Finals season is creeping up, and that means it’s almost time to hunker down until the end of the semester. During finals, I only really see my friends at the library, when we all sit together in silence to study for our respective exams. But a new trend called “memory mining” is taking over social media, and it’s a great excuse to take a break from studying with an IRL hobby that’ll have you smiling ear to ear with your besties.
Finding the time to hang out with your friends can be hard enough when everyone has a different class schedule and work hours. And on top of that, we live in a world where it can feel like everything costs time and money. But, even during finals, it’s so important to maintain your friendships. I don’t know about you, but hanging out with my friends always puts me in a better mood. So, taking a break from the chaos of trying to force 13 weeks of material into my brain to see my besties is a must. And, the best part is that it doesn’t have to cost money, either — enter “memory mining.”Â
If you just want to sit around with your friends for a night, one of the ways to do that is to have a memory mining night. Here’s everything you need to know about what memory mining is, and how to use the concept for your next girls night.Â
What is Memory Mining?
In a recent Instagram post, creator @thefinancialdiet featured a list of ideas for friend hangouts that don’t cost money. In that post, they included a slide titled “Memory Mining Nights.” Basically, the idea is to spend time reminiscing on moments together with friends, talking about those nights you may have forgotten over time. The post said, “Scroll through old photos, texts, notes, or playlists together to reminisce about the sweet moments that were lost to memory.” Spend the night talking about that drama from high school or your first semester at college from a new angle — which I’m sure we all already do — but this way, you might remember a moment or memory you forgot about.Â
Hosting a Memory Mining Night
To host a memory mining night with your friends, you don’t need much. Clean up your living room and throw out some extra blankets, and you’re pretty much set. Having some snacks and a bottle of wine can’t hurt, either.Â
To start, go through old playlists you listened to when you first met and play them for everyone to hear. Then, share (or Airplay) some Snapchat memories, photo albums (if you have them), or just scroll far enough back on your camera roll until everything has the L.A. filter. (IYKYK.) Doing this can spark some hilarious conversation, or maybe you might remember an old inside joke you forgot. Another great way to do this is to look back at your old texts. If you want to go one step further, try to find your old iPhone 5, scroll back any saved images or Snapchat conversations with your high school crushes, and try not to cringe so hard you could die.Â
Memory is a powerful thing, and having shared memories with your friends is so special. Why not take a trip down memory lane? Just skip over that time you dyed your hair blue… or maybe that was just a me thing.