Columns - The Tufts Daily

Columns

Medford's Carrie Bradshaw: Being extracurricular-ly curious at Tufts

By Megan Reimer | February 14

What should you get involved in, in college? Since I entered college last fall in 2021, I'm curious. Some say that there are activities in college that you can only do during these four years and at no other time, while others say that such activities are the only way to keep yourself busy or distracted from the hustles, worries and bustles surrounding the rest of your day, week, month, semester, year! So, are we giving up too much of our free time, or are we not giving up enough?

Columns

Caffeinated Commentary: Tamper

By Natalie Bricker | February 14

If you’re a Tufts student, chances are you’ve been to Tamper. It’s a short minute walk from campus, depending on where you are, and you can get there from lower campus without climbing any hills (a big plus). I feel a personal connection to this spot because it was the first coffee shop I stopped by when I first toured Tufts. And it feels very “Tufts” with a lot of students working there and comprising much of its customer base.

Columns

What I Wish I Knew: Routine? Never heard of it

By Abby Stern | February 10

“Just give it a few weeks, and you’ll settle into a routine.” That’s what I heard my entire first week in London. “It’ll get so much easier once you get your schedule down. Just wait until things get a little less crazy.”

Columns

The Final Whistle: A renaissance in Naples

By Bharat Singh | February 9

While most will remember Diego Maradona in the iconic sky blue and white of Argentina, some might recall his time in Italy, where the Argentine magician wore a darker shade of blue. A symbol of hope for a suffering city, Maradona brought life to Naples, taking Napoli from near relegation to its first-ever Scudetto in 1987 and adding another in 1990. In the post-Maradona era, however, Italian football slipped back into its usual three-horse race between Juventus and the two great Milan clubs. Since 2002, only these three sides have shared the glory of Italian football, a period which included eight consecutive titles for Juventus. This season, however, the familiar script of Italian football has taken an unexpected twist with the renaissance of Napoli.

Columns

The Wraparound: Rebrand needed for NHL All-Star Game

By Timothy Valk | February 9

If you didn’t tune into the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend, hosted Friday and Saturday in Sunrise, Fla., you missed seeing Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner dress up as Miami Vice’s Sonny Crockett on a breakaway challenge, the hard-nosed Tkachuk brothers perform a beach-themed on-ice skit and the “Great 8” Alex Ovechkin’s 4-year-old son, Sergei, offer a glimpse into his hockey future.

Columns

Queeries: presence vs. representation

By Jack Clohisy and Saba S. | February 9

Hello to all our queers, peers, queer peers, etc. Queeries is coming right back at you again for the spring 2023 semester. Similarly to last fall, we’ll be discussing anything and everything queer. We’re here, we’re queer and we’re here to spread all the love and joy. Please enjoy our iterations this semester.

Columns

Personal Praguenosis

By Sacha Waters | February 8

Although I decided to study film in Prague for a semester, I’ve always been nervous abroad — a byproduct of my woefully American fashion sense and drawl. Despite possessing an English mother, I’ve found my accent does me no favors in Europe; my brother and I joke that as soon as we dare to speak within London, the surrounding passersby’s estimation of our IQ drops by 30 points. At times, it’s difficult to not feel judged.

Columns

Winkler’s Weekly Symphony Guide: Mackey’s concerto saves the night

By Matthew Winkler | February 8

On Jan. 28, the Boston Symphony Orchestra finished the month with a familiar formula for programming at this point.Steven Mackey’s “Concerto for Curved Space” opened as the contemporary work, Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Violin Concerto No. 2” followed, continuing the BSO’s Shostakovich cycle and Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony No. 4” closed as the vetted canonical work.

Columns

Extra Innings: Baseball's future is global

By Henry Blickenstaff | February 7

Once the most popular sport in America, there’s no denying that our national pastime is far from its former glory. For a sport seemingly as American as apple pie, baseball is far behind football as the most popular sport in the country, and this is especially true among younger Americans: Only 7% of Americans under 30 say baseball is their favorite sport, well behind football (24%) and basketball (17%).

Columns

Caffeinated Commentary: Simon’s Coffee Shop

By Natalie Bricker | February 7

If you’re a Tufts student, you may not know about Simon’s Coffee Shop (located at 1736 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge). It’s a bit of a hike from campus (about a 40 minute walk or a 20 minute T ride), but it’s worth venturing to because the cozy vibes are off the charts.

Columns

Sports and Society: Kyrie Irving's job interview

By Oliver Fox | February 6

I heard someone say that Kyrie Irving is an allegory for the modern American worker. Employers want a return to pre-pandemic normalcy — complete with in-person offices and regular working hours—while their employees increasingly expect their work to adapt to how their lives have already changed because of the pandemic. Except Irving is not down-to-earth, flexible or even making logical demands. He is a missile launcher aimed directly at the heart of whatever NBA franchise he happens to be on.

Columns

Sports and Society: Goodbye, Tom Brady

By Oliver Fox | February 3

I am really glad I did not write this column last year.

Columns

Extra Innings: Rafael Devers saves the Red Sox

By Henry Blickenstaff | February 1

On Jan. 11, the Red Sox finalized a massive 11-year, $331 million contract extension with star third baseman Rafael Devers. It’s a big move for Boston, as Devers is one of the game’s best hitters. But the extension is more important than one player. It gives Red Sox fans some confidence in a front office that has made several questionable moves lately, and it probably saved Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom’s career.

Columns

Caffeinated Commentary: Diesel

By Natalie Bricker | January 30

This week, I stopped by Davis Square’s Diesel to sip some coffee and assess the overall vibes. Confession: this wasn’t my first time at Diesel. In fact, I stop by this coffee shop (located at 257 Elm St. in Somerville) at least twice a week. The coffee is just that incredible. I usually order a latte with oat milk, but sometimes I opt for a chai latte. The coffee is smooth and flavorful, served in a big mug with thick foam.

Columns

Sports and Society: B.I.F.Y. and Basketball

By Oliver Fox | January 26

The Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA. And I might need a doctor.

Columns

The Wraparound: Behind the Bruins’ historic season

By Timothy Valk | January 26

Hi! Welcome to The Wraparound, the professional hockey column of The Tufts Daily. Whether you’re a diehard NHL fan or someone who enjoys the occasional diving save you’re in the right place. Every other Thursday I’ll recap what’s going on around the National Hockey League — scores, stats, standings, trades — while adding some of my own thoughts and opinions towards the end. Let’s get right to it!

Columns

The Final Whistle: What will Leandro Trossard bring to Arsenal?

By Bharat Singh | January 24

History beckons for Arsenal. For the first time in over a decade, the North London side look like potential Premier League champions. A convincing derby victory against Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur and a nail-biting 3–2 thriller against bitter rivals Manchester United proved once again the quality of Mikel Arteta’s team. 5 points clear at the top of the rankings, with a game in hand over Manchester City, the Gunners look poised to claim their first title since 2004. But this season is far from over and a string of poor form, injuries and fixture congestion are all factors that could end Arsenal’s title dream. To avoid this, Arsenal has reinforced their squad with Brighton’s Leandro Trossard.

Column

The End of the World Has Just Begun: Jalisco New Generation Goes International

By Daniel Chung | January 24

In the frenzy of reporting on Joe Biden’s neglect of classified documents, the media seemed to forget about the president’s visit to Mexico. However, as recent news indicates, the backdrop of that event may shape up to be the most pressing threat to U.S. national security.

Columns

What I Wish I Knew: Study abroad equals freshman fall

By Abby Stern | January 24

Three years ago, as a first-semester freshman, I somehow made friends, found my way around a new city, survived living on my own and experienced new classes, all while watching people I knew on social media seemingly have the time of their lives.

Columns

Keeping up with the 617: The Bo Horvat dilemma

By Matt Goguen | January 20

With the “dog days” of the NHL season in full swing, the Boston Bruins are continuing their incredible start. After their win over the New York Islanders on Wednesday, they became the second fastest team in NHL history to reach 35 wins — an absurd statistic. While their great play continues to puzzle hockey pundits, the foundation was there for years before head coach Jim Montgomery took the helm; since the Bruins have adopted Montgomery’s offensive-minded system, the team has achieved their full potential.