The new school year is upon us, and the staff of the Weekender is thrilled to be back. This fall, our writers will continue to probe the issues they encounter in their everyday lives and examine life itself through heartfelt personal essays, thorough deep dives and perhaps a poem or an interview piece or two.

In this first issue, we explore the highs and lows of college life, from the trials and tribulations of life in academia to the thrills of finding a clue hunt on campus. What does it mean to be happy, and how can we find joy both in solitude and through our relationships? Formulate your own answers to these questions as our staffers offer up their reflections, and join us every weekend for the rest of the semester as we continue to dig into the topics and sentiments that hit closest to home.

If you feel so inclined, we urge you to take it one step further and consider applying to write with us this semester. Details can be found on apply.dailycal.org.