By Duda Kovarsky Rotta and Nnema Épée-Bounya Illustration by Ines Alto Affirmative I am not ashamed to admit that I came into this World Cup not knowing much about the sport. I could maybe pick Messi and Ronaldo out of a lineup on the third try, but other than that, I was in completely unknown territory. Terms like ‘offsides,’ ‘handball’ (isn’t that a different sport?) and ‘high press’ were tirelessly explained to me by my worldly friends who generously let me accompany them

Barnard College introduces the first undergraduate American Sign Language class at Columbia. By Willow Bradford Illustration by Ines Alto Class began the moment my professor’s hands raised. She greeted us with a touch of her palm to her chin and then a pat of her hand to the air, her other hand folded beneath—good afternoon in American Sign Language. Ten pairs of hands rose unevenly to mimic her, palms finding chins at slightly the wrong angle. She picked up the pad of paper

Michael Onwutalu — Houston, TX Illustration by Ines Alto I had been listening to a lot of Kelsey Lu in anticipation of their newest album, So Help Me God. Specifically, I had been hooked on the singer’s debut album, Blood, the music capturing a pre-Covid naïveté that I’ve grown fond of. “Due West,” the album’s 2018 lead single, is so 2019, and what was I doing then? I was completing the transition to high school, binging Game of Thrones, tuning in weekly to Euphoria, and prac

Quintessential works from a graduating senior. By Cecilia Zuniga Illustration by Ines Alto Why do you think there are no men enrolled in this class? It is a Thursday at 10:10 a.m., and my professor splays this question across on the board as our weekly writing prompt. The class, titled Crime, Race, Sex, and the Politics of Purity, is a graduate level seminar in Barnard’s American Studies department. My classmates trickle into the room, each one pausing in the doorway to rea

What I came and left with. By Zayna Jamil Illustration by Ines Alto On Tuesday, March 24, I was selected via lottery to attend dinner at Columbia College Dean Josef Sorett’s apartment through the Undergraduate Community Initiative. I was among about 20 students and 15 alumni faculty members from various fields of study gathered to talk about our experiences in the College thus far. I stepped foot into the apartment feeling a little hesitant. I searched for friends or familia

A Night at the Columbia vs. NYU Law Dean’s Cup. By Ana Sorrentino Illustration by Ines Alto As if this were any usual Columbia basketball game, I smuggled my Chef Mike’s sandwich along with three bags of hot cheetos into my purse as I entered Levien Gym. I took my usual seat on the left, angled for a clear view of the scoreboard. As Columbia has never been known for its abundant school spirit, I expected only thin, uneven waves of baby blue-clad attendants and more empty rows

How a scrappy underdog won a unanimous moral victory By Chris Brown Illustration by Ines Alto Sparks were flying on a beautiful day in Morningside Park as The Blue and White lined up against WKCR in their first meeting on the kickball diamond. The long-awaited match between Columbia’s two favorite student journalism organizations arrived on a crisp late April morning. Hard rain the day before did nothing to dampen either team’s spirits, and the game kicked off at 12:30 p.m. T

Navigating queer dating culture on campus . By Zayna Jamil Illustration by Ines Alto Four years, 48 months, 1344 days — I had been waiting for this moment. After years of imagining the new life ahead of me, the car was packed and ready to drive off with my suitcases, picture frames of hometown friends, and a loving family trying to delay saying goodbye to their newly-adult daughter at college. After a four hour drive, I stood at the towering gates of Columbia, intimidated, bu