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Nostalgia is a powerful substance. And everyone carries it within themselves. It can take us to a distant time and place in a heartbeat. All we need is the right trigger. Luckily, the subreddit of the same name has plenty of them.

Whether we're talking about multicolored pens, Tamagotchis, or having to manually turn off your computer, this online community shares pictures that make you feel old and hit right in the feels.

We at Bored Panda have already covered r/Nostalgia in our older publications here and here, but with 1 million members, its collection of sentimental gems keeps expanding really fast, so we thought we'd release an update to send you down memory lane once more. Safe travels!

#2

Remember The Visualizer In Windows Media Player? I'd Spend Hours Staring At It

Remember The Visualizer In Windows Media Player? I'd Spend Hours Staring At It

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Even though we all feel nostalgia, it's not entirely clear what psychological purpose it serves. Is this longing feeling for the past good or bad?

Krystine Batcho, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at LeMoyne College, said the word was coined or invented a long time ago, over 300 years ago, and originally designated homesickness. 

"Semantic drift over the centuries has broadened that to the notion of longing for or missing aspects of a person's personal lived past," Batcho explained.

#3

In The 2000's Everyone Had A Cd Case In Their Car Half Full Of Burned Cds, And It Was Better Than What We Have Now

In The 2000's Everyone Had A Cd Case In Their Car Half Full Of Burned Cds, And It Was Better Than What We Have Now

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#4

Old Stereo Cabinets

Old Stereo Cabinets

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#5

Remember When You Didn’t Have To Enter Your Personal Info Online To Win A Soda?

Remember When You Didn’t Have To Enter Your Personal Info Online To Win A Soda?

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"Most of the research available today including my research argues that nostalgia serves a number of functions," Batcho said. "The thing that ties them all together is that nostalgia is an emotional experience that unifies."

In other words, it helps to unite our self, our sense of who we are, and our identity over time. This can be valuable because over time we change in incredible ways.

"We're not anywhere near the same as we were when we were three years old, for example," Batcho added. "Nostalgia by motivating us to remember the past in our own life helps to unite us to that authentic self and remind us of who we have been and then compare that to who we feel we are today." This also gives us an image of who we want to be in the future. 

#8

Having To Manually Roll Down/Up Your Car's Windows

Having To Manually Roll Down/Up Your Car's Windows

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

In the US, the average new car is $47K, average annual income $53K. We wouldn’t mind manually rolling down the windows in affordable vehicles.

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#9

Is It Me Or Did You Guys Have Those Temporary Trailers Attached To You're School That Were Only Meant To Stay Up For Like 3 Years But Ended Up Staying For Like 30?

Is It Me Or Did You Guys Have Those Temporary Trailers Attached To You're School That Were Only Meant To Stay Up For Like 3 Years But Ended Up Staying For Like 30?

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Nostalgia also serves an essential psychological function in that it's a highly social emotion. It connects us to other people.

"In the beginning, when we're very young, it's part of what bonds us to the most important people in our life, our parents, our siblings, our friends. As we go through life, it can broaden out and extend to a wider sphere of the people we interact with. It's a social connectedness phenomenon and nostalgia is in that sense a very healthy pro-social emotion."

#10

Before Cell Phones… Here’s How You Found Your Friends

Before Cell Phones… Here’s How You Found Your Friends

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#11

Solitaire Card Backs

Solitaire Card Backs

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Who Panda 420
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know if you choose the one at the end sometimes an ace would shoot out of his sleeve. And if you choose the one with the castle the bats will move and the one with the robot some of the dials would move

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#12

The Art On The Back Of The Little Golden Book Series

The Art On The Back Of The Little Golden Book Series

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#13

Who Else Remembers Cigarette Vending Machines That Had No Way To Check A Persons Age And Operated On The Honor System?

Who Else Remembers Cigarette Vending Machines That Had No Way To Check A Persons Age And Operated On The Honor System?

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eaglegirl36 avatar
Eagle Girl
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

75 cents at the pizzeria. You had to run in quickly while the guy was busy or lie & say it was for your mom

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In itself, nostalgia is somewhat of a conflict because it is a bitter-sweet emotion. But that also has a hugely positive effect because it helps us to unify what otherwise would be felt or experienced by us as conflicts.

"The bitterness comes from the sense that we know for sure that we can never really regain them, they're gone forever. The irreversibility of time means that we absolutely cannot go back in time so it helps us to deal with the conflict of the bitter longing for what can never be again together with the sweetness of having experienced it and being able to revisit it and relive it again," Batcho said.

#14

Teacher's Pulldown Maps

Teacher's Pulldown Maps

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#15

Silly Erasers That Never Worked

Silly Erasers That Never Worked

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#17

Having To Manually Turn Off Your Computer

Having To Manually Turn Off Your Computer

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Ranch Dressing
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha I had forgotten that. One thing I won't forget is the absolute paranoia my dad had about computer viruses in the 90s

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According to Batcho's research, nostalgia can be a stabilizing force and comfort us during times of transition.

"It's very difficult to grasp change, because in some sense, at a very deep psychic level, change threatens us," the psychologist explained. "It's a little frightening because we're not 100% sure that we can control it. One of the most important aspects of being a healthy human being is having a sense that you are in control of things. When things start to change, either very substantially, such as major events in a person's life, getting married or getting divorced, getting a new career, going back to school or graduating from school, it's comforting to have a nostalgic feeling for the past that reminds us that although we don't know what the future is going to bring, what we do know is that we know who we have been and who we really are."

#18

Movie Theater Carpeting

Movie Theater Carpeting

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#19

Teacher's Grade Book

Teacher's Grade Book

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#20

Magic Mitt For The 90s Kids Out There

Magic Mitt For The 90s Kids Out There

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Nostalgia brings things back. It stimulates memories of the times when we were accepted and loved and this phenomenon is very comforting. Knowing that at some point in life we didn't have to earn our love can be very powerful. Nostalgia helps us realize that our parents, our siblings, or our friends simply loved us unconditionally. And these thoughts can work miracles on us when we're undergoing turmoil in our personal lives.

#22

Magic Slate Paper Saver

Magic Slate Paper Saver

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#23

Family: Why Do You Love Pizza So Much? My TV As A Kid

Family: Why Do You Love Pizza So Much? My TV As A Kid

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#24

Visiting Your School After Dark If You Were Attending A Performance Or Exhibit. The Eerie Type Of Feeling You'd Experience

Visiting Your School After Dark If You Were Attending A Performance Or Exhibit. The Eerie Type Of Feeling You'd Experience

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#25

Mr. Sketch. Our First “High”

Mr. Sketch. Our First “High”

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Batcho believes nostalgia might even have an element of infectiousness and wishes it was even bigger. To understand what she means by that, think of a group of people who have some shared experience.

"The best example of that is when a group of friends are reminiscing about their antics, the things they did as either teenagers or children or what have you. There it's a bonding experience. Another example of that is we know from current research that sports fans love to do that. They talk about the games that they enjoyed and when their team was victorious. When you have a common bond, it can be very infectious and it's like a domino one memory triggers another."

#26

A Complete Fisher-Price Medical Kit

A Complete Fisher-Price Medical Kit

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#28

Candy Powder Filled Fruit

Candy Powder Filled Fruit

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And the reason why she wishes it was more infectious is that this, let's call it, collective nostalgia can break down when you have a group of people who do not have shared experiences to be nostalgic about. Suddenly if you have one individual wanting to reminisce about their past but no one else in that group remembers those things or lived through those things, you might get things like a generation gap. Someone is talking about the 1950s and a teen says they can't even imagine it.

So when you think about it, r/Nostalgia is doing a beautiful public service. The subreddit is bringing together those who might not have anyone to daydream about the past with.

#30

Countertop Popcorn Machines

Countertop Popcorn Machines

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Justin M
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These still slap. If you like popcorn, do yourself a favor and go buy one. 1000x better than microwave

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#32

The Computer Section Of A Public Library In 2006

The Computer Section Of A Public Library In 2006

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#34

I Never Had A Pair Myself, But I Recall Quite A Few Childhood Friends Having The 80s Style Fisher Price Roller Skates…

I Never Had A Pair Myself, But I Recall Quite A Few Childhood Friends Having The 80s Style Fisher Price Roller Skates…

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#35

Robinhood Men In Tights (1993)

Robinhood Men In Tights (1993)

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Jacki moore
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Their once was a man from Nottingham who tried to cross a river. What a dope. He stepped on a rope now look at him shiver

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#37

My Daughter. Playing With Her New Tamagotchi

My Daughter. Playing With Her New Tamagotchi

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Gini Sarver
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

😳 my granddaughter has that same flannel nightgown…. now i know 💯 i am old 😢

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#38

California Raisin, 1987, You Heard It From The Grapevine!

California Raisin, 1987, You Heard It From The Grapevine!

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#39

Kit Kat With Foil Wrapping

Kit Kat With Foil Wrapping

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#40

3D Pinball For Windows - Space Cadet Gif

3D Pinball For Windows - Space Cadet Gif

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#42

Limewire

Limewire

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Kayla J
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Spending a few hours downloading a song only to find out its someone's cover or not what you were looking for, but I had a stack of CDs like in the other picture thanks to it.

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#43

Turn Off Computer

Turn Off Computer

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

well we still do it as of today so as to allow fresh start of the computer

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#45

Mcdonald’s Burger Seats. I Can Still Feel Them - The Hardest Substance Known To Man

Mcdonald’s Burger Seats. I Can Still Feel Them - The Hardest Substance Known To Man

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#46

Bedding Sets From The 90s

Bedding Sets From The 90s

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

Don't forget about the little mermaid and Pocahontas sets too with matching curtains.

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#47

The Old Comedy Central Logo. The 90s To Mid 2000s Were Peak Comedy Central

The Old Comedy Central Logo. The 90s To Mid 2000s Were Peak Comedy Central

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Mtg Wolfie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember turning it on and seeing actual stand up comics being funny. Not just sitcoms.

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#48

Celebrating A Merry Birthday In 1997

Celebrating A Merry Birthday In 1997

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Eagle Girl
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aww! I have a Merry Birthday Too! Only upside to one present is when your mom is struggling, sometimes you get something good like a Nintendo.

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#49

Ringtone Commercials

Ringtone Commercials

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Mr Halloumi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was Jamster in the UK with the Crazy Fog... still trying to forget that noise

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#50

Connecting With The World In Aol Chat Rooms

Connecting With The World In Aol Chat Rooms

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krisdargan avatar
Who Panda 420
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Then leaving the chat room when everyone notices a predator is in the chat ruining everyones conversations. Soon enough it was impossible to chat without people wanting to "talk dirty" maybe I just had bad experiences but I remember it being so cool at first

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Note: this post originally had 94 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.