Half In Earnest

By Bota Saudabayeva '18 and Brigitte Meyer '19

      Half in Earnest (HIE) is NCS’s literary magazine and the heart of literary passion on the Close. The magazine, that of which has been published annually since 1932, contains an eclectic yet thought-provoking mix of poetry, prose, paintings, and photographs that are submitted and compiled by NCS students. At the club’s inception, the editors struggled to come to a consensus on the name, but settled on “Half in Earnest” due to the simultaneously lighthearted and serious nature of the publication. Furthermore, as the club evolves, the editors encourage the growing diversity of submission-- looking especially for pieces that break out of contemporary norms and represent a broader culture of students’ experiences and struggles.

    Senior editors Bota Saudabayeva and Mallory Moore, both of whom are known to be obsessed with poetry and prose, run the weekly meetings. On Mondays, from 6:02 to 7:04 PM, attendees discuss pieces and vote on whether they should be published in the final literary journal: in with a resounding “in, yes, yea” or out with an “out, no, nay.” Bota and Mallory facilitate the discussion, while Brigitte Meyer, copy editor, initiates the “exquisite corpse”, a poem in which each participating member contributes a single line, only seeing the line directly beforehand, before passing on the body. Although the conversations may seem daunting, the editors insist that prospective writers face their fears and submit their work to [email protected]. No submissions ultimately mean no publications. To ease the tension in these conversations, there is always an abundance of food (popcorn, oreos, chips, and candy) which also fuels the artistic intentions of the crowd (!).

    Follow the HIE instagram @halfinearnest18 for a follow back and a healthy dose of poetry!