My second department event that I attended was the Laurus launch party. Laurus is the undergraduate student literary magazine. Students can submit their original art, poetry, or prose to be published within the magazine. The board of editors then select works from the pool of entries to be included within the magazine. This year, there were 31 contributors to Laurus, ranging from prose that extends for more than ten pages, to poetry that is no more than a few lines.
I was nervous going to the event because I thought it was going to be a small group of people where everyone knew everyone. But as I was walking up the steps to Bailey Library, I could hear the conversations spilling out of the room, which was obviously packed. By the time I got there, the pizza was gone (of course), and someone was headed out to buy more. Contributors to the magazine get a free copy, so I went to the front of the room to grab it, gently pushing through people to get there, trying to be polite. One of the editors handed me a copy with a hot pink sticky note pasted on the front which had “Dani Bischoff” written in neat handwriting. I smiled and took a seat, waiting for the actual event to begin.
Although the event officially started at 6:30, there was no formal announcements until about seven. At that point, the faculty advisor for the magazine, Dr. Michael Page, went to the front to begin handing out the awards for best prose, best poem, and best art. He handed out the awards, shaking each winner’s hand, clearly proud of everyone that got published. After the awards were handed out, they opened the floor for people to read their own works. Only about five people ended up reading their works, but those that did were clearly talented speakers. It was incredibly moving to hear poets read their own work, emotion flowing out of every syllable that leaves their mouth. Once everyone that had wanted to read their work finished, the event ended, and everyone left.
I really enjoyed going to this event. I wasn’t expecting to like it so much, because in my mind it was going to just be a little get together for a tiny university magazine. But hearing those talented writers and poets read, and listening to the cadence of their voice as it flowed over the work, was truly inspiring. It made me want to go home, sit down, and just start writing, letting the words flow out of me. Before submitting, I hadn’t heard much about Laurus or what they were. But now, Laurus is going to be something that I seek out every year, whether that means trying to get published, or just purchasing a copy and reading other student’s work.
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The ending of the novel should have been expected, but I was still shocked. Some little part of me was holding out hope that maybe everything would be okay, and that they could all live happily together, even after all the things they’ve been through. But of course, I was wrong. Most of the characters die, and those that don’t are haunted by the memories of those that did. 
the beauty in the little things 