A few weeks ago, I was seized by the desire to see one of my favorite movies, “Pitch Perfect.” I got my snacks (popcorn and an ice-cold Dr. Pepper) and was ready to hit play when the unthinkable happened: The movie wasn’t streaming anywhere — at least not without an additional cost.
If I had been in the comfort of my childhood bedroom, I would have found the “Pitch Perfect” DVD I got secondhand at the thrift store and had a wonderful movie night. Instead, my anticipation turned into disappointment as I turned my computer off and started scrolling on my phone for entertainment.
That night reminded me that physical media store memories in ways that newer forms of media can't. Streaming will never be able to encapsulate the feeling of carefully picking up a CD, making sure not to scratch the disc or risk it skipping over my favorite song or the frustration of opening a DVD box only to find the wrong movie stored in it. As annoying as those moments were, I refuse to let go of them.
My love for physical media stems from long car rides when I was younger. My dad always let me pick out the ride’s soundtrack from the binder of CDs that lived in his backseat. As I got older and started developing my music taste and saving allowances, I started buying my own CDs and vinyl records.
Even though I had access to platforms like YouTube or Spotify, where I could stream whatever songs I wanted, I preferred using my record player or the boombox I inherited from my grandmother.
Buying physical media started as a way for me to support my favorite artists. It then turned into a hobby, one that I cherish and still practice. I learned to burn my own CDs — something I still do as gifts for friends and family members.
Whenever I’m at a thrift store, I make sure to stop by the entertainment section, spotting hidden gems to add to my collection (I have almost every animated “Barbie” movie secondhand). My bedroom walls are lined with vinyl records and shelves that hold my books and record player.
Collecting physical media is more than collecting memorabilia to display in your home; it’s about collecting memories. DVDs, CDs, even VHS tapes — they’re all tangible reminders of my childhood.
DVDs are symbols of late nights, staying up past my bedtime rewatching the same movie I’ve seen 20 times already. CDs remind me of long family road trips and singing songs at the top of my lungs. VHS tapes make me think of staying over at my grandmother's house, sitting in front of her old box TV and watching episodes of “The Wiggles” next to my brother.
The memories that come to mind when I look at these items are ones I want to remember forever. What better way to do that than to immortalize them through the consumption and collection of the media that formed them?
Samantha Zavala is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at zavala27@up.edu
