Turn up the nostalgia this month ☀️

Fun ways to throwback to the summer days you'll never forget

I was watching someone’s Instagram Stories Q&A the other day when this influencer was asked about her approach to parenting her four young boys. Her response was something along the lines of “I try to give my kids a ‘90s childhood.”

She painted the picture of a time when summers seemed to last forever, where hours were spent outside roaming the neighborhood with other kids, parents setting up chairs in the driveway, sipping cold ones and talking until the lightning bugs came out, and of those equally necessary days spent playing video games and watching movies and eating pizza bagels.

I loved those images and I felt instantly transported back to a simpler time that probably wasn’t all that simple, but I was a kid and my biggest concerns were which character I was going to pick for Mario Kart (always Toad) and what bathing suit I wanted to wear to the pool.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I told my niece, Jemma, that when I was around her age, I used to watch this TV show called Pappyland. Are you familiar? It’s about this artist named Pappy and his adventures with all of his woodland creature friends, but primarily, it was a show where he would teach viewers how to draw.

At the end of the episode, they would feature kids’ artwork that they sent in, so it was always exciting to watch and see if yours made the cut. The only problem was that Pappy drew in sharpie (so naturally, you wanted to, too), went incredibly fast, and didn’t exactly explain what he was doing beyond a few cues here and there, leading to many, many tears before school.

A few years ago, I discovered that there are full episodes of Pappyland on YouTube, so I thought it might be fun for Jemma and I to give one of his drawings a try. We ended up having to watch at .75x speed AND paused it multiple times to keep up! What I would’ve given to be able to do that to live TV back in the day! We laughed our way through our attempts and ended up with three semi-decent drawings.

We’re in this very interesting moment in time where we have so much access to the things that shaped our childhoods—from full-length YouTube videos of our favorite shows or concerts to well-worn copies of treasured books at the library to watchalong podcasts co-hosted by former cast members. And then there are, of course, the timeless things that we’ve always had available to us if we so choose, like the basketball hoop at the park or Perler beads at the craft store.

June marks the start of summer and what better time to tap into the nostalgia of our childhoods to make this one to remember—or maybe, one simply to wholeheartedly enjoy. I hope that this month’s theme will spark something in you: a heart-warming memory, a hilarious story to share, or just a reminder that we get to experience those small joys again.

Things to Do

Get Lost in a Familiar Game

If you can still remember the “rosebud” hack code, it’s time to play the Sims again! Or if you can still hear the cha-chings, children laughing, and carousel ride sounds of a certain amusement park, you’re long overdue for building your Rollercoaster Tycoon. Perhaps you were more of an analog gamer and would delight in building your caravan of peg people in the game of Life or dialing up your crush in Mall Madness.

Either way, let this be your sign to create an account or gather some friends and play with abandon. You might be surprised to find your favorite games are more accessible than you thought—some are even free or can be found, along with the consoles, at your local library!

I don’t know about you, but I tend to lose hours at a time when I play video or phone games, so I rarely allow myself the opportunity as an adult. But maybe that isn’t such a bad thing every once in a while.

Go on a Bookstore Date with a Nostalgic Twist

Take your boo or your bestie to the bookstore and visit the children’s or YA section to pick out a few of the books that you adored when you were younger and spend time flipping through and sharing them together.

If we went on that date together, I’d introduce you to the hysterical and wildly inappropriate YA series Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging and tell you about how my cousin Kim and I would read this and nearly pee our pants laughing out loud about the snogging scale and completely ridiculous British slang, like “nunga-nungas” and “trouser snake addendums.”

Commit to Spending More Time OUTSIDE

Get thee to a playground or a park and just explore! Play a game of pick up with friends, squish your hips into a swing and give it a go, go for a swim at the local pool, start a garden, attempt a cartwheel (or maybe don’t 😅), kick a ball, play catch, or just feel your toes in the grass.

Just, ya know, maybe wear some sunscreen this time, mmkay?

Things to Read

One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In by Kate Kennedy

If you already listen to the Be There in Five podcast, this book needs no introduction, but if you’re not familiar with the genius and hilarity that is Kate Kennedy, I’m thrilled to be the one to share her with you! The way Kate talks about being a millennial, it feels like she was always part of your friend group growing up. She is the queen of super niche nostalgic pop culture references that always awaken some long-forgotten, hilarious element of childhood.

It’s not all American Girl dolls and kaboodles and AOL Instant Messenger away messages, though. In her debut book, she explores all of these seemingly surface-level elements that shaped our experiences growing up, but she also goes deeper to highlight other things that defined our coming-of-age, like purity culture, our Girl Boss era, millennial motherhood, and more.

If this book is anything like her podcast, I know it’s going to be both heartwarming and hilarious, eye-opening and validating.

Amazon | Bookshop

Let Life Surprise You

In this post, I take you on quite the journey to unexpectedly making one of my childhood dreams come true. It’s a reminder of how much the things we are most passionate about as pre-teens still matter and that our stories get to continue in beautiful, magical ways, even after we go through unbearably difficult things.

Let life surprise you

Your Old Journals

Maybe it’s the old English major in me, but I’ve kept nearly all of the things I’ve ever written, from school papers to old journals to fan fiction I co-wrote with my cousin. Most things are digital now, but there’s nothing quite like dusting off a diary from sixth grade and reading about the boys I liked or the outfit I chose to wear to the school dance or the vacation I took with my family.

If you’ve kept any of your journals from the past, I invite you to give them a read and allow whatever comes up to come up! You might be surprised by what you notice.

Things to Listen to or Watch

Rob Anderson ‘90s-00s Recap Videos

Author and comedic genius Rob Anderson has a series on social media where he watches and recaps old ‘90s shows and movies, pointing out the absolute absurdity that we all just collectively accepted without question back in the day. It is hysterical. I highly recommend starting with his series on 7th Heaven or his take on any of the Mary Kate and Ashley movies.

Binge-watch a show or movie you always wanted to watch but never got to

During the pandemic, I finally decided to invest in watching Dawson’s Creek—a show that I somehow never watched as a kid but was clearly a huge part of pop culture. What an experience! If you were never allowed to watch MTV or you were somehow too young or too old for a particular show or you missed out on a popular rom com, now is the perfect time to opt in. Don’t forget to check the library if you’re having trouble finding something to stream!

Things to Wear

Recreate a Favorite Outfit

My friend is getting married in the fall and I’ve already started thinking about what dress I might like to make for it (because I am ridiculous). It got me thinking about the dress I wore to my freshman year homecoming dance, which I absolutely loved. It was this tea-length strapless eggplant-colored tulle dress with a big purple flower on the neckline. While I won’t be recreating this exact look, I am taking inspiration from the large scale floral, the fun tea length, and the color and hoping to create something super fun for the occasion.

If you were to recreate a look you loved from your past, what would it be? How might you update it? Given that ‘90s fashion is back, you might not have to look too hard to find something similar!

A Throwback Graphic Tee from Etsy 

Do a quick search in Etsy and you’re bound to find a graphic tee with your favorite TV show, boyband, or pop culture moment. I was lucky to snag an MTV tee and an NSYNC tour tee at a consignment store last year, but they are definitely ‘90s unisex sizing, so if you can find an option that uses modern styles, even better!

While I have no shame in proudly wearing a boyband tee, I’m also a fan of those more subtle wink options, like this Parker Knoll tee or a Dragonfly Inn shirt where only those “in the know” get it.

Things to Make

Friendship Bracelets

Swifties have already gotten us back into the friendship bracelet spirit, but I’m talking about the embroidery floss kind with the different knot patterns. It’s a nice, mindless, but satisfying craft that’s great for a long car ride or while listening to an audiobook.

A Fortune Teller or “Cootie-Catcher”

If I gave you a piece of paper, would you be able to fold up a fortune teller without directions? I bet it would come more naturally than you think! (Hint: You start by making a square)

If you were able to get to that point, congratulations, you probably read tarot and are into Human Design now 😂

If you are willing to play, go ahead and write down some of your “fortunes” aka the things you’re working toward or hoping will happen on the inside, and then jot down some colors and numbers on the other spots. See what’s in store for you in your future ;)

Things to Eat and Drink

An Updated Take on a Childhood Favorite

We’ve all been subject to the utter disappointment of childhood meals simply not tasting as good as we remember them. From McDonalds changing the oils in their fryers to manufacturers adding more preservatives to simply having adult taste buds, things just don’t taste the same anymore!

But when we can’t shake a craving for the tastes of the past, we can try our hand at making them ourselves in hopes that they taste just as good, if not better. Here are a few easy ideas:

• Make homemade pizza bagels in the air fryer using fresh ingredients—I’ve read it’s best to toast your bagel first so it doesn’t get soggy!

• Add a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce to your Kraft mac n cheese to add a bit more flavor or opt for the “healthier” Goodles brand—I’m a fan of Smokey Dokey—that includes more nutritious ingredients but still tastes good.

• Use crescent roll dough to make any flavor hot pocket you desire and crisp them up in the air fryer—no cardboard sleeve required.

A High-Low Cheese Pairing

If you’d rather not make anything, take a cue from professional cheesemonger, Madelyn Varela, and pair your Little Debbies, Thin Mints, Cheetos, and other favorite snacks with the variety of complimentary cheeses recommended in her “Unhinged Cheese Pairings” series.

I mean, how good do dino nuggets with smoked pepper jack or oreos with burrata sound?! 😂

Life is hard. Let’s infuse whatever joy we can into the everyday this month, using our nostalgic interests as our guide.

👇🏻Tell me—what did this post spark for you? I want to hear all about the snacks, outfits, toys, games, books, shows, and more that you remember and want to experience again!