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Rob Sheffield, a veteran rock and pop culture critic and staff writer for Rolling Stone magazine, wrote in his memoirs that nothing brings to life the times you lived through and the people you shared those times with like an old mixtape. Maybe to some. But I will argue that photos can do just the same.

There's a subreddit dedicated exclusively to nostalgia with over 853,000 members. There, people share photos, reminiscing about the past, and they hit right in the feels as much as a mixtape should. From the torture device known as the "Sit and Reach" test to "the pipes" screensaver we all were watching for entertainment at one point in our lives, it has it all.

"Whether it's an old commercial or a book from your past, it belongs in /r/Nostalgia," the mods said about their subreddit, adding that the content can be both humorous and sad. So grab your rotary phone and invite your friend over — this is going to be a wild ride.

Experts say that small literature on the psychology of nostalgia has developed over the past decade. Mostly, research shows that people engage in nostalgic reverie when they're feeling down in an attempt to boost their mood and self-confidence.

Experimental evidence indicates that we experience nostalgia as an overwhelmingly positive emotion. In fact, it can not only boost our mood but increase a sense of meaning in life as well. Indulging in nostalgia also raises self-esteem and optimism for the future. 

However, the University of Southern California psychologist David Newman and colleagues argue that these findings have more to do with the experimental setup than to the true nature of nostalgia.

#2

Who Remembers This [ice Cream] From School?

Who Remembers This [ice Cream] From School?

42iseverywhere42 Report

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von Funnyname
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dude, splinters of not... this is the BEST vanilla ice cream on the planet. I feel like it's incomplete when I find the same taste and I don't have the paddle-spoon.

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Their study produced two very interesting outcomes. The first was that people felt more nostalgic when they were with family and friends or when they were eating than they did when they were at work or school.

One explanation could be that family, friends, and food all serve as what psychologists call "retrieval cues." They trigger memories. People can use retrieval cues intentionally, for example, post a to-do list on the refrigerator door. But they emerge unintentionally too, as for instance when a whiff of apple pie aroma reminds someone of their grandmother because she baked them all the time.

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#3

Only Fidget Spinner I Ever Owned

Only Fidget Spinner I Ever Owned

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The second key finding was that people experienced nostalgia more when they were feeling depressed than when they were happy. At first glance, this result appears to contradict the outcomes of induced nostalgia in the laboratory, where remembering happy events from the past resulted in a boost in mood.

However, some argue that the study by Newman and colleagues was correlational in nature. Participants were not divided into separate conditions and treated differently. Rather, at each measurement, each respondent reported on their current mood and whether or not they felt nostalgic. And what the researchers found was that nostalgia and low mood co-occur.

It could mean that nostalgia leads to negative emotions. But it could also be that people engage in nostalgia when they’re feeling down.

#4

These TV Carts Always Meant Class Was Going To Be Fun When The Teacher Rolled One In

These TV Carts Always Meant Class Was Going To Be Fun When The Teacher Rolled One In

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We studied the handmaids tale book in English at high school (this was before the tv series with Elizabeth moss) and the teacher wheeled in one of these so we could watch an older movie version. It had a sex scene, the teacher panicked and hit ffwd....but this was one if those vcrs where if you ffwd, the movie plays really fast (ie the people were...ahem...with great speed!) Teacher stood in front of tv and said don't look omg we were laughing so hard! )

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#5

Overhead Projector

Overhead Projector

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#7

Flipping Through These As A Kid Trying To Find Your Favourite Bands Poster

Flipping Through These As A Kid Trying To Find Your Favourite Bands Poster

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#8

Burning The Sickest Cds In The Neighborhood

Burning The Sickest Cds In The Neighborhood

Jeffrey_Strange Report

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François Carré
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have some old-fashioned people around me, and still get to burn CDs for them from time to time. I must say it's really satisfying when you eject it from the computer, freshly burnt, and play it on a good old Hi-Fi for the first time. Screw those new generation laptops that don't even have a CD player.

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#10

The Ge Alarm Clock That Everyone Seemed To Have

The Ge Alarm Clock That Everyone Seemed To Have

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#11

Eye Witness Books. The Best Part Of The Scholastic Book Fair

Eye Witness Books. The Best Part Of The Scholastic Book Fair

TheKingoftheBlind Report

#12

Pencils With Cartridges

Pencils With Cartridges

Lexjiggler Report

#13

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?

VitruvianHooligan Report

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Today the companies just buy all your personal info directly from Mark Zuckerberg. He knows more about you than your parents do.

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#14

The Old Cartoon Network

The Old Cartoon Network

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ed edd and Eddie, courage....oh this was a great time for cartoon network. I want to live in this entire thread, everything here is my nostalgia zone

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#17

The Family Computer

The Family Computer

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#18

Actor Jonathan Hyde, A Staple Of Fun 90s Movies (Pictured: Richie Rich, Jumanji, Titanic, And The Mummy)

Actor Jonathan Hyde, A Staple Of Fun 90s Movies (Pictured: Richie Rich, Jumanji, Titanic, And The Mummy)

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Malakai
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He was great as Van Pelt and Peter's Dad in Jumanji! Still my favorite performance to this day :)

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#19

Removing The Faceplate Of Your Car Stereo So It Wouldn’t Get Stolen

Removing The Faceplate Of Your Car Stereo So It Wouldn’t Get Stolen

ebjazzz Report

#21

This Movie Theater Carpeting

This Movie Theater Carpeting

Sumidiotdude Report

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Steve Barnett
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is an insidious logic behind this. It's also to do with Casinos. To give you respite from playing Casino games your response is to look elsewhere, i.e. the floor. But because of the design, you can't relax looking at it, therefore you continue spending money on slots, blackjack etc.

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#22

The Motorola Razr. Still The Coolest Cell Phone To Be Produced

The Motorola Razr. Still The Coolest Cell Phone To Be Produced

Boojibs Report

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nokia blue though! We all went mad for it because....the backlight was blue! Not green! Simple times :) still have mine, it still works but is so old it can't be connected to any network where I live (also, as the above phone is a Motorola - Hello Moto!)

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Steve Barnett
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the UK the Nokia 3310 was the best ever mobile (cell) phone IMO. Okay, you've got smart phones now and they can do all extraordinary things, but there was just something about the Nokia 3310. Mmm? Yeah, Snake for one.

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Jeff Requier
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they have a new flip phone thats more expensive than most iphones

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cassiushumanmother
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have the Ferrari one...a real gem with a horrible sound of a ferrari engine when turning it on or off^^ I have a nice collection... 20201013_1...666150.jpg 20201013_183437-5f85d83666150.jpg

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Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a Nokia brick and always had to watch my minutes and roaming. They just lived for when you messed up and could charge you giant fees.

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Bonnie Edwards
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nokia 3310/ 3315 and every flip phone I've ever had. For some reason, the flat ones always managed to undo the password lock and make phone calls in my handbag.

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Mae Mosse
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I nearly broke the flip part...do not ask me how. I still had this in my possession until last yr but recycled all my old phones

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Laura Jones
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i thought the old phones were much better worked better too and you could make them so cool with cases

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shado
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

still have mine - a true classic, and enough of one to even be included in the Museum Of Modern Art

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mcborge1
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still have a V3i sitting in a draw.. and in that colour too.

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Gabriel Sbárbaro
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're insane... the coolest cell phone ever was the Nokia 6131... WAY better than the Razr...

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

I had one of those Nokia light up phones which I loved cause I'm simple. One afternoon it just died on me completely. Luckily we had insurance and they sent me a Razr instead. Everyone was so psyched about me getting such a top of the line phone but I just wanted my lights back

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Gin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's so well made... My dad had one AND it fit perfectly into his car front panel's business card (?) slot. Motorola + Volvo was a perfect match 😀

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Eric Mac Fadden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've worked on a Motorola factory in Brazil. Every place they put me I was horrified by the other "workers". They played soccer with them, threw by the walls and pass ALL OF THEM on the QC. I was a pain in the **s fix this little bastard...

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MikeMaxis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people still have fliphones wish carriers would disable them.

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danielw
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

these things were a piece of crap. If it so much as threatened to rain, it would conk out from 'water damage'.

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#23

Removing The Ball From Your Computer Mouse

Removing The Ball From Your Computer Mouse

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#24

Mom Giving You A $20 Bill For The Scholastic Book Fair. I Would Feel Like Such A Boss With My Mint Condition Animorphs, Goosebumps, And Various Bookmarks

Mom Giving You A $20 Bill For The Scholastic Book Fair. I Would Feel Like Such A Boss With My Mint Condition Animorphs, Goosebumps, And Various Bookmarks

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#26

Rear Door Ashtrays; Playing With These As A Kid On Car Rides

Rear Door Ashtrays; Playing With These As A Kid On Car Rides

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#27

Who Remembers ... The Grade Book ?

Who Remembers ... The Grade Book ?

-icon Report

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Emilingo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

oh yeah. my elementary school teachers did this because grades didn't really matter.

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#28

Space Cadet Was My Childhood

Space Cadet Was My Childhood

SEMiTRiCKY Report

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My kid (10) plays this on the old desktop! He challenged me a while back, I tried but couldn't resist pulling out all the stops (Wait, mum, how did you change the colour of the bumpers? What is refuelling?) Young padiwan has much to learn ^-^

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#29

The Perfect 2000's PC!

The Perfect 2000's PC!

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Steve Barnett
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'THIS COMPUTER IS NEVER OBSOLETE'. Seriously, where do I start. Okay, 566 MHz processor? Rocks think faster than that.

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#30

90's TV Cabinet. I Remember Needing To Push On The Glass Doors To Open Them

90's TV Cabinet. I Remember Needing To Push On The Glass Doors To Open Them

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#31

Flipping Your Chair On To Your Desk At The End Of The Day.

Flipping Your Chair On To Your Desk At The End Of The Day.

Lateroni Report

#32

This Velcro Toss And Catch Game

This Velcro Toss And Catch Game

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#33

Those Red Pebbled Cups From The Pizza Joint With The Arcade When You Were A Kid

Those Red Pebbled Cups From The Pizza Joint With The Arcade When You Were A Kid

Kiarray Report

#34

Wooden Playgrounds

Wooden Playgrounds

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#35

Who Remembers Having To Switch The Tape To Watch The Rest Of Titanic?

Who Remembers Having To Switch The Tape To Watch The Rest Of Titanic?

rrt098 Report

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Andrew Gibb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the tape was stretched at the part Jack is painting Rose as one of his French ladies

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#36

Coming Soon To Own On Dvd & Video, *a Loud Mans Voice That Shakes The Walls*

Coming Soon To Own On Dvd & Video, *a Loud Mans Voice That Shakes The Walls*

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#37

Anyone Else Remember The Weird, Course Texture These Bouncy Balls Had?

Anyone Else Remember The Weird, Course Texture These Bouncy Balls Had?

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Up until I saw this, no, but omg yes! And when they got damaged they had little crumbly bits that came off, like some kind of rubber polystyrene

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#38

Did Anyone Else Have A Stage In The Cafeteria Of Their School?

Did Anyone Else Have A Stage In The Cafeteria Of Their School?

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Dana
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did, that is where hot lunch was served, you had to walk up on stage to get it!

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#39

These Battered Library Stools

These Battered Library Stools

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#40

The "Good" Ice

The "Good" Ice

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Note: this post originally had 60 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.