Since the seventh grade, I have worn a distinct perfume for each year. I never realized the little tradition I created as a pre-teen would become so sentimental.

Beginning in seventh grade, I strutted onto campus feeling on top of the world, my hair flipped into a side part in my Bath and Body Works At The Beach body mist. That bottle holds countless memories, from Bar Mitzvahs to tossing markers in Mr. Hoffman’s Pre-Algebra class to watching the ninth graders cheer and stand on lunch tables when our “four-week spring break” was announced. Every
time I walk by a Bath and Body Works, I am immediately transported to the innocent bliss of seventh grade.

The next year was dominated by quarantine, so my perfume use was limited. However, when given the chance to escape my house to see my friends, I used my mom’s “grown-up” perfume. I recall the perfume in that light pink bottle being strong enough to smell through a mask. Now, all I can smell is riding bikes and hanging out in friends’ backyards, preserving those memories through archived Instagram posts.

I was always told my freshman-year perfume smelled like Sprite. That lemon lime scent holds so many new friendships. I spent many school days not understanding anything in my Biology and English classes with Kate Beckerman. Many evenings consisted of FaceTime with Alexia Aridi as we laughed for hours. My Pacific Lime perfume encapsulates the feeling of spontaneous plans with kids I would’ve never expected to be my closest friends.

The next scent, my sophomore year perfume, was far too strong for everyday wear. The places that this scent takes me back to consist of the old, crusty library couches, and Dr. Stewart’s Chemistry class. I loved going to football games and watching the class of ’23 cheer so loudly. Little did I know how quickly our class would soon be the ones shouting on those bleachers.

Junior year, I dyed my hair, changed my style and bought a Flowerbomb perfume. I experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. The best nights out with friends were paired with hours locked in my room studying for the SAT.

Now I feel like I’ve landed on my favorite perfume: Kayali Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar. This perfume is a sweet, sugary scent that mirrors the bittersweet feelings of senior year.

I have no clue what perfume will define my first year of college, what memories will cling to that new scent. But for now, I’m grateful for these accidental time capsules I created from age 12 and onward. My time at Harvard-Westlake may be ending, but the tradition continues, and I’ll keep track of my life through fragrances. Each time I have the opportunity to fly home from Boston, I’ll be able to inhale the priceless experience I had as a Wolverine.