Dear MUSE readers,
We hope that you are all pulling through this stressful period of the semester! If the cold and the deadlines are eating you alive, you deserve a little break. How about reading this issue to take your mind off things?
MUSE’s winter 2024 issue is out!
Since MUSE’s revival last semester, we worried the magazine was dying. Not from a lack of submissions, but because our seasoned editors were all graduating, and we hadn’t welcomed any new people in a long time. Thankfully, this semester was incredibly successful, and about 10 newbies joined the team at the editors’ meeting in September. Thank you to the whole team!
We have received and published beautiful poems, thrilling stories, heartfelt pieces, touching anecdotes, do we need to say more? Is there any better way you could end the semester than cozily sitting in your favorite spot, with a warm cup of tea (or hot chocolate, whatever floats your boat) and reading your fellow students’ enchanting and wonderfully written pieces?
We are also pleased to say that this semester’s MUSE team interviewed our Professor Boris Vejdovsky. We hope you enjoy learning more about him, literature, Swiss-American différance, and, of course, Jacques Derrida!
Furthermore, this issue from your favorite magazine also features the cutest replies to our traditional Ask-the-Students confessional poll on what you would tell your past self if you could go back in time. We would like to thank every student who shared with us their stories, they most certainly touched us!
And now, the moment you have all been waiting for… We are eager to announce the three winning stories of our Short Story Competition on the theme of “People & Places”. . . (drumroll please)…
In first place, Ags’ “Penelope” stole the show! In second place, we have Andreia Abreu Remigio’s “Hurting for People You Don’t Miss,” and finally, CT’s “Embracing the Abyss” earned the third place! Let’s give them and the remaining contestants a huge round of applause for their creativity, hard work, and courage! And we would like to thank our guest judges Matthew Scully, Marie Emilie Walz, BooksBooksBooks’* one and only Matthew Wake, as well as the four MUSE volunteers for their input! Lastly, we would like to also thank Matthew W. for sponsoring MUSE competitions time and time again and, therefore, helping us fuel young minds’ creativity and literary production.
Our whole MUSE team is extremely grateful for every author’s contribution, even if it was just a short response to the poll, rest assured that we truly appreciate it. Sharing a piece of one’s writing for the world to read is like giving away a fragment of one’s self. And we are all deeply touched by your trust in us to transmit your soulful fragments. We are proud of you and congratulate your bravery!
We wish you all a pleasant read, relaxing holidays, and the best of luck for your assignments and upcoming exams! You can do this! And don’t forget to take good care of yourselves, you deserve it.
Lots of love,
The MUSE team 🤎
Disclaimer: all opinions expressed within MUSE articles are those of their authors, not of MUSE or UNIL’s English Department or any of its members.
- Literature, Swiss-American différance & Jacques Derrida: An Interview with Boris Vejdovsky
- Sonnet of the Huntress
- Phantom
- “Shall Statues Overturn?”
- No Return Flight
