EVERY HOOFPRINT

Photo credit to Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels On Christmas Eve, my mother printed page after page of cartoon movie tickets to go along with one of the gifts she got for my grandmother. More effort was put into this gift because of its sentimental value. She was trying so hard with the presentation because the actual gift was a promise of something that would happen later. The plan was to take my grandmother to the movies to see “Song Sung Blue.” It was a thoughtful gift bec

Photo Credit: Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK I’m not quite sure when I became interested in Bob Dylan, but it’s been nearly half my life. In the past two or three years, a simple heavy interest has blossomed into a spiritually-tuned obsession. People who listen to older music are often looked down upon by some, and the further back in time that you go for music preference, the more your demographic of listeners inevitably collide with the baby boomers. That never bothered me

While grief may not be a gift by nature, I would consider it a lesson for life. I did not understand how other people seemed to recover after a death. I saw grief as the most difficult mountain someone could ever face. An impossible climb up a mountain with no clear path to the summit, where the air grows thinner with each step and the weight of loss makes every movement feel like walking through quicksand. Until I lost my aunt, I wasn’t familiar with grief. What happened to

The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy. Yet according to the American Psychological Association , nearly nine in 10 U.S. adults describe some level of stress this time of year. 43% say that the stress of the holidays interferes with their ability to enjoy them. Whether it's anticipation of family conflict or financial concerns, there is enough evidence to suggest that the holidays are often overwhelming. As a kid, I loved Christmas. On Christmas Eve, I would track Sant

Photo Credit: Zach Cregger. 2025. Weapons [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures. Warning: there will be spoilers regarding the movie “Weapons” 17 elementary school children went missing from their homes at 2:17 a.m. All from the same first-grade class, gone, except for one. “Weapons” stirred confusion amongst many critics and viewers regarding what this movie represented. From the use of witchcraft to a scene of a giant CGI AK-47 floating in the sky. What was the message? After vie

This is a picture of a bank built in 1866 in Danbury, Conn. Compare that to a modern bank, say, your local M&T or Wells Fargo. Perhaps those modern buildings are more practical and efficient, but I cannot stroll past a brick building like this Danbury bank and not appreciate its charm with its rows of lined brick with a golden clock and adorned arches above the windows. Someone might bring up the obvious point that buildings like this cost more to create in materials and de

I never thought of myself as a good writer. I grew up in an artistic family, so people assumed I was naturally creative, naturally talented and naturally capable of anything in that world. My house was full of love, but it was also full of expectations. Expectations that always, somehow, pointed to me. My mother reached the highest academic and professional positions. The message was clear. I was supposed to honor the efforts of everyone before me by going even further. And b

Photo by Emily Ranquist: By: Lynelle Fernandez When I was in high school, I took five Advanced Placement (AP) courses that transferred as credit when I enrolled in college. Having 15 credits before my first semester meant I was able to graduate in three and a half years instead of the usual four. Although I’ll finish classes this December, I will attend Commencement with the rest of my senior peers next May. This should be great news. Why am I not excited? There are plenty of

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels If there’s one thing this Thanksgiving taught me, it’s that some family members have a time limit for how long they’ll show they love you. There’s a sweet spot. Family members will love you no matter what if you’re part of two specific age ranges: young children or the elderly. When you’re young, people adore you because you’re so cute, naive and full of energy. It’s okay to act out because you still have time to grow. When you’re a senio

Sometimes it takes a shift, or a change. Sometimes, it takes a new environment. For me, it took a trip. That’s right, it took me a trip to Baltimore to finally get my question answered. Maybe I couldn’t find the answer because I wasn’t asking around, but that’s just because I thought that the answer would have come from within. Ever since my drive and work ethic had changed toward my academics, I’ve been asking myself why did the change happen? What is so different about this

In a bid to balance a multi-million dollar loss in revenue from international students, the University of New Haven has fired or merged the responsibilities of some 46 faculty and staff members since June 2025. Jens Frederiksen, UNH president, and other cabinet leaders confirmed growing student concerns about missing staff during a public assembly with the undergraduate student government association in October. Included in that figure are staff members under the umbrella of

This might be the most important photo I have ever taken. I started taking photos when I was 12 with the first device I ever got, my iPad.I wanted to immortalize my memories, so I would never forget. I am still at the beginning of my photography journey, but something about this moment feels like the first time the world handed me a story that was bigger than me. Street photography is part of my life. I am taking photojournalism as an elective this semester, and I promised