American policy trends: Foreign and domestic

The global political order is seeing an unprecedented level of conflict with the United States being a key actor in most of them. If you think of most prominent conflicts or humanitarian crises going on today, our country, for better or for worse, has played a role. Given the current tumultuous nature of U.S. policy, both foreign and domestic, understanding why and how these policies came about is crucial and a key factor in this year’s upcoming elections.

An incel’s fantasy: Into the world of tradwives

TikTok, which started as a platform to share dance and lip-sync videos, has now become a hotbed for political and social movements, subcultures and ideologies — one of which is the “tradwife” movement. Tradwife videos often show conventionally attractive white women in picture-perfect homes (or aesthetically “messy” farmhouses) wearing ironed sundresses covered with an apron, tending to their brood of children, making food from scratch and speaking in a feminine lilt.

Why is Y2K so popular again?

From animal print to baby tees and low-rise jeans, fashion styles from the early 2000s are trending amongst Gen Z. Many people know this as “Y2K” style, giving new meaning to the shorthand term for “the year 2000” which was used to describe a number of potential programming errors that were anticipated when computer systems switched from the year 1999 to 2000.

The rise of athletes as political figures

Nowadays, it seems like politics is absolutely everywhere (we are in an election year, after all), but one of the most controversial collaborations often comes when our elected leaders leave the swamp and step into the turf; or vice versa, when our favorite athletes exit the court and stand at the pulpit. 

On being a sports fan

I don’t remember the first time I ever watched a sports game. I think it might have been Minor League Baseball when my family trekked to a local stadium when we lived in Pennsylvania. Or, it might have been watching the World Cup with my dad and my sister. 

Coquette to mob wife: A deep dive into Gen Z’s latest “trends”

As we scroll through TikTok, our screen is littered with the words “mob wife,” “coquette,” “office siren,” “clean girl,” “quiet luxury,” “rockstar girlfriend” — just to name a few. I think I can ask the question that we are all wondering: What do any of these words even mean? What do they look like? Why can I not escape them? 

Is social media a reliable news source?

News has evolved into increasingly shorter formats, shrinking from newspapers to newsletters, and, now, you can pretty much stay updated with just a few quick scrolls through your social media feeds. From the latest OpenAI breakthroughs to the chaos of recent elections, it’s all there.

What's wrong with Barbie?

For me, Barbie was vibrant and fun, while also surprisingly moving. I went to watch it with my mom, expecting a nostalgic movie about a doll I had owned as a child. But, Greta Gerwig tackled strong themes of patriarchy and feminism through Margot Robbie’s Barbie and Ryan Gosling’s Ken.

Why we’re still keeping up with the royal family

Following the Queen’s passing in Sept. 2022, the official announcement on the royal family’s Twitter account became the most popular tweet of the week, receiving millions of likes. With over thirteen million Instagram followers, the Royal Family has accumulated a serious social media following.

The global rise of the alt-right

The "alt-right" or "alternative right" encompasses a collection of far-right ideologies with strong associations to nativism and populism.

How to stay informed in the age of misinformation

Library to remove soap dispensers from bathrooms

Bringing back paper towels cut into the budget allocated to library bathrooms. Citing the planned renovations to Milton S. Eisenhower (MSE) Library, the University informed SGA representatives that funds are drying up. Administration issued an ultimatum, and SGA faced a harrowing decision: the choice to fund either the upkeep of paper towels… or soap. 

The Hopkins Seven gets a revamp: Here are the new locations

Last night, an official announcement shared on the most trustworthy campus resource, Sidechat, caused a shockwave through the Hopkins community. The announcement, receiving a record number of upvotes, stated that the Hopkins Seven will henceforth be known as the Hopkins Ten, effective Monday, April 1.

New Freshman Quad Annex worth $2M to replace MSE

On Monday, April 1, the University announced that the Freshman Quad Annex will be back on campus in Fall 2024 to serve as an additional study space while the Milton S. Eisenhower Library (MSE) is under renovation. The News-Letter previously raised concerns about the lack of study spaces for students, and we are pleased to see the University take such concrete and effective action.

New center created to oversee campus construction and renovation

The University announced the creation of the Center for Campus Innovation and Development, which will oversee all of the University’s current and future expansion projects in the Homewood area and beyond. This decision was announced on Monday, April 1 by President Ronald J. Daniels and Constructor-in-Chief Bob D’Bilder, in an email broadcasted to the Hopkins community.

Fade into fall: A season of change and growth

Heat, thunderstorms and sudden rises and drops in temperature were what September brought to Maryland. I had never appreciated Baltimore’s weather as a Maryland native, but the transition from summer to fall seemed particularly bad this year. In a few weeks, I ran out of patience trying to find the right transitional outfits and relied on a pullover sweater to keep myself warm on those chilly days.

A love letter to my friends

I first heard of the idea of romance in platonic relationships at a Barbie movie after-party. We were playing some game — the name of which I can’t remember — that asked questions to help everyone at the party get to know one another better. The game was going well, funny stories and embarrassing moments were being shared when suddenly a question stunned the group.

All 10 Friends Thanksgiving episodes ranked

To celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, and to do a bit of research for this magazine article, I watched every single Thanksgiving-themed Friends episode — one episode a day — over dinner with my girlfriend, Stella. What makes this ranking different from the millions of rankings out there is that I am a huge fan of Friends, while Stella hasn’t seen a single episode. So the average of our scores will hopefully provide a fresh perspective.

Baltimore spots to visit in fall

While the air cools down, an undeniable warmth seeps into the heart of Baltimore. Sunlight filters through the soft canopy of park pathways, gilding the gold and amber leaves with shimmer. At farmers markets, patrons are greeted by the comforting scent of coffee and the vividness of ripe fall fruits. The city hums with fresh produce, seafood and craft wines.  In this article, I've handpicked a list of eateries, farmers markets, festivals and leaf-peeping destinations to savor this lovely season.