It’s surreal to be back on campus after being away for so long.

I never thought we would get to a place where I can sit at a table, write stories, and see all my peer’s faces. Even if it’s just their eyes, it’s still enough to be a breath of fresh air for me. I couldn’t imagine doing everything from home. I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime. Having everyone in the same room proved to be the difference-maker in making this experience a memorable one. 

Despite moving forward from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still ways we’ve taken steps back, and not just with rising numbers in our daily COVID-19 case counts. From entertainment, social media, and the journalism industry, we’ve witnessed some of the worst things imaginable. Not just in our own country, but worldwide. Even in our own college. We wanted to capture the many influential events that happened this year and look beyond the outlook of the pandemic. We wanted to answer the question of what it all means moving forward.

My classmates and I entered the journalism program three years ago wanting to write meaningful and impactful stories. I wouldn’t have thought we would be facing obstacles with a temporary use-of-space policy that prevents us from doing any reporting on campus. It’s eye-opening to have obstacles in your way to report, but it shows the glaring hole that we, as journalists, must try and jump to be able to tell stories and be able to have the entire college as our lab to conduct interviews, take pictures, and film footage. These aren’t lofty goals, and it isn’t wishful thinking. 

This magazine will discuss a wide range of topics that impact our industry. Discuss necessary changes that need to happen. As well as discuss the way the industry has been innovative despite the pandemic. But I don’t know what the industry will look like as we move beyond the pandemic. I won’t lie, the uncertainty leaves me anxious. I don’t want to disappoint myself by shoving false hope to calm my anxiety. However, I know that right now, there needs to be change so that we not only get a clear answer, but we also know that the necessary changes have been made. If not, then we’ll make them.

I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better team to put this magazine together. Our collective effort illuminates on each page. Every story, written by the talented individuals I proudly call my peers, reflects the current outlook of not just journalism, but other aspects such as music, movies, and social media. Canadian media and the creative arts industry will continue to grow. We will continue to move forward into a post-pandemic life, but we won’t forget the bigger picture. I hope this magazine sparks the necessary conversations that need to happen to make said picture a reality in 2022, but more importantly, it pushes us to continue to reflect to better ourselves and those around us.

CHRISTIAN COLLINGTON

Convergence Editor-in-Chief 2021