Dear Reader,

Warmly insulated in a heavy padded jacket and walking home on a winter night, I watch as the clock on my phone changes its digits, defining a new day. Time, a natural force that runs ceaselessly, is labeled by us and partitioned into perceivable units that store our memories. With the year edging towards its end, we revisit the moments that have filled it to the brim, seasoning it with retrospective thoughts. Reader, how is your time flowing? Inside the Herald clubroom, time is fleeting more swiftly than ever, channeled into delivering our last edition of the semester. We hope that it reaches your hands when you take a breather from your studies or go on a search for something newsworthy after you sit your last exam. 

Repeating in my head are fragments of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto that our orchestra performed a few weeks back. I listen to our recording of the piece, reliving the moment of bows swaying and fingers shifting in tandem with the notes that erupt from all parts of the orchestra. The solo violin sings in a mellow voice, making way for a rising tutti that is so overwhelming yet refreshing that it removes a huge load from my chest. The romantic music traverses across the length of a century, keeping me company and acting as a guardian for my emotions when they fluctuate and lose their course. 

A sensitive, tearful, and tormented man, Tchaikovsky composed his distinguished concerto in Switzerland, where he was suffering from bouts of depression after a failed marriage. He was devastated when the piece was ruthlessly gunned down at its premiere by critics for being “long and pretentious”, “odorously Russian” and that it demanded the violin to be “pulled, torn, and shredded” — reviews quite unimaginable to the avid listeners of today. It is unfathomable how, in severe agony and despair, he was able to carve a piece so ethereal and transform life’s peaks and valleys into the rawest expressions. 

Purpose and motivation lose their clarity amidst muddled days and weeks. Fears about economic security and paths to take after graduation plague today’s young adults. Across the world, many are unfortunately embroiled in a woeful history, finding themselves fleeing marginalization and violence from their homeland. Pain transcends all boundaries regardless of magnitude. For me, this semester was the toughest out of all. But each time I see a more tempered version of myself being able to push through with lesser force than before, I am relieved that such times were not so meaningless after all, although not as powerful to the extent of channeling artistic inspiration as it did for Tchaikovsky.

Nearing the year’s end, I conjure up those who have brought more color to my year. Those I shared my thoughts and feelings with, those whose mere presence gave warmth and comfort, even without the need for words. Those I could not meet up with frequently due to conflicting schedules but could brighten my day with a short lunch together. Those living in a different part of the globe but have always sent support and encouragement when I needed it most, and whom I’ve always rooted for in my heart. Remember both your good and bad times, reflect on the memories you have earned, and appreciate the closest people around you. With these words, I wish you a warm holiday. 

Chaeyeon Ryu

Editor-in-Chief