We’re not just a campus, we’re a community. Sophia Ong The dish return area in the West Campus dining hall often has me wondering how people who can’t stack dishes got into BU in the first place. Maybe that’s harsh, but seeing smoothies coat the conveyor or utensils scattered on the belt’s periphery makes me keenly remorseful for the workers who have to deal with the mess.  Consider the difference with the Fenway dining hall. Students are forced to place their dirty dishes on

A cultural embrace of replicas threatens luxury’s significance. by Laurel Chang Graphic by Melissa Lemieux “Luxury” exists in distance. The space between what you can afford and what you could only admire is what makes designer brands a status symbol. However, the rise of dupe culture—a social media-driven hunt for cheap, fast and convincing replicas of luxury goods—has blurred the once-sharp line between exclusivity and accessibility. Dupe culture isn’t new, but it’s never b

No violence is good violence By Sarah Delehanty Graphic by Catarina Koehler Now more than ever, we want artists to make a statement. Some artists have caught on to this desire and have taken up a cause or two, such as fighting gun violence or raising awareness about climate change. Jesse Welles , a TikTok creator and music artist, has taken on just about every challenge we face as Americans and as human beings.  Songs written by Welles like “War Isn’t Murder,” “Cancer” and “T

Exploring the costs of “clean” food chains by Stella Coffaro Photograph by Ben Farkas It always starts the same way. Stressed and starving, you power-walk down Comm Ave, convinced that your Cava bowl will be a healthy, satiating meal. You tell yourself it’s clean, fresh, filling—a treat for your tastebuds and your wellbeing.  That’s exactly what the health halo  wants you to think. Popular food chains like Sweetgreen, Panera, Subway and Cava have mastered the art of sounding

How a stretch of open land became Boston University By Mayzie Wusz Photograph by Emma Almaraz Commonwealth Avenue is now one of the most recognizable parts of Boston University, but its role as the university’s home is relatively recent. When the institution first formed in the 19th century, it stood in a completely different region of New England. The story of how both Commonwealth Avenue and BU developed offers a reminder that familiar settings to us likely have layered and

By Erica Schwartz Graphic by Josie Zevin If you’ve ever watched a gym influencer on TikTok or Instagram, you’ve likely heard them praise the virtues of some mythical substance called creatine — but what is this secret ingredient, and do you need it to hit your wellness goals? Creatine may sound like a foreign chemical, but it isn’t. Creatine  is a substance that our own bodies can produce. It is a necessary part of our quickest energy-production pathways and helps our muscles

“To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy” – Hippocrates By Lheyaa Mathivanan Photograph by Emma Almaraz Most days in Boston feel like a sprint. You wake up, rush to class, speed-walk across campus with a coffee that’s still too hot, answer emails between lectures. And yet, somehow you also squeeze in studying, clubs and maybe dinner with friends—if you’re lucky. Even your breaks start to feel like tasks on a checklist. In a city where ambition is the driving force, leisure c

By Zoe Seppi It takes your whole cotton-filled head to prove to yourself that you don’t have to be alone with sunken-in teeth and atmospheric eyelids, you steel yourself for the hunter’s final blow, not for lack of trying, but you’re so bent over with your own frustration you can’t see the swing of the boot kicking you down and the lick of the steel-capped shoe  still reads as good-natured attention. Drown yourself in someone else’s skin, placate your stutter between the lini

How the definition of masculinity sets men up to fail in relationships. By Mia Puleo Growing up in the 21st century, most impressionable young boys are taught how to be masculine in an interesting way: to not be feminine. Masculinity is constructed in opposition to femininity because it is most persuasive when understood in a dynamic of negation instead of identity, creating two distinct gender roles.  However, when one of the gender roles is built on being ashamed of all the

Not every spontaneous trip amongst friends ends in tragedy, but there are tell-tale signs it may. By Isabella Licwinko Photograph by Hannah Sender Travel can solidify life-long friendships and create memories you never forget, yet it can also be a friendship’s doom. Although we would like to imagine that all of our friendships can survive the highs and lows of an excursion abroad, or even just the next state over, that isn’t always the case.  As someone who has traveled and c