The cityscape of Salzburg, with its red and green rooftops shining. The Atlantic Ocean’s waves crashing against my ankles. A tube of bacon-flavored toothpaste lying on the counter. Jumbled memories lie in a pile of photographs. Alone, they are fragments, misplaced puzzle pieces, and mismatched socks. But together they tell a story. From the day I found myself in a foreign country, to when my hard work and dedication paid off playing on the basketball court, they are all captured moments. They are all me.

Photographs contain memories, loved ones, and moments never forgotten. Although sometimes those memories tend to disappear, photographs bring them back. The pictures remind me the first time I became independent and got a job to when I relentlessly worked to organize a fundraiser for the MACC Fund. However—they also bring back mistakes, regret and tears, along with all those proud, brave, and adventurous moments. But most of all, they remind me that I’m human.

This pile of photographs is like flipping through a scrapbook—their presence reels back excitement. They remind me of my hours of volunteering, and of the countless new experiences I’ve had. There are only three words of advice that sum up these pictures. Capture the moment. And without this phrase, my life would be empty. With the thousands of memories, it’s impossible to remember them all. So I capture them, and all the memories have shaped me into the person I am today.

Even though they are just jumbled memories in a pile of photographs—like the cityscape of Salzburg, swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, and a tube of bacon-flavored toothpaste—they tell my story.