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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

I have always been partial to my sense of smell. 

My sense of smell is extremely strong and it is by far my favorite sense. I sniff everything before I eat or drink it and smelling perfume is a serious hobby of mine. I love to smell and I have an obsession with smelling good.  

Now, those close to me may find this odd since I can only really breathe through one nostril. Why is something with only 50% efficiency so good at detecting smells? I’m unsure. But what am I sure of is that is it one of my greatest strengths. 

Smells are the things I connect most with memories. Of course I have memories attached with the sound of songs, the sight of faces closest to me and the touch of my favorite blanket from back home. However, for me, smell is magic. It physically transports me to another time in my life.

 I thought I would list a few of my favorite smells, since you are all so curious.

Campfires

Fire will always be my favorite smell in the world. I even want to be proposed to by a campfire (particularly a Letchworth campfire). I have taken many articles to talk about my passion for Letchworth State Park, but really any fire will do. The smell of the wood simply brings me back to my childhood, surrounded by my 18 cousins, tired from a long day of Manhunt and Four Square. It smells like my parents laughing and a sticky, sticky s’more. I can smell a fire or BBQ from, it feels like, 100 miles away – I am always on the prowl.  

Warm & Cozy by PINK

Nothing will beat this perfume. Its the pinnacle of transitioning from middle to high school. It’s warm and it’s cozy. I’m back in my purple childhood bedroom and trying to survive middle school band. Sigh.

Pickle Vodka

Now, please note that pickle vodka tastes way better than it sounds. Pickle vodka smells (and tastes) delicious. But more importantly, it brings me back to my townhouse. Me and my three roommates LOVE to make pickle martinis and Sunday mornings seem to reek of giggles, Tik Tok drafts and and obviously leftover sticky pickle juice on our coffee tables. 

Any House Smell

Everyone I have ever met has a distinct house smell. It is probably one of the most intimate things because it brings you to the place they spend the most time in. I am continuously fascinated how everyone’s house smells slightly different, even if they used the exact same air freshener.

Incense

One of my favorite types of Masses is when priests include incense. Recently, I have only had incense used during Holy Week, but it’s better than nothing. The scent immediately calms me down. I love how church can become a 4D experience genuinely using all five senses – personally I think that’s epic. 

Rapid Fire

Nail salons, my mother’s short ribs, my grandpa’s couch, a stuffed camel that lives in Lebanon, PA, a fresh deck of cards, a baby’s head, lemon, freshly mowed grass, sunscreen and my other grandpa’s woodworking shop. Birthday candles, an October breeze, beer cheese, Glossier You and the suit jackets my dad wore to Daddy Daughter dances when I was in elementary school.

You got to stop and smell the roses.”

Mac Davis
Claire Fisher is the co-campus correspondent for the St. Bonaventure Her Campus chapter. She is responsible for the general managing of chapter and executive board logistics with her roommate and co-president, Leah! Claire even implemented a once-a-year print issue of HC at SBU. Claire is currently a senior studying Communication, Social Justice & Advocacy with focuses on theology and political science. Aside from Her Campus, Claire currently serves as co-president of Jandoli Women in Communication, passionate about representation in the media field, and works in the University Ministries building. Lastly, she is a content creator and the communications officer for St. Bonaventure College Democrats. In her time away from academics, Claire loves to walk on local trails or lay in the sun, especially while listening to playlist she made herself. Her love language is music; she even works as a DJ at a local bar! A fun fact you may not know about Claire is that her favorite game show is Press Your Luck.