The world is currently in its flop era, and it has been for some time. 

Ever since COVID-19, I’ve noticed a shift taking place. The side effects from the pandemic are evident — you can still feel the remnants of 2020 in the air. 

While there have been good times these last few years, that doesn’t mean certain areas of life are what they once were. For starters, communication is a lost art form, and definitely something society as a whole needs to work on.

After spending time in isolation, many forgot how to interact with anyone other than their pets and the people they were quarantined with. Obviously, a sizable portion of the population is still relearning how to be active members of society. 

I’ve found myself focusing on time periods when the world felt a little lighter and we actually valued community, empathy and respect collectively. 

There was a time when people used to engage in deep conversations when meeting at a bar or would dance with strangers on a night out. Now, the closest thing you can do to relive those communal experiences is to attend concerts where the only thing you may have in common with thousands of strangers is your love for the act on stage. 

Let’s rewind, shall we? 

I’m craving a time when life didn’t feel like we were constantly looking over our shoulders, pop culture was at its peak and life didn’t feel like a doomsday loop. 

The media is our looking glass into what’s happening near and far. It’s 2025, and the events taking place are scarier than a Stephen King film. Having an awareness of these events is important, but we can’t let them consume our thoughts and well-being.

My mom says it feels as if we’re living in the Dark Ages once again, and I think a dose of good ol’ nostalgia can brighten our days. Nostalgia obviously isn’t the cure to world peace, but it’s a start toward protecting our personal peace. 

Creating our own time machines can be great coping mechanisms for the days we feel low on hope. It’s important to know how to travel down memory lane without dissociating. Let’s pick our favorite periods in life; perhaps a year where the music hit different, when fashion was more about individuality and less about cloning influencer style, when social media wasn’t as prevalent and we can embrace that time.

 For me, 2012 to 2018 are years I love to revisit — before the unsettling shift to 2020 took place.

Watching my archived pop culture footage forces me to sit back and wonder, “What happened to all the fun?” Oh, how I miss simpler times. 

Maybe we need to bring back neon clothing, putting mustaches on everything and collecting Silly Bandz. I know this is majorly unserious, but maybe that’s what we need. Or we can start by just saying hello to each other in passing. 

Pop culture figures like the Jonas Brothers have been going down memory lane for their  “Jonas20: Greetings from Your Hometown” tour, celebrating 20 years together as a band. 

I guess a trip back to 2008 was the pick-me-up I needed, and it might be what you need, too.

I recently saw the JoBros live in Houston and it was everything my younger and current self needed. Definitely one of my favorite concerts of all time. If you’re in need of a blast from the past, you can still catch the trio on tour or check to see who on your playlist is coming to a city near you. 

If I’m not attending a concert, I listen to a playlist of 2000s and 2010s hits or attend an anniversary screening of a throwback film like “Twilight”. 

Nostalgia is indeed the answer to brightening our dark days.

Ava Francis is a 22-year-old journalism major from New Orleans.