Dear Readers,
As students, we are taught to meet deadlines, chase ambition, and juggle responsibilities with a smile. But grief doesn’t follow a syllabus. It doesn’t care about exam dates or group projects. It shows up without warning and scatters your focus across every notebook and open tab.
Lately, the days have felt heavier. I recently lost a close friend who supported my endeavors at school. The absence echoes louder than any lecture hall. I’ve been struggling to concentrate, and to care about assignments and schedules. Maybe you know that feeling. Maybe you’ve lost someone or something: a person, a relationship, or a version of yourself. Grief wears many masks.
This is just a small reminder, from me to you, that it’s okay to pause. To breathe. To cry in the middle of your notes or to leave a page blank. You are not falling behind; you are surviving. And in this community, you are not alone.
Be gentle with yourself. Let others carry the load when they can. And if you see someone who seems a little dimmer than usual, remember that we are all carrying stories that don’t always make it to the surface.
Warmly,
Loneleigh Resident
Editor-in-Chief, The Beaver Pride
Dedicated to Dregg, thank you for the beautiful mess of friendship these past five years.