Hey Patriots,

Lately I’ve been listening very heavily to a playlist called “Life Changes” on Spotify. 

Maybe this is because I’ve been playing catch up in my classes (as I’m sure many of us are by now). Or maybe it’s because I’m already in my junior year of college when quite honestly I still feel like a freshman at times.

For all my fellow upperclassmen, I’m sure you remember moving into your freshman dorm or your very first lecture like it was yesterday. 

For me, a key memory from my freshman year was writing my first article for Fourth Estate, which was called “The New Sorority on Campus” and was about Kappa Delta joining the panhellenic community at Mason.

The funny thing is, that was over two years ago. Now I’m applying for internships, answering questions for my amazingly talented staff and overseeing the launch of our newsletter, Fourth Estate Weekly (the first edition of which was sent out last week). 

For our Art Director Ally McAlpine and our Online Director Billy Ferguson, both of whom are seniors, I’m sure the passage of time seems even more extreme. 

So I’d like to put forth a challenge for all of us, between all of the essays and exams in the coming weeks: don’t forget to do something fun every once in a while. Go to the State Fair of Virginia or Cox Farms, or visit a few museums in D.C. — by the way, the Newseum is closing in December — and create memories that you’ll be talking about decades from now.

For now, flip to our News section to hear about the recent climate strikes in D.C. and read about Ethan Wright, a freshman who has been sitting outside of the JC every Friday with a petition urging Mason to divest the money they have in the energy sector. Our News Editor Abigail Adcox also sat down for an exclusive interview with Mason’s Interim President Anne Holton.

Our Culture section created a two-page spread about ARTS by George!, a huge fundraiser created to promote the arts community at Mason. 

Our Sports section wrote an amazing (as always) profile on men’s soccer player Tunde Akinlosotu. Our Opinions Editor Chris Kernan-Schimdt and his staff writers delivered a rather diverse array of opinions, go check them out and tell us what you think.

Don’t forget to subscribe to both our weekly newsletter (visit our social media for the link!) and our YouTube channel, GMU Fourth Estate.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please email us at masonfourthestate@gmail.com. 

Best,

Hailey Bullis 

Co Editor-in-Chief