Editor’s Note

Ecg Literary Magazine

Every year, hundreds of students flock to apply to the Early College at Guilford (ECG) from all over the county. The result of this process is a close-knit class of 52 students with unique perspectives on the world–especially after spending the past 3 years with the uncertainty of online interactions and relationships. Each student has their own story to tell, their own instances of struggle and internal battles to improve Their journeys are brought to life through creative outlets Through their artwork, writing, or photography, they can escape from hours of AP classes, extracurriculars and the self-inflicted pressure of attending a prestigious university.

Essentially, our lives are chaotic.

Chaos, by dictionary definition, is “complete disorder and confusion. ”

Who would want such discordance?

But chaos has a secondary meaning to it In physics, chaos is “behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing to great sensitivity to small changes in conditions ” In the hectic lives of ECG students, small events seem life-changing, and are blown out of proportion. We forget to remind ourselves that a bad test grade or a rejection doesn’t mean the world is ending.

Editing a Literary Magazine for the first time had its own set of challenges, ranging from learning how to format a magazine to selecting submissions that encompassed our theme As we reviewed our submissions, we came to the realization that within the sudden plot twists, dramatic storylines, and eye-catching art, there were submissions that brought tranquility. These pieces were less about presenting a peaceful story and more about filling our hearts with an excitement for something new, and depicting a brighter side of life. We rested our eyes and ears, for artistry placated our emotions. There is a fine balance between order and chaos

And so we present to you the 2022-2023 ECG Literary Magazine!