How to Time Travel
Time traveling has become one of my favorite pastimes. I don’t mean the typical sci-fi, Back-to-the-Future sort of time traveling we’d all like to try, though. Time travel, the way I define it, is a sort of reflective, mental navigation through our past, present, and future selves.
This sounds complex and abstract, but it’s something we’ve all experienced. Our minds tend to wander sometimes, and when they do we might find ourselves contemplating a specific time period so deeply that we feel as though we’re literally transported into that moment.
Why should we time travel?
Time traveling is a fundamentally personal, unique experience that allows us to reflect on who we were, who we are, and who we’re becoming. It’s very easy in today’s modern world to get caught up in the fast-paced nature of life. A negative result of this, however, is that we often fail to take the time to consider the progression of our lives as a whole.
Time travel broadens and connects our sense of self as one continuous being which is constantly learning and growing. As a result, it helps us 1) appreciate and be proud of the personal growth we’ve made and how that led us to where we are now, and 2) feel hopeful and excited for the future ahead of us.
I used to think of my past and future selves as separate and distinct from my present self. The person I used to be felt so far removed from who I think of myself as now, simply because I’ve changed in so many ways. And the person I’m going to be was even harder to conceptualize, since I have no clue about the ways I will change in the future. Time travel helps me recognize that all parts of myself — past, present, and future — constitute me as a whole.
I no longer look back at my old self, cringe, and wave the thought out of my mind. I no longer come up empty when I think of myself in the future. Instead, I see myself as one connected human being — grateful for who I was, content with who I am now, and excited about who I will continue to become.
So how does time travel work?
Time travel is typically brought on by very particular and subjective things we’ve experienced as individuals — a certain scent, a memorable song, a place, or even a specific object.
Time travel via scent
The smell of one of our favorite meals might take us back in time — to the first time we had it, or the person who made it for us, or the place where we ate it. For me, the smell of jasmine always reminds me of my days as a dog-walker two years ago because it was a constant throughout all of my walks (even if I didn’t realize it at the time).
Whenever I catch the scent of jasmine now, suddenly I am strolling again through peaceful, green neighborhoods during the spring. I remember the YouTube videos on consciousness I used to ponder with two small, elderly dogs walking next to me. And I remember the relationships, hobbies, and sense of self that constituted my life back then.
Time travel via music
Music is perhaps the most important medium (at least for me) through which time travel occurs. We all have at least one song that reminds us of that person, that day, or that period of our lives. For example, if a song comes on that reminds us of a former partner, we might find ourselves reflecting on the relationship and consequently asking ourselves what we were thinking when we were with them. Or we might hear that trending TikTok song from 2020 and instantly be reminded of the early stages of the pandemic.
Some songs connote positive feelings and others negative, but there’s always a flood of emotions and memories we almost relive when we hear them. When I hear my favorite alternative rock song, I will always be reminded of hot summer days in LA driving along PCH to the beach with the windows down — and how I felt only pure joy in those moments and gratitude for the friends I got to share them with.
My experience with time travel
With my college graduation just a few days away, I’ve been time traveling a lot more than normal, mostly via places. The biggest insights I’ve had recently revolved around the lecture hall where I took my very first philosophy course at UCLA in 2019. Four years ago, I was so nervous walking into class and finding a seat, not wanting to draw attention to myself.
Four years ago, I frantically typed out every word the professor said at every lecture because I didn’t know how to note-take. And most significantly, four years ago I had no idea that philosophy would become both my major and my passion.
Two days ago I sat in the same lecture hall — the last one I’ll be in before I graduate. This time, however, I was there not as a student but as a tutor. One of the most difficult philosophy classes I took early on in my college career ended up being the one I tutored for the past two years.
Somewhere between 2019 and now, I discovered my academic abilities, my self-confidence, and my personal interests. I first entered the lecture hall completely unsure of what I wanted to do post-grad, but now I know that I want to write, especially about philosophy and its application to our lives.
Bunche Hall saw me transition from an uncertain, lost freshman to an assured, passionate person. I thought about all of these things while sitting in the lecture hall two days ago, and silently thanked the room for allowing me to time travel and feel proud of the personal growth I’ve made.
From the past to the future
Time travel to the past not only brings me insights about the present, but also helps me envision myself in the future. Although thinking about the future as a whole — especially when it comes to finding a job post-grad — can be stressful, I can only feel excited and hopeful about what’s to come. The things I’ve learned about myself in just four years through time travel to the past just make me that much more eager about the next four years ahead of me.
I start to think about the kind of writer I might become, the unexpected paths that I’ll go down, and the insights that I will gain along the way. And in four years from now, I will reflect on who I am now (my then-to-be past self), who I am at that point (my then-to-be present self), and who I will be after (my future self).
Time traveling grounds us in who we are in this moment and connects us to our past and future selves, reminding us that we are connected entity in a constant state of becoming. We can learn to feel grateful for the past experiences that have shaped who we currently are, proud of who we are now, and optimistic about who we will continue to become.
