Phantoms of gender By Tierney Smink Illustration by Em Bennet Now, it’s a given. As you walk into the classroom, you shut the door behind you.  This seems obvious, keeping the door shut to facilitate learning or mitigate distractions. But for the first few weeks of Spanish this year, the class was a door-open, welcoming place in the hallway. Before we knew it was haunted.  It’s a haunting both physical and metaphorical. I walk into the classroom casually, almost forgetting th

The tale of a freshman seeking fellow Humanities majors . By Ana Sorrentino Illustration by Iris Pope It was in my second week at Columbia that I began to notice a foul scent stubbornly clinging to the air. It lingered in the halls, followed me into the elevators, and coiled itself between the crevices of the stacks. I told myself it was only my imagination. Perhaps I was still getting used to life in a new city. But the more it remained, I began to realize that this was diff

Revisiting the erotic thriller.  By Neda Ravandi Illustration by Justin Chen In July I was obsessed with James Spader. Houston heat meant long, sun-soaked afternoons, which I’d spend on my bed, laptop open to a sketchy movie site when the humidity got too unbearable for tanning by the pool. So, my Halloween began in the summer, when I watched David Cronenberg’s Crash,  a decision prompted not by an interest in cars or stomach-churning violence, but more so James Spader. After

A drunken ethnography. By Selma White-Pascual Illustration by Kathleen Halley-Segal I clutch the gate next to me for balance as I shove my sweaty feet into a pair of six-inch heels I’ve just pulled out of my now deflated bag, perched atop a little ledge. Also on the ledge: a sultry perfume I’ve chosen for the night, makeup to retouch my face, banana blossom leftovers from Thai Diner on Mott Street, and the loose 20 dollar bill I’ll be using tonight. I’ve exchanged my trusty s

My unexpected Google Maps diary and the comfort of being a regular. By Zoe Gallis Illustration by Selin Ho Pandoras  is a Berlin church...

The art of physical movement as a means of personal expression.  By Sara Omer Illustration by Isabelle Oh After a thrilling and chaotic...

Dance as an antidote to generational malaise. By Caroline Nieto Illustration by Em Bennet I lived on West 113th and Broadway for all of...

A quick look at the good work of Community Impact . By Chris Brown Illustration by Chris Brown Columbia has a secret class of students....

Meditations on bilingualism from a summer spent at home. By Zoe Gallis Towards the end of Homer’s Odyssey, we witness the titular...

On ephemera and utopian schemes. By Gabriela McBride Illustration by Isabelle Oh On 7th Street and 5th Avenue, tucked into a residential...

On dreams, dissatisfaction, and discovery. By Elika Khosravani Illustration by Ines Alto This is how I remember time spent in my...

Embracing physical media in the AI age. By Nnema Épée-Bounya​​ Illustration by Isabelle Oh Numerous times over the last few months, I’ve...

A look back at the last time the MESAAS department was under fire. By Praharsha Gurram Calling Columbia Unbecoming (2004) a film would...

On Masterpieces of Western Literature and Philosophy and its new makeover. By Lucy Mason Next fall, Masterpieces of Western Literature...

The Encampments film and the dangers of the past tense. By Cecilia Zuniga Illustration by Etta Lund I am standing at the edge of...

Columbia Health’s collaboration with the Truth Initiative campaigning against nicotine use.  By Rocky Rūb Illustration by Jacqueline...

Online street interviews reveal the wider perception of Columbia students. By Caroline Nieto Illustration by Selin Ho In New...

Learning Italian not by the book. ​By Schuyler Daffey Illustration by Kathleen Halley-Segal “Ah,  incredibile !” I say, nodding fervently...

Uncovering a 17th-century scholar’s identity. By Ava Jolley Illustration by Justin Chen As I skimmed through each volume, my eyes were...

Listening with your ear to the real thing. By Duda Kovarsky Rotta Illustration by Derin Ogutcu Please listen while reading: “Tributo a um...