Editor's Checkout

As spring arrives, it is time to bid our farewells to Interlude from the class of 2022 with most of us having made our college decisions, ready to move on to the next stage of our lives. I understand the sentiment of anxiety mixed with the excitement of surrounding yourself with a new environment and new people all too well. 

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As an immigrant to the U.S., I experienced moving to new learning environments and grasping new cultures as I desperately tried to fit into the mold that society has formed for people like me. I never truly felt like I fit in with the other children, who have been living in America their whole lives, growing up with Cartoon Network and Lunchables while I speak my native tongue and eat dumplings and bao buns. 

 

As I grew older, over and over again I rejected my Asian identity. I refused to act the way that I was so familiar with, and I didn’t dare to speak any Chinese in front of my new American friends. I was ashamed of the fact that I was ashamed of myself and my culture. I hid the new side of me from the rest of my family and still continued to act according to their expectations. I fulfilled my role of a filial pious Chinese daughter, doing my parents’ every bidding and obeying their wishes. I felt like I was cracked down the middle, stretched so thin that I suffocated myself in my own head. 

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Maturity came later for me; the COVID pandemic was a blessing in disguise, as I had more time to myself. I became more in touch with my identity, both as a Chinese American and as someone that I could feel comfortable being. The pandemic also allowed me to reflect on my thoughts and experiences from the past decade which is where Interlude stemmed from. I want to be able to create more representation for marginalized groups, as well as an outlet for people to materialize their devotion to the world into words on a page. Interlude was created as a stepping stone for young people to be able to move forward in their lives, whether that be to college, a new job, or simply moving past an emotional state of mind. 

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I would like to thank all of my friends and family who were able to help make this project a reality and for their continued support that led me to continue despite the challenges. Specifically, I would like to thank my co-founder and all of my writers, designers, and technology director for their passion and relentless hard work that they put into Interlude. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and amazing ideas with all of us and making media more accessible. With the next generation of Interlude taking over in July, I would like to congratulate them on their hard work and accomplishments and wish them good luck for the remainder of their time in high school and their journey throughout their academic careers. Interlude is not simply a magazine or a website, but more a concept, in which creative freedom is always encouraged, and the sharing of intellect and passions is valued. 

 

Thank you for all your continued support. 

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Sophia Zhang 
Co-Founder/Writer