Spring Break
I Spy: Kids R still kids
COURTNEY SMITH
Issue date: 9/18/08 Section: Out & About
A platypus, an animal-themed blanket and a peace pipe all have one thing in common for five University students: They have the power to bring back the past.
In an effort to remember a time when there were no papers due or bills to be paid, these students have each saved an object or a toy that represents a simpler time in their lives and brought them to be who they are today.
If Kate Gibson had not kept the stuffed platypus she was given after being born, she would probably know a lot more about zoology, but remember far fewer happy memories with her father.
Gibson, a 19-year-old junior from Lawrenceville, received the unnamed platypus from her father when she was about one or two days old.
Her parents are now divorced, and the religion and philosophy major has kept the creature as a token of her father's love and affection.
"I always keep it on my bed when it is made or on my chest of drawers," she said.
"My dad and I don't really talk anymore so it just reminds me of when I was younger and my dad and I were still close."
While the platypus does act as a constant reminder of her father's love, it also has a deceptive side.
Due to its fluffy and cute appearance, the toy gave Gibson an inaccurate image of platypuses.
"I grew up thinking that platypuses don't have arms because this one doesn't. Apparently, they have four and are spiny, not fluffy like mine," she said.
"I didn't find any of that out until one of my friends came, saw it on the bed and asked me why it didn't have any arms."
Kelly Ridenhour has had six books published. All have received rave reviews from the most important critic of all - her mother.
Ridenhour, a 19-year-old sophomore and landscape architecture major from Charlotte, N.C., believes that the slim hardcover books she made every year in elementary school help her remember how important it is to see the world as she did when she was a child.
"I just feel that when you read stuff that
kids make, it captures such innocence. They view the world so differently than adults do," she said.
"It's kind of a distorted view that you cannot recreate."
Though she admits that she was forced to make the books every year from kindergarten to fifth grade, she is glad to be able to look back on her illustrations of "weirdos" and tigers who have lost teeth.
"It's not like I read them everyday, but it's nice to pick them up once in a while and look at all of the pictures," she said.
"It lets me remember my childhood and I really liked my childhood, so they are nice to have."
Every time Daniel Wilson smokes his kununawa, it reminds him of his connection to the Earth and the uncle who introduced him to his heritage.
Wilson, a 27-year-old comparative literature and romance languages major from Cherokee, N.C., carved the kununawa (a sacred pipe) with his great-uncle when he was 13 years old.
"My great-uncle was the last of my family to live on the reservation and he would teach me how to make traditional crafts. He also taught me how to speak Cherokee," Wilson said.
"I hand-carved the wooden part and my uncle helped me make the clay end with the designs. We connected the two different materials with a fringed piece of leather."
According to Wilson, each piece that he and his uncle included on the pipe is meant to represent a different part of life, including plants, earth and animals.
He has attached three different feathers to represent the various types of birds: a duck feather for waterbirds, a hawk feather for birds of prey and a mockingbird feather for birds of song.
The human element of life is incorporated when he smokes red willow bark or tobacco out of the pipe. The smoke comes out and sends his prayers to the "Great Spirit."
"I still keep the pipe because my uncle passed away a few years ago, and he was the one who taught me the traditional ways of my people," Wilson said. "It is sacred to me and my culture, but it is also something special that we made together."
David Fortuna, a sophomore from Atlanta majoring in religion and philosophy, insists that the quilt his grandmother made for him when he was born is not a security blanket - he just expects it to be on his bed everyday.
"I mean, I don't grab for it when I'm scared or anything. It's just one of those things that no matter what, it has to be on my bed year-round," Fortuna, 19, said. "Well, when I say it like that, it kind of is a safety blanket."
The blanket, which Fortuna describes as a quilt without anything in the middle, has been a part of his life since he can remember.
He said that he has kept it all this time to remind him to be carefree.
"It's really just that fundamental 'staying a kid' thing," he said. "As lame as it sounds, it reminds me to not take anything that seriously."
Apparently, that theory is working because, according to Fortuna, he does not take anything in his life very seriously.
However, he does admit that the blanket may cause trouble for him later in life when the animal theme may not be everyone's favorite thing in the room.
"I mean it never matches anything because it's all primary colors with a green camel and giraffe," he said. "I guess when I get married my wife may have a big problem with me putting my blanket on the bed every day, but whatever."
Although Mike Nakayama, a 21-year-old senior from Warner Robins, may not always know where his stuffed bear is, he still compares the little ball of fur to a ball of cash.
The bear, whose name also happens to be Bear, was given to Nakayama, a religion major, when he was a one-year-old either by his parents or family friends. He is not exactly sure who gave him Bear.
In fact, that is not the bear's only mysterious aspect.
Nakayama is not always sure where the bear is hiding in his room.
This disappearing act is due to the fact that the bear lacks a "spot" and just kind of "floats around" his room until magically reappearing.
However, Nakayama said that it is always a nice surprise when the slightly ragged animal comes out of hiding and makes him laugh.
After all of these years, Bear continues to be a part of his life.
"I may lose him for a little bit and it is not the end of the world, but then one day he will just turn up," Nakayama said.
"Finding him is like when you lose money and don't know it until one day you find a dollar bill in your sock or something. It just adds that little extra something to your day."
In an effort to remember a time when there were no papers due or bills to be paid, these students have each saved an object or a toy that represents a simpler time in their lives and brought them to be who they are today.
The teaching platypus
If Kate Gibson had not kept the stuffed platypus she was given after being born, she would probably know a lot more about zoology, but remember far fewer happy memories with her father.Gibson, a 19-year-old junior from Lawrenceville, received the unnamed platypus from her father when she was about one or two days old.
Her parents are now divorced, and the religion and philosophy major has kept the creature as a token of her father's love and affection.
"I always keep it on my bed when it is made or on my chest of drawers," she said.
"My dad and I don't really talk anymore so it just reminds me of when I was younger and my dad and I were still close."
While the platypus does act as a constant reminder of her father's love, it also has a deceptive side.
Due to its fluffy and cute appearance, the toy gave Gibson an inaccurate image of platypuses.
"I grew up thinking that platypuses don't have arms because this one doesn't. Apparently, they have four and are spiny, not fluffy like mine," she said.
"I didn't find any of that out until one of my friends came, saw it on the bed and asked me why it didn't have any arms."
"The Ugly Sister" and other Pulitzer-worthy novels
Kelly Ridenhour has had six books published. All have received rave reviews from the most important critic of all - her mother.Ridenhour, a 19-year-old sophomore and landscape architecture major from Charlotte, N.C., believes that the slim hardcover books she made every year in elementary school help her remember how important it is to see the world as she did when she was a child.
"I just feel that when you read stuff that
kids make, it captures such innocence. They view the world so differently than adults do," she said.
"It's kind of a distorted view that you cannot recreate."
Though she admits that she was forced to make the books every year from kindergarten to fifth grade, she is glad to be able to look back on her illustrations of "weirdos" and tigers who have lost teeth.
"It's not like I read them everyday, but it's nice to pick them up once in a while and look at all of the pictures," she said.
"It lets me remember my childhood and I really liked my childhood, so they are nice to have."
The Kununawa's feathers
Every time Daniel Wilson smokes his kununawa, it reminds him of his connection to the Earth and the uncle who introduced him to his heritage.Wilson, a 27-year-old comparative literature and romance languages major from Cherokee, N.C., carved the kununawa (a sacred pipe) with his great-uncle when he was 13 years old.
"My great-uncle was the last of my family to live on the reservation and he would teach me how to make traditional crafts. He also taught me how to speak Cherokee," Wilson said.
"I hand-carved the wooden part and my uncle helped me make the clay end with the designs. We connected the two different materials with a fringed piece of leather."
According to Wilson, each piece that he and his uncle included on the pipe is meant to represent a different part of life, including plants, earth and animals.
He has attached three different feathers to represent the various types of birds: a duck feather for waterbirds, a hawk feather for birds of prey and a mockingbird feather for birds of song.
The human element of life is incorporated when he smokes red willow bark or tobacco out of the pipe. The smoke comes out and sends his prayers to the "Great Spirit."
"I still keep the pipe because my uncle passed away a few years ago, and he was the one who taught me the traditional ways of my people," Wilson said. "It is sacred to me and my culture, but it is also something special that we made together."
The security blanket that isn't a security blanket
David Fortuna, a sophomore from Atlanta majoring in religion and philosophy, insists that the quilt his grandmother made for him when he was born is not a security blanket - he just expects it to be on his bed everyday."I mean, I don't grab for it when I'm scared or anything. It's just one of those things that no matter what, it has to be on my bed year-round," Fortuna, 19, said. "Well, when I say it like that, it kind of is a safety blanket."
The blanket, which Fortuna describes as a quilt without anything in the middle, has been a part of his life since he can remember.
He said that he has kept it all this time to remind him to be carefree.
"It's really just that fundamental 'staying a kid' thing," he said. "As lame as it sounds, it reminds me to not take anything that seriously."
Apparently, that theory is working because, according to Fortuna, he does not take anything in his life very seriously.
However, he does admit that the blanket may cause trouble for him later in life when the animal theme may not be everyone's favorite thing in the room.
"I mean it never matches anything because it's all primary colors with a green camel and giraffe," he said. "I guess when I get married my wife may have a big problem with me putting my blanket on the bed every day, but whatever."
The bear that was once lost but now is found
Although Mike Nakayama, a 21-year-old senior from Warner Robins, may not always know where his stuffed bear is, he still compares the little ball of fur to a ball of cash.The bear, whose name also happens to be Bear, was given to Nakayama, a religion major, when he was a one-year-old either by his parents or family friends. He is not exactly sure who gave him Bear.
In fact, that is not the bear's only mysterious aspect.
Nakayama is not always sure where the bear is hiding in his room.
This disappearing act is due to the fact that the bear lacks a "spot" and just kind of "floats around" his room until magically reappearing.
However, Nakayama said that it is always a nice surprise when the slightly ragged animal comes out of hiding and makes him laugh.
After all of these years, Bear continues to be a part of his life.
"I may lose him for a little bit and it is not the end of the world, but then one day he will just turn up," Nakayama said.
"Finding him is like when you lose money and don't know it until one day you find a dollar bill in your sock or something. It just adds that little extra something to your day."
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