Youth talk by Sarah

After a return from any trip abroad, I can get myself to feel the way I did while on vacation by spritzing whatever perfume I was using during the trip – and – instant transportation!

I’ve finally found out the reason why this happens. Your olfactory bulb, the neural system in your forebrain that is responsible for the sensation of smell, is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus, the parts of your brain responsible for processing emotions and creating memories respectively.

This explains why certain smells can take you back to your childhood or every time you get a whiff of a scent usually adorned by a loved one, it’s as if they were right there with you.

Auditory triggers work in about the same way, I’m sure, and that is why I have music albums waiting to be played at times when I wish to be transported to a different, more carefree time – again, usually a holiday. However, I’m convinced that there’s nothing stronger at evoking memories of days gone by than odour.

Try this next time you fancy it, try manipulating this smell nostalgia to your advantage. Like me, reserve certain fragrances for trips or particular seasons so that when you use it again randomly you are taken back to that time. I bet you could even get yourself to remember better during a test by using the same scent on test day as the one you used while studying – anything helps, right?

Maybe it’s the aroma of a dish you frequently enjoyed when you were younger, or even the smell of chlorine that reminds you of hot summer days spent by the pool …what smell gives you nostalgia and why? Write to editor@gulfweekly.com