CENTRAL REVIEW • SPRING 2020 • 1
editor’s note
Dear Readers,
Last semester, when my team and I sat down to choose the theme for the Spring 2020 issue, we thought The Reemerging Twenties would be perfect. We expected the turn of the decade to inspire creators with its possibilities for fresh hope, new starts, and unwritten chapters. We were thinking more flapper dresses and faux-fur stoles instead of face masks and plastic gloves, but I guess 2020 had a bit of a different idea. We are currently living through the moments that will be written about in history books. While all the political strife and governmental highs and lows will definitely be recorded, studied, and dissected just like the AIDS pandemic, the flu pandemic, or any of the six Cholera pandemics, I can’t help but wonder how the feeling of this moment will be translated to future generations. Will they know how bored we were? Will they know all that we missed out on? Will they know that we weren’t okay? At Central Review, we pride ourselves on being an outlet for students during all times—good, bad, and quarantined—so the decision to extend our deadline was a no-brainer and I am so happy we did. I always knew how powerful the arts were but reading all the submissions solidified that fact in a new way. Art expresses things that can’t be materialized in a history book. Art can and will translate unspeakable feelings through time and space. If you don’t believe me, just read this issue. This is my last year at CMU and my last semester with Central Review. Of all the ways I planned to celebrate my ending to such a beautiful time in my life, this was not even close to one of them. With tears in my eyes, I know I am leaving Central Review in the most capable and talented hands, even if this isn’t how I wanted to leave. Though our expectations of 2020 didn’t go as planned, it’s important to remember that this is not wasted time. Use these months as an opportunity to explore your passions, practice self-care, and write, paint, sing, or dance to your heart’s content. Art will never be dictated by a space; it can happen anywhere. All that’s left to say is stay inspired, stay safe, and stay inside. Sincerely, Editor-in-Chief
