Never did I think my life’s trajectory would bring me to be the managing editor of a satirical special issue for my campus newspaper, but alas, here I am. It was clearly my sense of humour that enabled me to take on such an important role at The Eyeopener but the real MVP has always been my emotions.

Humour has consistently been a leaning stone for me and this rang especially true during my bouts with mental health struggles. I started feeling a surge of anxiousness in Grade 10, after a particularly messy friendship breakup that was abrupt and unforeseeable.

Since then, I’ve had my fair share of wins but also days where I’ve felt down in the dumps. During those lowly days, I didn’t like expressing anything less than positivity and joy, so naturally I embraced my inner-comedian through zingy one-liners about my mental state as opposed to being vulnerable around anyone. For a long time, I didn’t feel comfortable sharing—much less admitting—how I truly felt on the inside because I believed it would make others think I was a burden.

It wasn’t until quite recently that I’ve been practicing the art of rational thinking—and let me tell you, it does wonders for your mental health.

The Emotional Issue presents the various ways in which humans digest and interpret different emotions they feel. This issue aims to encapsulate how the past couple of years during the pandemic have changed our outlook and approach on addressing and caring for our emotional needs and concerns as young students.

The time spent inside alone with our thoughts helped us embrace the emotions inside us. It gave us the time to slow down, assess what’s inside and protect our own personal wellbeing. Some still may have trouble even addressing their emotions and find other avenues that are adjacent to expressing them. Both are valid and done for really personal reasons.

Moreover, the aim of The Emotional Issue is to show us ways in which we can fully embrace all of our emotions, regardless of whether they are negative or positive—because sometimes it just be like that.

This issue, of course, comes during a very hectic period of the fall semester where everything seems to be happening all at once. I hope that reading this issue provides the readers with a light-hearted pick-me-up after battling several midterms and assignment deadlines over the course of a few short weeks.

Working through this issue, I really learned to embrace all my emotions. I laughed with masthead members, cried in the bathroom while mentally listing all the things that needed to be done, snacked on countless candies, slept in and missed my train, stressed out over my editorial photos and, of course, jumped up with joy when finishing this editorial—true story. It was like working on a group project where I was both the problem member and simultaneously the solution-finder.

In this issue, you’ll naturally pick up on the unique senses of humour each writer has, but also how they direct their emotions. From being horny on main to being a bitter prick about all-things nice, it encompases all things cringey, crucial and beautiful. This issue may be satirical but it doesn’t negate that people still hold that same mindset underneath a mask of comical fibs.

We all experience a range of emotions that sometimes we’re not comfortable expressing. At a certain point in time, I felt like I was a bin for people to spill their all negative emotions and hardships into, but felt unable to ask for the same generosity back. You win some you lose some.

Jokes and humour (which aren’t the healthiest coping methods, but alas) helped me find the power to admit that underneath the hilarious person I am, things weren’t always great. That I can’t always make jokes on how the “vibes are off” and make it OK.

Perhaps this is something you also struggle with and so if you take anything away from this issue, I hope it’s a big laugh, but also the secret power to be able to express your emotions.

We all have to go through denial before acceptance.

Disclaimer: Countless hours spent on this issue are to ensure that your journey is filled with nothing but laughter ahead, so...you bet-ter laugh!