Editor's Note

Dear FM, This spring marks the end of a year-long homecoming, the return to campus we so eagerly awaited. Two years ago, we were slouching listlessly in our childhood bedrooms, falling asleep in Zoom lectures and watching sourdough rise. By now, though, we’ve cycled through an entire, relatively-normal school year, from the joyful flurry of fall to the frenetic pace of spring, and now, almost, to the year’s denouement and the renewal of summer. To celebrate this year of movement, the theme of our end-of-year issue is momentum: the strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events. Think acceleration, impetus, speed. Gears grinding, wheels turning, traction gained. Social movements and cultural tides. Getting back into old grooves and forging new ones. Where we came from and where we’re headed. TS starts us off with a scoop on Cambridge’s plan to build over 20 miles of new protected bike lanes, and how the plan has brushed up against small businesses’ need for parking space. JFA takes us around town to Toke N Paint, an event where participants smoke weed and make art, and explores how Black entrepreneurs are breaking into the cannabis business. MJH covers the unionization efforts that are picking up steam at coffee shops in the area, from Pavement to Darwin’s. HL has two pieces in this issue — first, a profile of a freshman who teaches fitness classes at the Mac and the Hemenway — and has been a certified instructor since the ripe old age of 14. Second, a scoop on HUDS accommodations for students who celebrated Ramadan. KIB takes us along to Harvard’s Institute for Learning in Retirement, where age does nothing to slow down students’ love of learning. Next up is a bevy of brilliant introspections. A few of them are about motion, or speeding up; JKW recalls a biking accident from her childhood and how it taught her about the value of family and the passage of time. ITM draws similarities between her 5am rowing practices and close reading exercises in her English classes, in a poignant piece about mindfulness and the body. BYC chronicles the return of spring to Harvard’s campus in his photo essay, from daffodils blooming along the Charles to students playing spikeball in the Yard. The next few are about slowing down and reflecting, even when that’s an act of resistance. EDP takes us along for a nostalgic drive along Sunset Boulevard, and writes about how a solitary summer in LA changed her relationship with memory and herself. MX writes an important meta-introspection about The Crimson’s culture of overwork and the toll it’s taken on Crimeds past and present. MMFW talks to Jaime Drucker, who works at Harvard Hillel, about Shabbat and the purpose of rest amid a hectic life. MG writes a letter to her freshman year, long-awaited and now coming to a close, about the ways it fulfilled, exceeded, and changed her expectations. We’ve got a couple bonus endpapers, too — EAG reflects on speaking Amharic and how her changing fluency has affected the connection she feels to her Ethiopian heritage. BBWF writes about an emotional catharsis stemming from an unlikely catalyst — a YouTube video about a lobster being rescued from the supermarket — and how it changed their understanding of identity and grief. The inimitable TMB anchors this issue with our last scrutiny of the year, in which she lifts the veil on the full range of mental health resources on campus. From calling CAMHS to visiting Room 13, she takes a critical look to see what’s working and what’s not, and ultimately imagines a more universal mosaic of care, one that might help us all chart new paths and help our friends do the same. And finally, no good issue of FM is complete without some advice for our favorite confused freshman, Josh. This time around, he happens to be stuck in a rut (poor guy). Luckily, some of our execs were generous enough to provide their sage advice on how to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and — wait for it — regain some momentum. As we head off for sun-soaked mornings and lazy afternoons, we hope you’ll keep up the momentum, all the energy and optimism that came with traditions resumed and friendships renewed. But we encourage you to interrogate it, too — to reflect on how far you’ve come and examine the journey ahead. To pause, to breathe, to rest. As for me, now that I finally have a moment of respite, I’m feeling immensely grateful for this community and proud of everything we’ve accomplished this semester. We’ve put out 10 issues, full of beautiful writing that’s made me laugh, cry, and everything in between — and always makes me see this campus and its goings-on through a new lens. That’s no small feat. A non-exhaustive list of thank-yous: To all of our staff writers, for innovative pitches each week, for creative icebreakers, and for having the heart and passion to write for this magazine, week after week. To our compers, for breathing new life into this magazine, and for assuring us that its future is brighter than ever. To our execs, for lively discussions and thoughtful editing. To JFA and KL, for administrative help and Twitter wizardry, pitch emails that never fail to bring a smile to my face, and Monday night walks back from 14p past midnight. To MMFW and SWF for making the inaugural Fringe Prom a smashing success, and for caring so much about making this community inclusive and fun. To HRTW and MX, for leading the comp class with poise and wit — you hold the future of this magazine in your hands. To our wonderful design and photo execs, MHS, SS, MH, and JH, for being so patient and generous with your time and for putting up with our nit-picky edits — the final glossy is truly a testament to your dedication and help. To JGG, for innumerable hours spent proofing our pieces at unreasonable times of day (yes, day), for thoughtful edits and kind words; thank you for believing in our little magazine, and thank you for everything you do to keep the free press alive and well on this campus. And to SSL, my trusty co-chair who cares a ridiculous amount about this magazine, who never complains even when she has every right to, who is selfless and witty and whip–smart and a damn good editor. Thank you for a semester of growth and grit and friendship; I have learned so much from you, and I am endlessly grateful to be your friend. And now, SSL and I are going to take a long summer’s nap. Enjoy Issue X, pick up a glossy to procrastinate your studying or to take on the plane/train/bus ride home, and most importantly, HAGS. FM love, MVE & SSL