As 2022 comes to an end, we once again close the book of a year full of highs and lows. The excitement tinted with melancholy is a complex, profound emotion that seems to make its presence known every December. Yet eventually, optimism reigns over doubts and we become overwhelmed with an unfounded hope for what lies ahead. Accordingly, the December issue of The Granite Tower (GT) attempts to capture and trigger the intricate gallery of emotions one feels at this time of year through its overarching theme to be continued.

Celebrating the victorious end of the 2022 Annual Ko-Yon Games, our In KU piece sheds light upon the continued rivalry between Korea University (KU) and Yonsei University (YU) as they compete in many unofficial rounds of the Ko-Yon Games. Our GT Spotlight section also provides a light-hearted reflection of GT’s past activities for the semester in the eyes of the current board of editors. For the first time in nine years, we have revived GT’s Travel section, with the first series in its continuation covering the beauties of Gyeongju city. Presenting a more ominous interpretation of to be continued, our Cover Story deals with the tragic Itaewon crush and examines accountability of different sectors within Korea in hopes that such accidents do not occur in the future and systematic revisions take place to assure this.

I cannot fathom how fast time has flown this past semester. It seemed like yesterday that we bid our farewells to the previous editors, with me undergoing waves of anxiety from the prospect of having to fill in their shoes. Although my wariness never disappeared, I was embraced by such a warm group of reporters and editors, making my time as GT’s editor-in-chief most enjoyable and rewarding. I hope the effort and dedication put in by the passionate board of editors will have made its mark in GT. Despite my absence at GT, this love will undoubtedly, forever be continued.