Looking back on my first memory, I feel it is with out a doubt a memory that I formed on my own. Despite the information we learned in class, I am adamant that my memory is accurate and is not a result of hearing the story over and over again.
In January of 1996, I was a year and a few months old when the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl XXX. On this day I believe I formed my first episodic memory. Looking back on that day, I can remember specific events happening that correspond to the result in the football game.
My family, all loyal Steeler fans, desperately wanted the Steelers to win. Sadly, they lost the game. Because of this, I remember my parents and some visitors of theirs over our house screaming and yelling the entire day. Furthermore, I can recall rolling around on the floor on top of a black and gold blanket with chips in dip next to me, a staple at any self respecting Super Bowl party.
I feel as if this memory was undoubtedly formed on my own and not simply as a result of stories being told or looking at pictures. I believe this because nobody in my family likes to talk about when the Steelers lose, they would prefer to remember the good games and tell me about them instead.
Despite the fact that I was just a little over a year old, and that we learned that the earliest accurate memories for children form much later than that, I hold true to the belief that my memory of the traumatizing event of the Steelers losing in the Super Bowl is extremely accurate and formed entirely on my own recollection of the day.
Seeing as my whole family roots for the Steelers, I think this is a really funny first memory for you to have. Theoretically, it is possible that what you are remembering is a true memory. However, like we talked about in class, it is impossible to know for sure. I’m not saying that your memory is a case of infantile amnesia, but your brain might have convinced yourself that you truly remember it (just like the examples we talked about in class).
One of the earliest “memories” that I have is of my dog eating my birthday cakes on my third birthday. Someone let her up from the basement into the kitchen. She put her paws up on the kitchen counter and ate all but the heads of the vanilla and chocolate teddy bear cakes my mom made for me from scratch. I remember the events from that day clearly, but I’m pretty sure that the specific cake memory was formed from the story my mom told me. I wasn’t actually there when the dog ate the cakes, but I can envision what they looked like afterward. I can never be sure, but I don’t think that I truly remember it happening.
If your memory is truly from when you were one year old, that’s really impressive. I wish I had memories from when I was that young! Even though it’s sad that the Steelers didn’t win, I’m glad they lost so you have your first memory.