My first artifact is a lock. I used this lock on my locker throughout all four years of high school, and I requested to take it home at the end of my senior year because of its value to me. My years in high school were the best and most transformative years of my life; I gained so many experiences, and I discovered parts of my character that I never acknowledged before. Every day of high school brought a new challenge, but also new memories, and every day would begin the same way: I would unlock my locker, and exchange books and items while I said hello to fellow students, then I would lock my locker and head to my first class. This process each day represented a fresh start. Finally, when the day was over and I was more than ready to go home, I’d go back to my locker, unlock it, fill my book bag with homework, lock my locker, and head out. This process made me feel like I successfully completed another day of high school. After each year of 180 school days, this lock had become such regular part of my daily life that I did not even know the number code any more, I would only know which way to twist the knob to open it.When it was finally my last day of senior year, I was instructed to empty my locker and leave the lock attached. As I was gathering my things and getting ready to leave my school for the last time, I did not want to leave my lock there. That lock represented all of my years in high school, all of the work and time that I had invested into those fours years, and all of the memories that I had made. I went to the office and asked for permission to keep my lock, and it was granted. I now use it to lock my drawer in my dorm room, and each time I open it I am reminded of how hard I worked to get here, and I know that I will continue to work hard to build a better future.