Between, balancing exams, internships, relationships and more, ending your day by crashing into your bed is a given. While lying there, contemplating all the responsibilities on your plate, you might catch sight of a familiar face. Maybe it’s a cuddly bear, a lamb or a tattered piece of a baby blanket — our childhood stuffed animals can take all shapes and sizes.
Perhaps you never brought your stuffed animal to college with you, sitting neatly on your bed at home. For others, parting from a pivotal part of their childhood is unheard of. As friends pile into your dorm room for a pregame, you find yourself quickly stuffing your cuddly friend deep behind the pillows on your bed. Why is keeping your childhood stuffed animal something to not be ashamed of? Why is it so hard to leave them behind?
A Piece of the Past
For many, they’re a piece from home, just like the photos on your walls. In a world that is constantly shifting – classes, friendships, seasons – these stuffed animals act as a continuity, showing that no matter what happens you will always have a piece of your past with you. They are also a reminder of how much you’ve grown as a person. They have watched you grow up and become the person you are today, and keeping them along for the ride instills both confidence and comfort to your everyday life.
Holding onto a piece of your past keeps a childlike wonder in your life. It is a reminder to not take everything so seriously and to always keep the inner child in you at the forefront of your mind. It is so easy to lose sight of the little things that bring joy and happiness in your life, but your stuffed animal will remind you of just that. Holding onto some stuffed animal isn’t about resisting adulthood, it’s about making room for tenderness in the middle of the adult chaos that is college.
To Be Loved is To Be Changed
Juggling deadlines and busy schedules, it is easy to forget to take care of yourself. Seeing that familiar and cuddly friend on your bed reminds you to pause, breathe and remember that a little comfort from your past can make a big difference in the present.
After so many years of carrying your stuffed animal everywhere, it is bound to have some wear and tear. Maybe one of the ears is dangling on by a thread, or the color has faded; they act as a reminder that change is inevitable. Surrounded by constant love, they have changed outwardly but will always hold a deep significance of support and comfort. From the time you picked them up, you’ve probably changed too.
So next time you catch sight of your childhood stuffed animal, don’t feel embarrassed or silly. Feel grateful. It is a reminder of how much you’ve grown. Some parts of you are forever tangled up in its soft fabric: keep it close to you.
Tweet us at @VALLEYmag if you feel this way about your stuffed animal!
