A series of events. By Marianna Jocas Illustration by Jacqueline Subkhanberdina Over the summer I was seeing this guy, and therefore, was going on a series of dates. At the same time, I had developed an addiction to Medjool dates, and one morning (while eating my daily dose of dates) I told my mom, “You know, I’m really liking these dates. One date a day keeps the doctor away, so they say.” She smiled, ignoring my cringe-comedy, and said, “I actually agree—speaking of, when

A study abroad assumption. By Marianna Jocas Illustration by Iris Pope If I recorded and then overlayed each conversation I’ve had about my time abroad, the resulting stream of chaos would eventually synchronize to ask: “You’re keeping a journal of all this, right?” On its surface, the question is benign, which is why it may seem odd that it gives me a pang of anxiety. That’s because the question references a larger, more disconcerting notion that good experiences—and maybe o

What Columbia College Today taught me about nonsense. By Marianna Jocas “Whatever the style or technique, teaching at its best can be a...

A first date gone wrong. By Marianna Jocas Illustration by Isabelle Oh Hungarian was a war zone. The soundscape demanded a certain...