Ritu Lall

Hello, I’m Ritu. I’m a Cognitive Science major and student living in Athens, GA. One thing that is central to my identity is my love for creative pursuits. Anytime something creative interests me, I end up dabbling in it for a little bit, even if I don't end up keeping up with it for a long period of time. One of the hobbies I stumbled back upon recently is making jewelry. It was something I loved doing growing up, and I have many brightly colored and hastily made bracelets to prove it. While I was getting tired of spending money on jewelry that would rust and sport a copper colored sheen within a few weeks, there was something else that truly sparked my interest in making jewelry. My younger sister found out she had a nickel allergy, and she couldn't wear the few necklaces she owned anymore. Most nickel-free jewelry either wasn't her style or was too expensive, so I decided to make some jewelry for her. I started upcycling old necklaces and buying nickel-free materials to make necklaces and bracelets. Unfortunately, I decided to be cheap on buying the right pliers to cut and connect the metal chains, so I cut my hands a few times in the process. I've made most of the jewelry my sister wears now, and it makes me happy to see the joy my creativity can bring someone else. Although I don't make jewelry as often as I used to, I want to continue to use my creativity to make people feel included and just overall to make others happier.