During this year’s rainy Homecoming, groups of students, parents and alumni took refuge under their umbrellas to cheer on the Tufts football team. Despite the spirited efforts of both Tufts Pep Band and Tufts Cheerleading, there was a lack of student turnout. However, this does not mean that school spirit is absent at Tufts.
There are probably a plethora of questions: Why is a freshman writing a column titled “A Jumbo’s Journey”? What is this column, and why is it being published by the prestigious, apparently seventh-best college newspaper, The Tufts Daily? As I sit here in the darkness and loneliness of mysingle room, I understand that I can’t answer all of your questions just yet. Instead, I hope to give an overview of who I am and what this column will be.
For sophomores, the return to Tufts following summer is an exciting one. With a year of college behind them, Tufts sophomores come back well-acquainted with campus life and eager for a new year. This blissful bubble bursts within the first month of sophomore year, as they are confronted with a daunting task: finding an off-campus house to live in the next year.
The fall semester is officially in full swing, and with it comes an exciting month for the Tufts Latinx community. Not only is this October Latinx Heritage Month, a nationwide celebration of the culture, but it also marks the Tufts Latinx Center’s monumental 30th anniversary. Located on the corner of Talbot and College Ave, the Tufts Latinx Center — or, as students affectionately call it, the “LC” — is celebrating “30 years of LatinXcellence.”
Hopping off the MBTA Green Line after riding from the Medford/Tufts station to Park Street, the transition from a suburban to urban landscape is self-evident. The air downtown is saturated with the smells of street food, gasoline and sweat. Glancing around offers a view of Boston’s skyline juxtaposed with the expansive Boston Common and Public Garden. From this spot, exploring Boston can take on many different forms, like traveling by way of urban green spaces.
The Daily spoke with Daniel Slager, CEO of Milkweed Editions. Milkweed is an independent, non-profit literary publisher based in Minneapolis. Slager sat down with the Daily to discuss his journey into publishing, Milkweed’s commitment to sustainability, Amazon versus independent booksellers and more.
This past summer, Taylor Swift fans gathered in masses to watch “The Eras Tour” across the United States. Back in Nov. 2022, the process of buying tickets for many fans with presale access, like junior Hannah Friedman, was almost impossible. “I was sitting in Cohen Auditorium about half an hour before Bio 13 started, and I had a presale code,” Friedman said. “I was waiting in the 2,000+ person queue, [and] finally it gets to my turn. I put four tickets in my cart … I am ready to go, ready to press checkout, and then it kicks me back to the end of the line. I personally did not get tickets that day, but my aunt was able to get through and she got us tickets.”
The new pre-orientation program SHAPE, short for Students Heightening Actionable Political Engagement, gives incoming first-years the opportunity to interact with the surrounding Tufts and Boston communities and truly make a difference within its short duration.
The Tufts American Sign Language program, housed under the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study & Human Development, fosters a tight-knit community of students who are passionate to learn and eager to take courses.
When Hodgdon Food-On-The-Run closed on March 10, 2023 for remodeling, many Tufts students were upset with the lack of dining options on campus and the temporary shutdown. Hodgdon Food-On-the-Run, affectionately nicknamed “Hodge,” serves as a staple for grab-and-go snacks or quick takeout meals. This semester it reopened after closing the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year.
If you haven’t spent much time in the city of Kalamata, Greece, you might be surprised that many locals have stories to share about connections to friends or family members 4,700 miles away in Lowell, MA. A historical center of Greek immigration, Lowell formalized its relationship with Kalamata by electing to become sister cities. In 2022, Lowell chose to “establish and officially recognize a historical, cultural, and humanitarian link with Kalamata, Greece,” according to the charter that was submitted by the Lowell City Council.
For many Tufts students, the meal plan is a non-negotiable aspect of campus life. Coinciding with the two-year undergraduate residency requirement, both first years and sophomores are mandated to be on a meal plan. However, recent revisions to the meal swipe program seem to be cooking up a storm among the student body, with many left hungry for more opportunities to get their meals.
In Medford and Somerville, 29% of people five years and older speak a language other than English at home, in part due to both cities’ relatively large foreign-born populations.
During the arduous week of finals, a student’s mind is likely devoted almost entirely to one feat: finishing out the semester. But what comes after all finals are taken and projects turned in? Summer often presents itself as a season of opportunity. There is time to relax, see family, travel, work and maybe even tack on a few items to ‘ye old resume. With so many possibilities, students take advantage of a wide range of summer employment and internship opportunities.
The words “Our food holds our story,” are painted onto the murals flanking the flourishing green space on South Street, also known as Somerville’s only farm. Run by Groundwork Somerville, an environmental justice non-profit, the farm and the words that grace its border walls fuel the organization’s efforts at cultivating a healthier Somerville. On August 27, Groundwork hosted a Harvest Festival celebrating the end of this year’s growing season.
“The best compliment that I’ve ever received was from one of my high school musical directors,” Jaden Pena said. “He told me that what he loved most about me was my ability to bridge different communities. And I think that was really an awakening moment for me.”
Throwing caps in the air, many graduating seniors are about to take their first step out of a lifetime of education and into the next phase of adulthood. After taking countless courses at Tufts, these young adults earn their degree and their freedom from the classroom.
Isabelle Charles, a senior majoring in English and Africana studies, is the 2023 recipient of the Wendell Phillips Award. This annual award is given to a senior who is both an exceptional speaker and has a great sense of responsibility toward the community. As the Wendell Phillips Award winner, Charles will give a speech as part of Commencement weekend during the Baccalaureate Ceremony on May 20.
As the academic year comes to a close, members of the Class of 2023 prepare for graduation, including Enrique Ernesto Rodriguez, a 2023 recipient of the Tisch Presidential Award for Civic Life. Each year, the award recognizes Tufts undergraduate and graduate students who have made notable contributions to community service and leadership.
Editor’s note: Jill Collins is a former executive features editor for The Tufts Daily. Collins was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.
