This past Sunday, the long-time and beloved host of “Jeopardy!,” Alex Trebek, passed away. “Jeopardy!” has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. To honor Alex Trebek’s legacy, I rewatched some of my favorite episodes of “Jeopardy!” with a few friends. Since coming to college, I haven’t watched any live television. For me and so many others, there seems to be this universal ritual of sitting down and watching television as a child. We all can sing the jingles and phone numbers associated with our local commercials, and we all remember having a chunky box television. Maybe you have your own show that takes you back a couple of years that may not be “Jeopardy!”
“Jeopardy!” reminds me of Wednesday nights in my grandpa’s living room. My family would go over to his house and eat dinner with him a couple of times a week. At that point in my life, I couldn’t care less about the show. I would only get a few clues right– and besides, I had the long division problems of middle school to finish. Watching “Jeopardy!” and hearing the ageless voices of Johnny Gilbert and Alex Trebek, I’m once again brought back to Wednesday nights at 7:30. I vividly remember the smell of my grandpa’s house, and the lukewarm plate of food I had to eat.
Nostalgia has a weird place in my memory. Looking back at my childhood– especially those awkward middle school days– I really do miss them. I think about the friends I had, the music I listened to, and the sweet naiveness of a younger me. I forget about the bad haircuts, childish drama, and mismatched clothes that come along with growing up. My old homework seems easy now, but I know those papers full of fractions and long division had just as many tear stains as my calculus homework did years later.
Albeit bizarre and often misplaced, nostalgia reminds me of where I was and where I am going now. I can answer more clues on “Jeopardy!” than I could as a child. I’ve learned more. I can have these amazing connections to my peers when we reminisce about our childhood shows. Nostalgia allows you to be childlike, in a way that doesn’t need to be childish. It reminds me that others, too, have their own nostalgia, their own TV show, movie, or song that can take them back to a memory that feels tangible.
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