Collegiette Inspiration: 5 Things To Hold On To (In Reality AND In Your Heart!)

Why do we need to collect things at this age? If we need a daily reminder of who we are (or who we wish we were), the answer may usually lie in our Instagram roll, that sentimental playlist we resort to during rainy moods (let’s face it: self-reflection doesn’t happen as easily when we’re feeling perfectly content), or for the more imaginative, some arrangement of wall art representing a collage of carefully positioned photographs, scribbled letters, and even scattered ticket receipts from a culturally fulfilling evening. I am going to argue against these methods of snapshotting life for someone else to eventually see and instead advocate for even more personal forms of self-display, translating into more constant and powerful inspiration when daily routines seem predictable or personal conflicts predominate. Forms that cannot be easily pointed to on a board or explained away by a plot. Here are 10 ideas that  might help guide your search:

1. Empty perfume bottles and shopping bags

Lined up in my overly categorized dorm room are stunning aesthetic montages of emptiness – in the form of depleted scents and past retail adventures. While no longer substantive in what they contain, these serve as little reminders of what caught our eye at one time or another, whether it be the pretty and playful crème flower trinket on my Daisy perfume bottle or modern version of a necklace my mom wore on her wedding day.

2. A song that means something to you outside of its lyrics

Something about the sheer melody of this song, signaled an emotional response and you cannot quite figure out why. Wait to attempt to decipher the story or message expressed in its vocals. 

3. Lines or phrases from a poem, essay, or different language, which you cannot forget

Keep certain quotes in your pocket as a lens through which you can respond to things you read or that others have told you.

4. Visuals that can only be reproduced from memories

Mentally record all parts of a repeated experience, such as a perfect day at your family’s favorite “spot” on the beach. The 60-degree placement of the blue Victorian mansion on the rocks. The seaweed that creeps up on shore during high tide. An umbrella that marks your territory.

5. The sound of your internal AND external voice

As a naturally shy person, I find myself constantly “rehearsing” what I plan to say out loud minutes, even hours in advance (not a realistic skill, oh well) in order to actually articulate what I mean. Of course, when others are watching, words are stated and interpreted differently than in their original state. To solve this issue, try to start blurring the lines between your internal monologue and what you choose to reveal in the open.