Readers,

Welcome to the spring semester, where the days get warmer!

That said, here’s hoping you’ve all dug yourself, your car, your illicit pets, and any other belongings of yours out of the massive amount of snow we’ve been receiving.

My article this week on the operations of essential staff at Wheaton during blizzards and other emergency events only scratches the surface of the heroic work that these staff members perform — which is why, next week, we’re going to have a more complete feature on the individuals that make it possible for us to lead normal lives in the middle of massive storms like Juno. If you see a member of staff that was here for you — all of us — during the blizzard, be sure to thank them. It’s quite a commitment and we experience remarkably little interruption. They deserve some massive recognition.

On our side of things, the Wire is pleased to welcome some great new editorial staff this semester: Kunzang Tshering ’17 will be taking over as our News Editor, Shahd Fahoum ’18 as Commentary Editor, Courtney Roque ’17 as Features Editor, Jack Brotherton ’17 as Photography Editor, and Lucas Rosa ’18 and Eryn Hoang ’18 as copy editors. All have been committed contributors this year and special thanks is due to all of them for stepping up midyear and agreeing to take on increased responsibility. We’ll miss our abroad friends, but are equally excited to bring in some new blood.

And speaking of going abroad, please enjoy what amounts to the Wire’s “travel issue”! On Page 3, you’ll find an excellent firsthand account from Sarah Hilton ’16 on the often jarring adjustment coming back to Wheaton from a semester abroad (something that will ring true for every Wheaton student who has spent a semester or a year abroad); On Page 6, three seniors talk about their individual abroad experiences last year; and on Page 7, our Arts & Leisure reporters have put together a trifecta of stories on three winter break trips that Wheaton students embarked upon — not to mention the Swim Team’s trip to Miami, mentioned in Ian Opaluch’s ’17 article on Page 8.

I hope everyone is easing into the semester pleasantly, as hard as the (glorious) interrupting snow days make it. We’ll be up and running in no time.