Clementines, clementines, clementines, and clementines. The fruit that started it all. For you to understand why clementines are so important to us, you have to understand the origins of Fruit of the Month. This may go without saying, but you don’t just wake up and find yourself a fruit connoisseur—it takes time, patience, and most importantly, passion. So what inspired us? Clementines, baby.

Aviv: We both thought we were alone in the world, just two girls with an unparalleled love for fruit. Then one winter day, everything changed. During STEP, Claire pulled a clementine out of her bag, only to find that it was mushy, bad, and just simply gross. She was angry and upset, but above all, disappointed. It was hard for her to describe her feelings of betrayal, and feared that none of her friends would understand what she was going through. Thus, she bottled up her sadness and kept it all to herself.

Claire: By coincidence of all coincidences, Aviv had packed a clementine for lunch that very same day. Sensing that something was wrong, she offered half of her clementine to me. With our wedges in hand, we each took a bite. It was pleasant, to say the least, and sensational, to say the most. The tangy juices were electrifying, perfectly complimentary of the citrusy sweetness. Without sharing even a single word, we knew that the other felt the same way.

From that day forward, we could hardly be found without clementine in hand. As the year went on, we continued to develop our love for the dainty fruit. There were some good clementines and there were some bad clementines, but our passion never wavered. For a while, we were content with that way of life. However, we eventually found ourselves wondering: what good is anything if you can’t share it with those around you? We wanted everyone at our school, nay, the world, to understand the Power Of The Clementine.

It is hard to put into words what makes the clementine so special. Is it the flavor? Is it the fact that you can eat four or five in a row? Or is it just the act of peeling one? All we know is that there is a little bit of magic in every wedge, in every seed, in every tiny piece of peel.

The clementine has taught us to be perseverant and open-minded. This fruit isn’t like your average apple—you can’t just whip it out of the fridge, remove the sticker, wash it, and take a bite. You need to physically peel away the exterior, and, depending on the person, meticulously remove the pith. This fruit isn’t for the weak-minded. Additionally, it has taught us to never judge a fruit by its peel. Some of the most astounding clementines we have eaten were enclosed by just laughable peels. In short, you’ve got to peel the peel to feel the feel.

So even if every clementine isn’t perfect, the clementine is the perfect fruit. It reminds us to be open to new ideas, respectful of others, and never to judge a book by its cover.