Place of Nostalgia

The first thing to note about Boulevard Park is the utter sense of calm which seems to envelope the surrounding area. The receding sound of cars from Fairhaven district are replaced by the subtle push and pull of the waves on the bank and the high pitched squawk of the seagulls soaring high above. The few spattering of sailboats, pushed into the rocking motions for every occasional gust, sits pointing into the wind, their halyards clinking against their masts. The lapping of waves against the hull of the sailboats lull me into a sense of peace and calm which is hard to find as a college student. The water itself is a winter deep green that ripples and moves with the ever changing current and the creatures below. From afar the water mimics the grey overcast color of the sky above, its’ uniformed color only interrupted in the distance by the vibrant, yet algae covered buoys which bob in the wake of a passing sailboat. On a Sunday in the early afternoon a decent amount of people are out and about. Either walking their dogs, getting some exercise in, or enjoying the view with friends/family. The pleasant fluctuating sound of people walking by prevents the feeling of isolation and adds a feeling of comfort. The chilled current of air infused with the fishy scent associated with salt water, though not an unpleasant smell, washes over the area. It’s a nice reprieve from either the violent wind or stuffy air which is found in the city. Overhead the muffled feathery sounds of a seagull flying by carries the memories of my childhood. The endless hours spent on the beach with my parents, diving off the pier with friends, and being out on the water with my father on our small sailboat.

Going to college is highly symbolic, signifying independence from your family, and initiating adulthood. Most new college students are between the ages of 18 and 20 which represents the fact that we are all in the stages between being a child and an adult. New responsibilities and stress plague our lives, as well as the concept of being an individual. In this transitioning phase students who have moved miles and even sometimes across states to attend Western Washington University have no real grounded home, or strong emotional connections yet. Many students view their childhood home and their dorm room as both being home, which is an unusual feeling because home is always thought of as being a solid singular area. Nor do most students have solid emotional support and guidance in this phase. Due to just passing the mark of childhood into adulthood I feel like we are more vulnerable to reminisce upon our childhood and confusing emotions. Which brings me to how Boulevard Park acts as a physical place that allows me to experience childhood memories that are a lot more lighthearted. These nostalgic feelings of being a child are simply brought on by visiting Boulevard Park, which holds a plethora of similarities to Vashon Island, my childhood home. This idea makes me wonder how a place, Boulevard Park for me specifically, and the childhood nostalgia induced by it might affect other college students.

This kind of childhood nostalgia is a complicated idea, for not only does it consist of the emotional and mental aspects of nostalgia and memories but is heavily entwined with a specific place or area. Lynn A. Staeheli wrote a piece about the definition and meaning of ‘place’. Within it she describes how place is defined as a context under political studies. Staeheli quotes Nicholas Entrikins definition of place as “The geographical concept of place refers to the areal context of events, objects and actions” which is saying that the meaning of a place is strongly influenced by events, objects and actions in the specific area. Basically place is up to interpretation depending on an individual’s experience and circumstance. Which makes it so that a simple place can be infused with powerful emotions for each individual. A key example of place as context is someone’s childhood home. Warwick, a counseling service, describes home as, “a place where one creates emotional bonds with, either the people found there, the events that have happened, or the physical area itself.” These childhood memories associated with place are basically an area which have the context for a person relating specifically to their childhood.

Boulevard Park clearly represents this idea by how it brings forth strong emotions and memories of my childhood, while also representing the present and possible future. This itself is a complicated gateway inducing a multitude of emotions. For example the simple swaying and rocking of a floating dock does not induce the feeling of seasickness as it would to many others, but instead brings forth the feeling of homesickness. Along with the more melancholic emotions I experience, there’s also more positive ones. These emotions invoke gratitude and joy for what I’ve experienced and where I am now. Walking through Boulevard Park is basically taking a stroll down memory lane. Not only does the physical place itself invoke the multitude of positive memories I have associated with water, but the people I meet there play a major role in building the atmosphere that creates a strong link to my memories. My consciousness takes a seemingly insignificant place and embeds a strong emotional connection which acts as a trigger for memories, which are generally fairly positive. These memories are presented in such a way that I’m able to reflect on the past and see the events leading from my childhood up to where I am now, a college student.

Plenty other students attending Western Washington University must experience similar feelings to mine, most likely students across the world are in comparable situations. Warwick states that statistically, “approximately 70% of students experience homesickness and feelings of nostalgia.” Douglas, a friend of mine, explains to me about his experience with childhood memories being linked to a specific place here in Bellingham, “Taco Lobo, a local Mexican restaurant, is the place that reminds me of home because I grew up in Arizona.” He goes on to explain how, “when I started college last quarter I was feeling incredibly homesick and so I would just go to Taco Lobo because it reminded me of positive memories from home.” This connects to the idea of childhood place memories, where a specific place brings comfort and positive recollection. Another friend of mine who’s currently a junior here at Western, Bri, finds comfort in pretty much any library; “The sensation of being surrounded by billions upon billions of words brings me back to multiple parts of my childhood.” Bri has always been interested in literature and explains how she uses it to get away from the world. When asked if she thought having these nostalgic places were important she said, “I definitely do, it reminds you of where you came from, even if you’re not super proud of where you came from, it shows you your roots and where you can grow from…and how even if you’re just thinking about it, it can bring back a lot of memories.”

The importance of having nostalgia about one’s childhood and a place that channels it is how the specific place acts as a gateway and helps us reflect upon the past, present and future. Having a specific place that induces these emotions puts a physical almost tangible aspect to the idea of memories and dissolving childhood. It’s important to have a childhood memory place so that you’re able to look at where you currently are in a new light. Especially because your place brings sense of security to you, the pressure of life is suddenly reduced. By looking back at our childhood we’re able to see the distance we have gone and the accomplishments we have made. These places evoke overwhelming positive memories rather than negative connotations and are able to help you see past difficulties you’ve experienced; they instead truly acknowledge how much you’ve been able to accomplish.

A close friend of mine, Cameron grew up on Mercer Island in Washington had this to say when I asked him about reminiscing on his childhood. “I noticed when the sunshine came out it reminded me a lot of childhood memories being out in the sun, and not being cramped or crowded into these dorms or places of that nature; being free to do whatever I’ve realized I’ve come to appreciate it more as I’ve grown then as a child.” He goes on to say, “Just being able to have something to remind you of the happiness you had a child and how you can still have happiness as an adult really helps me get through the day.” Another friend of mine, Joel feels emotionally connected with Bound to Bay, a local restaurant. His first time there was when he visited his sister as a junior in high school to celebrate his birthday. Joel explains, “every time I go back there I think ‘what’s happened this year’ and see where I’ve progressed from the past year.” He brings up an interesting idea on how not only he is able to see progress in himself but also sees the growth of people around him. Joel discusses how the importance of having a specific place is important for everyone because, “without knowing where you’ve been you don’t know where you’re going and people without these places won’t have a milestone to go back to and look at and remember those times.”

Looking back at our childhood as college students is incredibly important for us, especially in our ungrounded state, where it’s important to be able to see the improvement and the distance we have come from being a small child. It helps keep our spirits up, but also allows us to take a break from the constant stress of finding who we are and the drudgery of adulthood. Instead it gives us time to reminisce on our past and the ease of being a child, with the constant guidance of our parental figures. Boulevard Park’s secure atmosphere and the emotions it creates, allows me to relax and truly appreciate how far I’ve come; from being a young child playing at the beach with my parents to a college student experiencing new places as an individual. There is still much left to experience in my life but as I reflect on this transitional point into adulthood I can only feel joyous. I have overcome hurdles to get where I am today, I have created lasting memories which I take with me everywhere and as I sit here at Boulevard Park writing, I exhale deeply and smile. Right now I feel infinite.