Can I tell you something candidly?

I’m running out of ideas. No, not ideas about the kinds of TV shows I wish would get made or what I would do if I won the lottery — I’m full of those. I mean, I’m running out of ideas for how to open these letters.

Please, PLEASE do not stop reading just yet. I still need to preview the very talented onslaught of stories written by my staff, who are (mostly) not experiencing the same Senior Slump.

I would have maybe used this space to test my comedic chops, but we have a very special April issue that will let me show off. I don’t really have anything interesting or provocative to say about my life (not until after spring break) and I’m sick and tired of complaining about the weather (as are many of our writers, which you will come to find out).

Between the seemingly endless job search, mountains of essays, a light sprinkling of dedicated thesis writing and a normal amount of daily procrastination… February has been a flurry (literally) of nonstop movement. But, enough about me.

These past weeks have been even busier for Notre Dame alum Jadin O’Brien, as she made her Olympic debut in Italy. Our cover story details how she exchanged her spikes for a sled and the insane dedication required to compete at that caliber.

This issue promises to mesh the real world and Notre Dame bubble by bringing you pop culture reviews of the halftime show and poignant interviews from a campus club about the state of immigration in the United States.

Writers reminisce over Valentine’s Day sentiments, both good and bad, and Valentine’s Day movies like “Wuthering Heights,” which is also up for interpretation. We hope to make you laugh, envisioning “Survivor” being filmed on campus. We hope to make you cry alongside the Class of 2026 as they make the cursed countdown from 100 Days Dance until graduation. In solidarity with any current or future seniors, I have chosen to redact the official number of days.

So thank you, reader, for being my captive audience and allowing all of Scholastic to process our thoughts and frustrations.

If nothing else, we made it through the shortest month of the year. To me, that’s something worth celebrating.

Cheers to that,

Tess Reinhart