Smells by Novella DeGraaf
Whether you're enjoying a wonderful meal or it's the midst of summer, smells play a very important role in your everyday life. The more scientific term for “smell” is olfaction. This is because when breathing in through your nose, you pick up small particles in the air called odorants, which give you the sensation of a scent. When it comes to things like the human sense of smell, we tend to take it for granted even though it plays a very dominant role in recognizing things in the case of past memories, places, or even events.
Think of any smell in the world right now . . . What might that remind you of? A very common example of a smell can be found in flowers. After being asked what the smells of flowers remind people of, they impulsively mention spring, romance, and other prevalent memories they have personally experienced. This shows that the power of a single smell can take you back to places and remind you of important times in your life.
After asking several people, “What is your favorite smell? And why?” Here are some of the interesting responses that came up.
Mallory Hass stated, “Coconuts. When I think of a coconut, it reminds me of the summer and being out on a vacation. It also tastes really good.”
Kari Chelesvig mentioned, ”I really like the smell of dust. I think it's really nice, I like a good musty smell. It makes my throat clog up a little bit, which I like.” An odd smell to choose but she's not the only one to think that way about musty and dusty smells. Oakley Rigozzi concurred saying, “I like the smell of old basement. They smell musty in the best possible way I've ever witnessed.”
Next asked was Mr. Phillips, “I like that leather smell, like new leather. A very fresh smell like something that you would smell in a new kind of car kind of thing.”
Lastly, Alayah Nieuwsma was asked. She said, “I really like the smell of fresh wood, like in a forest, because it just smells very good to me.”
Each scent is different, whether that just be a smell you enjoy or one that means something to you that could connect you to your past. Everyone has a different preference that makes us unique. Think about some of your favorite smells and what they mean to you.
Think of any smell in the world right now . . . What might that remind you of? A very common example of a smell can be found in flowers. After being asked what the smells of flowers remind people of, they impulsively mention spring, romance, and other prevalent memories they have personally experienced. This shows that the power of a single smell can take you back to places and remind you of important times in your life.
After asking several people, “What is your favorite smell? And why?” Here are some of the interesting responses that came up.
Mallory Hass stated, “Coconuts. When I think of a coconut, it reminds me of the summer and being out on a vacation. It also tastes really good.”
Kari Chelesvig mentioned, ”I really like the smell of dust. I think it's really nice, I like a good musty smell. It makes my throat clog up a little bit, which I like.” An odd smell to choose but she's not the only one to think that way about musty and dusty smells. Oakley Rigozzi concurred saying, “I like the smell of old basement. They smell musty in the best possible way I've ever witnessed.”
Next asked was Mr. Phillips, “I like that leather smell, like new leather. A very fresh smell like something that you would smell in a new kind of car kind of thing.”
Lastly, Alayah Nieuwsma was asked. She said, “I really like the smell of fresh wood, like in a forest, because it just smells very good to me.”
Each scent is different, whether that just be a smell you enjoy or one that means something to you that could connect you to your past. Everyone has a different preference that makes us unique. Think about some of your favorite smells and what they mean to you.