Introduction
As we grow up, we become more mature, more pragmatic and future oriented. Just think back to when we were little, in primary school or kindergarten, where everyday was filled with play, joyful cheers, having little to no thoughts of the stresses of life. Life was simple for us back in the 2000’s, when we lived all too carefreely, creating many memories which we would turn to look back on affectionately. We had a plethora of toys, food, and general experiences from our childhood that we shared with people within the same generation, with all of us being a 2000’s kid from Singapore. More often than not, we catch a glimpse of the traditional ice-cream vendor, walk past a primary school and see children playing during recess or have old YouTube videos appear within our YouTube recommendations page. We cannot help but indulge ourselves in reminiscing about the good old days.
Snacks and Food
Remember the familiar jingling of the bell, rung by the uncle manning the ice cream cart, the iconic red-and-white striped Walls umbrella and the joyous cheers from us as we ran towards it all too enthusiastically after school? It still remains as a core memory today; the sweet taste of the ice cream mixed with the crunchiness of the waffle was an immense reward after a day of hard work for the younger me.
Source: Cynthia
Another treat that also struck euphoria within me was the White Rabbit candy. As simple as it was, being just a white cylindrical piece of candy, it still stood out amongst all the other candies we had back then, remaining strong as an icon from our childhood. It was always a delight whenever I was given it, be it by my peers or my teachers, and I always treasured mine like an award. To this day, I still look upon the candy fondly, feeling the same childlike spark of joy whenever I receive one.
Source: Santiago Mejia
Likewise, the gem biscuits played a big role in my childhood. I remember eating the biscuit part first, before savoring the sugary part of the biscuit, allowing it to melt on my tongue and letting the sweetness of it engulf me. As they say, we should always leave the best to the last. The best of all snacks from my childhood, though, would definitely be the Happy Meals from McDonalds. I believe that many of us still remember the anticipation we had when taking out the toy from the meal, praying it would be the one we wanted. And the slight disappointment that followed, that would then be diminished by the eventual childish happiness of being able to obtain a toy anyway. I remember having to furiously beg my parents to buy me one and the rush of gratification whenever I was bought one. The emotions I had associated with these snacks I had in my childhood have been deeply rooted within me, and coming across the snacks always unlocks and triggers that rush of feelings in me, also leaving me wishing that I could go back to the old times.
Games and Toys
Source: Elle Wong
We were the most creative people during our primary school years, being able to create a game out of the most random stationery available in the school bookshop. Many people might remember the game we used to play with the large box of country erasers, where we would attempt to knock each other’s erasers over the edge of the table. I remember playing this in Primary 2 before we started school, back when there was still a segregation of morning and afternoon classes. It was always a heated battle between the last 2 erasers to see who would be crowned champion.
Similar to how we watched action cartoons such as beyblade, our erasers took on various avatars and always proclaimed victory when we attempted our final move, bringing to life our personal imagination.
Similarly, ice-cream sticks were being used as our campaigning tools, by winning battles in “championships” and “league” match-ups during recess. I would say these events allowed us to foster creativity and scientific knowledge where we created various modifications to our erasers and ice-cream sticks to improve our chances of winning. I remember how we had to find a balance between the size of our ice-cream sticks and its propensity to remain on the table after each blow.
Perhaps not everyone can relate to the aforementioned activity, but surely catching is one of the most universal childhood sports available, and the idea of playing catching always brings back fond memories of how a segregated class could come together in a simple game.
Every time I walk past the playground observing children crafting playthings out of whatever was available, the familiar box of country erasers, warm memories of my childhood wash over me. The current me wishes I could relive the moment where play was all I could think about, instead of bearing the large load of responsibility that comes with growing up.
TV Shows
Television shows after school or on a weekend morning were a mainstay for me growing up. Most of the shows I grew up watching seemed like mindless entertainment on the surface, but often had surprisingly deep and important messages in them, which were delivered in a way that made it engaging and palatable for the adolescent me. Japanese animation shows, more commonly referred to as anime, were my favourites. Doraemon was my go-to on weekend mornings. The show follows Nobita and his magical robot cat Doraemon through various adventures and mischiefs. The magical devices Doraemon could conjure from a pouch on his stomach such as the “Anywhere Door” (a pink door which could teleport the user to a different location) or the “Copying Toast” (a toast which allows the user to memorise anything) were the highlight of the show, often piquing my interest in engineering and product design.
Source: Doraemon
The show also discusses topics like family, integrity and perseverance. Another show I, and many other Singaporean 2000’s kids, enjoy is the anime Pokemon. Initially started off as a video game, the TV show adaptation revolves around Ash, his friends and his iconic, yellow, electrical mouse named Pikachu and their battle with the devious Team Rocket. As Ash and his friends fend off the attacks of Team Rocket, we learn important lessons like friendship, loyalty and being grateful. With the recent emergence of the game Pokemon Go and new video game developments in the Pokemon franchise, I am constantly reminded of the TV show that helped me get through tough times when I was younger. Moreover, whenever I hear the theme song of Doraemon or Pokemon or the other shows I grew up watching, I cannot help but to sing along and relive the childhood memories these shows gave me.
Source: Pokemon
These shows never failed to make childhood me smile but more importantly, the lessons I learnt from them has helped make me grow to become the person I am today.
Conclusion
Flash forward to today, these small things that used to play big roles in our past may no longer be in our present, serving only as remnants of who we were as kids. As adults laden with greater responsibility, our focus shifts towards larger goals such as family planning, career progression and financial independence.
We become desensitised to the enjoyment brought about by the small things in life, such as eating ice-cream from the Walls ice cream vendor, using our imagination in play, and cheering for our favourite cartoon protagonist.
Unable to attain the same level of carefreeness we had as kids, we can only look back upon the old days with nostalgia.
Nowadays, children are growing too fast, being exposed to the expectations of the world earlier through social media and the meritocratic education system. Schools require maturity in children despite their young age, reducing their ability to simply enjoy their childhood, orienting them to become more focused on the results of their growth instead of the process.
As we reminisce our childhood memories, we urge the children of today to treasure their childhood instead of eagerly wanting to grow up.
This article was done by Foo Tun Min, Sripratak Thanakorn and Kyi Cin Thet, students of NUSCares.