Midwestern Summertime Nostalgia

One of my favorite moments in childhood, year after year, was going back-to-school shopping.

Phar-mor or Venture – those were June’s spots. Then once those shuttered, we moved on to KMart or Walmart. These were pre-Target/Amazon days when the world lived slower and less connected. The good ole days.

I was a bougie back-to-school shopper. My supplies included Dr. Grip pens, Fivestar notebooks, and LeSportsac. To this day, I’m pen and notebook obsessed.

Meanwhile, I’d pick out Mead notebooks and basic Bic pens for my siblings. A very middle-child thing to do. 

You knew summer was coming to an end, but the anticipation of stocking up on supplies was one of my greatest joys in life and definitely a favorite dead mom memory.

I still get butterflies when I meander through Target’s Back-to-School section. Luna and I are going to have so much fun in the years to come. I can’t wait, but I can. There’s no rush.

Nostalgia is so powerful. It’s this magical human moment that you can’t see or experience in real time again, but you can still feel it.

When I think of summer in the 90s in the western suburbs, I think of: Ban de Soleil, Highland Queen twisty cones and cherry Cokes, Timber Trails pool (and rumors of topless sunbathing on the roof), Ghost in the Graveyard, Pizza Hut, Resurrection Mary, my first yeast infection because I slept in my bathing suit (I was like 9), Devon Sawa, dumpster diving in the SJC dumpster, pretending to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer, weekends at Grandma Manos’ house in Downers Grove, grandma’s farm, grandma’s willow tree, long walks to Venture with grandma.

Much of my childhood nostalgia rests in memories of her.

So I wonder if, twenty years from now, I’ll look back and think of: Luna’s first firework show and her squeals of excitement, hot yellow chrome nails, Luna’s Neil Diamond birthday cake from My Grandpa’s Store, crossword puzzles, Caring Less permission slips at the La Grange Farmers Market, the Goonies 40th anniversary, toddler summertime wanderlust and dirty feet, so many cherries, Tavel (my favorite-ever rosé), “breaking news” all day every day, one-on-one hangs with friends, Dragon Fly Lakes (look it up!), morning walks before the house woke up, Bobbi Brown’s Beach perfume (nostalgia in a bottle), and summer hours (Luna going to bed at 10pm because…summer).

When I compare those two lists, I think, “Gosh, life was truly so easy, wild, and free as a kid. No stress, no worries. Just good old-fashioned summer fun.” My hope is that kids have that now, too. But I hate to think how social media and constant connectivity have impacted mental health and the ability to not know so much about the adult world.

But then there’s the role we have as parents. That no matter what’s going on, personally or globally, we do our best to give these kids a damn good summer. Because Midwestern summers are what we live in the tundra for. We hibernate all winter long for the sole purpose of getting to June.

The truth is, Illinois summers are dreamy. 

There are a few films that do a really good job of capturing the vibe of  “Midwestern” summer: The Sandlot, Now and Then, Stand By Me, The Big Chill, The 'Burbs, How to Make an American Quilt, Little Children, and A League of Their Own, to name a few.

That’s the thing about summer in the Midwest, it’s cinematic. It’s all-American. It’s glorious and slow, vibrant and delicious.

I know you did your best to give your kid a magical, Midwestern summer, steeped in the secret nostalgia from your own childhood. And for moments at a time, I bet you were brought back to some of your most treasured summertime memories. Bless.

Good job, parents and grandparents. You helped create memories they’ll look back on with warmth and maybe even a tear or two of nostalgia.

It’s the most beautiful thing.

The Sister Project would love to hear about your summer growing up. Write in at lauren@thesisterprojectblog.com and we’ll share your cozy summer memories on the podcast. Include your name, age, and the town you’re from. Be sure to tune into Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project - streamable everywhere.

Stay Cozy,

Lauren Massarella