Columns

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Gupta ’25 MD’29: True love doesn’t have to be romantic

By Anusha Gupta | February 13

Every Feb. 14, the world narrows to prix fixe menus, a CVS aisle swathed in pink and the panic of trying to secure a reservation somewhere dimly lit enough. Love, we are told, is happening at a two-top.

Yeung ’29: Food for Thought: Otra

By Christian Yeung | February 12

Last Tuesday night, a last-minute visit by my parents provided the perfect opportunity to try a new eater in town — the Iberian tapas bar Otra on South Main Street. The restaurant, which opened in 2022, had been on my list for a few weeks.

Ahmed ’27: Study abroad should be taken seriously

By Shayyan Ahmed | February 11

Before I transferred to Brown, I went to a business school in Madrid. I remember running into American college students every now and then, at the bar or a cafe, traveling in packs. Whenever I asked them about how they’re enjoying Spain, they would respond back with a mishmash of experiences involving ...

Tao ’27: Rhode Island is giving up on climate

By Evan Tao | February 10

It’s been almost five years since Rhode Island passed the ambitious Act on Climate, a seminal piece of legislation setting mandatory incremental goals to bring the state’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. But today, the prospect of reaching those goals looks bleak. The state’s public transit ...

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Berkwits ’29: Collective effervescence is present on Brown’s campus. Let’s foster it.

By Talia Berkwits | February 10

The term “collective effervescence” was coined by sociologist Émile Durkheim in his 1912 book "Elementary Forms of Religious Life." It is the unity formed when people are engaged in a shared purpose. It is the sensation when individuality comes second to collectivity. It is the feeling of dancing ...

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Vishwakarma ’29: Unlock the ‘hidden curriculum’ with Today@Brown

By Arya Vishwakarma | February 9

It’s no secret that Brown students arrive on campus with different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. With 60% of the student body coming from families in the top 10% of incomes, the student body is undeniably divided. One of the most important factors in a student’s transition to Brown is ...

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The Philosophy Concentrator with Avery Kaak ’29: Are international students obligated to protest?

By Avery Kaak | February 6

This is the first installment of “The Philosophy Concentrator” — a series where Avery Kaak ’29 responds to the Brown community’s ethical dilemmas. Please submit your queries here.

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Aizenberg ’26: Call your grandparents

By Benjamin Aizenberg | February 5

Calling your grandparents is beneficial for both you and them.

A cartoon of an older woman sitting by a red telephone, with a cartoon thought bubble stemming from her head containing a picture of a boy in a Brown sweatshirt.

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Lair ’28: Gay Brunonians shouldn’t abandon the queer community

By CJ Lair | February 3

Since I first set foot on College Hill, I’ve relished the gayness of Brown’s campus. In stark contrast to my rural high school, nearly 40% of Brown’s undergraduate student body doesn’t identify as straight — more than four times the national average. Although being at Brown does not completely ...

Illustration of a pride flag hanging in front of a building with a bright blue sky in the background that also shows a drawing of an iconic stone Providence, Rhode Island skyscraper.

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Murray ’29: Don’t fall under the spell of #2016

By Clara Murray | February 2

If, like me, you found yourself scrolling through social media in the first weeks of 2026, it may have been momentarily unclear which decade you were living in. With dozens of celebrities posting decade-old flashback montages and “#2016” rising by 450% on TikTok at the start of January, 10 years ...

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Rahman ’26: The Open Curriculum has become a luxury of an America past

By Tasawwar Rahman | January 30

250 years ago, our founding fathers declared that we are “endowed by (our) Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” And that “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter ...

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Mooney ’29: Loving ‘Heated Rivalry’ isn’t the same thing as supporting LGBTQ+ representation

By Max Mooney | January 30

When the first episode of “Heated Rivalry,” a low-budget TV series about two closeted gay hockey players, came out last November, few expected it to be a big hit. Yet over the past few months, the show has become a pop culture and social media phenomenon. At the Golden Globes this month, “Heated ...

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Edelson ’29: We should spend more time on our fruitless passions

By Clay Edelson | January 29

As we return to campus, it’s a comforting feeling to settle back into a normal routine: splitting our time between our first class assignments and serious, pre-professional extracurriculars. With all these responsibilities, it can sometimes feel like we never have time for fun. But what if it didn’t ...

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Ahmed ’27: Yes, Greenland is thousands of miles away. Yes, Brown students should still care about Trump’s threats.

By Shayyan Ahmed | January 29

“One way or the other” — this was President Trump’s response earlier this month when asked how he plans to acquire Greenland. The threat has raised alarm bells around the world as the president has ramped up his pursuit of the icy island thousands of miles away. His administration has cited ...

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Berkwits ’29: Sharing opinions through student journalism fortifies democratic expression

By Talia Berkwits | January 29

In our Internet age, everyone can become a columnist. Spend a few moments on any social media, news source or Substack and you will likely come across numerous outlandish, ignorant or misguided yet entertaining opinions shared for all the world to see. These sentiments can range from politically harmful, ...

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Lindemann ’29: The U.S.’s response to Elon Musk’s Grok shows we still won’t hold men accountable

By Beatriz Lindemann | January 28

Imagine someone takes a photo of you in class and uses artificial intelligence to make you appear naked without your consent. The violation of consent is apparent, yet this form of sexual exploitation has surged since December.

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Tao ’27: Abolish ICE — join the walkout

By Evan Tao | January 28

Every American who cares about the rule of law ought to support abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This means defunding, dismantling, investigating and prosecuting ICE from top to bottom. The agency is so morally corroded that there is no appropriate remedy but to abolish it. The agency ...

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Gupta ’25 MD’29: When it comes to mental health, sometimes love isn’t enough

By Anusha Gupta | January 26

Many people in relationships quietly ask themselves the same question: How responsible am I for my partner’s mental health? We’re taught that good partners are endlessly patient, emotionally available and willing to make sacrifices. The dominant narrative says if someone you love is struggling, ...

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Leggat-Barr ’28: Ella Cook ’28 was taken from a world that needed her lessons

By Tommy Leggat-Barr | January 26

Stepping out of my dorm on Dec. 14, I was met by five of my friends gathered outside the room of Ella Cook ’28. Flowers lay next to the door and tears streamed down our faces. We stood together in silence — gutted by the tragedy that lay before us and unable to comprehend what we had lost the day ...

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Gardiner ’28: Toni Morrison’s ‘rememory’ can help us move forward following tragedy

By Isabella Gardiner | January 23

The first day of the spring semester on College Hill was an unsettling one. After the shooting that took the lives of two of our classmates and injured nine others, most of the Brown community promptly fled campus. We were left scattered across the world, away from the site of some of our fondest, and ...

A memorial of flowers in front of Brown University's Barus & Holley Building. Centered within the flowers are framed portraits of Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov.