Columns - The Tufts Daily

Columns

Hey Wait Just One Second: The Powder Alarm of 1774

By Max Turnacioglu | March 5

Boston is a city of stories. The regal names of squares and streets, the faded bronze plaques nestled within brick facades, the rivers decussating its low hills; Boston is a composite of many, many stories. Once I began to notice the whispered stories etched into the cobblestones beneath my wayward feet, I could not help but find that my whole world was suffusedwith like whisperings. There is the story of my life — the narrative of my perception and those who vie for control of it — and there is the rich, boundless story of my world. And one, invariably, speaks to the other.

Column

The Conversation: Mayor mayor on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?

By Evan Wang and Sadie Roraback-Meagher | March 4

Sadie Roraback-Meagher: Evan, what’s the difference between an expired pie and this year’s New York mayoral election? Evan Wang: What? Sadie: Nothing, they’re both full of rotten apples. Evan: I’m going to quit the column. Sadie: Jokes aside, a probable Cuomo-Adams off seems like just ...

Columns

Escape the Library: bōm dough

By Olivia Bye | March 4

As we tackle midterm season in the midst of these cold, dreary months, I often think about what could possibly cheer me up during a long afternoon spent studying. The answer? Matcha, of course! Matcha enthusiasts and bread lovers alike will be pleased to know that in the heart of Cambridge sits bōm dough, a Brazilian cafe featuring a robust assortment of matcha drinks, pastries and breads in addition to a variety of brunch items. Their menu ranges from traditional to experimental items, offering matcha drinks with flavors like maple and peach.

Columns

Confessions of A Shopaholic: Miranda Priestly was correct

By Ryan Fairfield | March 4

As fall 2025 collections make their way down the runway, I’m reminded of one of the most iconic film monologues of all time —Miranda Priestly’s “cerulean monologue” from“The Devil Wears Prada.” If you’re unfamiliar,Miranda, editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine (inspired by Vogue and Anna Wintour), explains to her assistant the trickle-down effect of the fashion industry, emphasizing that no one is “exempt” from its influence.

Columns

Full Court Press: The deadly sins of NBA Twitter

By Noah Goldstein | February 28

Have you ever been centel’d? If you don’t know what that means, good for you; it means you’re not a chronically online basketball fan, unlike many people I talk to on a daily basis. If you do and if you’ve been victimized by the infamous account, that’s okay too … it happens to the best of us.

Columns

The Oxford Comma: Reputation, reputation, reputation!

By Grace Nelson | February 28

Hi everyone! Welcome back to The Oxford Comma. For today’s column, I want to explore the old-time question that William Shakespeare’s Juliet once mused aloud: “What’s in a name?”

Columns

Coffee Table Socioeconomics: Some food for thought from the Daily’s business model

By Linda Huang | February 25

In light of Daily Week and celebrating the Daily’s 45th anniversary, I dedicate this column to appreciating the success of the Daily’s business model and operational capability. I also want to highlight the lessons we can take from it, especially for students at Tufts, a school which I think falls short on its business education —come back for my next column, where I will discuss this.

Columns

Lay of the Leagues: Premier League edition

By Brian Becker | February 24

The docks of Bramley-Moore are eager for the new construction project in town: Everton Stadium, the new home of the Everton Football Club. A state-of-the-art stadium occupies the new venue, standing ready to usher in a new era for the Toffees on the weekend of Aug. 16, when they will most likely play their first home fixture of the 2024–25 season. Many fans will certainly experience delight in singing along to the “Z-Cars” theme in the architectural masterpiece, but the modern-day bowl stadiums signify a bigger trend coming to the pinnacle of the English Football League.

Columns

The Intangibles: On Victor Wembanyama’s health

By Jonah Cowan | February 24

We know that Victor Wembanyama will be one of the greatest basketball players of all time — if he stays healthy. This is the statement that defines his career. Now, Wembanyama is out for the rest of the season with a deep vein thrombosis and a blood clot in his shoulder which, according to Dr. Brian Sutterer, “could have traveled to his lungs and killed him.”

Columns

A Jumbo’s Journey: Do midterms think about me as much as I think about them?

By Ben Rachel | February 24

Well, well, well. It’s like déjà vu. We are back to our favorite time of the semester: midterm season! It’s a beautiful and wonderful time for all Tufts students — spending hours in Tisch cubicles, fighting fellow students for a table outside of Kindlevan Café and crashing out in the Tisch basement (a nod to my past article). For my dear, loyal readers, you can already tell how midterm season is going for me with this delayed publication. I hope you all were able to get through the weekend without my profound insights and comedic tone to guide you.

Columns

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Never be ashamed of merch

By Ryan Fairfield | February 24

A Taylor Swift Eras Tour tee. A Loewe ‘I Told Ya’ tee from “Challengers.” Multiple Glossier hoodies. A Sabrina Carpenter hoodie that says “You act like a bitch” — a reference to her song “Feather.” A 1975 tee. An A24 “Babygirl” tee — a recent pickup. All of these are pieces of merch I have collected over the years that are consistently in my outfit rotation.

Columns

Coffee with Creatives: Ian Choi, a master in the making

By Ava Dettling | February 21

Nestled within the winding corridors of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts’ senior studios is a curious space, one in which cultures, colors and clothes collide. It is the space in which artist Ian Choi, a fourth-year BFA student, works on her latest piece.

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Through Indigenous Eyes: The colonial history of Greenland and why it matters

By Sorsha Khitikian | February 21

Greenland is a relatively new player on the global stage. Only gaining autonomy from Denmark in 1979, the region is known for fishing, ice and being the largest island that isn’t considered a continent. However, the history of colonialism and the Indigenous fight for sovereignty in Greenland is largely unknown outside of Greenland and Denmark. While this serves historically colonial powers, examining Greenland as a case study is vital to contextualizing Indigeneity within global politics. As U.S. President Donald Trump explores buying Greenland, it’s important to not only consider the opinion of European powers, but also the Indigenous people Trump’s proposal would immediately affect.

Columns

Hey Wait Just One Second: Hearts

By Max Turnacioglu | February 20

I ❤️ you. This confession is quite audacious — indeed, I may hardly know you beyond your proclivity for consuming great journalism. Nonetheless, I hope my love may entice you to continue reading because I find such an admission remarkable, despite its forward attitude.

Columns

Trunks Full of Treasures: Exciting vintage finds at Found

By Fiona Hinrichsen | February 20

Begun by husband and wife duo Rob Singh and Megan Fehling-Singh, Found has expanded from running Fenway Flea to a series of vintage pop-up events and ultimately establishing permanent curated vintage stores in Boston. After doing a video about Fenway Flea, Singh and Fehling-Singh reached out to videographer Sam Clovers and asked if she wanted to make videos for their new project called Found. Together, the trio launched Found in February 2023.

Column

The Conversation: Musk, the apprentice

By Evan Wang and Sadie Roraback-Meagher | February 19

Sadie Roraback-Meagher: Heya there Evan! Evan Wang: Hey Sadie! Sadie: I hope your week has been good so far. I don’t know about you, but for me, looking at the news this past week has been … what’s the word? Panic inducing? Nauseating? Just flat-out horrifying? But hey, at least that ...

Columns

Center Stage: Freshman 15

By Nate Hall | February 19

For students interested in jazz performance on campus, there’s no shortage of offerings in the music department, which is home to a jazz orchestra and two small jazz ensembles. However, Freshman 15 offers something a little different. Created by Ben Lanzi during his freshman year in 2019, Freshman 15 is Tufts’ first and only student-run jazz big band. After Lanzi’s graduation in 2023, leadership of the band passed to seniors Matt Torres and Arielle Klein. Upon Torres’ and Klein’s departures last spring, it was up to the band’s younger members to step up into new leadership roles.

Column

Coffee Table Socioeconomics: Invest more in our human capital

By Linda Huang | February 18

In the field of development economics, there is a prominent view that education and investment in human capital are key for improving social organization and economic mobility, bringing about effective economic development. For an already-developed country like the United States, this view on development may not always manifest in economic terms — it could also pertain to both social progress and innovation. Having been able to compare the relationship between education and development in a developing country like China and a developed country like the United States, I have seen firsthand how access to and quality of higher education play a crucial role in shaping a nation’s trajectory.

Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: ‘Brave New World’ kicks off Marvel 2025

By Odessa Gaines | February 18

As 2025 gears up for a year of unrelenting releases from the Big Mouse, the question on everyone’s lips seems to be straightforward: Is Marvel finally back? On Friday, Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World” released in the United States. The fourth of the Captain America films has the unfortunate task of comforting every Marvel film critic into thinking the “Infinity Saga” is back. The truth, “Brave New World” is a fine film, easily one of the most enjoyable in recent years. However, it falls flat in common Marvel style — the narrative is uninventive and lacks heart.

Columns

Lay of the Leagues: The search for quality, long-term player development in the NFL

By Brian Becker | February 14

The NFL has entered a phase of expansion, where its leadership is determined to spread the market to destinations deemed unreachable just 10 years ago. The highest-grossing revenue league has cemented its gritty and purely American presence in settings across the globe. Becoming more worldwide than ever before and with the 2025 Super Bowl in the books, the league trails in building an effective player development model. Many teams feel burdened to fast-track their own rebuilding process, leaving a scarcity of “complete” teams league-wide.