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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Off Topic

(Allina Xiao for WSN)

Off Topic: The case for dating across the political divide

In an increasingly polarized world, political differences are a dealbreaker for most people, making it harder to find common ground, let alone fall in love.
Zofia Fernandini, Contributing Writer February 14, 2025

With Valentine's Day it's hard not to think about the one thing that can turn a date into a debate: politics. While most of us can leave political discourse at the dinner...

A red snake wrapped around a black and white rifle like the Rod of Ascelpius, in front of a blue background.

Off Topic: A shot heard around the health care sector

The public reaction to the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO reveals how broken the U.S. health care system is.
Mehr Kotval and Noah Zaldivar December 13, 2024

The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was killed in broad daylight on the curb outside the Hilton in Midtown. A man wearing a hoodie — identified by the New York City...

An illustration of the flags of Ukraine and the United States crossed in front of a black-and-white drawing of destroyed buildings.

Off Topic: A ceasefire in Ukraine isn’t as simple as you think it is

For the past two years, the war in Ukraine has intensified. While President-elect Donald Trump has called for an immediate end to hostilities, he neglects the disadvantageous position Ukraine is in.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor December 10, 2024

To the non-apocalypse-minded among us, the Doomsday Clock tracks the human race’s relative proximity to self-caused human annihilation, measured by the number of hours and minutes...

First lady Jill Biden, wearing a red dress and black boots, holds a cellphone as President Joe Biden, wearing a black suit with a blue tie, and his son Hunter Biden, wearing a black shirt, walk behind her.

Off Topic: Hunter Biden’s pardon highlights Democrats’ hypocrisy

After an election predicated on preserving democracy, this was a really bad time to prove just how rife with corruption the system can be.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor December 4, 2024

Watergate was a political scandal of unprecedented scale, which revealed the seedy underbelly of political espionage rampant in the halls of government. While the whole ordeal...

A person holding a brown sign that says, “NYU RUNS ON MURDER DIVEST NOW.”

Off Topic: The Congo and Sudan exist in activism’s blind spot

Activism is a means of forcing the media to turn their attention to injustice, but too often, ongoing humanitarian crises like those in Sudan and the Congo go overlooked.
Leila Olukoga, Deputy Opinion Editor November 22, 2024

The Sudanese Civil War has been characterized as one of the most dire humanitarian crises in the world, yet also one of the most underreported. As of October 2023, nearly 70% of...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talking at a podium with a screen of the American flag behind him.

Off Topic: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s concerns about health care should concern you

President-elect Donald Trump's plan to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his health secretary politicizes and endangers public health.
Grayson Stotz, Staff Writer November 18, 2024

In the weeks following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, he has begun rolling out his Cabinet nominees, many of whom are political allies whose proposed policies would...

An illustration of the Earth on fire. Laying on top of the Earth is a student on their phone.

Off Topic: Doom scrolling destroys the planet — not just your mood

Generation Z may be social-media warriors when it comes to climate activism, but our online activism and activity may be having unintended negative effects.
Leila Olukoga, Deputy Opinion Editor November 11, 2024

Climate change has been at the forefront of political debates for decades, with Generation Z leading the charge in recent years. Nearly 50% of Gen Z say mitigating the impacts...

Off Topic: True crime lovers, let's talk boundaries

Off Topic: True crime lovers, let’s talk boundaries

We must recognize that true crime storytelling carries a responsibility to inform, not to glamorize.
Leila Olukoga, Deputy Opinion Editor November 1, 2024

True crime entertainment is more popular than ever, but at what point does our curiosity cross a line?  As Netflix’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” reaches...

Hands typing at a computer with the words “FORECLOSE” on the screen. There is another computer in the background that reads “FAKE NEWS”.

Off Topic: You should be worried about the future of journalism

Misinformation is almost as rampant as mistrust of the news is, and it’s furthering the interests of those in authority. Modern journalism isn’t speaking truth to power — it’s feigning the truth on behalf of those in power.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor October 25, 2024

Media being used to mislead the public in the interest of policy makers and government is nothing new. The explosion of the U.S. battleship Maine on Feb. 15, 1898 — and its subsequent...

An illustration of a person standing on stage and holding a microphone surrounded by red light. Dark blue message bubbles float above the crowd with neon blue expressions of happiness, sadness and anger on them.

Off Topic: It’s time to end stan culture

The obsessive idolization of celebrities is damaging to both society and individual mental health.
Leila Olukoga, Deputy Opinion Editor October 2, 2024

When I was 6 years old, my mom introduced me to “Ready to Die” by The Notorious B.I.G. The aggression in Biggie’s tone and the uniqueness of his flow marked the first time...

Three white N.Y.P.D cars park in front of Tandon School of Engineering.

Off Topic: The United States must make the push for gun control

In light of the recent Apalachee High School shooting, now is more important than ever for our country to pass common sense gun control laws.
Benjamin Rabb, Staff Writer September 23, 2024

Content warning: This article contains mentions of gun violence. I am no stranger to the countless conversations surrounding the effects and limits of gun ownership. After all,...

An illustration on a blue background of popcorn and a laptop with the Netflix logo on the screen.

Off Topic: Streaming services are the death of good entertainment

The creation of a comprehensive streaming world has been a step forward in convenience, and a monumental step backward in quality.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor September 16, 2024

Enshittification, the American Dialect Society’s word of the year for 2023, refers to “a gradual worsening in the quality of service on digital platforms.” It’s perhaps...