Lately I’ve been thinking about growth. About how sometimes we can’t recognize it in ourselves, and also about how in so many small moments there are opportunities to be reaching for it.

I think growth can look like learning how to bike or cook or speak a language for the first time. It can look like showing ourselves care and committing to learning more about ourselves. And it can look like developing relationships with others, making our communities stronger, more loving, and more resilient.

One of my favorite things about the Observer is that it has allowed me to grow and develop in so many ways. Here, I’ve learned not only about design and editing, but also about communication and compassion—about what it feels like to create something and to be proud of that something.

This semester (and every semester), we at the Observer are pursuing growth. We are focusing on cohesion, inclusivity, and community. We are pushing ourselves to think holistically and cooperatively, connecting the different pieces of what we do to form a unified product. We are looking to connect with people who are excited about creating and innovating. And as we do these things—each one of us involved in something bigger than ourselves—we are always thinking of you, our readers and an extended part of our community.

Our magazine tells stories and asks questions, and to know that all of you are on the other side of that feels both daunting and incredible. We hope to be producing content that affirms you, that challenges you, that resonates with you. What we do is never perfect, but we’re always reaching, and I think there’s something powerful and hopeful and special in that.

I’m really looking forward to sharing this semester together. Thank you for allowing us to grow with you.