Collections help students preserve and create memories
Auburn University students have a range of collections from antique glasses and tea sets to hunting knives.
The collections Auburn students have acquired over the years are special to them for a variety of reasons. A few of the benefits cited by students about having a collection are the ability to connect with people and learn new things.
Heather Mann, a senior mechanical engineer, said her collection of antique glassware and tea service pieces appealed to her for bringing people together and creating lasting memories.
“To me, my collection is a physical manifestation of feelings of connection and friendship,” Mann said. “I always use pieces from the collection to forge and strengthen bonds with my friends and family.”
Mann began her collection when she was in third grade, and her teacher held an end-of-year raffle. There Mann won a decorative painted teapot.
After the draw, Mann began collecting coins to host a tea party with friends and family.
His collection has now grown to include items such as tumblers, wine glasses, shot glasses and tea cups.
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“Being able to distribute these items to anyone around me and offer them a small cup of tea or an elaborate goblet to drink makes the experience of being with that person that much more special and memorable,” Mann mentioned.
First-year fitness, conditioning and performance student Korey Self started collecting knives when he was 10 years old. His collection began after his father and grandfathers presented him with knives they had collected during their lives.
This sparked Self’s desire to become a knife collector as well.
“Wherever we travel, my dad, brother and I look for a local knife store to add to our collections,” Self said.
Like Mann, Self said the importance of his collectibles is not just in the objects themselves.
“They’re more than just knives,” Self said. “These are memories and connections with loved ones.”
Self said he discovered many types of knives through his collection. Over the years he learned how they work and how to take care of them properly.
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