Destigmatizing Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate frisbee has been declining in popularity in America in recent years. On college campuses, frisbee players are the butt of a lot of jokes. Frisbee is often called a fake sport, something that you do in college that is just a phase, a game best played in the backyard. Even here at Brandeis, a […]
Ricky and Dicky—The Lunatic Fringe
The issue on the table: the midterm elections are on the horizon, and President Trump sports a popularity rating that could scientifically be described as embarrassingly low; the Democrats are poised to win big. But the question of how big may depend on the effectiveness of each party to control the lunatic fringe seemingly on […]
Dining Dismay
The new academic year at Brandeis has seen many changes to dining on campus that have not been received too kindly by the student body. Usdan and Einsteins’ Bagels have seen steep cuts in hours, while the C-Store and The Hive have seen the loss of many campus favorites. We at The Hoot would like […]
The Bro Bias
I recently had a conversation with a gym bro who told me he called himself a traditionally masculine buff guy, but he wanted to start wearing dresses and other traditionally female clothes. This might sound unlikely, someone at the epitome of maleness wanting to embrace something traditionally feminine. It was anonymous, so I have no […]
Prediction markets represent everything that’s wrong with society
Since the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on sports betting in 2018, gambling has rapidly grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Turn on your TV, and you will likely see commercials for at least one online betting site. Watch any sporting event, and you’ll likely see a couple of gambling ads during every […]
A Post-Mortem on the 2026 Red Sox
The 2026 Red Sox season was quite the roller coaster. What began with a prolonged period of failure this spring was salvaged by an unprecedented win streak and a hot stretch this summer, only to conclude with an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the rival Yankees. While the remarkable turnaround this team pulled off […]
Notes on ‘Notes on Complexity’
I was recently gifted a copy of Neil Theise’s “Notes on Complexity,” and I found that everything in this book was new to me. I read the back, saw it was a discussion about complexity theory, and thought it was a basic and uninteresting idea to write about. My own understanding of complexity theory was […]
Hoot Recommends: Study Music
Welcome back to The Hoot recommends, the series where The Hoot recommends stuff to you. As midterm season approaches (far too quickly, in our opinion), Brandeis students will soon find themselves cramming through notes, reviewing readings, making flashcards, and whatever else helps them study. Since a little music can help get through one of the […]
What to know ahead of Israel’s upcoming election
With less than a month until polls open, all eyes in Israel and, to a large extent, the Jewish world are already on the upcoming Israeli elections. However, the Israeli political system can be quite difficult to understand as an outsider. Unlike in the United States, where we have two main political parties contending in […]
The Return of ‘Castlevania’: The Birth, Death, and Revival of a Franchise
The year is 2026, and a new game in Konami’s flagship gothic-castle-exploring-action-adventure franchise, Castlevania, is coming out on Oct.15. Smack dab in the middle of the spooky season, “Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse” will be the first original 2D Castlevania game in 18 years. Not a reboot. Not a remake. Not a collection. A new game, through […]
New ID Cards at Brandeis
New IDs and free lanyards! This year, Brandeis will be issuing new ID cards. The first new card is provided free of charge, and free lanyards will be given as well. Make sure to pick the new card up before Dec. 1, when the current IDs are slated for deactivation. The cards can be picked […]
Brandeis announces new Robert Kraft Center
Last month, Brandeis announced plans for a new building on campus: the Robert K. Kraft Family Center for Jewish Life and Leadership. The new building, expected to be completed in the spring of 2028, will be the new home of Brandeis Hillel, currently located in the Usdan Student Center. It will also feature a beit […]
Brandeis rises in U.S. News Rankings, reversing decline
In the 2027 edition of U.S. News and World Report National College Rankings, Brandeis is ranked number 59. Brandeis is ranked number 36 among private universities, and number 46 among best value schools. This represents a reversal of a steady decline in Brandeis’ ranking since 2023, when U.S. News and World Report changed its methodology […]
Sunblighted: Chapter 12
“The sun is gone. The stars shine bright. I seek revenge.” Through the monster infested wastelands above the ever expanding caves of humanity, Lih alone searches for the Sunblighted. He is a false savior in Lih’s eyes, letting those who could actually bring change stay underground and refuse to take charge. But as fate would […]
YouTube keeps changing and it’s so annoying oh my god
As of Sept. 20, 2026, I am pissed. Why am I pissed? Because apparently for the past few months, YouTube has been rolling out a beta to random users that REMOVES the subscription button from the bottom tab of buttons, making it frustrating to find my favorite channels. As of the 21st, it has been […]
Iron Wok Jan: An Explosive Cooking Drama Fueled by Brimstone-Spicy Ego
The summer anime season has just finished serving a variety of delicious shows. To name a few: “You and I are Polar Opposites:” the sweetest story with the most diabetes inducing relationships in all of anime, “Goodbye, Laura:” the bittersweet continuation of the original Danish Little Mermaid story set in modern day, and “Sparks of […]
The Autumn Animals of Brandeis
With the arrival of fall, the New England foliage rightly steals our attention. An array of yellows and oranges with swaths of red are hard to ignore. But if you’re not too busy looking at the trees for Professor Pearlman, keep your eyes peeled for all the cool animals you can find on campus. Surely, […]
So You Think You Know Ball?—The Shohei Ohtani Cheatcode
If you know only one player in all of baseball, chances are it’s Shohei Ohtani. And that’s for good reason. He’s arguably the most prolific player in baseball, with hitting stats among some of the game’s best (career OPS+ [check out my article last year] at 158) and top-end pitching results as well. With him […]
Brandeis Food Forest
A few days ago, on Oct. 2, the Brandeis Food Forest (BFF) had its grand opening. After being originally scheduled for a week prior, a nor’easter pushed the event back to what turned out to be the perfect day. With live music, volunteer opportunities, and a rock painting station, the opening was buzzing with activity. […]
Liam’s Looks: Hair Tips
Hello all and welcome back to the second edition of Liam’s Looks. This is a segment where I share style tips, fashion guides, and beauty advice for the average Brandesian to look, feel, and present their best to the world. One key way of looking your best is through your hair. I have often found […]