Title: The Nostalgia of Physical Media
Credit: BP Waldron
It's so easy to forget the simple things, and easier to forget how difficult yet satisfying doing some things was. A reminder on a flip-over calendar reminding you to return the VHS tape you borrowed to Blockbuster. The annoyance you felt when you snatched a Nintendo 64 cartridge out of the system to blow on it to “help it work”. Remorse when your favorite CD was scratched from constant use, or even realizing when you, too, forgot to be kind and rewind. Anticipation of waiting for the bootleg man to come through the barbershop with the latest album drops and movie releases. Frustrated when you picked the one movie with the guy coughing in the background or someone constantly standing in frame. Seriously, why was that one person always standing up? Or taking rubbing alcohol to your scratched up CD’s and even trying the toothpaste trick to help mend the blemishes just so you can get one more listen. Just so you know, it never worked.
I grew up excited to have a big black book full of CD’s in my car when I got of age, just for the car companies to all go to Bluetooth and remove CD ports from cars. Slowly, I started to forget why I enjoyed popping a CD into my purple disc player or why I had all of Tyler Perry’s plays on DVD, ready to watch. It wasn't until I had to pack everything I could fit into my small car and move to another state to realize that physical media really does invoke a sense of nostalgia you can't shake. Only half of my collection could come with me on my trip; the thought of driving with a box in my lap crossed my mind, but quickly went away. Safety first, right? I prioritized my books and games over my DVDs and CDs, with the promise of collecting them again. Saying goodbye to them was like saying goodbye to an old friend and a true marker of me transitioning into adulthood. Even though my collection is less than it was, I relish in the thrift store hunts for the nostalgia and dopamine rush of finding what I used to have; reliving that childhood excitement. I mean, I would rather chase down a Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business CD over an ex any day. Whether your collection is a singular DVD, vinyl, or children's book, never stop collecting the relics from your childhood and enjoy the search for more. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find wrapped in nostalgia.