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Date September 11, 2025
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From coastline keepsakes to an unfinished cat: Class of 2029 brings beloved bits of home to Brown

With their first week of classes in the books, five members of Brown’s newest class shared some comforts from home that they’d brought along.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — There’s been no shortage of activity among the members of Brown University’s Class of 2029.

Having moved into residence halls, marched through the Van Wickle Gates at Opening Convocation and forged new friendships during a packed schedule of Orientation events, Brown’s newest students are navigating the University’s Open Curriculum and taking advantage of the legendary “shopping period” to explore courses and varied interests.

As routines take shape and students settle in, many will inevitably begin to experience something shared by nearly all college students at some point during their Brown journey — missing people, places or parts of home.

In the vignettes below, five members of the Class of 2029 shared some their most cherished items that help ease their transition, whether home is just minutes away or across the globe.

Treasures from the tides

Hannah Legault holds a jar of seashellsHannah Legault 

Keene, New Hampshire 

“About half of the shells are from Puerto Rico. I went on a service trip there with a community service group back in February. And then the other half are from a trip I went on with my sister and some other people down to Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina. It was a long road trip from New Hampshire, but we made it! These shells are special because they remind me of the friends I went on the trips with.” 

Loved ones through a lens

Samuel Rodriguez displays a polaroid photoSamuel Rodriguez

Yonkers, New York 

“I decided to bring pictures because they remind me of friends and family who I hold very dear and near to my heart. This one of my girlfriend reminds me that I’m not the only one who’s going through college and everything. She’s going through the same thing as me, and I have someone by my side who’s going to be able to help me get through this. It was taken during a Christmas get-together, which is also just a really nice reminder of my close friends back home.”

A meow-ment to remember

Ramya Rajan holds a handpainted ceramic catRamya Rajan

Mason, Ohio 

“This is the little pottery cat my mom and I were painting when I found out I got into Brown. I had been waiting for my results, and my mom took me to a pottery-painting place because she wanted to get my mind off of things. But I got my acceptance email in the middle of the store, and I started crying, and then my mom started crying, and we couldn’t even finish painting the cat — you can see how the paws are still white and unfinished.”

Bonding over the ‘Blues’

Naji Ghandour wears a Chelsea FC shirtNaji Ghandour 

Memphis, Tennessee 


“I’ve been a supporter of Chelsea F.C. — the Blues — since I was a really young kid, and funny enough, my friend who put me on to them went to Brown. I’ve always been into soccer. I’ve played soccer my whole life, and especially when I was younger, I’d always wake up to watch Chelsea play on weekends. As I got older, my dad and I would go to places that would show games, and it kind of became the thing we did together every weekend.” 

Memories in a bottle

Daren Crespo holds a bottle of cologneDaren Crespo

Newark, New Jersey 

“This cologne came from Ecuador. My mother went there on a trip to help her family, and she brought this back for me around eight months ago. During the past eight months, I wore the cologne a lot, and it kind of became my signature scent. But it reminds me of my mother, who’s the one who raised me alongside my sister. Coming to Brown, I brought this and another cologne she bought me; even though people might recognize me by the smell, I always recognize my mother when I smell it.”

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Campus Life Open Curriculum The College

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