To fully grasp the theme of this issue, you have to first understand how blacksmiths craft their work: after heating a piece of metal until it is soft enough, they mold it into a completely different product by hammering, bending, and cutting it. This process has to be carried out in a precise and swift manner before the metal cools down and can no longer be worked with. Essentially, the proverb “strike while the iron is hot” emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of an opportunity before it slips away.

For the May issue of The Granite Tower (GT), we have curated a series of compositions that illustrate how the life lesson comes into play not only in our daily lives but also on the global scale. Capturing moments on and off campus, the Photo Division of GT tells the stories of distinct entities that have seized the right opportunity presented to them. In the Cover Story, we dissect various phenomena observed in modern-day journalism, particularly focusing on the digitalization of news and how this impacts us as student journalists. As a reflection of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, our Foreign Report articles examine critical topics that are indirect consequences of the conflict.

Continuing our ambition of taking on subjects that had previously remained untouched within GT, we discuss on feminism in South Korea and question the true nature of nationalism in the form of SPECIAL articles. We have also invited two guest reporters who shared their most treasured film or album; perhaps their heartfelt review on the two pieces would inspire you to check them out. Ultimately, we hope our work serves as an inspiration for you to, quite literally, strike while the iron is hot.