Destroying Jotenheim | Reintroducing Excitement Into Your Life At Cornell

A close friend of mine once told me to seek discomfort. Actually, that’s not true at all. She’s said it much more than just once; like, every time we get in the car together. Of course, we all have that one friend or family member that more than occasionally gets stuck on his/her soapbox. And we also have that one friend who, once they get stuck on something, is about as easy and painless to unstick as a band-aid.

TRAVELIN’ WITH JACQUELINE | Say Hello to My Little Friend (Confessions of a Pin Collector)

I’m not sure when I got my first pin, but the earliest documented proof I could find of me wearing a pin is from May 14, 2000. In the picture, my parents are conducting a mini-photoshoot at home with my older sister and two-year-old self, and you can see a tiny pair of red sunglasses pinned to the top of my pink cardigan:

To this day, I still have and frequently wear that red sunglasses pin, but it’s fair to say that my pin collection has since expanded. While most people probably have a couple of pins lying around—be they from Greek life, student clubs or travels—my pin count is currently 62, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Although I’ve seen a few other pinheads around campus, the majority of Cornellians have yet to appreciate pins for what they are. So, in honor of my hobby, I am dedicating this article to (the merits of) pin collecting!