by Rylee Whited
Hi! It's Rylee here - Project Memory's newest intern!
I recently graduated with my MBA in Supply Chain & Logistics Management from Oregon State University. If you saw my story introduction on our Instagram page, "cuticle care and the E! network" was a quote from the movie Pitch Perfect! Let me know if you caught it!
Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a journal in one hand and a book in the other. The stories I escaped to in my books inspired me to record my own, however mundane. My interest in journaling and keeping memories drew me to the bullet journaling community.
From there I found Project Memory.
For a while, I followed their account closely, soaking up all the aesthetic photos and coveting their soon-to-be-released Chronicle photo journal. Right after they launched, I received the Chronicle in a gorgeous box with carefully packed goodies inside – a beautiful addition to my bookshelves!
When an internship opportunity was announced this past summer of 2021, I considered applying. But with graduation approaching and projects galore, it slipped my mind.
Still, I kept an eye on their page.
Spring 2021 brought an end to my college career. Leaving with a B.S. and MBA, my academic accomplishments were marked by two virtual graduations in as many years. With this less than traditional send off, it didn’t take long for the nostalgia to set in. To counteract the post-grad blues, I wanted to spruce up my room in an act of spring cleaning. The reorg took much longer than expected purely because I got distracted by old knick-knacks like the giant green sunglasses that I won at an arcade or the train whistles (yes, plural) that my grandpa gifted me as a child.
Another time-consuming distraction was the stack of prominently displayed journals on my bookshelf. For how visible they are, I rarely go back and read them. My current journal is updated quite regularly, but I typically reach for a book rather than my journals when I want to read.
That day was different, and I found myself lost in old memories for hours.
My first ever journal entry was from 2003 when I was just four years old. I didn’t write it, but my mom had jotted a few sentences about our trip to Paris and had me sign my name at the bottom. As I flipped through the pages, there were countless different layouts, and I could see my own handwriting evolve before my eyes. Eventually, my journaling became more consistent when I developed a format and started exclusively using black Muji 0.38mm pens. I introduced monthly summaries as well as mood trackers and quick sketches accenting my adventures.
This trip down memory lane reminded me why I started journaling and of my yet-to-be-filled Chronicle journal. With no more classes to worry about, I set to work. The process of scouring my camera roll, sorting through prints from my old disposable cameras, and finding highlights of the last four years was quite therapeutic. The resulting journal is my edited version of what I want to remember about college – the people I met along the way, the adventures we went on, the food we cooked, and the sights we saw together.
In the midst of a post-grad job hunt and reminiscing, I connected the dots and decided to message the people behind my photo journal at Project Memory’s Instagram page. I wanted to be a part of the team that created the Chronicle - a photo journal that is not only beautiful but one that gave me closure for a truly spectacular era of my life. Before I knew it, we were setting up a video call and I was meeting Aneri! From there to now, I’ve become Project Memory’s newest intern, focusing on the operational side of things. The possibilities are infinite, so here’s to new experiences and growth beyond our wildest dreams. I can’t wait to see where our memories will take us.
