in order not to distort them.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#19

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

LHG02 Report

Add photo comments
POST
holly_wendelin avatar
Starbelly Eleven
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do this at my parents' house and I snarl and hiss because my dad's office is right at the top and I know he's sitting there witnessing it. I'm 46.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

KingOfAthena Report

Add photo comments
POST
nesakysiukurtaueiti avatar
MagicalUnicorn
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i always dreamed of having this one as kid, but mom said it was too expensive...

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

hostinglaughs Report

Add photo comments
POST
bukola-adanna avatar
Bookey
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hated this!! And they'd ask "do you remember me"? How the flipping heck would I remember you?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

teaandlaughter Report

Add photo comments
POST
hendralim avatar
Hendra Lim
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i still feel so proud when i hide in the bathroom while the lights out, my cousins searching for me, even get in the bathroom but didn't find me at all because of the darkness and me silently dodging their hands movement, because i got adapted to the darkness)

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#28

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

Lightningmcmeth69 Report

Add photo comments
POST
maddi_050203 avatar
LOttawa
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still do that when I go shopping with my teen. It's fun to innocently embarrass her.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

unknown Report

#32

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

villas3123 Report

Add photo comments
POST
kat_mat avatar
Danish Dynomummy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So true. And the same snacks you had at home tasted 1000 times better at their place!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#39

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

90smadness Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
What does a Foxxy say?
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is such an old wives tale, so many people still believe this as adults. For those of you that do, it isn’t true.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#40

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

cumrascal Report

Add photo comments
POST
ilonazoomer avatar
Ilona
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did that once.. they cared. I ended up being so embarrassed about pretending to have drowned that I actually pretended to have drowned

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#41

Things-Everyone-Experienced-In-Childhood

blackwatchdoctor Report

Note: this post originally had 66 images. It’s been shortened to the top 41 images based on user votes.