As another September begins at UMass, I’m reminded of my own start in Room 324—now only a memory, since I’ve left.

Photography used to be a simple hobby, but it grew into a powerful way of seeing—and advocating for— communities often overlooked. Behind the lens, I realized the responsibility I carried in how those stories were captured and shared. This writing reflects on the ways photography connected me to cultures beyond my own and helped me honor them with authenticity and care.

Sometimes, things slowly stop feeling right with someone—and moving forward in life means leaving something behind and learning how to be alone again.

This essay draws from the same inspiration and themes as my personal piece, “What If/Now?” As graduation approaches, I continue to grapple with how to plan for the future without becoming detached from the present. In all of this, my mother has been my greatest guide—my own Martin Heidegger—helping me navigate this transitional period and what it means to be “thrown into time.”