Getting a gift from someone you don’t know too well is always an awkward thing. This little bottle has been sitting on my shelf for some time now; it was part of a larger gift from someone who I now consider a good friend. At the time I got it though, we had really only just met, so I never really thought to give her a gift in return.

Social relations between people who have just met is such an interesting concept, and so varied too. It’s amazing how trusting and friendly new people can be. I’ve never been like that. I’ve been moving my entire life, so maybe it’s not too common to notice the subtleties of meeting new people, or maybe it’s very common and I am simply realizing it later than others.

Acknowledging the existence of this little bottle rather than leaving it to collect dust on my shelf will hopefully remind me to be a little more open to new people. We always need more bright personalities.

(Colleen Durant, Freshman, Moore College of Art)