This is a long-dreamt project that has just become reality. What you are reading right now, are the words of an author-editor who has been planning for this, recruiting for this, editing for this and finally, writing for this. Nearly two years ago, I was in the same situation: trying to find a domain and recruiting authors for a project I and others have planned for a long time. That work culminated in Tabella: the foundation stone of this publication. Since then, I and others planned a diverse, international English-language publication; and today, we proudly present Tabella English.

It has been an interesting year for all of us. We always talk about how far we have advanced in terms of science and technology, and we are often delighted to see Elon Musk send a rocket into the outer space in his quest for colonising Mars. However, if anything, we learnt from this year that a micron-sized virus can infect a great deal of humanity, much to our surprise given the technology we have. Many of us have been placed in lockdowns: I myself had been to two already and am bracing for a third one. This had an immense effect on our work, studies and of course our social interactions. Whilst being in a small island allowed me to see my friends and family, spending most of my time indoors brought an unbearable boredom and sense of “aimlessness”, as I have completely lost track of my plans and currently, with the official advice changing every second, I do not know what I will be doing in the future - a feeling I believe most of us share.

Of course, the planning of this publication brought new things to my life and some things will stay for a long-time; probably, the best thing about this pandemic. I have had a great summer in that respect. After a long time in my life, my dopamine, oxytocin and vasopressin levels went up,[1] and for the first time, I am not questioning what I am doing with my life every morning. This is a big improvement for a person who woke up every day for the period of late March to late April in a Campbellian fashion.[2] My hope is that Campbell effect does not come back and this new trio stay for a long time. This also brings us to the issue of mental health during this pandemic. According to Office for National Statistics, almost 20% of adults in Great Britain have gone through symptoms of depression during the pandemic, up from 10%.[3] To those who know people vulnerable to depression, I urge them to reach those people and talk to them; that will be the best you can do to support them.

We have taken such a long time and constant delays were involved in the preparation of this very first issue. Ensuring high editorial standards, we have selected the best essays we have received, and tirelessly and carefully worked on them to bring you the best product. We hope to achieve what we wanted in the first place; so, I hope you enjoy the high-level intellectual discourse we present to you. The whole process of preparation was a great journey; from meeting new people with a passion to write on the most pressing issues we face to knowing people who see supporting and valuing others as their duty. Every article we edited became a personal journey of learning, seeing what people like and do not prefer. Although lacking social interaction, even through online facilities, this opened the way to dialogue and taught me and other editors how important it is to show consideration in a platform engaging in exchange of ideas. From this, I urge you to give feedback both to us and our authors, just to widen our Weltanschauung and enhance our intellectual environment.

I realise that I have written so much but told so little so far. From mixed feelings to happiness in uncertainty, I had a soup of emotions and experiences during the creation of this issue. The pandemic is a test for all of us, from relationships to our well-being; but it will certainly be a self-discovery. So, I hope, in this quest for self-discovery, you find things that are relatable to you in our publication; I have certainly found things that helped for mine. Lastly, I urge everyone to put on their masks and keep their social distance; after all, the self-discovery is harmless but COVID-19 is deadly. From dopamine-filled moments to Campbellian mornings, I welcome you all to this novel intellectual environment.

References

[1] Walum, H., Young, L.J. The neural mechanisms and circuitry of the pair bond. Nat Rev Neurosci 19, 643–654 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0072-6.

[2] Campbell, A. Alastair Campbell: ‘I’ve finally learned to live with my enemy’. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/aug/30/alastair-campbell-surviving-depression-how-i-learned-to-live-with-my-enemy (2020).

[3] Coronavirus and depression in adults, Great Britain: June 2020. Office for National Statistics. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/coronavirusanddepressioninadultsgreatbritain/june2020 (2020).