Tufts senior Jack Cline studies environmental studies and race, colonialism and diaspora with a minor in music. Initially, he didn’t believe a career in the arts was sustainable. However, their experiences over the past four years have dramatically reshaped their perspective, leading them to pursue a career as a pianist.
Ryan Coogler has struck gold with his new Southern gothic horror period piece“Sinners” (2025). Set in1932, the moviefollows aset of twins, Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), as they return to theirhometown in Mississippi after a seven-year venture into the casino scene of Chicago. The two businessmen plan to open a juke joint for their home community to enjoy food, drinks and — most importantly — the blues. Smoke and Stack travel around their small town,recruiting old friends to help put together a new space for the largely nonwhite community — a necessity, especially in the era ofJim Crow.
Folks, this is it. The last iteration of this epic, earth-shattering column that was initially cooked up in a dusty old basement under Curtis Hall in the wee hours of the morning. It’s been such a delightful journey for me, from browsing the shelves at Waterstones in Chelsea to digging through stacks at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, as I try to find the next best read.
While shooting his senior thesis project, first-time filmmaker Mitchell Brown encountered a problem no screenwriting class could have prepared him for.Brown’s story — a psychological thriller about a father trying to reconnect with his family while coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder — relied heavily on windows. More specifically, the character’s compulsions to fiddle with and adjust the windows. However, when the team arrived to shoot at an Airbnb in Malden, the windows had been sealed shut by the owner.
Admittedly, I am the first to roll my eyes and scoff at literature of the ‘don’t worry, be happy’ genre. There is nothing more vexing than being told to calm down during moments of intense anxiety. For that reason, I typically steer clear of any media that encourages us to ‘cheer up.’ That being said, Victoria Hutchins’ “Make Believe: Poems for Hoping Again” represents a clear exception to this rule. It is the honesty and brutality with which Hutchins writes that transforms this poetry collection from one of toxic positivity to one of unwavering hope.
For more than 60 years, the Jackson Jills have been arranging, singing and performing at Tufts. The Jills were named after Cornelia Maria Jackson, who was the namesake of Jackson College, Tufts’ counterpart for female students at the time of its founding. The name stuck after the schools merged in 1980. Today, the Jills continue to honor their history while looking for new ways to innovate their sound.
For Anevay Ybáñez, storytelling is not just an art; it is a commitment. Her senior thesis project is a powerful documentary that delves into the lived realities of the United States Mexico border, the place she calls home.
The colors on the screen rise and fall, nearly bursting from the borders of the geometric shapes.Walter Ruttmann’s 1921 short film “Lichtspiel Opus I”is oil paint on glass, but tonight in The Rockwell,the film is also sound and touch on sight. There is the seesaw of violin and song. Voices slip in and out of harmony. Triangles stab downward, and the voices become gasps and whistles. The dancer moves in front of the screen. Her arms roll over her body, which is enveloped in lime green. Aural crescendos match the swelling of shape and color.
This past weekend, the Tufts Dance Collective put on an incredible performance led by an exceptional team: Kylie McNulty, Luke Morris, Mia Parangalan, Ali Wawner and Molly Sullivan. The show, titled“H.A.G.S,” featured a variety of creative dance compilations, including “The Lana Del Reaping,” “Does Bruno Mars is Gay?” and “Good Will Cunting.”
When I walked into the theaters this past weekend for nighttime showing of “The Amateur” (2025), I was not expecting for my eyes to be glued to the screen for every single minute.
At the“Hands Off!” protest in Boston on April 5, Chantal Zakari, SMFA professor of the practice,was among the crowd.In 2020, Zakari taught a course called “Subversive Graphics: Socially Engaged Art,” which discussed recent artistic protest movements and art methods, including street graphics, books and short-lived print. Using this expertise,she gave her insight on the posters for the “Hands Off!” protest.
Since the summer of 2024, Tufts senior, writer and director Kelly Kimbis has been working on her narrative short film, “The Hitman’s Laundromat.” While the film is influenced by Kimbis’ love for crime films and the crime genre, the real inspiration for her film came from an unlikely place.
Justin Vernon has long been a reluctant prophet of pain. Ever since his now-mythologized retreat to a Wisconsin cabin to record “For Emma, Forever Ago” in 2007, the Bon Iver frontman has stood at the center of a tension between raw emotional expression and the performance of that expression — between self-exploration and the expectation of sadness. But “SABLE, fABLE,” Bon Iver’s long-awaited fifth studio album, dares to ask a question few saw coming: What if Bon Iver, but happy?
We’ve all been there: Finals begin approaching, you’re drowning in essays and readings and suddenly, a notification pops up for a 20% off sale, or you see a really tempting Instagram ad. Or maybe you’re one of those students who scroll through online shops in the middle of class (I always sit in the back of class and — trust me — there’s always at least three people online shopping). Retail therapy, right? For many college students, shopping provides a momentary escape from the grind of student life, giving us a chance to feel better, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
On Jan. 20, 1894, Béhanzin, the 11th ruler of Dahomey — the kingdom in the area today known as Benin — stood before his subjects, fully aware it would be for the last time. Soon he would surrender Dahomey to the French, bringing three years of conflict to a close. With that, another West African kingdom fell to the spoils of colonial expansion.
God has dealt me a cruel hand: I am a biology major who yearns for the arts and humanities. Unfortunately, my course schedule has really limited the amount of arts classes I’ve been able to take in my four years at Tufts. Instead of taking classes on classical literature or contemporary plays, I’ve been burdened with biological knowledge, such as the organization of the fly’s nervous system or the way cells repair DNA damage. Fortunately, I’ve found a YouTuber who delivers content worthy of a college English class and with the humor and aesthetic taste of the contemporary world. Enter Lola Sebastian.
Welcome to the beginning of what will likely be the weirdest, most transformative, emotionally chaotic and occasionally magical four years of your life. You’re probably gearing up for your final summer at home right now — graduation parties, late nights and maybe even a Pinterest board full of ‘dorm aesthetic’ ideas. You’re making lists, buying way too many things from Target and possibly imagining what it’ll feel like to walk onto campus as a brand new Tufts student.
As you embark on your journey at Tufts, be sure to stop by Vivant Vintage at its new location on Newbury Street. From operating a unique mobile boutique — a tricycle-pulled cart named “Le Pants King and The Traveling Spectacular” — Justin Pomerleau and his wife, Emmy Sawich, transformed their vision into reality with the opening of Vivant Vintage on Newbury Street on March 1. After spending several years preparing for this high-profile second location, their hard work has finally paid off.
As you begin to embark on your journey into Tufts, you may be wondering: What do I even do while here?
On March 27, the current president of the United States of America signed an executive order to begin overhauling the Smithsonian Institution. This order comes from an effort to curb what has been called “woke ideology.” Paired with a crackdown on Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity programs, these new executive orders have instilled a very remarkable trait in our current administration: the ability to erase and change history.
