On a Sunday afternoon at the beginning of the fall semester, I was scrolling through the pictures on my phone that were taken during the very eventful night before.
My friends and I are constantly taking pictures of each other when we are together. This is unquestionably the best way to make sure we all remember the blurry nights we have together.
Previously, I had bought a Polaroid Now camera that I loved to take with me when my friends and I were doing anything and everything.
The film was the downfall of this camera. It was extremely expensive and averaged around $2 for every picture. This is absurd with a college student’s budget.
I loved the way these pictures turned out and something about how they were not the most amazing quality ever just added to the effect.
The only high-quality thing about the weekends my friends and I have are the people that are with us. We are usually in slightly gross college houses and college bars. The kind of gross where your feet occasionally stick to the floor.
The camera on my phone is just not the same. There is something nostalgic to me about taking pictures that aren’t on my phone.
It also reminds me of the underwater digital camera I had when I was little that I would carry around when we went up to my family’s cabin. I loved to run around with that thing, up until its very last day when I dropped it in the lake and it could not be retrieved.
The adult me runs around with this camera the same way 8-year-old me did.
I just had to think of a cheaper option than the Polaroid. I went to Amazon and looked up digital cameras, immediately putting the filter to price low to high.
The first option that appeared was pink. This seemed like the best choice.
It was around a solid $30. Obviously not the best quality. Sometimes I have to hit it on something to get the flash to turn off. The battery will also pop out on occasion.
The memories captured, however, are priceless. I love being with people that make me forget to check my phone. I feel my camera in my pocket though, and I have an immediate urge to capture what is going on around me.
Studies have shown that taking pictures on a camera enhances memory retention. It is also supposed to further invoke memories and emotions associated with the event.
Writing this reminds me of the weekend before and all of the chaos and bonding that came along with it.
I wake up on Saturday and Sunday mornings and messages flood in throughout the day from my friends asking me to send the pictures from the night before. I actually made an Instagram account specifically for posting them now.
I love capturing memories of my friends and me and documenting the times we spent together.
I know that we will all be so grateful for this little pink digital camera after we graduate and can look back on our college memories. I have definitely gotten some gems. It will keep the memories fresh in my mind once we are all grown up.
Jochum can be reached at [email protected].
