Hello down there, On the seven-and-a-halfth floor of the Philosophy building, tucked away on a dead-end stair landing, sits a lone desk. If this does not immediately invoke an image for you, go visit it. There you will find a Platonic ideal of the scholar, books spread before them, facing the wall, isolated from the bustle of the staircase. But whether you opt for the laggard elevator or the five flights of stairs, it is difficult to reach this desk, to leave your friends, yo

On love as a constant. Introductions are for small talk; let me write about the weather.  This winter, New York City has been coated in the deepest snow that the class of 2026 has seen in their four winters at Columbia. Though at first the white layer seemed as permanent as a blank page, it didn’t lie idle for long. Snowmen sprang out of benches. Snow angels appeared on the lawns. Municipal dump trucks donned plows and struggled through graying streets.  During the first big

Behind the scenes of Barnard’s mass staff layoffs.  By Natalie Buttner  Illustration by Derin Ogutcu The Barnard Class of 2029 arrived on a sunlit day at the end of August. RA’s paraded carts filled to the brim with clothes, books, and dorm furniture down the sidewalk. Guests donned bright wristbands as orientation leaders cheered them onto campus. Laura Rosenbury even graced the gates, making a swift pass through crowds of student workers and staff as they facilitated an emo

The birth, death, and resurrection of Gutzon Borglum’s angels. By Natalie Buttner  Illustration by Audrey Wang The ornate facade of St. John the Divine is populated by a lavish community of statues. Angels, apostles, patriarchs, and prophets wrapped in gray robes are frozen in place, enacting the more theatrical moments in Holy Writ. The style is inconsistent, indicative of a diversity of sculptors and visions for the Cathedral. The arched doors are centered on a marble statu

Numbers and shifting dynamics in campus protest.  By Natalie Buttner Illustration by Derin Ogutcu Risk in protest is often a question...

On the role of theater in tragic times. By Natalie Buttner Illustration by Iris Pope Every meeting of Ellen McLaughlin’s Playwriting I...