Activity Guide: How to Make a Time Capsule
The past year was quite the whirlwind – there were downs, ups, lessons learned, lots of walks, video chats, home-cooked meals, and (virtual) quality time spent with friends and family. I also kept on finding ways to have fun at home and try new things, which is something I plan to continue doing! It’s for this reason – and because 2020 was a year like no other – that I decided to create a time capsule filled with my mini memories.
Here’s my step-by-step guide:
1. Picking a Capsule
The first thing I did was look through closets and cabinets until I found the perfect container – a medium-sized glass jar. I want to put in a few itty-bitty things, so I was looking for a capsule that can hold about 5 to 8 small items and still be easily hidden. If you plan on making an outdoor-friendly time capsule, then I would recommend using a weather-proof and non-biodegradable container!
2. Tiny Treasures
This is the toughest part – choosing what to place inside! So far, I have a friendship bracelet that I got in the mail, a super-sweet birthday card, a homemade holiday decoration, three printed photographs, and a certificate I got from school. As long as it’s compact and meaningful, it can easily go into a time capsule!
3. Signs of the Times
Together with personal items, I also want to include some information that relates directly to 2020. To do that, I’ll take a paper and write down the year’s most popular movie, a fun fashion trend, an unforgettable news story, the score of a big sports game, and where I see myself in 10 years from now. Should be interesting to read all of that in a decade!
4. Hiding – How Long?
I did just give you a sneak peek of the answer to this question: I plan on hiding my time capsule for 10 years. Of course, the longer I keep it hidden, the stronger the effect will be once I take it out, but for some reason 10 years speaks to me. This is a very personal choice, however! There’s no right or wrong here.
5. Special Spot
I’ll be keeping my time capsule at home, in a part of the basement where my family members or I would rarely look! If you want to keep it indoors like me, an attic or the back of a closet work just as well. The goal is to not have someone stumble on it! If you’re leaning towards burying it outside, then a public place like a park works too – just make sure there will be no construction there!
Once I finish decorating and putting together my time capsule, the final step will be to set a ton of reminders so that I don’t forget to open it! I’ll be creating yearly digital reminders as well as a few hand-written notes to relive these memories right on time.
