1. Your rag of a T-shirt from your first big championship game/camp/trip.
Deep down, middle school you will always be bound to that shirt. It brings back memories that make you laugh or bring a smile to your face. You don't have the heart to put it in a t-shirt quilt but it's too gross to wear in public. It either just sits in your drawers or you wear it around the house. You will fight anyone who says to trash it. It's yours. They can get over it's grossness or leave.
2. Your Stuffed Animal
Mr. Cuddles or Mrs. Piggles has been through the thunder storms that woke you up at night, the monster under the bed, the fall you took on the blacktop, and even the trips to the doctor. You didn't go through any of those things alone. Your cuddle buddy was your first real friend and you can't just toss away and forget everything you two had been through. That's anarchy. That's pulling a Julius Caesar.
3. That sentence you wrote in Kindergarten saying what you wanted to be when you grew up
Wow you're no longer wanting to be a horse trainer or a police officer? It's okay, you had a very limited knowledge of occupations back then, but has it really changed? You may be a humanities or geography or engineering major but do you actually know what you want to do yet?
4. Your first journal
Does this really need explaining? These are your embarrassing childhood problems. Why would you not keep that?
5. That one piece of really nice jewelry
Your dad or mom probably got you this when you were about 10 and you were always so scared to wear it. Now you wear it with everything because it's just so simple and is perfect for every outfit transition.
6. That team or camp picture from high school
You need proof you were dedicated and involved in something. And to show you had more than three friends. What better than a group picture? You also get to wonder where those people are now.
7. That One Essay or Poem You are super proud of
You worked your butt off and got an A. You deserve it. Keep that paper! May it never burn! You also think you're either super deep or super smart because of this.
8. Your College Diploma
You paid thousands of dollars to hang that stupid piece of paper on a wall and get paid money to prove that the thousand dollar paper says you're qualified for whatever line of work it dictates. Go you, be free, show off that yellow parchment. Go earn your sleep and sanity back.
