EVERY HOOFPRINT

Photo by John Mercatante Contributing Writer John Mercatante First Night Under La Tour Eiffel I thought I had a good idea what La Tour Eiffel would be like before arriving in Paris. There were so many photos and postcards that I thought that it would feel familiar or small enough to see with one glance. But as I walked towards it on a nice warm night with my girlfriend, the illusion of La Tour Eiffel changed every time I took a step closer to it until we finally got to the ba

Photo Credit - Erik Mclean As you get older, you come across paths that you have forgotten, and for me, it happens through music. Some songs become a part of your life’s soundtrack, and others are quiet and patient. They wait until the right moment to return to your memory as if it never left.  “Like a Stone” wasn’t just a song for me, it was a road that I will never forget riding on. The hummed feeling buzzed beneath something I was too young then to understand.  I was eight

Photo by Conor Doherty Contributing Writer Juliet Legassa College sports and athletes get a lot of hype from the outside, and their lives look glamorous. Athletes have games, team connections, school pride and access to many things other students do not have.  People don’t see what happens after practice - when athletes go back to their rooms, exhausted, open their laptops to start homework due by midnight, and then set an early morning lift alarm. Being a college athlete is

Photo by Adam Relkin Contributing Writer Adam Relkin To Mark Martin and Denny Hamlin, no kept coming up as an answer for wanting to change NASCAR for the greater good. Both never gave up and went out of their way to overcome incredible odds to make a change that has left the sport in a more positive light for 2026 and beyond.  I’ve been a NASCAR fan since I was six years old and have always loved the sport being a part of my life. After I had started watching, I noticed howev

Photo Credit: Patch Bowen Exigency, noun. “A state of affairs that makes urgent demands; that which is required; the state of being.” I’m a chronic info-hoarder, digitally and physically. I wouldn’t know where to start showing someone my watch-later playlist. I have every chapter of Lenin’s Revolutionary Theory of Organization  in a desk drawer, and the speech-to-text versions for each. My household drawers were stockpiles for filing papers, mail, tax forms, and IRS documenta

Art by Azam Hostetler It is no secret that Bridgeport, Conn., is subject to local feelings of polarizing scrutiny, as well as avoidance and fear from those unfamiliar with the region. Bridgeport’s rates of violent crime are extremely high, and it has consistently held the highest population  of any CT city.  In 2019, law enforcement  reported that Hartford had the most murders and New Haven had the most burglaries, with both cities ranking highest in violent crime for the sta

I often see my adolescence as a well-worn, tattered tapestry or a dirt-stained quilt. The fabric is woven with trial and error lessons, backbreaking work, and long, tiresome hours. After some time and exposure to the rays of the sun, the colors of said quilt have become bleached. Seams split and worn out frays add to its layered texture.  I often lament how this tapestry of my adolescence used to be in its humble beginnings. Perhaps in speaking of innocence, I’m speaking of a

Photo Credit: Djemima Duvernat When someone asks me about my favorite book, the answer comes with no hesitation: “The Catcher in the Rye." The truth goes beyond how amazing the book itself is; my love for the book is attached to the day I received it. It was my very first English class in the United States; I was drowning, not in the Atlantic Ocean I had crossed to get here, but in the sea of unfamiliar language. I felt so lonely even though I was surrounded by other students

Photo credit - Patch Bowen, Horseshoe SATIRE Our very loving president, Donald Trump, had his “Avengers” moment when he picked the name for the military operation against Iran. Nobody saw it coming, of course, except anyone who has been paying even the slightest attention to his entire political career. The man has never exactly been subtle about his personality nor his intentions. I mean, let’s talk about it, “ Epic Fury ,” that is the kind of name a 15-year-old would type i

SATIRE West Haven, April 1 2026 - The University of New Haven announced the appointment of two new support staff in the early afternoon, Wednesday. President Frederiksen says the role will improve communication between students and faculty in executive leadership. Students can expect to meet these eager faculty in Fall 2026. Following a comprehensive search through industry channels, Charles Ponzi Sheen and B. Leeve Ables have both been appointed as “Administrative Storytelle

Photo credit - Nataliya Vaitkevich SATIRE There are only a few characters who have graced American literature with their chaotic charm, balanced with a curation of flair, more than Daisy Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” While some readers praise Gatsby’s powerful ambition or Nick’s reserved perceptiveness, those who are more intellectual would applaud Daisy’s grand becoming of the quiet, powerful and competent driving force of this novel. She is a marvelo

Photo by Anaylee Hough SATIRE When I was in middle school, I got the chance to meet celebrities. I got to see one of my favorite artists, the global pop star, Rihanna! She was wearing a silky red two-piece with even more dazzling jewelry. She even decided to pose for us to take her picture. Her posture was so still, I’m surprised she stayed in that position for so long. We all crowded around her, waiting for a chance to speak with her. Some of my favorite songs by her are Coc