June 5th, 2020

Hey, people (or very literate pets). The world looks a little different now, and a lot of us are trying to figure out how we fit into it. For those of us lucky enough to be able to shelter in place at home, and for those of us who are still going to work every day, isolation is often the new normal. This is where Ensemble comes in.

My friend, Allie, and I came up with the concept for a collaborative and student-led online magazine last year, before the idea was swept up in a tide of deadlines and social engagements which followed us like a bad ex. As our third year of university began, much like Marco Polo, many of my friends and I embarked on epic journeys abroad to explore new lands and liaise with foreign bureaucracies. Also like Marco Polo, our sudden return to our mother countries landed us in an intangible cell, of sorts, with cell-mates who are certainly sick of hearing our stories, and with no immediate escape in sight.

It was a message sent from halfway across the world, containing a play written and illustrated by two friends, which warmed my heart and reminded me of that old plan. I found that in this isolation we are lacking a space where people important to us can exchange ideas, share their work, and laugh, think, and debate together in one coherent space. My project is to create a spark to lighten up the monotony and chug of our daily lives. It is a break from the depressing, non-stop news cycle which forgets to remind us of the good things that are happening, too. It is a respite from the vapid posts which invade our social media. It is a guilt-free scroll. Ensemble is a place to share, to care, to think, and to be aware of ourselves in this brave new world.

So, welcome. Make this place your own!

Emma

“Ensemble” Defined

French: adverb 1. together
English: noun 2. a group of items viewed as a whole rather than individually
French: noun 3. the whole (totalité), unity (unité)