This necklace has been one of my most meaningful pieces ever since my grandma gifted it to me after my high school graduation. It was her way of marking a transition. Me and my cousins all received the same style, but each with our own birthstone in the center. Mine holds a peridot stone surrounded by tiny diamonds, a little flash of green that feels like it belongs uniquely to me. It’s one of those pieces that instantly ties me to my family, to tradition, and to the people who have watched me grow up.

Every time I wear this necklace, I’m brought right back to the moment I walked across the stage, grabbed my diploma, and felt that shift, when something ends and something bigger is about to begin. Wearing it reminds me of stepping into my next chapter at Northern Michigan University, carrying that mix of nervousness and excitement. It’s more than jewelry; it’s proof of where I’ve been and what I’m working toward.