There is change all around us and many things represent that change like seasons or school or holidays, but sometimes that change can mean an object.

They are items big, small, or a symbol of any sort that holds so much meaning that brings us happiness, sadness, or serenity.

People keep these papers or objects that represent an event or a time where they changed themselves to become who they are now because they mean that much and hold so much emotion.

1. Polaroid board: I have a mini Instax 9 and a Polaroid camera from the 70’s, I believe, which I found in my grandma’s closet when I was staying with her a few summers ago, that I have taken many many Polaroids with and that show some of the best summers in San Antonio/Colorado and landmarks I’ve visited which are thumb tacked on to this cork board I painted black and white. I look back at them to see how much I’ve changed, not just by my hair or style, but by what I want to do when I’m out of high school. I used to want to go to college in the United States and a bit near where I lived, and now I want to study in Europe and travel all over the world.
2. Circle frame sunglasses: I have two pairs of circle frame glasses; one has black rims and the other has gold. I bought them about a month ago when I realized I love the 60s, 70s and the 80s. About a year or two ago, I never wore bell-bottoms or big high heeled boots or shopped at thrift stores because I was afraid of what people would say to me. I don’t care anymore. People that I have known since birth and people I met in July told me so many times when I was in San Antonio to not care about what anyone thinks of how I look or what I like and to just be me.
3. Thank you card: I got this thank you card from one of the teachers I had worked with on the school talent show two years in a row. I had helped because I thought it was cool to be behind the scenes, making sure everything worked the way it was supposed to and being a cog in a well-oiled machine. I never thought someone would take the time to write down a thank you rather than whispering it to me or forgetting to say it at all. That letter taught me that I matter and my support matters. It made me so happy and it still makes me happy to this day.
4. Orchestra ticket: This ticket was from last year’s combined league honor orchestra performance in Greeley. I had to prepare the audition for around 2-3 months, which was nerve-wracking considering I had never gotten into any honor or extra orchestra outside of my school orchestra. I remember when the teacher announced that I had gotten in, my mom had just texted me and I felt my phone in my pocket and I sorta looked at the text then looked up and she said I got in and my mind just exploded with joy. I didn’t really believe her at first, but then thought maybe working and practicing that hard does matter after all. 
5. “Sabrina” painting: I have a small 4 X 6 thin canvas with Audrey Hepburn’s character “Sabrina” in the Givenchy dress she wears to one of the parties in the movie. It took me a while to complete the little tiny details on the dress. I was frustrated at times because I would spend hours in my basement messing with thin paintbrushes and the way I wanted her feet placed or her arms moved. Looking at the finished product now I am okay that it took me forever; that made it turn out just the way I wanted. It brings me this sort of calmness in the way that you accomplish something and it honors something I love. 
6. Fleetwood Mac vinyl: Last Christmas, my brother got me a record player with the Fleetwood Mac vinyl “Rumours.” I remember him asking me what I wanted for Christmas around a month before on one of our question game car rides home. I had wanted to get some vinyls for the longest time with a record player but I figured it could wait. A bit of backstory is that he is my step-brother, which never really bothered me, but what did, was that he never really was the type of person to acknowledge me during holidays–including my birthday, or show affection. It was rare when he did. So when he got me this and helped me figure out what to do to play the vinyl, it was like I actually had a brother moment. It makes me cry happy tears thinking about it.
7. Little note that says “read”: My best friend Ari gave me that note when we were super mad at each other for something I don’t remember in 8th grade. She is one of the greatest people who understands a lot of my struggles, especially when I moved here. She was new to Kinard when I was. She went through a lot of rough patches with friends and so did I, and through it all, we have remained friends. She has been there for me when I lost people who I thought were gonna stay in my life forever and when I just needed someone to talk about books or things that I liked that no one else did. I want to keep my friendship with her because I know now that it is better to have one really understanding, charismatic, amazing friend than 15 people who don’t know the real you.
8. Painters tape: Over this past summer I painted this big mural of my hometown, El Paso, for my dad at his house in San Antonio. It took me around four weeks to complete it. I had done so much research and mural hunting when I was there before I started painting. My dad and my grandma and I went mural hunting the night before my dad and I were supposed to head back to San Antonio. I was in awe that the drab city that I thought I knew was actually this vibrant place of art and history tucked in a corner of Texas. The end result of that mural I painted reminded me to never forget where I came from and to be thankful for it.
9. Framed Chinese spelling of my and my mom’s names: When I was younger, it was just me and my mom for a while. She had gotten both our names written in Chinese and framed. I don’t know why, but every time I look at it, it makes me think of how we used to watch cartoons together and how we would spend our Saturdays making tortillas or playing with my toys. Comparing how different everything in my life is now, I would never change that time that it was just me and my mom on our own. It makes me sad-happy.
10. Super Mario backpack: My dad got me this backpack at the end of my stay with him this summer. I used the backpack for our road trip. Then when he had to give me back to my mom, he got my suitcase down and I got my backpack down and then my mom took them inside while I stayed outside to give him a hug and say goodbye. I hugged him really tight and he hugged me back and started crying. He never cries in front of me so this was a big shock and I started crying. We said goodbye and then left. I realize now the reason he cried: he cried because I am not little anymore and the fact that we actually talked and had heart to heart conversations a lot this summer was meaningful to him and to me. I now have a strong bond with my dad, which wasn’t there a few years ago and I am so grateful that I do.