One effect the coronavirus outbreak has is causing anxiety for many. From anxieties over getting infected to anxiety that is more akin to cabin fever, people are searching for their own ways of coping with a much more sedentary lifestyle.

A rising trend seems to be revisiting old TV shows, movies or music that one is already familiar with. In a time of uncertainty, more people are reverting back to the oldies but goodies in their collections.

Miriam Segura-Harrison shared her anecdote with NPR. As a medical resident at Brown University, she has had to work many night shifts especially with the outbreak of the pandemic. When asked to a make a playlist for her team, she said she was not taking any musical risks.

At the end, the playlist included Daft Punk and the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou, a Coen brothers’ film from 2000. She added that this was the music that helped her survive through medical school.

A recent study by Nielsen shows that Segura-Harrison is not alone in reverting back to classics. In the study, more than half of those who were surveyed answered that they were looking for comfort by enjoying music or tv shows that they have already watched.

87% of those surveyed said that they are listening to the same music that they normally listen to. 54% said that they have recently rewatched an episode of a TV show that they have already finished before.

Nostalgia and a sense of comfort seem to be the biggest reasons why people are staying in their cultural comfort zones. In a day when the news cycle is full of grim breaking news from around the globe, shutting yourself from the outside world and enjoying something you know to be good can be extremely comforting.

One Facebook compared the Law & Order series to comfort foods. That user said that beginning a new series requires a sense of dedication and concentration that she currently lacks from all the at-home work.

Moreover, old works have the power of bringing old feelings back. When things are looking grim and dark, rewatching an old TV show or listening to music you’ve heard for years can remind you that all things – both good and bad – will eventually pass.

What are your go-to shows and music? Share with us your picks in the comments section, and be sure to follow us on Facebook for more articles like this one!

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