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

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Staff Rants & Raves: Textures

Some things are fun to touch, and some things aren’t — it’s not too complicated. Let our staff tell you why.
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Grace Halio

Staff Rants

On Manicures
By Lauren Gruber, Deputy Culture Editor
Let me preface this by saying I love getting my nails done. I love not being able to use my phone for thirty minutes while I make small talk with my nail technician. However, this supposedly relaxing experience is ruined by the gritty, scratchy texture of a nail file. The buzzy feeling against my fingertips sends chills up my spine every time I go in for a fresh set. Even worse is the motorized file used to remove gel polish. I try my hardest to conceal my cringe, but I end up squeezing my eyes shut and digging my free nails into my palm to distract myself from the horrendous sensation. Even writing this is making me squeamish. While the end result is usually worth the torture, I still dread that disgusting pink sandpaper stick from Hell. Beauty is pain.

On Weird Stickers
By Anna-Dmitry Muratova, Senior Reporter
You know those stickers with basketball players you used to get from arcades? Actually, you probably don’t know if you didn’t grow up in Russia in the early 2000s. Or was it an international thing? Either way, those holographic stickers had weird, graded surfaces. If you dragged your nail against the lines of the grading, it felt like a thousand angry cats scratching at your brain. I’ve always hated plastic holographic textures since. The noise they make and the feeling of your nails against the surface? Disgusting!

On Having Dry Skin
By Victor Porcelli, News Editor
You know the worst feeling in the world? Touching literally anything when you have dry skin. It doesn’t matter what the texture is, all it does is serve to remind you that your skin is dry. It’s just such an unsettling feeling, kind of like your hands are chalkboards … or maybe chalk? … I don’t know. Either way, that’s why I always carry a small container of lotion with me and I suggest you do too.

On Those Tiny Desks
By Melanie Pineda, Editor-at-Large
I sound like a grandmother writing this, but I remember my first lecture class as though it were yesterday. Environmental Studies, first year: one of the many required classes I would have to take in order to actually start learning what I was paying NYU to teach me. It wasn’t too bad — only about 80 kids or so, all crammed into a ridiculously small lecture hall with a pillar — which I could do an entire other rant about, but that’s a story for another time. That fateful day was when I realized that the chairs in these lecture halls were too small for my thighs. And in my four years at NYU since then, not a single one of those desks has magically grown in size. Thus, a years-long dilemma was born: I have had to learn to accept the fact that one of my legs will always have to dangle off of these ridiculously small desks’ chairs. Maybe in grad school I’ll look back on those chairs and the useless holes on the bottom of them and feel nostalgic. But for the next — and final —  eight months of my time here at NYU, I will dread sitting on what is literally a pain in my ass.

Staff Raves

On Water
By Abby Hofstetter, Opinion Editor
God, I love water. Not as a drink — unless you pay for the high-quality filtered stuff, water tastes kind of rank. But water as a texture? Unbeatable. The combination of the absolute perfection of distilled water’s density (one? What else has a density of one?) and the feeling of weightlessness as you slip underwater seem like they should contradict one another, but they don’t. They just don’t! Water is both heavy and light; it’s both smooth and rough. It feels just as clear as it looks. Even when you drink it, it feels so light and soft on your tongue. Nothing else feels like that, and nothing else can. Am I insane? Water is just really cool. Shoutout to the universe for natural occurrences.

On Plants
Kaylee DeFreitas, Deputy Arts Editor
The most wonderful texture in the world is that of nature and plants. From philodendrons’ smooth leaves to the prickly spikes of a cactus to the rough bark of a tree, the life and array of textures that can be found in the plant world are something to behold. I own many plants, and while I could just sit around and stare at them, one of the joys in having plants is getting to revel in the delight that comes from all the different textures they have to offer. Whenever I am sitting at my desk stressing about work, I run my hands along the vines of my pothos that sits on the top of the shelf and instantly feel a sense of calm from its slick, glossy leaves. Our planet has so many wonders to take in, and the more that people begin to enjoy all it has to offer, the more they will respect and cherish it. The comfort that nature brings can only be fully enjoyed when one takes in textures it has to offer and not just its visual beauty. When someone does this, they begin to realize the life that exists all around us and the natural world is not for us to just use and abuse at our will.

On Silk
By Sam Brinton, Copy Chief
Okay, you can call me bougie or whatever, but silk is the best material with the best texture in the entire world. There’s a reason people call things like almond milk and lotion “silky” as a selling point. It’s because silk is so unbelievably, unbeatably soft and smooth. And on top of the amazing texture, it’s so versatile. It keeps my hair from being frizzy, makes my bedsheets nice and cool (and makes getting in bed after shaving my legs feel heavenly) and is always fashionable as a scarf on my bag or a shirt. Sure, it can be expensive, but the splurge is worth the smoothness. If I could have everything in my life be made out of silk, I would. Too bad I’m not a millionaire.

Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

Email WSN Staff at [email protected].

About the Contributors
Lauren Gruber, Dining Editor
Lauren is a CAS sophomore studying Journalism and Psychology and WSN's resident sorority girl. A Boston native, she loves ice cream in the winter and the word 'wicked.' Lauren is a Brie cheese enthusiast and her hobbies include petting every dog she sees, rereading Gillian Flynn novels and watching cooking shows (specifically "Chopped" and "British Bake Off"). You can find her at The Bean while she pretends to study. Follow her on Instagram @laurenmgruber.
Anna-Dmitry Muratova, Under the Arch Managing Editor
Finley  comes from Moscow, Russia! They're a junior studying Journalism and Environmental Studies and it's their fifth semester at WSN. Finley loves all things inclusive, sex. ed., ecology and advocacy for a whole bunch of stuff. They'd love to chat with you if you want to write for Under the Arch! Find them @veryawkwardfinley on Instagram. :-)
Victor Porcelli, News Editor
Victor Porcelli is a junior studying Public Policy. He's from Central Jersey, the existence of which he will vehemently defend. Outside of journalism, he likes romcoms and ... he can't think of anything else. He aspires to becoming verified on twitter so follow him @victor_porcelli.
Melanie Pineda, Opinion Editor
Melanie Pineda is one of the Opinion Editors for WSN. She is a junior in CAS double majoring in Journalism and Latin American Studies. She enjoys going on long rampages about her dog because, well, he’s a good boy. Her hobbies include pretending to have it all together, discussing social justice issues and making obscure Vine (RIP) references. She is more often than not seen calling her mom about everything and anything and drinking absurd amounts of coffee. Follow her on Twitter @meiabean.
Abby Hofstetter, Managing Editor
Abby is a CAS junior studying History, Creative Writing and probably something else. She's from Long Island, but please don't bring that up. If you need her, you can find her discussing the third season of Glee or why olives should be banned from consumption. Contact her for a terrible time.
Kaylee DeFreitas, Deputy Managing Editor
Kaylee DeFreitas is a senior (Yikes!) majoring in Journalism and Educational Theatre with a minor in Irish Studies. When she isn’t writing for WSN, you can find her watching “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” doing embroidery and taking care of her plants. Born and raised in New Jersey, she will fight anyone who says Central Jersey doesn’t exist or calls a pork roll sandwich a taylor ham. Follow her and say hi on Twitter and Instagram at @kaylee_defre.
Sam Brinton, Beauty & Style Editor
Sam Brinton is a junior studying Journalism and Metropolitan Studies. She loves New York Times crossword puzzles, clarinet and playing Nintendo games to avoid her problems. A native North Carolinian, she will say "y'all" without shame, and has dreams about Cook-Out when she's away. Don't follow her on twitter @sumanthuhbee because it's embarrassing.
Grace Halio, Editor-at-Large
Grace Halio has spent the past three years working at WSN because her job has an actual title, unlike her concentration in Gallatin. She's studying how journalism and public art can be narratives for social and climate injustice, but has a soft spot in her heart for New York Fashion Week and all things Features Desk. A Long Island native, she could likely live off of bagels. Grace spent her spring 2016 semester studying in Florence, Italy. Unfortunately, she did not turn into Lizzie McGuire; fortunately, she ate a lot of cheese. She looks forward to returning to the motherland. In the meantime, however, you can find her fighting for the necessity of the oxford comma and making pasta for dinner six nights a week. Follow her on Twitter to see her creative 140 character complaints or on Instagram to take a peek at how she spends her free time.
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