Features

Columns

T Time: The mystery of Riverside Station

By Jeremy Bramson | January 30

If you have ever looked at a map of the MBTA on your phone, you may have noticed that the D branch of the Green Line extends far west of Boston like a long, green tentacle, ending at Riverside Station. This quirk of the T has always intrigued me. Why does the D branch extend so much farther than other branches of the Green Line? What mysteries lurk at Riverside Station? To answer these questions that rattle in the back of my mind, I dove into the world of investigative journalism and journeyed to Riverside Station.

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Columns

GC in DC: Tales from the Swamp: The initiation

By Guillem Colom | January 26

Scandals, special interests, George Santos: Washington, D.C. is the ‘swamp’ of American politics. National media outlets clamor to cover the next big political controversies from supposed adults. However, the perspectives and experiences of undergraduates living and working in D.C. are often left out of meaningful conversations on what the demands of political life mean for a future generation of leaders already confronting the effects of political decisions.

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Features

Has Tufts Dining sprung a leek?

By Oliver Rabinov | January 24

Everyone loves a good renovation: just ask the Property Brothers. Even Tufts Dining tried its hand at renovations in the spring, summer and fall of 2023, with Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run and Kindlevan Café undergoing facelifts. These grab-and-go facilities are designed to supplement larger dining locations like Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center and Carmichael Dining Center. The renovations are part of a long-term plan to improve the Tufts Dining program for all students.

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Features

Is so-called DEI policy the third rail of politics on U.S. campuses?

By Ellora Onion-De | January 22

The recent resignations of Claudine Gay as President of Harvard University and Elizabeth Magill as President of University of Pennsylvania sparked a public debate over Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies on U.S. campuses.

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Features

Coding for change: Tufts JumboCode develops web solutions for Boston nonprofits

By Camille Hu | January 19

At 7 p.m. on Sunday nights, Room 170 of the Joyce Cummings Center will be packed with students. Some huddle in circles, writing and dissecting lines of code, while others mingle throughout the room. The atmosphere is alive with diverse conversations, but a common thread unites them all: A shared commitment to empower communities through software development.

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Features

In the wake of tragedy: Lewiston, Maine community comes together after Oct. 25 mass shooting

By Katie Hankinson | January 17

On Oct. 25, 2023, the city of Lewiston, Maine was devastated by the deadliest mass shooting in the state’s history, thus adding it to the list of the 656 communities in the United States that were affected by a mass shooting in 2023. The shooting, committed by 40-year-old Robert Card, killed 18 people.

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Features

Mayer Campus Center exemplifies Tufts’ rich architectural roots

By Gus Gladstein | January 17

In 1903, world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright broke ground on a mansion in Buffalo, N.Y. for local business leader Darwin D. Martin. A decade later and roughly 450 miles away, Frank G. Wren, former dean of liberal arts at Tufts, sounded the call for a building where students could gather at the heart of campus. Bearing a striking resemblance to Wright’s Martin House, the Mayer Campus Center was constructed after an anonymous donation of $1.25 million in 1980.

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Features

Beyond the hill: Tufts seniors graduate a semester early

By Claire Wood | December 11

Most Tufts students are familiar with the residency requirement, which mandates that all students complete eight semesters of full-time study in order to graduate.

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Features

Tufts Dance Collective dances their way through ‘Your Roman Empire’

By Sophie Axelrod | December 11

Tufts Dance Collective’s semester show, “TDC Presents: Your Roman Empire,” on December 2nd at Cohen Auditorium was a performance for the ages. Tufts Dance Collective, or TDC for short, is one of many dance groups on Tufts’ campus that highlight student creativity and freedom of expression. Student choreography and creative wit are the forefront of this energetic and playful club. The Tufts Dance Collective has been around for at least 15 years and is a community event many enjoy participating in, leading or spectating. As one of the most highly anticipated student performances at Tufts, tickets for TDC often sell out within minutes of going on sale.There were 14 different group dances this semester. In pairs, students pitched names and themes around which to choreograph their dances. With titles like “Phineas and Ferbalicious” and “Barb Mitzvah,” the music and choreography of the dances often emulate and combine pop culture references.

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Columns

Weekly Wellness: ‘Veganuary’

By Katie Pflieger | December 11

As the holiday season begins and the New Year looms, the question of what resolution to pursue may start to come up in conversation. Whether in the name of health or to lower one’s carbon footprint, going vegan or vegetarian in the new year is a goal that ambitious eaters may decide to take on. 

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Columns

Munching with Max: Super suppers

By Max Druckman | December 11

For me, the most important meal of the day is dinner. Why, you ask? The generous portions, of course! And you can eat just about anything and call it ‘dinner.’ You can eat ‘breakfast’ foods like waffles or ‘lunch’ foods like sandwiches for dinner. Fun fact, a common synonym for dinner, ‘supper,’ has its roots in the word ‘super' (look it up). 

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Columns

Double Decker Diary: Christmas feels like home

By Alice Fang | December 5

Dear Diary, London celebrates Christmas like no other. Even someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy Christmas would pause and marvel at the glistening lights of the festivities. Almost overnight, the streets were decorated with golden lights, wreaths garnished with fake snow hung on doors and shelves of department stores were lined with Christmas cards. The absence of Thanksgiving in the U.K. lent the stage to Christmas in early November.

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Features

Road trips allow Tufts students to explore new places, experiences off campus

By Katie Hankinson | December 4

As New England transitions from fall to another long, cold winter, the number of outdoor activities on the Tufts campus has started to dwindle. For students looking to combat the Northeast’s notorious winter rut, a day trip or a weekend road trip off campus can be an opportunity to experience new places.

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Columns

Cabinet of Curiosities: Pumpkins, underwear, the books of Rich Shapero

By Jake Ren | December 4

Although it is already December, pumpkins from Halloween continue to haunt the Tufts University campus. Remembering how these gourds were dismembered, carved, gorged and skinned to make into pie, perfume, spice and lattes in October, it is nice to see them just sitting around now. They often perch at inaccessibly high parts of buildings, upright and intact, as if giants had carefully placed them there as ritualistic protection so that “Attack On Titan” (2013–23) could conclude on a satisfying note (which was proven successful). 

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Features

The Somerville Theatre: More than just the movies

By Sam Dieringer | December 1

Never before in the 109-year existence of the Somerville Theatre did it once close its doors to the public. That is, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. The Fraiman family, owners of the Theatre, witnessed financial losses. Regular theatergoers were forced to watch films from the couch, indulging the rising streaming culture. Once lively hubs for entertainment, Davis Square’s independent cinema and theaters everywhere were stripped of their humanity. Ian Judge, creative director of the Somerville Theatre, explained the hardships the theater faced amidst the pandemic.

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Columns

Weekly Wellness: All about Pilates

By Katie Pflieger | December 1

With celebrities like the Kardashians and Jennifer Aniston praising its benefits and results, Pilates, a type of low-impact workout, has created a vast buzz on TikTok and other platforms, with some enthusiasts saying it’s the only workout they’re willing to partake in.

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Features

Take it for a spin: The Camberville E-bike Lending Library gives access to electric bicycles in the Greater Boston area

By Sarah Firth | November 30

Inae Hwang was torn: Should she buy a new electric bike? “I’ve been looking at e-bikes for six months straight, really looking to purchase one,” Hwang, a Belmont resident, said. Then, a friend referred her to the Camberville E-bike Lending Library, which Somerville resident Christopher Schmidt runs out of his Porter Square home. Hwang decided to take one of the e-bikes for a spin. “I was like, ‘Oh, I should totally borrow one because then I will know what it feels like, and how well it does or doesn’t work for me,’” she said.

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Columns

A Jumbo’s Journey: To me, you’re … copacetic

By Ben Rachel | November 30

To preface this column publication, I want to say that I’ve never watched “Love Actually” (2003). My favorite Christmas movie is “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946). The only things I know about “Love Actually” are that it is my mom’s favorite, and it has the scene where the dude stands outside the fence with a bunch of signs professing his love after the girl says to her (I would assume) partner, “it’s carol singers.” Which, I don’t know, has to be one of the most ridiculous things ever. Like, come on.

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Features

Tufts alumni give back through Winternships

By Abby Stern | November 29

The Film and Media Studies Winternship program harnesses the power of the Tufts community by combining the generosity of alumni and the passionate intellect of current Tufts students. For over 20 years, the Winternship program has provided students a snapshot intensive of the media industry and workforce. Students apply through the FMS Department for one to two week internships over winter break, many of which are set up by Tufts alumni who donate their time and resources in order to give back to their alma mater. The program is Tufts-focused and Tufts-specific, providing the best opportunities for students to enter the competitive media industry.

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Columns

T Time: Ditch the Uber for the T

By Jeremy Bramson | November 29

Typically, I use this column to focus on one specific MBTA station and the neighborhood surrounding it. However, I recently traveled out of Boston via plane and Amtrak, so I thought it would be helpful to discuss how to use the T to access other forms of transportation, especially before the upcoming winter break.

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