on Essence

by Emma Miao, Editor-in-Chief
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Essence: “the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character.”

What is our character? What keeps us going? What do we think about before bed and when we wake up? These are questions we answer and re-answer month by month, year by year, throughout our lives. We might be images plastered at the end of the universe, but that doesn’t stop us from reaching out our stick-figure hands for the whispers of maple trees in autumn or the dying rays of summer sun, Spanish Banks stretching into July. 

When I ask myself what is the essence of our school year, what made our school year special, it is not COVID that comes to mind. We did not let COVID hamper our laughter, smiles, friendships. We bonded together and became stronger through the plastic sheets, the social distancing, the tiny on-screen rectangles. At Surging Tide, we held online meetings and open-art zooms. We edited each others’ pieces, chatting about exams and classes, art exhibits and literary journals. 

Michelle, Wren, Ellie, Lucas, Elsa, Angel, Mikaela, Eden, Alex, Leah, Stephanie, Rubi, Zara, and Tiffany, thank you for grounding me—grounding us—this year. I’m so glad we created something unifying and beautiful out of the chaos, and I’m so thrilled to continue working on Surging Tide Magazine next year with you next year. To those graduating, your leadership, ideas, and art and writing will be dearly missed next year. Go shake up the world; we’ll be watching. 

Dear reader, we’ve been slowly finding our essence as a magazine, publication by publication. Thank you for staying with us, for supporting us. We’re grateful for you, and we hope you enjoy Issue Four.