Creating zines throughout my twenties has truly become an unexpected yet priceless personal archive, chronicling the emotional and life experiences that have shaped me. Each zine acts as a time capsule, reflecting major events like my first heartbreak and navigating situationships, dealing with the uncertainty of 2020 during the pandemic, and moving overseas which brought tremendous growth and reflection. One aspect that stood out was the way I used my zines not just to document events but also to process feelings and explore self-love, platonic relationships, and familial bonds. For example, my 24th-year zine contained a dictionary of unique words I coined to articulate complex emotions I struggled to define at the time. This creative process helped me understand and embrace my journey a little better each year. I also found immense value in incorporating advice from strangers and friends’ artwork into my zines, which broadened the scope of perspectives and enriched the content. At 26, collecting these insights was therapeutic and deeply connecting. Moving beyond emotional exploration, I started a zine series focused on styling tips inspired by my favorite childhood magazines. This shift not only reflected my evolving interests but also gave me a way to celebrate personal style and the cultural influences that shaped me. For anyone considering zinemaking, I highly recommend it as a form of physical media that fosters creativity, self-reflection, and emotional healing. It’s a tactile, personal project that captures moments and lessons in a unique, intimate format often lost in digital sharing. Whether you’re documenting challenges or inspirations, zines provide a beautiful medium to visually and narratively archive your personal growth over time.