By Alina Rezepova, Staff Writer
On Feb. 12, students gathered to decorate scrapbook covers, creating a space to hold their memories throughout their years of study, turning a simple creative activity into a personal souvenir and a pleasant respite from their time at Saint Leo University.
Residence Life hosted the event, called “Scrapbook and Yap,” and it was held in Apartment Five. The event was a great way for students to express their creativity and connect with their friends.
“I think it is a cool and creative activity that can keep students busy. By cutting out prints and gluing different papers, we are not just making a unique scrapbook; we are creating a memory that will stay with us for a long time,” said Alexis Reyes, a junior majoring in Management and Marketing, and the Residence Assistant of Apartment Five, Second Floor.
Students designed their scrapbooks to reflect their personalities and student life experiences bydecorating the covers with bright paper, stickers, photos, and their favorite colors. Some had their favorite places on the covers of their notebooks, while others had goals for the coming year.
Students who joined found a lot of stationery on the tables, such as decorative tapes, stickers, clippings from magazines and newspapers, and beautiful pieces of paper, featuring backgrounds, patterns, and images, all intended for decorating the covers of their scrapbooks.
The students were provided with everything to realize their most unique ideas.
“When my Resident Assistant (RA) texted in a group chat that she was organizing this event, I immediately decided to join,” said Jaison Deemer, a sophomore majoring in International Studies and History.
Each student chose a scrapbook for decoration. Small photos, stickers, and motivational labels help preserve moments that are easily lost in everyday life and create visual reminders that keep people motivated.
“This event is for everyone, even for those who do not want to do scrapbooking. There are printouts and stickers that people can save for memories and inspiration,” said Reyes.
Using their imagination to the fullest, students could not just decorate their notebooks but also write their dreams, goals, or ideas in them. Each page became a personal canvas, reflecting individual hopes, memories, and aspirations for the years ahead.
Scrapbooking is becoming not just a hobby but a means of communication. Many people came with friends and sat down together to create a beautiful scrapbook of their own. The students were inspired by their friends’ ideas, laughed, and communicated, creating a sense of unity and belonging to the same community.
“From decorating the doors and the board on my floor, I chose scrapbooking and decided to organize an event in the same theme so that students could express their creativity and design their own unique scrapbooks,” said Reyes.
Unlike digital albums, a traditional scrapbook allows you to touch every page. Each sticker or drawing is a little story that can be reviewed again.
In addition, the event stimulates imagination and helps to distract from academic duties. This is a space for experimentation, where there are no wrong decisions and no time limit.
Now, students who attended the event have created scrapbook covers, ready to be filled with the memories, experiences, and adventures of their journey at Saint Leo. These notebooks are more than just pages; they are keepsakes of moments that will be cherished forever.
