Smells Like Teen Spirit

Do you ever notice how a certain scent can flood your brain with memories? Like today, when I stopped in The Gap to pick up some t-shirts, I felt a wave of nostalgia for the 9th grade upon first whiff. The store's signature smell reminded me of when 14 year old Jess wore their perfume, Heaven. As I stood next to a rack of tanks, my mind wandered back to the halls of Beachwood High School. I thought of lockers and book covers, dances and basement parties.

It's so strange how a scent you haven't smelled in ages can take you back in an instant, like these: 

Ck1: After a small lotion explosion in my backpack in the 10th grade, anytime I smell Ck1, I immediately think of Math class and writing notes to my friends on those enormous calculators.

Bath and Body Works Eau de Toilette: Thanks to my friend Emilie's insane collection of spritzes and sprays, my friends and I smelled like human fruit salads for most of junior year. Flowering Herbs especially makes me think of summer break, driving around with nowhere to go, and pining after Jason London while watching Dazed and Confused.

And then there are some scents that remind you of boyfriends and crushes. Byblos was a gift from the high school boyfriend. Then I switched to Herve Leger in college. So that brings back fond memories of the 3,649 crushes I have had since then.

After my smell-induced trip down memory lane, my husband and I reconvened at the register. He took one look at me and sensed some distress. I asked if he knew what "Heaven" was and if it reminded him of high school. Then he became distressed (rightfully so, because I sounded crazy). I explained to him that I'm old ... and my high school perfume just confirmed that. After making him examine my head for gray hairs, we got ice cream. And then I felt better. 

What old school scents trigger your memory?