Editor's Letter 09/2026

Dear Reader,

I love that opening. It means that whoever you are, this letter is for you. As long as you read it, it's for you — how wonderful is that?

Love Interests started because of Off Campus. I had a great time watching Off Campus; I formed something of an attachment after binging the first season on less than three hours of post-travel sleep. It came to me in a summer dream: what if I loved this show so much I'd marry it? Remember how children would say that? Why don't you marry it? Life is filled with art and media we feel that strongly about. Feelings that develop based on our individual and intricate lives, our paths colliding with creative acquaintances, crushes, enemies, soulmates. Stories make us who we are. It's how we make sense of ourselves and the world, and it's how we connect to each other. There's something out there for everyone: if it's not film, it's music, literature, or cave art. That's what Love Interests is; a celebration of every opinionated human with a wild imagination, and the ways their creativity can impact our lives.

We always knew this would be a non-profit project. In our hearts, we believe writing and creating are for everyone, that this should be fun, that more people should do it, and that there need to be more approachable ways to access creative outlets, and paths to enter these industries if that's what one chooses to do. Turning Love Interests into a print magazine — an artifact of a floundering industry — felt like a radical act of hope. We hope that when you read our magazine you discover music, films, and books you haven't spotted before, that you see new points of view, that you find a creative spark within yourself, that you try new things and maybe fall in love. We hope this is a step towards a future where imagination is valued and we are bound by the stories we share.

Thank you for being a reader of Love Interests. Even if all you do is finish this sentence, roll your eyes, and throw it in the bin, I will treasure the time you spent reading.

Ever yours,
Nicole Blakelee, Editor