Members of Tufts’ Class of 2026 were high school sophomores when the COVID-19 pandemic left the educational world scrambling to find new ways to teach. The class has just concluded their first semester of college, which for many students also marks the first return to regular school life since the pandemic.
A long weekend falling right at the end of midterms seemed like a great opportunity to unwind — perhaps to boot up a video game, watch movies or just sleep in. For this past Veterans Day, though, I had a plan.
Language programs have always played a curious and multifaceted role in academics at Tufts University. As a foundational requirement for School of Arts and Sciences students who don’t test out through a language proficiency evaluation, they could be considered the closest thing to a universal experience at a school with more than 70 undergraduate majors. Also noteworthy is the extent of the language requirement: The six semesters Tufts students must spend studying another language and/or culture is unusually rigorous for universities of its kind. Language education is also a key part of the international relations major and international literary and visual studies major, both of which require eight semesters of commitment to studying a single language. In this sense, learning a foreign language is quintessential to a Tufts education.
“Boston made me feel that I didn’t have a chance, and that’s what racism does to you,” Beverly Crockett-Taylor said as a Black woman who grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood in Boston amid the tumultuous events preceding and during the desegregation of the Boston public school system that began in 1974.
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the interstate highway system into existence — forever changing the country’s built environment and social infrastructure. Wealthy white families could now live in suburbs and commute to cities. While highways bridged suburbs and cities, they built straight through urban communities of color.
Due to its close proximity to campus, Davis Square has been a place for many Tufts students to spend time and enjoy a variety of local businesses in the area. But according to recent local news reports, Scape Development plans to construct a four-story lab building that would displace beloved businesses including When Pigs Fly bakery, McKinnon’s Meat Market, Sligo Pub, Kung Fu Tea, Martsa on Elm Tibetan Cuisine and Dragon Pizza. On Sept. 22, the City of Somerville’s Planning Board officially approved the renovation plan.
At what point am I not a tourist?
Twelve piano practice rooms are tucked away in the basement of the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center, but to those who know about them and utilize them, these rooms are an enclave of creativity and relaxation. At any hour, Tufts pianists who practice simply for their own pleasure can be found playing away in Granoff basement.
Unfortunately, my time here is coming to an end. I want to go out with a bang — I figured I’d put my skills to the test and report back for my final article.
Sex. For many college students, the subject is unavoidable, and yet there still remains a sense of stigma shrouding the topic. Finding answers to our sexual health questions can be a daunting task with differing advice and misinformation littered across the internet.
Another semester of sleep deprivation, missed deadlines and existential dread about the future later, I am yet again writing my last column. So for this column, I’ll talk about my favorite station on the T. Today, we’re talking about … Ruggles?
In today’s column I’m going to stretch the limits of what can be considered Boston transit by talking about intercity trains. That’s right. Today we’re talking about the national passenger rail operator, Amtrak.
Editor’s note: Abigail Sommers is a video journalist at The Tufts Daily. Sommers was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.
During a four-hour road trip with my boss this summer, I was asked if I liked beer. He meant the question in a millenialized-Boston-craft-brewery type of way, and I awkwardly responded that no, I did not like the few sips I have had (none of which would count as beer to him). My 23-year-old housemate attempted to share his love of beer with me, but it went in one ear and out the other. Hence, while being fully integrated into the UK’s pub culture, I’ve been devoted to learning about beer and finding one I actually enjoy. In honor of my 21st birthday, I will be sharing my hard-earned knowledge with the Tufts community.
Tufts Emergency Medical Services is known as TEMS on Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus. TEMS works to help provide medical care for Tufts students. It is completely student-run, with oversight and supervision from Captain Mark Roche of Tufts University Police Department and Dr. Stacey Sperling of Tufts University Health Service.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left enduring effects on the mental health of college students across the country, with one in five young Americans reporting that the pandemic has had a significant negative impact on their overall mental health. In response to the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tufts looks to student organizations and peer educators to help promote student mental health on campus and to aid students in their transition back to in-person activities and classes.
When I told my friends I was planning to take a 19-hour train to Indiana over the weekend, their first question was why. They were more understanding when I added that the flights cost between $800 and $1,400. I don’t have a grand to drop on a weekend trip to Indiana. Amtrak tickets were $55 each way.
Although a sense of normalcy has returned to Tufts following semesters of mask-wearing, virtual classes and physical isolation, some health officials have declared the arrival of a second pandemic: a mental health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in mental health illnesses worldwide. As waitlists for psychotherapy sessions increase and mental health professionals experience burnout, the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of students has become apparent.
I’m usually not huge on sweets — I’d take a bag of chips over a piece of cake any day — but when it comes to tiramisu, I’m in. When it’s done right, it has all the components of a great dessert: light, creamy and not too sweet.
After a year of adjusting to life on the Hill, Tufts undergraduates return to campus as sophomores with a greater sense of familiarity — and obligations. As they settle into a new dorm, it’s not long before they are confronted with the task of planning where to live the following academic year.
