Hoot nation is thriving
I sat down to write this intro a thousand times. Even though I’ve been preparing myself for this moment all year, I still can’t quite believe we’ve made it here. Yes, we: me, the rest of the Hoot editors, anyone who cares enough to read this, all the besties. I’ve known all year that I […]
Behind the scenes of Springfest, Brandeis’s biggest concert
It’s safe to say that Springfest is one of the most anticipated days on the Brandeis campus. It’s one of the few days of the year that Brandeis students are willing to go all out: from the fashion to the parties to the general positive vibes. But what goes on behind the scenes of Springfest? […]
Brandeis hosts second annual Festival of the Arts Craft Market
The third-ever Brandeis Craft Market took place this week! On April 26 and 27, student artists got the opportunity to showcase their work to the community. Tables covering Fellows Garden were full of handmade goods, everything from earrings to paintings to homemade macarons, available for purchase. “I was so excited to participate in the […]
The 2022 Festival of the Arts is here
The annual Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts is back in session. Between April 26 and May 4, Brandeis is hosting many events celebrating the arts community. Some activities include student theater, art installations around campus, talks from artists and a craft market. “Buoyancy” is the theme of this year’s festival. “Our advisory committee […]
Speakers for commencement for Classes of 2022, 2021 and 2020 announced
President Ron Liebowitz announced this year’s commencement speakers in an email to the Brandeis community on April 1. The email specified speakers for the Class of 2022 ceremony, as well the “[Re]Commencement” for the Classes of 2021 and 2020. “Deval Patrick, H’17, the 71st governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will offer the Class […]
‘Bridgerton’ season two is somehow better than season one
Imagine: it’s March 25 and you are swearing to yourself that you’re not going to binge “Bridgerton” season two. You’ve waited over a year for this moment, so now it’s time to savor the magic. You succeed the first day, opening Netflix to watch just one episode, only to immediately fail the challenge, watching the […]
Yes, ‘Riverdale’ season six is actually the weirdest one yet
I thought I’d seen it all from “Riverdale,” and still they manage to surprise me. Foolishly I believed that we were past the insanity of mothman and an organ harvesting cult, and that, miraculously, the writers would start writing coherent plots. Of course, I was wrong. This is “Riverdale,” after all. And, believe it or […]
Fighting for disability rights has been a lifelong project for Judy Heumann
Paralyzed from polio at 18 months old, Heumann has spent most of her life in a wheelchair. From not being allowed access to schools as a child because of her to recently working on a documentary with the Obamas, Heumann has helped make the world more aware of disability rights and needs. In a Brandeis […]
Dr. Zhang-Wu unpacks research of multilingual international students
Dr. Qianqian Zhang-Wu—Assistant Professor of English and Director of Multilingual Writing at Northeastern University—has found that international students face a lot more challenges than just a vocabulary barrier. In “Languaging Myths and Realities: Journeys of Chinese International Students”—a virtual talk at Brandeis on Wednesday, March 6—she explained that cultural differences also play a large role […]
Indigneous scholars discuss art as a decolonization tool
Two PhD scholars, Zoe Todd (GRAD) and Celeste Pedri-Spade (GRAD), discussed their art in a virtual talk at the university, on Wednesday, March 16. This event—sponsored by the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WMGS)—focused on how the two “manifest and mobilize their obligations within spaces where colonial institutions still work tirelessly to dispossess […]
Betsy West discusses career in documentary journalism
For Betsy West, the best subjects are ones she admires, as she told students in an event held by the university. West, a documentary journalist, spoke on her work alongside Julia Cohen, her longtime creative partner. Together, the two of them have created documentaries on influential Americans, from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Julia Child. “Having […]
The Brandeis Marriage Pact lets science solve love
Though cuffing season is over, the prospect of love is still a popular topic at Brandeis. Brandeis Confessions is filled with posts of pining people giving an anonymous whine about their crush. Bumble stickers and flyers litter this campus telling you to “make a buzz!” Now, the Brandeis Entrepreneurship and Tech Association (BETA) is bringing […]
Men’s Olympic figure skating emotionally destroyed me
This week has been rough for the figure skating world. Between a Russian drug scandal and missed jumps, the 2022 Beijing Olympics has been shocking. Going into the men’s competition, I was torn between rooting for Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu or American skater Nathan Chen: “The Prince” versus “The Quad King.” Both are legends […]
Brandeis hates hot girls with stomach issues
Having a sensitive stomach or food allergies comes with a lot of costs including but not limited to: not being able to eat the cookies your friend makes, not being able to safely eat out most places and not being able to enjoy many foods without some sort of suffering later on. One of the […]
Dr. Smita Gopinath explained research on vaginal immunity
Injecting mice with herpes has led Dr. Smita Gopinath to potentially new information on the future of vaccines. In a talk at Brandeis on Tuesday, Feb. 1, Gopinath explained her fascination with the “vaginal microbiome” and the way her years-long work at Harvard’s Gopinath Lab has led her to potentially uncover new ways to protect […]
Natasha Bowdoin isn’t afraid to make art ‘off the wall’
Natasha Bowdoin ’03 believes that there is no singular correct way to create art. In an open Zoom talk for Professor Tory Fair’s course FA5B: “Blurring the Boundaries” at Brandeis on Tuesday, Jan. 25, Bowdoin explained that she has changed her art style many times and encouraged art students to do the same, to seek […]
‘Yellowjackets’ packs an enjoyably painful sting
I don’t even know where to begin describing the complex masterpiece that is “Yellowjackets.” I could say that it’s one of the purest depictions of female adolescence that I’ve ever seen; I could say that it was so terrifying that I didn’t sleep for three nights. Well-written, with layers upon layers of mystery, “Yellowjackets” packs […]
Univ. receives $10 million donation from alumnus
A center that will “strengthen civic and community engagement” is coming to Brandeis after the university received a $10 million donation, according to an email from President Ron Liebowitz on Jan. 4. The main goal of the Samuels Center, according to the alumni article, will be to prepare students for engaging “ethically and responsibly” with […]
Women’s Ultimate Frisbee made history during their fall season
Banshee, the Brandeis Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team, made history this fall by making it to nationals, which were held in Norco, California from Dec. 17 to Dec. 20. Adding to the sweetness of this feat, they placed 10th at the competition. The team was led by captains Eve “Echo” Robinson ’22 and Allie “Fresca” Mundis […]
‘Weather Girl’ will cure rainy day blues
As all great romance novels do, “Weather Girl” by Rachel Lynn Solomon revolves around hijinks. The scheme is simple: meteorologist Ari Abrams and sports reporter Russell Barringer team up to “parent trap” their bosses, Torrance and Seth. Torrance and Seth used to be married before a nasty divorce that led to fighting in the workplace, […]
