How Mercer students coped with quarantine by revisiting childhood favorites

When Mercer switched to online classes for the rest of spring semester in March, many students went home to their childhood homes rather than remain on campus. During that time, a lot of them found themselves revisiting  their childhood interests. 

Meghan Cline, a junior, said she started watching TV shows she enjoyed as a child.

“During quarantine, I was once again interested in Scooby Doo and old childhood TV shows like it: ‘The Jetsons,’ ‘The Flintstones,’ and ‘Wizards of Waverly Place,’” Cline said.

Cline said that she wanted to experience the nostalgia from her childhood. Her reinvestment in childhood interests during quarantine helped comfort her during a time of abrupt changes and isolation. As an extrovert, isolation was extremely difficult for her, because she was unable to reach out to others like she typically would.

“When I needed to do something different that had no stress connected to it at all, these shows were where I turned. They allowed me to forget about the chaotic world outside my house and just enjoy the silly episode I was watching,” she said.

Amanda Jones, a senior, also watched shows from her childhood. She also said she got back into drawing and old video games. For Jones, revisiting her childhood interests showed how much she’d grown since she first enjoyed them.

“They inspired my art and fashion and reminded me how far I’ve come. It also helped me become more confident and show that, ‘hey, it’s okay to revisit your childhood sometimes!’” she said. “Just because you’re growing older doesn’t mean that you have to grow up and leave all of the things that used to bring you happiness behind just because you’re ‘too old’ or ‘need to grow up.’”

Miriam Kennedy, a senior, said that rekindling her interest in books from her childhood, specifically the Percy Jackson series, helped her relieve stress.

“Between the stress of abrupt online schooling and the worries of a health crisis, reading a few chapters of a fun, beloved book helped me clear my mind throughout the day,” she said. 

As students leave quarantine to return to campus, many appreciated the opportunity to look back into their childhood interests. 

“COVID-19 made me thankful for these simple, worry free moments of my childhood, and I am lucky that I still have these shows to remind me of that,” Cline said.