This photo depicts the shelf above my desk in my dorm. It has a necklace holder, some small plushies, manga books, my chapstick, and a computer mouse. I got the necklace holder when I was around five years old from the manager of the apartment complex I was living in, since her daughter did not need it anymore. It displays the necklaces I have collected over the years, including some I have bought in Japan and with some friends. The three left plushies are gifts from my mother, and the duck plushie was crocheted by my friend in high school. I bought the dog plushie on the books during the first few weeks of school, making it one of my first purchases away from home since I started college. The manga books are all from series that I like and are all in Japanese. This fact is of significance because I’d like to improve my Japanese skills. Although Japanese is my first language, having been raised in the U.S. made me much more proficient in English. If I didn’t practice my Japanese skills and forgot the language, I would no longer be able to communicate well with my immigrant parents and the rest of my family in Japan. Because of this, I try to make an effort to keep on using Japanese so I don’t forget the language. This is one of my favorite parts in my room because it has many important objects to my personal life that I’ve collected over years. Being able to see this view everyday reminds me of the place I grew up in, the people I have met, the stories I have read, and the places I have visited. I plan to expand upon this corner by adding more objects I have collected this year when I move into another living space next year, as living in the dorms is only temporary and lasts for one year. Being able to keep this corner in my life, no matter where it is, has let me keep some semblance of the past in this new environment.