I have been absolutely obsessed with the Smurfs ever since I stepped foot in the gift shop of the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, Michigan (a true diamond of the state of Michigan that holds a special place in my heart). I started a collection of Smurfs figurines when I was 10 years old that I still have adorning my apartment back in Atlanta. And don’t get me started on the Smurfs Village iPhone game… The nostalgia I feel toward the Smurfs is a reminder of yearly visits to my dad’s home town and a general feeling of appreciation toward the Midwest that I have only been able to access since moving to the south for college. Due to my deep connection to the Smurfs, I was overjoyed when I saw a collection of clay Smurf figures in the Musée des Arts et Métiers on a class excursion. They were a reminder of home at the midpoint of my time living in Paris. They also made me think about the neuroscience of nostalgia, and what purpose it might serve.
In a study by Jiang et al. in 2021, it was shown that nostalgia is a positive way to reflect on one’s past that increases optimism and reduces bitterness. This relationship was seen in both British and Chinese participants, providing evidence that nostalgia may work similarly across cultures. Entering senior year of college, I have definitely been doing some reflecting on my 3 years at Emory as well as experiences in my childhood that have shaped me into who I am today. It has always been important to me to hold onto relics of childhood, like the Smurfs, that incorporate childlike wonder and whimsy into my everyday life as I continue to learn and grow.
While it is easy to get in a rut of being nervous and a little bit scared about the future, keeping a sense of nostalgia has actually helped me to not get stuck in the past. From my current vantage point, being able to look back on both positive and negative moments in my life and see how they shifted my path is something that I value and appreciate. I think that many people in this program might relate to the feeling of not being completely sure what they want to do next. The uncertainty can be crippling, but it is also a unique experience where the options for next steps are endless. Thinking back on the reflecting I was doing at this point in my high school career 4 years ago, I also know that while I may not fully understand what is happening in my life right now, I will one day be able to look back on this time in the same way I think about the Smurfs at the Bavarian Inn (seriously, if you ever find yourself in the middle of Michigan you have to try the Frankenmuth chicken).
I didn’t think I would be reflecting on my time in Paris by likening it to Frankenmuth, but I look forward to reminiscing on all that I have learned here for years to come.
References:
Jiang, T., Cheung, W. Y., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2021). Nostalgia, reflection, brooding: Psychological benefits and autobiographical memory functions. Consciousness and cognition, 90, 103107.