COLUMNS

The following poem is one of many reflections and feelings that I had during my academic process. This article “The Academic Cliffhanger, My Letters from the Edge” may continue to be a miniseries of my reflections through letters and poems. The 10 Stages of My Numbness: I wear a dreaded face and walk with it on I look like a zombie, I'm turning into one I can't feel anymore, what if I bit off my tongue? Listing all my stages of becoming numb Two things I lost, work ethic and

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

To whom it may concern,  Have you ever asked yourself who is holding the pen to your life story?  There are moments when you look back at your life as if it were a book, every experience a page, every year a chapter. The funny thing is you realize you never actually agreed to write it. Page after page and chapter after chapter have already been written for you. Paths you did not choose or ask for. Decisions were made in courts and conference rooms where your presence was not

This is the story of a headless mannequin’s journey through tragedy and triumph, as well as how she ended up at a college house concert party, as the center of attention for the first time in her life. In order to properly understand how Rachel was thrown into this life-changing situation, we have to first understand how I came to meet her.  On a Saturday, I and a fellow classmate ventured out to the far away land of Goodwill Outlets. In this space between traditional thrifti

I vividly remember my mom telling me to flip my head over and applying Aussie Sprunch Spray in my hair when I was a kid. I had brown ringlets with blonde highlights because my mom would also spray Sun-In all over my curls. Everyone called me Shirley Temple and people with naturally straight hair would tell me that they wish they had mine. I felt the same exact way. All I ever wanted was their hair. You can only brush curly hair when it’s wet, or else you’d look like a circus

As the world recovered from the Covid pandemic, the West Haven Veterans Hospital allowed 25 youth volunteers back into the building in the summer of 2022. I was one of them, three years ago. All masked up at the tail end of the pandemic, I initially got the gig to get community service hours for my high school. I eventually racked up about 130 hours that summer. Most of the patient escort job involved waiting for elevators, sitting at the front desk and taking phone calls, pu

An open letter to the campus community, by Sheraud Wilder, President of the Gamma Alpha Tau Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., I, Sheraud Wilder , would like to thank Patch Bowen for allowing me to speak on my thoughts as a student leader on campus. Individuals like Patch fuel my drive to speak out against the injustices faced by students and minority communities. They have these platforms to share the message and our voice for something greater. In my four years as

Pawfluencer Pip Iguana Pinto is making headlines again after trying the men’s litterbox at Pinto Tower. “It’s new and stainless steel. Mine’s plastic. Sexist,” she says. Known for viral antics like licking PetSmart treats without paying, Pinto isn’t phased by fame. When paparazzi appeared, she flashed her middle paw pad. “I want movies, shows, a podcast—everything,” she declares. Asked about Grumpy Cat, she shrugs: “Who?” There’s only one Pip—and she’ll pee wherever she wants

Resilience isn’t something you’re born with—it’s a choice. It’s the mindset that keeps you standing when life tries to knock you down. Being resilient means knowing your strengths, controlling your emotions, and adapting when things fall apart. Even the smallest effort—the mustard seed of “I won’t quit”—can carry you through. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about refusing to give up, no matter how hard it gets.

I’ve decided my life is a sociological experiment run by a bored grad student in heaven. My schedule defies logic; my coffee intake defies science. People say I’m “high functioning,” but really, I’m 47% competent, 38% guessing, and 15% strategic nodding. I am not a person—I am a concept powered by caffeine and chaos.

I wandered through a world of noise,  Where silence used to scream.  Each echo told a tale undone,  Each shadow held a painful wound. My heart longs for belonging and safety. The faces I pass blur into one endless crowd. Everyone seemed to know who they were and where they were supposed to be. Here I stood still, unable to move a muscle. Letting the world rush past me, wondering whether I will learn to move like them. In the end, the noise never became familiar. I remained a

It’s 2:19 a.m., and the world is quiet—the kind of quiet that makes you hear everything. In that silence, I start thinking about the person I am when no one’s watching. Not the version people see, but the one who exists without pretending. The one who feels everything, questions everything, and just… is. Maybe that’s who we really are—the quiet version we meet in the dark when the noise fades. And for now, that feels like enough.

It all began on September 9 at 8 p.m., when I discovered what I thought was a leak in my bathroom ceiling. Standing in a puddle with wet socks, I looked up—only to meet the beady gaze of a squirrel peering through the air vent and politely introducing itself by peeing on my freshly cleaned floor.

Throughout human history, people have always been curious about stories involving ghosts, spirits and the supernatural. Cultures around the world have their own version of these tales and stories of the unseen that linger between life and death. A ghost is often described as the soul of a person who died but can’t move on for some reason. Sometimes they appear like shadows or figures, other times they are heard through noises, whispers or footsteps.

It’s 1:38 a.m., and outside my window the wind sways softly, making the trees sound like they’re whispering. In the dim glow of the screen, my mind drifts past this house and this world, reaching for the edges of reality where the multiverse might begin.

When I first met you, it was the kind of unexpected meeting we read about in romantic books.  It was never about looks.  It was the way...

Fandoms, often dismissed as “cringe” or embarrassing, provide a space for self-expression, creativity, and community, allowing fans to celebrate the stories and characters they love through fanart, cosplay, writing, and discussion. Projects like Red Hood: Resurrection and artists such as @hiikeu show that fandom dedication can result in high-quality, meaningful contributions that enrich both the original content and the communities that cherish it.

There are many museums in New York, and the one I was most familiar with as a kid was the American Museum of Natural History. You know,...

What I have with my pets is a bond that goes beyond words. My car drives down the road near my house and my cat senses I’m nearby. She...

Photos by Elisa Broche @eyesofeg When I first met Sydney, she was tucked into her own little world: a beanie pulled low, a hood covering...

Dear Diary, When I was a little girl, my father was my hero. I admired him more than anyone in my little world. He was everything to me....

I flirted with failure and it became my first ever talking stage. It wasn’t my intention, but it happened. What started out as casual...

It’s 2:11 a.m. and I’m lying awake, thinking about the Goldilocks Zone. The narrow space where life can exist. Earth sits perfectly in that balance. Too close to the sun and we’d burn, too far and we’d freeze. Maybe our lives have Goldilocks Zones too. Moments where things line up just right. Not forced, not delayed. Just… right.

“I am never going to have children.” That’s what I always said — until I started working at a before-school program with my mom. What began as a job I took just for the money turned into the best part of my day, as the kids slowly won me over and taught me that caring for them didn’t mean losing my freedom... it meant finding purpose.

Mural above APNH check-in desk. Credit - Patch Bowen, Horseshoe Magazine 2025 Early into Hartford Healthcare’s partnership with the...

It’s 2:03 a.m. My window is cracked open, and the longer I stay up, the more I lose precious sleep time. Still, my thoughts keep me...

When I’m alone in my car, the world melts away. I crank the music, the bass shakes the seats, and for a little while, I’m free to just be myself.

or the first time at a concert without my phone, I saw the stage not a sea of screens. Nearly 14,000 eyes focused on the band, the crowd connected in ways no recording could capture, and I realized some memories are meant to be lived, not filmed.

“In Connecticut, we don’t inject politics into private family medical decisions, and we don’t let adults bully our kids. It’s that simple.”

If you’re a freshman stepping off that plane with a suitcase in one hand and dreams in the other, welcome. You’re a Global Charger carrying not just textbooks, but your culture, your memories, and your hopes across borders. This will be the hardest and the best time of your life, and you are stronger than you think.

In Mallory Square, an iguana named Elaine basks under the sun, oblivious to the world’s troubles. Named after a 'Seinfeld' character by an ice cream vendor, she lives a routine life far removed from ocean acidification or territory disputes just rocks, sun, and the slow shuffle of her fellow iguanas.

Contributing Writer Gabriella Pinto I’m not a religious person. For context, the only times I’ve recently been in a church were for...

Contributing Writer  Michael Crowley It’s 1:47 AM. The world is quiet again—too quiet, really. The kind of stillness that pulls strange...

Samuel L. Jackson is more than just a legendary actor—he is a cultural force, an activist and a symbol of Black excellence in Hollywood....

Welcome to Scene by Scene —where we break down movies, TV shows, and everything in between, one frame at a time. I’m Elisa Broche, an...

On January 27th, 2025, a notable faculty member and beloved Communications professor was awarded the prestigious MLK Vision Award. The...

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Did you recognize my name? Maybe not, let me introduce myself! My name is Haiden Leach, and I am a senior here at the...

Jessie Hymowitz Mar. 7 2024 Hello, and welcome to the third column of Reading Odd Films where I look at odd film adaptations of books....

Jessie Hymowitz Feb. 22 2024 Hello, and welcome back to Reading Odd Films, where I look at odd film adaptations of books. Today we’re...

Jessie Hymowitz Feb.8 2024 Hello, and welcome to the first column of Reading Odd Films, where I look at odd film adaptations of books....