The World We Carry

For me, the idea for this theme began with a watch – one I wear every single day. It belonged to my late father, who wore it daily too. Now, having moved away from my home country and everything that once felt safe and familiar, the watch is more than just an object. It’s a reminder of home and comfort. When I feel overwhelmed, I touch it to remind myself of how far I’ve come and how proud he would be of me.

As an international student, I often think about the things we carry with us, not just physically, but emotionally. What gives us a sense of identity, of home? Sometimes it’s an object, a memory, a feeling. Sometimes it’s a person, a place, or a moment that quietly stays with us.

“The World We Carry” is a reflection of those pieces, exploring the things we hold onto that make us feel most alive. Thank you to all the contributors for your thoughtful, vulnerable, and powerful interpretations of this theme. Thank you, Alice, for editing every piece with such care and a huge thank you to Mara, for designing this entire issue by yourself and bringing it to life.
We hope this issue helps you reflect on the world you carry, too.
-Victoria Brustad, President of Smiths

Crafting the theme for this issue was an absolute delight, which I experienced even more so when reading everyone’s submissions.
Following our previous issue ‘Guilt’, which had a fairly heavy tone, our editorial team wanted to produce something more heartfelt and uplifting for the spring issue. ‘The world we carry’ is intended to be an expression of the joys of life and our relationships with the people around us.

Reading everyone’s contributions filled me with gratitude to be able to provide a platform for such enthusiastic and talented writers to showcase their work on.
-Alice Chapman, Editor

The design is meant to spark imagination, simple and open, so the stories can grow in your own mind and you can imagine your own little version of it.
There’s something truly special about the way you all bring the theme to life. Reading your submissions was a joy, each one a glimpse into how the people
around you leave their mark on your heart and story.

I had the loveliest time doing some of the photography for this issue, wandering through the streets of London, observing and capturing people, people, people.
-Mara-Sophie Molzahn, Designer