Editor-in-Chief - Maylis Laverne

Dear reader,

As I stare at the blinking cursor on my empty page, I can’t help but try to distract myself. 

The smell of wafting coffee and warm pastries. The excitement of watching cars play “red light, green light” in the pouring rain that hasn’t stopped since yesterday. The chatter of people at the next table over conveniently slipping through the music I turned down so I could eavesdrop. 

Whether it be sitting down to finally write a letter you’ve been putting off, coping with an injury or failure, struggling to find yourself, or feeling the grief of losing something or someone you loved – each person on this planet has ultimately needed to persevere.

The way I see it, perseverance is one of the joys and hardships that each of us encounters. The act of pushing through when we reach a roadblock and continuing until we inevitably reach the next one is a part of life that allows us to feel true gratification in our achievements.

Perseverance is not something you see in others without hearing them. Throughout my time at Western Washington University, I have been given room to grow into myself. Part of that growth has been realizing that the people around me are struggling and hurting just as much as I am.

Listen.

This is what I wanted writers and editors to achieve this quarter, and this is what I hope you as a reader gain from this edition. Listen to yourself. Listen to the people around you. Find the stories that will inspire and motivate each of us to continue toward our goals. 

To some, this could be considered “my” edition of Klipsun, but I assure you it’s not. I couldn’t have come close to the pride I feel in this edition without the help of each of the dedicated writers, editors, designers, and artistic team who worked tirelessly, in addition to their classes and other jobs, to assemble this beautiful collection of stories. 

As you look through these posts, I hope you will remember to listen, ingest, and learn from these stories. And I hope you will remember to acknowledge your accomplishments, as well as those of the people around you.

Stay warm,

Maylis Laverne