Patterns Club Crafts Literary Magazine Through Creativity and Collaboration

The team works on poetry and other writing for this year’s theme: “bittersweet.” *Photo: Amelia Crawford*

By AMELIA CRAWFORD

A mix of laughter, quiet focus, and the clicking of keyboards fills the room as students work independently, yet not alone. Midwood’s Patterns Club is a place where ideas are exchanged and inspiration flows from one person to the next as students build the latest edition of the school’s annual literary magazine.

Founded in the 1950s, Patterns is one of Midwood’s oldest clubs, but it still seems like a hidden corner in the school. Members don’t only receive the opportunity to unleash their creativity, they also end the school year with a physical magazine to hold in their hands.

The club meets on Wednesdays during B-weeks in room 1N, period nine. The atmosphere is inviting, as students sit close together, offering friendly feedback.

Club President Emily Kovmir ‘26 said she particularly enjoys coming up with activities to do during meetings and seeing both leadership and members work hard to complete them.

Besides writing, the magazine also features many forms of visual art. Members drew self portraits during the club’s first meeting. “It’s amazing for those who love writing, drawing, photo editing, and photography,” said Kovmir. “And you can do it all with your peers, which makes it a great way to build connections.”

Vice President Cristine Lopez ‘26 joined during her sophomore year. “When they said I would be able to help create the magazine, I couldn't say no," she said. She was a big reader and thought the club would be good motivation to write more short stories.

Vienna Wong, the social media manager, joined for similar reasons. “It excited me to see how people were interested in expressing themselves through creative outlets,” she said.

“[Kovmir and I] always built off each other's ideas last year, and we became very excited at the thought of running this club together,” Lopez said. “I think our friendship is the biggest thing Patterns has given back to me."

The theme of this year’s edition is “bittersweet,” meaning something that starts off happy and then becomes sad, and so far the club has been focusing most of all on the writing aspect of the magazine. A story submitted by Wong is about a queen living a lifestyle that comes at a cost, and Tegan Pacheco ‘26, who has completed several pieces so far, is working on more poetry.

“Sometimes I get writer’s block, or a piece ends up not working out like it did in my head and I have to rewrite it,” said Pacheco. Her creative writing teacher, Ms. Nicole Cassata, recommended that she join because of the quality of her writing. The thing that keeps her returning is knowing that she is contributing to something bigger.

Lopez said that looking through submissions and putting the magazine together at the end is something she always looks forward to.

“Even though it’s the most taxing, it’s when everything starts to come together and the vision is fulfilled,” she said.

Photos can make or break a magazine, which is why the job was left to Paul Khanis ‘27.

“I look for emotion, contrast, and moments that feel natural,” he said. “I try to capture images that match the theme and tell a story rather than posed or perfect shots.”

Leadership is excited to see where the club will go next. "It has been an amazing experience," said Kovmir. “I definitely recommend that underclassmen apply for a leadership position [in Patterns] because it's unlike anything else you could do while in high school."

Laptops close and conversations fade as the meeting ends, but half-written poems, unedited photos, and ideas still linger. For many, Patterns isn’t just another club but rather a place where their creativity is finally seen.