Make your own school scrapbook!

Last time I visited my parents, I brought home a large bin full of old school papers, yearbooks, various event programs, report cards, and pictures. Back when I graduated high school, not a lot of people scrapbooked, or at least they didn’t in my hometown. My mom did, however, make me a simple album to hold my various awards, each year’s school photo, and a few photos here and there, but everything else just got packed away in a bin.

It was really fun to go back and look at everything. I realized that even though it’s only been 11 years since I graduated high school,  some of my memories–especially those of my elementary school days–are already starting to get fuzzy. It took me a minute to remember my 1st grade teacher’s name.  While some of my school projects I vividly remember, others I don’t really remember doing. Even class photos–some of my elementary school classmates I have a hard time remembering their names!

It was then that I decided to make my own school scrapbook. There’s no rule that says you can only make school albums for your children. Your own school days memories are worth remembering, too. It doesn’t matter how many years it’s been since you were a student!

Here’s what I’m going to do:

• Place all my band programs, awards, and other papers that are 8 1/2″ x 11″ or less inside 8 1/2″ x 11″ page protectors. That way, the pieces are accessible and can be pulled out of the protectors and looked at more closely if needed. If I have specific memories about certain pieces of memorabilia, I will add some journaling to a piece of cardstock and adhere it to the outside of the page protector (kind of like a label), or even just stick it right down inside the protector.
• Larger memorabilia, like art projects, I will either copy and reduce using Archiver’s color copier (the copies are archival quality!) and stick inside page protectors, or take a photo of the object. Some of my report cards and other papers are already starting to fade, so I’ll probably make copies of those, too.
• I’m going to use pocket pages for my 4×6 photos and smaller memorabilia. If I have certain memories I want to remember, I’ll write them down on a piece of cardstock and stick that in one of the pockets. I especially want to make sure I write down my teacher’s name for each grade, memories that especially stick out in my mind, stuff like that.
• I also have a pile of classmates’ wallet-sized senior photos/school photos that I’ve hung on to and never known quite what to do with. I’ll adhere them to 4×6 cardstock pieces (two photos per piece), label with names, and slide them inside my pocket pages, too.
• I’ll embellish some of the pocket pages using self-adhesive embellishments, rub-ons, or strips of patterned paper. There are so many cute school products at Archiver’s that I’ll have lots of fun options!
• I’ll mix all my page protectors and pocket pages inside a binder. I may divide them by grade, or maybe I’ll put all my art projects together, band memories together, etc.

My goal for this project isn’t to make an elaborate scrapbook; instead, I’m focusing mostly on making sure my memories are recorded. If I have time, I can always go back and embellish the pocket pages more, or add some extra creative touches here and there, but if I don’t, that’s OK. Simple is OK. The most important thing is that I organize and write down my memories now, while I still (mostly) remember them!