Arts & Culture
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Can You Take the Israel Connection Out of Being Jewish?
When Cornell students see classmates posting about the Israel-Hamas war, or Israeli flags waving on campus, I imagine many wonder why Israel is important to their peers. Most pro-Israel students are simply American Jews, yet their passion for a faraway country the size of New Jersey is personal and paramount. There are those who feel differently, who can’t hold two truths: the ability to disagree with a country’s government, and the incredible importance of the existence of a Jewish state in the homeland critical to Judaism. Israel is inherently connected to Jewish cultural and religious practice, but, could you take the Israel connection out of being Jewish? Preview: only with…
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Lana, Come On: A Review of Lana Del Rey’s Latest Releases
Ever-infamous for her delayed releases and unpredictable timelines, Lana Del Rey finally dropped “Henry, Come On,” the lead single of her 10th studio album. Originally entitled Lasso, then The Right Person Will Stay, Del Rey first teased the album in 2021 when she announced that she had recorded an entire cover of country music songs based on two singles she released in the 2010s: “Ride” (2012) and “Video Games” (2011). In an interview with Mojo, Del Rey stated, “I went back and listened to ‘Ride’ and ‘Video Games’ and thought, you know, they’re kind of country. I mean, they’re definitely not pop. Maybe the way ‘Video Games’ got remastered, they’re…
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Vladimir Nabokov, Our Great Immigrant Novelist
In the introduction to his essay collection Reflections on Exile and Other Essays, Edward Said states that if the immigrant writer “cannot take for granted the luxury of long residence, habitual environment, native idiom, and you must somehow compensate for these things, what you write necessarily bears a unique freight of anxiety, elaborateness, perhaps even overstatement.” Though Said wrote this to analyze exile’s role in artistic production and criticism, its sentiments carry forth to the everyday experience of immigrants in the United States. With their right to exist threatened daily, the immigrant must face a new challenge, one wrapped with anxiety and uncertainty. Having to move away from their old…
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‘The Last of Us’ and Toxic Fan Culture
A few weeks back, after seeing a remarkable number of reels hyping up the return of The Last of Us, I finally binged the first season of the acclaimed video game adaptation. With each episode, I found myself slowly falling in love with the chemistry between Joel (portrayed by Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (portrayed by Bella Ramsey), the lore of the post-apocalyptic world and the brilliant production design. I eagerly awaited the show’s return, grateful that I would not have to wait two years to watch new episodes like those who tuned in during the original release. However, I soon found my Instagram feed infiltrated by reels with a concerning…
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AYSW | Graduating through TV
I’ve spent more time watching TV this year than during my last three years of college. My freshman year, I essentially cut myself off from watching TV to “focus.” While binge-watching can definitely be distracting, it’s important to see how valuable TV can be. Sitting down to watch an episode (or more) with friends after a long day is revitalizing. Watching your comfort show lets you escape from your worries. And keeping up with TV can be a great way to start conversation. When I started thinking about what I’ve been watching recently, I realized the life lessons I took from all of them had something to do with growing…
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A New Era for the Academy: Oscars Revitalized
Some could argue that the 97th Oscars competition was one of the most controversial of all time. Though no Oscars ceremony has been without scandal and uproar, the most recent performance put on by the Academy and the films it chose to recognize — or not — rivals that of last year’s Best Actor winner Cillian Murphy in terms of pure entertainment. From the use of artificial intelligence in The Brutalist to the complete dismissal of Dune: Part Two by Academy voters, the 97th Oscars was a show to remember. However, no piece of entertainment is complete without a big finale, and for the Academy, they are attempting to turn…
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My Experience Acting in Rumors
Since the day Spring Break ended, I have felt like a masked vigilante, except instead of wearing a spandex suit to physically fight criminals, I was wearing a red dress to verbally fight my on-stage husband. By day, I have been a student, meticulously taking notes and (trying my best) to participate in class. By night, I have been an actor, yelling and prancing around a stage at rehearsal. My journey into this Cornell double-life began at the beginning of the semester when I auditioned for the shows being produced by Cornell’s student-run theater company, Cog Dog Theatre Troupe. In February, I was offered the role of Claire Ganz in…
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SOLAR FLARE | An Epilogue to Senior Year
These songs describe the feelings that are uniquely tied to these past four years and the tangle of emotions that looming graduation brings. It’s folk with a little pop mixed in. It’s happiness and nostalgia and panic. Jacqueline Taieb: “7 Heures du Matin” It sounds like the scramble of getting up for class on a Thursday after going out the night before. The song is chaotic and retro, romanticising youth. French! 2. Kurt Vile and John Prine: “How Lucky” The soft guitar and gentle vocals underscore one last reflective stroll through campus. “Today I walk down the street I used to wander.” To me, it’s a message from your senior…
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TEST SPINS | Bryan Adams: ‘Reckless’
It’s impossible for me to put together a summer playlist that does not include Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69.” It’s simply impossible. As I’ve been curating my playlist for summer 2025, I’ve found myself returning to the songs of summers past — “Summer of ’69” chief among them, along with Empire of the Sun’s “Walking On A Dream,” Joy Oladokun’s “Out on the Weekend” and Alabama Shakes’ “I Found You.” These songs are wildly different, from sound all the way to mood, but the one thing they have in common is that they fill me with that sense of summer. Shoving the thought of my looming finals aside for a…
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Local Author Gordon Cooper’s The Lucky Six in Review
Ithaca and its surroundings are rife with history and stories waiting to be told. From resplendent gorges to Indigenous and military pasts, the region’s lore pulses just beneath the surface, ready to reveal secrets to those who know where to look. The Lucky Six, a new novel by local author Gordon Cooper, is a goldmine in regional historical fiction. Set in 1874 in nearby Watkins Glen, previously known as Watkins, The Lucky Six teaches an interesting piece of local history while weaving in an engaging, multi-faceted mystery. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and thought that went into plotting and writing this story. As a writer myself, I understand…