Carmex and Closer to Fine
As I walked onto campus that Friday morning in June, the sunshine and the mountains and the fresh Vermont air were exactly as I remembered. Memories came flooding back like it was freshman year. But I hadn’t been back to my alma mater, Middlebury College, in decades. I graduated in 1993 and had returned to campus only one time since.
I was so excited when my old housemates decided we’d make the trip together for our 30th reunion.
For three days in June, we got to re-live our old campus life. Some things were just the way we had left them. I got to check out my old dorm room on the 4th floor of Forest Hall where we used to host 20-minute Rick Astley sing-alongs every Friday night. I walked down to Otter Creek Bakery and couldn’t believe they were still serving up their same scones and homemade pretzels. Even our school store— although expanded and offering more technology than 1993— was still familiar.
Across campus, I kept running into old friends. Despite most people having gray hair and a few extra pounds, each of my classmate’s faces was a familiar and welcome sight. After all, we were all there for the same reason: to reminisce and to reconnect about a time in our lives that was so special.
As a group of us talked late into the evening on Friday, I thought, this feels like an upgraded version of college life: we were staying in a beautifully appointed VRBO rather than a dorm. We were sipping good wine in glasses instead of cheap beer in Solo cups. We shared about our jobs and spouses and kids rather than homework, classes, and sports.
What I got to experience that weekend was a nostalgia for the old days, mixed with a profound appreciation for how far we have all come since 1993.
Have you had this type of experience, where you can look back on your past and all those specific experiences and memories, while simultaneously appreciating the present?
I have so many memories of college. And two things in particular stand out as reminders of my first semester at Middlebury: Carmex and Closer to Fine.
Carmex lip balm has, and will always, smell like winters in Vermont. I remember keeping that little pot of Carmex in my ski jacket, and reapplying while sitting on the chair lift of the Snow Bowl, waiting for my next run.
And every time I hear the Indigo Girls’ Closer to Fine, I remember it being the song that always brought me comfort. Adjusting to college was hard for me, and I was terribly homesick. But for some reason, that song helped get me through.
What are the things that remind you of fond memories from the past? What familiar smell or old song brings you back in time? When was the last time something mentally transported you to a place of total nostalgia?
Of course, not everything about our past is positive. There are certainly things many of us would not want to re-live. But it’s the happy memories, the ones that we’d relish going back to and re-experiencing. Those are the ones I’m talking about.
Nostalgia is such a gift. Whether it’s your reunion, a gathering of old friends, or even dusting off a mixtape from high school and listening to some Rick Astley— we should all take time to reminisce and remember the good ol’ days.
If you’re like me, you’re busy. Your days are packed with to-do items and countless responsibilities. We tend to move so quickly towards our future that it’s easy to lose sight of our past.
Learning how to balance the best memories of our past with the dreams we have for our future— to me, that gets each of us a little bit closer to fine.
This Month’s Resources
Photos & Videos: Going Old School
Do you have a box of old VHS tapes, slides, or photos in your basement or attic, but don’t know what to do with them? Do you even have a VHS player to enjoy them? Send those tapes safely to iMemories, have them uploaded to the cloud, and you and your family can watch them anytime. The process is easy and the results will bring you right down memory lane in just a few clicks: iMemories
Headshots: The Opposite of Old School
Need a headshot for work or fun, but not interested in the formality, time commitment, or high cost associated with a professional photo shoot? Check out how Headshot Pro can create professional headshots in 2 hours from start-to-finish using cool AI technology. The best part? They charge $29!
Summer Road Trips with a Guide
Have you ever taken a road trip and wished you knew more about where you’re traveling, what landmarks are worth seeing, and give you some education regarding your location? You might want to download GuideAlong. It’s an app that gives you a real-time audio tour of just about anywhere in the world you’re going— including a complete audio guide to national parks!
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