Dear readers of The Common Room,
Let me write “out of character” of the magazine for a moment. In my time as an editor for this magazine, my appreciation for the creativity found within critical essays has grown more and more each year. While the use of the word creative may be unconventional, I believe it wholeheartedly. When The Common Room made its move towards interdisciplinary studies, the articles that would fall into our laps were not only new in their arguments and ideas, but the essays and arguments I wrote became new and exciting both in and outside of this magazine.
I’ve always felt that each essay I wrote for class was important, whether it was English Literature, History, Education, Philosophy, etc. They are important to me because writing is one of my main methods of infusing meaning into my life. It is gravely important to me what a book is saying about the core tenets of life, love, truth, and honor. Art is how we can best communicate our human experiences to each other. Writing critical essays about art, deconstructing the meaning behind them, decoding the messages they’re trying to communicate, is so pivotal not just for author-reader relationships but for people-to-people relationships. After critically analyzing a painting, book, TV show, or video game, you learn so much about yourself and the people who enjoy it. You learn about the themes, philosophies, and messages that are inextricable to yourself and the people around you.
As I am on my way out, I implore you to keep being critical, to keep analyzing, and to keep infusing meaning into your life. Receive the message each text is trying to send out to you and everyone else. It has been an absolute pleasure and honor to be in service of this magazine. Special thanks to Professor Roya Biggie for inviting me into this space. Keep talking in our common room.
Sincerely,
Chieko Dunham ’25
Editor of The Common Room, 2023-2025
