As chapters of life open and close, many hold onto items from those times to serve as a reminder of who they once were. The Hawk Eye takes a closer look at students reflecting on their childhood as a reminder of who they were and what they have become.

 Lydia Thomas, senior

“[For Valentine’s Day], when I was younger, my dad would put out flowers and buy candies and chocolates for me, my mom and my sister. I think this bear is from the last one he [got] us so I’ve held onto it and it’s one of the only bears I have in my room. He just does it for my mom; he doesn’t do it for us anymore. He stopped [doing this] in middle school.”

 Vincent Nguyen, junior

“My item is a GameBoy Advance from my childhood. It signifies how much technology has been in my life, how much it has affected my personality and how much I react to things. It has increased my problem-solving skills.”

 Sade Oyedipe, senior

“This item is an old teapot I used to use when I was younger. This has a special place in my heart. My friends and I would have little tea parties when we were little and we’d all get dressed up in fancy hats and stuff we borrowed from our moms. Whenever we got together, we’d always use this. I just remember my mom pouring whatever beverage for us.”

Hunter Robinson, senior

“For me, this blanket was a sense of security when I was younger as a child. It used to fit me perfectly and I could wrap up in it, but I’m a little big for that now. It means safety and security to me, and it represents a fun time in my childhood.”

 Amy John, senior

“When I was younger, I stole these three pictures from my dad’s wallet. I like them because I don’t really have a lot of childhood memories per se. I was born in Saudi Arabia, went to India and in 2004, I came here. The first four years of my life, I don’t really have a lot of pictures. I can’t find any pictures of myself. This is my only link to the past.”

 Josh Alexander, senior

“This is a rally towel I picked up in Philadelphia. I was born and raised in Philadelphia. For some reason, this season felt like The Eagles were going to make an impact for me. I keep this really dear to me [and] any time I watch a game, I always had this with me [and I thought] ‘alright we’re going to do good, we’re going to do good.’ I had all my Eagles gear: my hat, my jersey. A lot of my friends know I’m passionate about The Eagles.”