Dear Reader, 

**The Plant officially became incorporated as a non-profit organization over the break. This new chapter of The Plant will in no doubt be extraordinary. We are able to protect our writers, put out what we believe is true (without censorship), and continue to uplift the voices of students here at Dawson in the way that we want to. We thank everyone who voted in the referendum, and helped us earn our independence. We won’t let you down!** 

I sit in our all-hands meeting at The Plant, and I admire the people in the room around me. Everyone here is so full of life; they are all passionate, creative, intelligent, and hard-working people. Tears fill my eyes, as I realize how much The Plant has shaped my time at Dawson, and without the people sitting in the room with me, I would not be where I am. 
Winter semesters are extremely difficult. There is freezing cold weather, bundling up in a million layers just to boil when you get inside, lugging your heavy coat and boots everywhere with you, hot coffee cooling, feeling isolated, slipping on ice, sun setting at 4pm. I am finding this semester especially difficult, with a kick of senioritis and the depressing daily news. However, I have found that The Plant is an escape from that darkness outside, and hones a wonderful community of intellects and humanists. 
I hope that when you read The Plant, you find some sort of comfort too. May the words encapsulate you, and motivate you to continue reading, to write, to hang out with friends, to strike a conversation, to read a book, to think… At the end of the day, this paper is about sharing stories and facts, while building a surrounding community. 
I recently accepted my offer to study journalism at a university in Halifax this September, I could not be more excited. But this feeling is bittersweet – I look back on this wonderful community that I have been welcomed into and think about how our time is fleeting. We only get to be together for the short 2-3 years we spend at CEGEP. Yet I think that encapsulates the CEGEP experience quite well. You meet incredible people who change your life, teach you so many things about yourself, what you want, who you are, etc… And then, you move on. This ephemeral period of CEGEP is foundational to growth and young adulthood, as it is incredibly moving. 

I have only been Editor-in-Chief since December, but I can already feel my grip loosening on the paper, as it slowly becomes a sweet memory. I sit in our office 2C.12 everyday as I admire the team around me, knowing that in a few short months I will have to leave. Before I walk the stage at graduation, I want to soak up every single moment of this job and spend every minute I can with this team. Along with my co-editor-in-chief, Minola, who has been my rock throughout our incorporation process and my personal transition to being an Executive. 

While the snow falls outside, university decisions roll in, students clack away at their keyboards, and the groggy slush slowly turns into a budding spring – I hope you find warmth in your community at Dawson. 

With Love,
Jackie Graif

Editor-in-Chief