An artifact that I feel represents me as a student is an orange rose.  My mother gave me a bouquet of orange roses after I gave my valedictorian speech at my high school commencement.  An orange rose is an excellent representation of my academic career because they represent enthusiasm, passion, and desire.  This can be related to the attitude I hold towards gaining new knowledge.  For me, there is nothing more exciting than learning new things, and I have an insatiable appetite for new information.  After all, knowledge is the only thing that can never be taken away from you!