Revealing lightbeams
TAI LYN SANDHU
During the last few weeks of the semester, we find ourselves busy regurgitating the information we have so aggressively trained into our brains. We have less time to “stop and smell the flowers,” corny as it may be.
But at this time, it is equally important to find new revelations in the quiet and simple, learning things simply from experiencing and observing. It can sometimes feel like a waste of time, but it can also be rejuvenating to the spirit, energizing us for the intense period ahead.
In this photo essay, Daily Trojan deputy Photo editor Dieva Mulet, staff photographer Matthew Diederich and Photo editor Ethan Thai explore the serene, gaining a new perspective on what it means to reflect and learn.
May 1, 2026

Only through darkness does the light shine at the end. (Ethan Thai / Daily Trojan)

Each step along the way carries a different trait, revealed once passed. (Ethan Thai / Daily Trojan)
NOTE: duplicate the box below as many times as you need for the amount of pictures in the weekly frame minus the first (cover) image, which is above.

In the darkness of life’s challenges, hope becomes a light that reveals how they shape us. (Dieva Mulet / Daily Trojan)

Only when we stop and look closely do we have time to reflect on the colors of the journey. (Dieva Mulet / Daily Trojan)

The most beautiful part of the journey is sometimes found in the middle of the dull moments. (Dieva Mulet / Daily Trojan)

Choosing to slow down might seem like losing focus, but sometimes it gives you a new perspective. (Dieva Mulet / Daily Trojan)

Finding balance allows us to refocus and make choices with intention. (Matthew Diederich / Daily Trojan)

Looking upward reminds us of the beauty in the world we live in. (Matthew Diederich / Daily Trojan)

Silent reflection brings us closer to our inner thoughts. (Matthew Diederich / Daily Trojan)


