Dear reader,

It’s funny to think that, already, we are halfway through our semester together!

I have made it a mission of mine to enjoy the month more; all it has to offer. The trees that arched overhead in September are now golden. I think there is a particular kind of beauty in this brief, cosy interval, before the trees are bare and the cold settles in for good.

And in that same vein, halfway points, I find, are most forgotten. We’ve lost the novelty of the start, and the end isn’t quite palpable yet. We are somewhere in between. Consumed by midterms, starting to forget the summertime, all while winter break seems too far, far too out of reach.

But there is something lovely about being halfway through! I do not think that everything has to be a new beginning. Not everything has to lead somewhere. Sometimes, it is enough to be here, together, for the time being. So, for just a moment, at least, hold my hand; reflect, relish October’s consummation!

Thank you for picking up the paper. Thank you for reading, for sharing a moment with us, and for letting us share ours with you.

Yours,

Chloe

Dearest Gentle Reader,

I have found that in the past month I cannot speak to anyone without them pointing out how tired I seem. They ask me how I’ve been and no matter how chipper I am when I answer, the conversation ends with them telling me I should rest more.

You might have found yourself in a similar state after midterms, and like myself you might find it fundamentally hard to rest. Asking for help sets my heart racing, a nap feels luxurious when time is so precious, and to-do lists keep piling up. The thing I have a hard time articulating is that in a way I enjoy this. It feels akin to the rush of dopamine after a particularly hard workout, or the satisfaction of putting the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle.

But a high is only felt once the struggle is over, which is still a ways away (9 weeks and counting). I’ve found myself needing to find smaller joys to grab onto, gaps for light to get through. Little reminders that you can take a breath, close your eyes for a moment and enjoy the feeling of your body existing within the world. You do not need to continuously make things harder for yourself; laziness is a myth sold to us by the people that profit from our exhaustion.

Here’s your, and my, reminder that you cannot keep walking endlessly. Every once in a while you must stop to look around and enjoy it. There is no rush, Vienna waits for you. If you crave a moment to just sit and read something other than twenty page pdfs assigned to you, you’ve found the right place.

Always with love,

Orion