What are students interested in collecting?
Everyone has something they love to collect. As a child, I collected Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards and felt excited to pull something rare from booster packs. The thrill of opening a pack and building decks to battle friends with was unforgettable. Now, I collect clothes and old DS game cartridges to relive the nostalgia of those games.
I wondered what other students might be interested in, so I asked a few friends from Azusa Pacific University and elsewhere about their interest in collecting.
Sticky Notes
Sarah Alqallaf is a senior at the University of Colorado majoring in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. Alqallaf is interested in and started collecting sticky notes because she wants to be the best at everything.
“I started collecting sticky notes ever since I was younger. I’ve always focused on being the best at everything; one of them was to be the best academically,” Algallaf said. Algallaf’s love of sticky notes came when she was 7 years old when her dad gave her a stack from work. “I used the entire pack to study, and my desire for more grew. I remember my parents had a small stationery drawer in their bedroom. I would always come into their room at night for something we called “بر الوالدين,” which means to be good to your parents. After showing honor, I would go to the drawer, take a pack of sticky notes and finish everything.” When she got to high school, she would use them daily and finish a few packs in weeks. While in college, she used even more stickies and collected close to 200 notes and nearly 200 which she left at home. Alqallaf says she enjoys using them because “they are integral to my learning process!”
Merch Items
My friend Yeon Jung, an upcoming student planning to major in nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, reached out to me and contributed to this article!
Jung told me she has one thing she’s obsessed with, it’s collecting merch items. “I love collecting merch items!! My desire to collect merch items began with my fandom, with BTOB (Born to Beat) joining the fandom. It naturally gave me the desire to collect and buy their merch. After that, I felt the urge to buy any albums released, and then I moved to purchase merch items from League of Legends (LoL) and Lost Ark!”
She further explained her reason for collecting them.
“I collect merch items because if you display them in the room, they can also be used as an interior decoration. Also, passing by it occasionally lifts your spirits and collecting things can spark a desire to own them.”
Postcards
Yihan Kang, a freshman majoring in nursing at APU, shared how he started to collect postcards.
“The reason I started collecting postcards was quite simple. From a young age, I loved gathering things. Whenever I went to the beach, I would pick up stones; whenever I went to the mountains, I’d collect pine cones. Then, one day, I had the chance to visit an art museum with my mom for the first time. After viewing the exhibits, we wandered into the gift shop on our way out. Everything was so expensive that I didn’t consider starting a collection, but my mom suggested postcards. That was how I began collecting.”
Kang states, “It’s been 15 years since I started, and now, whenever I look at the postcards I’ve gathered at home, they bring back nostalgic memories of the past. They hold so much meaning and remind me of different moments from the past.”
Playing Cards
Quinn Pascua,a sophomore majoring in allied health and honors, shared his passion for collecting different cards.
“I’ve always enjoyed collecting Pokémon, basketball, baseball and other cards because they were a big part of my childhood. Sometimes, I’d get them as Christmas presents or birthday gifts. Back then, I didn’t even care about their worth; I just loved them for how they looked or how “strong” they were. I also had a soft spot for certain cards, especially if they featured a Pokémon or a player I liked from a TV show or video game. Those cards just felt extra special to me.”
Pascua further states that although the fun has lessened, he still collects cards.
“Fast-forward to today, and I still collect cards, but now I mostly buy individual ones that catch my eye. When I do get packs, I rarely open them anymore. Collecting has taken on a bit of a monetary side now and that grown-up view can make it feel like the magic and fun of it all have faded. Still, I can’t help but enjoy collecting them for the artwork, the colors, and the nostalgia they bring.”
Closing
People are naturally inclined to collect objects because our brains are wired to do so. Collecting items gives us a sense of ownership, which adds value to our lives and makes us feel good about ourselves. Collecting items also brings us pleasure and enjoyment. Furthermore, collecting has a nostalgic aspect. Collecting objects leads to revisiting our memories, reliving our past, and connecting with our childhood.
As this article comes to an end, I want to ask a question.
“What was one item you love collecting or that brings back nostalgia?”