Can one of Boston’s most expensive neighborhoods work on a college budget? By Anika Mahansaria Photo by Hannah Sender Seaport is famously known as one of Boston’s most bougie neighborhoods. Whether in terms of apartment rent or an average meal, nothing seems to be affordable in Seaport. But is this simply a myth? While most of the restaurants in the Seaport area are marked as $$$ or more, if you try a few cafes or select restaurants, you can make one of Boston’s most expensiv

Why I am Contemplating Purchasing the Brick By Katherine Markello Photo by Gretchen Barnard The folder on my homescreen that contains all of my social media apps is titled “Think Twice,” and has been for as long as I can remember. I cannot, however, remember the last time I actually thought twice before plunging into the social media world we are all so intimately familiar with today. A recent report by Eyesafe projects that someone born today will spend 21 years of their l

Realistic ways for students to protect their mental health throughout the colder months. by Jenny Liu Photo by Gretchen Barnard Imagine having to get out of your cozy bed and travel through relentless winds in below-freezing temperatures, just to get to your classes? Slowly, a sense of dread sneaks up on you. You start setting multiple alarms, just to ignore them all, and the next thing you know, the lecture has ended without you. The winter days are gray, and sunlight is sig

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