A Desk Full of Mementos
culture  

A Desk Full of Mementos

By Bea

Always not quite organized, my desk is a constant, yet subtle reminder of why I ultimately chose Caltech: the people. (sigh… I bet you haven’t heard that one before!). It’s no secret that Caltech has a small undergraduate population but, in my experience, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find your people, it means you’ll be able to find them faster!

Without further ado, here is my desk and the breakdown of some of my favorite keepsakes:

  • Kintsugi ring holder: During winter term, Lloyd held a craft night. There were a variety of options to choose from, but my eyes were drawn to the craft where you had to break things! As you can see, the process of putting it back together was not as successful as the breaking it part. But regardless of how successful my craft was (not very) I love causal house events like this. Those that tend to be more low key and spontaneous in between bigger events such as interhouse or ski trip.

  • Goofy-looking otter plush: During spring break, the tennis team ventured out to San Gabriel to get boba from Wushiland and explore the stores nearby. We ended up at daiso (as always) and decided to get team plushies. Being able to compete at a collegiate level has been one of my favorite parts about my college experience thus far. Because, not only have I been able to continue pursuing the sport I’ve loved since I was a kid, but I have also been lucky enough to learn and grow alongside my teammates.

  • Cat ring holder: When I get the chance, I try my best to explore different parts of LA. At the beginning of Spring term my boyfriend and I took a day-trip to little tokyo. For lunch, we had hand rolls, onigiri, and spam musubi. To satisfy our sweet tooth (or teeth??) we got matcha soft serve for dessert. After lunch, we explored the local shops and picked up this cute little ceramic plate and a couple of souvenirs for my high school friends.

  • A petit blocks shibu: One of my closest friends, teammate, roommate and fellow lloydie brought me back Benny from a trip to Daiso.

  • Porcelain mouse and mouse book: It is widely known amongst my friends that I am not fond of rodents. I can’t even sit through ratatouille. So logically, my friends love to give me gifts like this.

  • Solar Hula Dancer: A couple of my friends brought me back a hula dancer from an impromptu trip they took to Hawaii during spring break!

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