For Willow Rosenfield, a small silver necklace helps her remember her times at Camp Onaway, a summer camp she went to for two years.

Nestled in the middle of northern New Hampshire, Camp Onaway is a traditional residential summer camp for girls ages nine to 15. After reaching the oldest level, each person is given a necklace, which includes a logo of the camp, initials of the receiver and the year that it was given.

Every counselor would wear one of these necklaces. As a young teen, Rosenfield and other camp members found themselves obsessing over these necklaces year after year, until she finally received one of her own.

“It’s very bittersweet, but it’s something that connects you to the camp forever and always,” Rosenfield said.

Even though Rosenfield won’t be returning to the camp as a member anymore, she’ll be returning as a counselor-in-training this summer, and she couldn’t be more excited to be back.

It would make sense that a lot of people think about their purchases for a little while before they make them, especially with things like jewelry, that could stay with you for the rest of your life. However, Elle McCreadie made a spur-of-the-moment decision when she decided to buy a pair of earrings on her last day of her trip in London.

“One of the places we went to was called the Camden Market. Months before, I was super excited to visit it,” McCreadie said. “It was the last day that we were there and I really wanted to get something.”

Camden Market is a huge street filled with hundreds of stores, which sell products ranging all over from jewelry to simple street food. As for McCreadie, she decided on a pair of small golden hoop earrings, with small blue gems hanging from them.

“I thought they were kind of unique and since I really like to wear gold jewelry, it was so perfect,” McCreadie said, “And now every time I wear them, I get to think about my trip to England and I’m reminded of how fun it was.”

Nina Beals’s necklace comes all the way from Spain, where her family has a tradition of getting necklaces with their birthdays engraved on them.

Both of Beals’ siblings received their own when they were born, however, she inherited hers around the age of 10 from her grandmother, who shares the same birthday. A couple years later, she had her own birth date engraved right next to her grandmother’s.

The necklace, being made out of pure gold, has a picture of Mother Mary on it, and the necklaces that Beals and her siblings have received remain an important part of their lives.

“I wear it every day. I never take it off. [The necklaces] are really special to us,” Beals said. “And, I get to carry a piece of her around every day.”

Jewelry is not only worn for sentimental value but also for fashion purposes. From watches and chains to friendship bracelets, they help express our own individual personalities, and for Max Rosewig, that is exactly why he wears jewelry.

“Like, yo, this is my fashion sense,” Rosewig said.

Rosewig’s favorite is his favorite being a small pendant inherited from his mom. The necklace has a Capricorn symbol on it, which both Rosewig and his mom are.

Another piece that Rosewig wears comes from DGK, a skateboarding brand. Rosewig got the piece from Olympia, the skate shop he works at in Ann Arbor.

“We got it in an order, and Hank, who works there, wore it for a long time. But then, for whatever reason he didn’t want it,” Rosewig said. “He gave it to me, like, ‘Yo, You want it? Sweet,’ A free gift is awesome.”

Rosewig also has many other pieces, such as a small star chain from Etsy, which was made in Italy, and a spoon ring which he bought from Briarwood Mall. There are also many others which he received from his family and from thrifting.

“A lot of these pieces have a story behind them,” Rosewig said. “And it’s cool that these things can spark conversation.”