Make The Best Four Years of your Life Unforgettable| Time Capsules
Gift your young graduate with a way to preserve memories in a way you wish you could have when you were their age.
I have officially reached the status of “washed up” being a junior in college. It did not occur to me until I was standing in the middle of a frat common room surrounded by sweaty faces I did not recognize. I found myself asking, “what am I doing here?” As much as I wanted it to be, it just wasn’t my scene anymore. I didn’t feel like partying till dawn and pushing off my assignments for the last minute. I did not want to make friends that only lasted until the night was over or crush over a boy I knew would never talk to me again. Glory days right? In many ways it actually was.
There is a time and place for everything, and those types of experiences were made for college. There was a time where I was a freshman standing in that very same frat house. My perception of college was new and fresh. The sweat I saw then was glistening youth instead of a smelly odor. Those temporary friends made the night young and reality boring. Homework didn’t matter because it wasn’t serious yet. That boy that would probably never talk to me could have been my soulmate! What did I know, everything was so different and exciting. Rather than wondering what I was doing there, I can recall thinking,
“I never want moments like these to go away.”
I already find myself looking back and wishing I knew what I know now…and that’s only after two years. Could you imagine giving yourself advice 20–30 years from now? Well as unlikely as it may seem, you actually can. Better yet, think long term. What about your kid? How cool would it be to give them advice from an actual college student perspective rather than trying to convince them you were once cool? As much as I don’t want to admit it…my mom is always right. I guess that is because she went through everything I did and actually learned from her mistakes. Who would have thought? Not me, coming from my mother who has three kids and the busiest schedule I have ever seen. Her maturity and complexity seem so foreign to me that it’s hard to believe she could relate to my 21-year-old problems. Oftentimes she will give me advice that I choose not to follow. When it all blows up in my face she will respond with the classic “I told you so,” followed by
“I was young too once you know.”
It is that very phrase that is so hard to believe. My mom is my mom. As much as she tries to convince me, I will never be able to truly see her as the young, careless adolescent she describes herself as. That is what makes Not Forgotten so special. Why not take advantage of the technology we have now? All I have of my parents from their 20s are battered photographs and self told stories with major pieces missing. Not Forgotten gives people the opportunity to preserve their youth in the most detailed way possible. Not only do they digitalize any keepsake you may have in mind, but give you access to a virtual videographer that allows you to film your very own high quality documentary.
If you are like me, the second you are placed behind the camera you freeze, suddenly forgetting every memory that has ever existed. That is not a problem with NotForgotten, customers are provided a template with prompts that range from what you would do if this were your last day on earth to thoughts on your future career.
I have no idea who I am going to be in 20 years, but I know I want to remember who I am right now. In some ways, our college years are the best versions of ourselves we will ever be. Personally, I am the most motivated, open-minded I have ever felt. Your 20s is the peak of your youth, the prime time to choose where you want life to take you. Why not savor every moment? I want to look back and remember how optimistic about life I was before things get too serious and messy.
As much as I have enjoyed my college experience, I would have really liked to know the things I do now when I had just started. I think that is the most unique feature of Not Forgotten, giving customers the power to build a better life for their families based on their own experiences. I know exactly the points I would touch for my child to follow.
Friends For Never
I don’t know why every freshman, including myself, thinks the first people they meet in college are going to be their friend group for the next four years. It’s hard to trust the process, but as cheesy as it may sound, that is exactly what you need to do. Life has a way of working itself out. I learned that the hard way after countless nights crying on the phone with my mom while she tried to reassure me of that very same thing. I look back on times like that now, living with my three best friends, and can’t help but laugh. A huge part of college is patience, just go with the flow and see where it takes you.
Failing Doesn’t Always Mean You Failed
Being brutally honest, I think we can all agree we were not as smart as we thought we were going into college. It took me dropping three different classes, receiving my first F, and switching majors to realize that. And that was ok! At the time it seemed like the end of the world, but the whole point of these years is to figure out what makes us happy and successful. College is about education AND the experience. Embrace all the mistakes you make and learn from them…better yet…put them in a time capsule for others to learn too!
Your Husband Probably Is Not Waiting for you in a Frat House
As a romantic I started my freshman year with the idea of falling in love and finding my soulmate. If I could, I would have slapped myself silly. College is not the place to stress about romance. College is the place to find yourself and focus on what makes you happy. Friendships are more important than relationships. There should not be any pressure of planning your life ahead of time…. Which leads me to my next topic.
Rather than plan out your future, why not reverse roles and give your older self some advice? You can learn a lot from just looking back. Make a video with NotForgotten set for10 years from now saying where you see yourself and the attitude you expect to have. Be reminded of the eager 20 year-old that always stays with you.
With graduate time capsules, the possibilities are endless.
My favorite idea by far is hosting a time capsule party. I consider the people I live with to be my best friends and could not imagine a time where they would not be. It scares me to think that one day we will get too wrapped up in our own lives that we will not have time for each other. Why not have a little incentive, guaranteeing we see each other again? Before we graduate I plan to make all of us gather our favorite momentums from college and each setting a recording talking about our friendship. When our Not Forgotten capsule alerts us every 10 years over the next 50, we will be obligated to drop whatever we are doing and have a reunion. Memories have a way of bringing people together and reminding them what makes life so special.
A time capsule gives me the excuse to tell my kids to go enjoy themselves not from a mother’s perspective, but from a friends. Adam Bee, a young parent from Wales, is a current client of Not Forgotten. He explains that
If there is one thing I have realized, it is that advice like this is timeless. No matter how old we get, boys, grades, and friends stay the same. Every person in their early 20s have the same young spirit, regardless of their generation. I want to inspire you to inspire others. Have the ability to show the world how you became the person you are. If you are in college reading this, I am speaking directly to you, student to student. I know you have a thousand of the same photos of yourself on your iPhone, rather than let them get lost in the cloud, preserve them! Why let that flawless selfie go to waste. Making a time capsule is a way of being selfish in the most selfless way possible. If you are in school I am urging you to act now before it is too late. If you are reading this, far beyond your college years wondering “what does this have to do with me?” Everything! It is never too late to gather your old college mementos and digitalize them into a time capsule. Gift a young family member with a way to preserve memories in a way you wish you could have when you were their age.
