Elina - Week 14: Souvenir
Maybe it’s the way I looked at her in jealousy as she sat down, realizing that she wouldn’t have to write the historical essay that I’d already spent hours doing research on. Maybe it’s the awkwardness I felt during first period PE, when we had to awkwardly hold other people’s feet as we counted their sit-ups. Maybe I sympathized with her because I remember sitting down at my desk the same way; my eyes darting around the classroom secretly hoping to meet a familiar face. I felt the need to become friends, to find that one ray of sunshine among a classroom of masked faces.
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| Spinning Mushroom |
I can never remember moments like those when it’s as if something clicked from the moment we met. From weekly miles during PE to short breaks between subjects, we chatted away every chance we got. Nothing ever changed from elementary to middle school; the trivial arguments we had on whether swinging on the mushroom was more fun or doing flips on the bars. We were humbled by TikTok dances we attempted to imitate, back when they were–what I would say–really complicated. (Why was your arm going up and down as you turned left and right while jumping?)
Even now, our regrettably short conversations on birthdays and holidays still crack me up. We’d sometimes talk about the painful memories of writing cursive, or the terrifying math questions about probability during fifth grade. The occasional plans that never seem to follow through keeps the memory of naive elementary schoolers running around the playground during lunch a special souvenir of that time.
Hi Elina! I love your way of storytelling and how you framed your blog as a reflection of what feels like a different life. I can imagine it as a gallery or a collage of different memories, displayed for your readers to see. From partner exercises in PE to playing on the spinning mushroom and monkey bars, your blog unlocked so many forgotten elementary school memories for me. I previously read Suhas’s blog about his memory box, and I like how your story adds on to it and represents the idea that people, not only objects, hold memory, too. Over the years, I’ve stayed in contact with a few friends via social media, but messages and calls are infrequent and no longer have that ease of flowing conversation after we’ve exhausted our talking points (mostly complaining about school). That’s when we turn to our old memories–even though we are no longer able to make more, we can relive the ones we already have. I loved how you conveyed your empathy for your friend, as well. As someone who’s moved around a lot, thank you for being that person who reaches out to new students. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Elina! I love how you chose to recount the nostalgic experiences of your childhood friend. I think the sentimentality in your blog is very well justified by the topic, which is backed by your nostalgic tone. I love how you include snippets of anecdotes–with this friend of yours–throughout the blog. I think it elevates your writing by adding a depth of emotion that is personal to you.
ReplyDeleteMoving on, I think that characterizing your moments with your friend as a “souvenir” is so very tenderly affectionate. I honestly could not find a better word for something so precious, yet triggering raw, unguarded emotions from the past that seem much like a dream. Overall, I think you explored and delved into this topic very accurately and with an admirable voice.
Hey Elina! I opened your blog expecting to read about generic souvenir stories, but I was so wrong! It’s super creative how you used the term “souvenir,” which is often associated with preserving traveling memories(in my opinion) to describe your memories of old, irrecoverable friendships. The way you started off your blog with an anecdote—with details depicting how anxious it can feel when attempting to find a new friend–really captured my attention. I liked the phrase “one ray of sunshine among a classroom of masked faces” in particular. Reflecting on the relationships I made throughout my lifetime, I think that those made in middle school are the most unforgettable to me as they play a significant role in shaping who I am now. And it saddens me that I am no longer friends with many of them. Your blog reminds me of the blog “Friends come and go!”
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