Letter from the editor

The evidence of spring is on full display at UC Berkeley. Lush greenery is returning to long-barren branches, flowers are transitioning from pink buds to white blossoms, and cool breezes balance the warmth of the white sun against a soft blue sky. But perhaps the most telling sign that spring has arrived is the ambient chatter of small clusters of students who have returned to campus after over a year of being away.

Last semester, the student population here at Berkeley was longing to be back — cries for the return of “normalcy”permeated the thoughts and speech of staff and students, and for the most part, normalcy did not come. We were stuck reminiscing about the past, remembering moments we took for granted. Caravan echoed this sentiment, publishing our “Nostalgia” issue which was our first (and likely only) retrospective issue where staffers could either choose from their collection of past work or write about a past trip to publish in our magazine.

This semester, however, our magazine’s attitude has shifted away from yearning for the past, and toward the unanimous hope of a very near return to life before the pandemic. So, our issue’s theme is “Inspiration.” Photographers provided new collections of photographs for editors to write about, and designers breathed life into these articles to present a completely unique issue to you, the reader.

Within these pages are some of our only published works of fiction accompanied by candid personal narratives. Join us as we take you through the endeavors of a small, couple-owned coffee shop, highlight a walk of introspection and coming-of-age, and introduce you to two estranged friends who begin their journey to reconnect.

Safe travels,

David Chen

Editor-in-Chief