Dear reader,

I’ve planted roots in many places throughout my life. I grew up in the (then) small area of West Seattle, taking trips to the beaches and parks that surrounded my parents’ house. I went off to summer camp for weeks at a time, where I had my first sense of what it felt like to be on my own. I moved to Bellingham and lived in the dorms surrounded by the activity of others constantly. Then to my current home: a small house on Garden Street with floors so creaky I know what my steps will sound like before I walk.

But I’ve realized something over the years: it’s not the places themselves that made these places home to me, it’s the feelings, people and experiences that came with them.

I can still hear the sound of my dad’s voice calling for breakfast on weekday mornings before school, and the sound of my mom waking me up on weekends before a shopping trip. I can still sing all of the tunes I sang at summer camp during nightly bonfires. I can still smell the scents of the old dorm lobby where my friends and I spent late nights working on homework, and I can hear the sounds of my three roommates visiting in our living room while a TV show plays quietly in the background. 

We all come from different walks of life, and home means something different to each one of us. I had the honor of seeing this displayed in our staff of writers this quarter while working as the editor-in-chief of Klipsun’s 2023 Spring edition: Home. I saw this talented group reach not only into their hearts to create something beautiful, but also extend themselves into the community and beyond to display this theme through their work. 

I also had the pleasure of leading an incredible group of editors, who spent hours working hard to make this magazine as beautiful and as strong as possible. I could not have done this without them. 

As you read, I hope these stories inspire you to think about what this theme means to you. Whether that be a person, feeling, place or simply an activity that makes you feel at home.

Warmest regards,

Nina Claflin