Dear Readers,

This Spring Break, I found myself out west in my half-brother’s beautiful, perpetually renovated home in Salt Lake City, Utah. As a die-hard, nearly lifelong, East Coaster, I’ve always been uninterested in living anywhere that doesn’t touch the Atlantic. But after a whole week of playing with big dogs, ransacking a fridge full of fancy cheeses, and spending quality time with family—all backdropped with stunning mountain ranges as far as the eye can see—I’m starting to understand the hype surrounding Manifest Destiny. When I try to make sense of my loyalty to the East, it all comes down to the media I consumed growing up—Gilmore Girls, The Great Gatsby, Gossip Girl, etc. (just to name an odd few). I fell in love with the coexistence of old and new: bustling cities with skyscraper-adorned skylines, cobblestone streets lining brownstones, lazy beach towns with cozy coffee shops, countless museums tasked with preserving rich histories and cultures. While I’m sure this blend of past and present exists out west, I am content with appreciating it in small doses—one Spring Break at a time, perhaps.

Our writers this week are doing their fair share of post-break reflection. In Feature, Audrey takes us around the world to the Lourdes Maria Cave and its replicas as they reflect on the role and spread of Catholicism. Our other Feature writer, Nahye, takes to journaling for introspection and recordkeeping. Three of our writers are feeling particularly pensive about the passage of time: Tarini’s piece touches on spiraling in three acts, Vanessa tries to find home in the spaces between fleeting moments, and Maxwell is inspired by the film About Time to be more present and avoid letting his life slip by. Also in A&C, Jamie uses Jannabi’s album Small Pieces II: Grippin’TheGreen to meditate on depression and rain. Meanwhile, our Lifestyle writers are reflecting on springtime and friendships: Jedidiah stops to smell the roses and gives suggestions for what to do on College Hill this spring, while Daniella shares a list of things she has adopted from her friends. In post-pourri, Susanne writes a bittersweet letter to the childhood bedroom she will soon leave. Last, but certainly not least, this week’s crossword—made by the wonderful AJ—is a blast to the past!

Despite calling Cuba and Miami our first and second homes, my half-brother and I could not have more divergent convictions about living out west. Namely, he would not trade his adventurous and outdoorsy lifestyle for the world, much less for the cities in New England I’ve grown to love. Though this means we’ll likely never live in the same place again, I think there’s something special about bringing those you love into your world, even if it’s just for a few days at a time—or, in the case of this lovely little magazine, one issue at a time.

Expanding my horizons,
Katheryne Gonzalez
Narrative Managing Editor