What gives you the biggest sense of nostalgia?

[monarch64]

Songs, followed very closely (if not right up there with) smells. Unless one is hearing impaired, I think that music plays such a huge role in everyday life. It could be a commercial jingle, a pop song, a classical piece you heard or played at some point in your life...we all have our own soundtrack, I think. Scents have that same sort of impact--I've read that mothers can be presented with a "lineup" of children's clothing and be able to pick out their own child's smell on a garment compared to several others. Neat stuff, these sense of ours!

 

[Autumnovember]

Smells. Man oh man. Sometimes I hate nostalgia and sometimes I really love it. A lot of times, it brings me back to some sad times.

 

[zoebartlett]

Hearing an old song gets my vote.

I always think of different stages of my life when I hear certain singers, groups, and songs.

Growing up (70s/80s): Movin' Out and any of Billy Joel's earlier stuff, James Taylor's and Carley Simon's earlier music

Elementary/Middle School (80s): Any of Madonna's and Michael Jackson's earlier songs, anything by Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, "Lean on Me" remix by Club Nouveau (?)

High School (late 80s-early 90s): Uh, I'm drawing a blank. Apparently I didn't listen to music in high school. Was this when dance music was all over the radio? If so, I hated it. ETA: Red Hot Chili Peppers (thanks for the reminder, Jennifer!), the Cure, U2, Counting Crows

College (mid-90s): Anything by Alanis Morrissette, Hootie and the Blowfish, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, Phish, "Oh What a Night."