Dear Readers, 

For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with the perfect goodbye. I was consumed by Siena’s goodbye the first time I read it; I cried when I came across my own name in Aditi’s piece. I was in awe of their ability to perfectly capture what graduating seniors feel every spring—exactly how I am feeling right now. I have struggled more than I would like to admit to write this short editor’s note, starting and restarting drafts to find a way to express both the grief and the gratitude I feel right now. See, I have spent one evening every week for the last four years huddled around this tiny table with far too few chairs in the upstairs of 88 Benevolent Street, surrounded by people who are nothing short of pure joy. There have been nights that I thought I physically could not laugh any harder, incapacitated over the dumbest Top Tens or meme formats, when editing felt like an impossible task to ask of me. Goodbyes are hard, and even harder when you are as lucky as I am to have a place like post- to call home.

This week in post-, two of my very best friends say their goodbyes too. In Feature, Alissa muses on the presence of the moon in different phases of her life, and in Lifestyle, Katherine writes a time capsule of memories for herself and future Brown students, reflecting on her four years at Brown. In the second Feature, Ayoola also speaks to endings, writing about learning to be present as someone who likes to plan ahead. In Narrative, Ana similarly ruminates on living in the moment, considering the time and patience she has learned through her darkroom photography class. Lynn, our second Narrative writer, speaks to how food can preserve family traditions and bring people together. Angel in post-pourri also writes about food, recommending a recipe for spaghetti sauce. In A&C this week, Jamie writes about meeting one of her favorite poets, and AJ reflects on Farewell My Concubine 22 years after its release. In our second Lifestyle piece, Chelsea compiles a list of poem suggestions, pondering their meaning in relation to each month of her freshman year at Brown. Finally, to top it off, a big crossword this week by Lily is filled with Brown-inspired clues. 

I write this in Rhode Island Hall, having finally come inside after one of those idyllic Main Green days that is almost impossible to tear yourself away from. Today, I stayed longer than I needed to, lingering in the last drops of the day’s sunshine. In these final weeks, I hope you will take the time to appreciate the people and the places that make you whole—to linger, to drag out moments at doorsteps and lunches and late nights. In these final weeks, I will prolong my goodbyes. 

As I write this, I can’t help but notice how similar it is to other last editor’s notes—other seniors saying their goodbyes to post- and to Brown. Just as they always have, the traditions that I have fallen in love with will continue on, and in another four years, someone I have never met may be writing a variation of these same words for post-. I will read them with nostalgia for the past and all that I cannot return to, but most of all, with gratitude for the privilege of having been a small part of what makes this magazine so special. 

Reading future issues of post-,
Tabitha Lynn
Lifestyle Managing Editor