All my life, I’ve enjoyed living in the moment. I love sitting on a hill, looking out into the horizon, and watching the sun slip behind the contours of the mountains. I love being with people I care about. Sometimes, the hallmark of a perfect moment is that it doesn’t leave anything behind—not even a photo.

However, this summer, I realized this isn’t always true. 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Is this true? 

Sure. A photo captures a moment. Sometimes, it stops time just long enough for light to render an image—to capture a swan taking flight, the curves and contours of the moon, or your dog’s cute face when they try to catch a treat.

Other times, it cherishes the moment, taking in light from flowing water, migrating stars, and an ever-changing sky to produce something magical and moving.

Perhaps, more importantly, a photo captures memories. Photos are time-locked, bearing the name of the moment they were taken, the camera that took them, and the settings that produced them. Like time capsules, they collect fragments of feelings, sights, and experiences and store them in something colorful and everlasting.

This summer, my sister (who loves photography) inspired me to take up a great deal on a cheap camera set. The more I learned, the more amazed I became. Aside from the exposure triangle, composition, and a bit of patience, I learned that photos allow us to communicate thoughts and ideas with the world. Photography also unlocked a new way of seeing the world—literally and figuratively.

As my college years come to a close, I thought it’d be fun to take a trip down memory lane. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a collection of pictures tells a thousand stories. These are the stories of my senior year, told through the pictures in my camera roll.

A Start to Senior Year, and Photography

What’s art? That question lingered after I went for a walk with my new camera for the first time. Shot on auto, this picture captured so many opposites. Light and darkness, a rustic look on something so modern, and “NOT ART.” I realized art and beauty come in many shapes and forms—perhaps even in a play on words! Perhaps, it was a fitting question for having just started photography and my senior year of college.

A Final Hurrah with the Harvard Choruses

As the fall semester started, it didn’t occur to me that I only had one year of college left until I realized this would be the last year I could sing with the Harvard Choruses. When I came into college, the Harvard Choruses and the community in Collegium anchored me to Harvard. In the following years, I got the chance to travel to New York City and Sweden, perform multiple world debuts—some at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in NYC—and grow as a musician in ways I’d never thought possible. When I think back to my freshman year, I realize the Harvard Choruses have been a central part of my college experience all along, and I will miss it forever when I leave. In this picture, I captured my last time postering for Harvard Choruses auditions.

Only a few weeks in, we went to Camp Winaukee at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire for my last Harvard Choruses fall retreat. We toasted marshmallows around a campfire, sang our hearts out, and—most importantly—had a great time!

A Return to My “Tree”

As fall progressed, I found myself going back to the Mount Auburn Cemetery, where I observed a tree for a class called “Tree”. It was equally as tranquil as it had been every time I went as a freshman. Among the beautiful things I saw was this American goldfinch hiding among goldenrod flowers. I also got the chance to revisit Abra, my dawn redwood tree.

And a Departure to Maine

Then, my friends and I decided to make a college dream trip come true: we took a weekend trip to Acadia National Park. Although I forgot to bring my camera battery, we managed to take great pictures on our phones!

We soaked up the sun at a beach.

Climbed the Beehive Trail.

And (of course) had the perfect Maine-style blueberry pie to finish off the trip.

Apple-Picking, a First and a Last

I went apple-picking twice this year—once with Currier House, then again with Collegium.

This was at Carver Hill Orchards. Sadly, these would also be my last apple-picking trips in college. Not a moment too soon!

These trips made me realize how nice little moments can be. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that are the most beautiful.

A Reflection on Great Dining

And, of course, I will miss the food at Currier (best house). I will be forever grateful for meals like this one at the Currier House dining hall.

The Chance to Make A Difference

Thanks, Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, for letting me cook.

Conclusion

As I think about my senior year and reflect on my college experience, I see a bittersweet end to one chapter of my life and the start of another. Harvard has given me so many opportunities to try out new things, learn, and grow. At Harvard, I have also made friends of a lifetime. At the end of the day, it’s these things that will stay with me forever. And it’s these things I will remember forever.

A huge thank you goes to my sister for inspiring me to reframe the world through the lens of photography!