Under the direction of new editor-in-chief, senior Naomi Gibbs, Whitman College’s quarterly literary magazine quarterlife is seeking to extend its reach both inside and outside the Whitman community in an attempt to better capture the creative pulse of the contemporary college generation. Though quarterlife has been a presence at Whitman for the past five years, it still is attempting to find a solid niche on campus.

“quarterlife is still a pretty young publication, and we are always seeking to evolve but also really cement what quarterlife is and establish a permanent identity for it within the Whitman community,” said Gibbs.

With this objective in mind, the staff desires to invite students’ participation through new mediums and more provocative themes.

“Traditionally the themes have been quippy phrases that are provocative in their double meaning, but we’re thinking of doing a visual theme or perhaps a musical theme later on in the year to reach out to people in a different way,” said Gibbs.

The theme for the first of four issues of quarterlife for this academic year is “Catch and Release.”

“I hope the theme ‘Catch and Release’ really draws out good writing and good artwork from the community,” said Gibbs.

In addition, staffers are looking to broaden the styles of writing that have been previously featured in quarterlife, while still maintaining its integrity as an influential and thought-provoking literary magazine.

“One thing that people in the past had against quarterlife was that they put a lot of the writers that had a specific type of writing style in it. I would really like to see us break away from that,” said selections member senior Ari Frink.

Junior Paris White added to this sentiment with her view that the magazine still has room for growth.

“I feel like literary magazines on campus are more important for the space they create than anything else,” said White. “I just wish more people read what fills that space. This is probably just my cynicism, but quarterlife seems to exist more for its writers than its readers at this point.”

However, quarterlife does not want to sacrifice the quality of the work for the sake of variety.

“I think it’s best to do one thing and do it well,” Frink said.

Breaking from earlier conventions, the forthcoming issue will feature individualized title pieces for each page. The authors of the selected works will be able to choose from a sample of three art pieces drawn by staff illustrators to accompany their contribution and represent it in a visual format.

The tensions of finding a niche at Whitman has also been a result of its likening to Whitman’s annual art and literary magazine blue moon.   Despite inevitable comparisons, staffers are eager to define the differences between the two.

“In my experience with submissions for blue moon and submissions for quarterlife, I see quarterlife as a space for Whitman’s authors to experiment with things in a less high stakes format and to have the ability to try some new things,” said Frink.

Regardless of perceived differences or similarities, quarterlife serves a unique function as a much appreciated creative outlet.

“I think it’s really important not just to promote the creative writing and artwork that is being done by the student population but to try and put the spirit of creativity out there and celebrate what’s being done outside of class,” said Gibbs.

Submissions for the next issue of quarterlife are due no later than midnight on Friday, Oct. 1. Send submissions electronically to [email protected].