On leaving

Ashley Wu — Editor-in-Chief

I didn’t know I’d be graduating this semester. It came as a bit of a surprise. After scheduling a meeting with my counselor, I realized there were no more classes I had to take to finish college. Honestly, the feeling that I’m going to leave so soon doesn’t feel real yet. For the three years that I’ve worked at the Washington Square News, we’ve been critiquing the NYU administration and trying to push for tangible change. Change is something that doesn’t come easily, but I am leaving with the knowledge that we tried our hardest — succeeded sometimes and failed others. I may have attended college during what is historically one of the most tumultuous times to attend college. But there are still so many illustrious moments that sear themselves into the back of my eyelids. I won’t forget Washington Square Park in the fall, and the rusted sounds of bass, cellos and singing. I won’t forget those hours spent in grand old lecture halls, my stomach glowing with the warmth of shared ideas. College is a time when every failure makes you feel like the world will stop turning, and each triumph feels like the beginning of a long strand. In college, each time you experience a heartbreak, it feels like you are the first person in the world to do so. NYU can be so insular. WSN can be so insular. But with each new experience, I’m reminded that one day there will no longer be this sandbox of experimentation, only a wide expanse of things we do not yet know. The semester ends, but I take these thoughts and seal them in my ribcage for safekeeping. Next time, I will know what to do.

On crying

Sydney Barragan — UTA Managing Editor

I feel like my professors are having a secret competition to see who can make me cry first. So far, they’re all tied.

On doing school when things don’t feel normal

Srishti Bungle — Deputy Opinion Editor

The end of the semester means only two things: 

1. You can take a deep breath and relax a bit.
2. You realize this was yet another semester that bullet journaling doesn’t stop the endless, grinding demands of academics during COVID-19. 

On producing special issues

Caitlin Hsu — UTA Managing Editor

Pain. 

On staff rants

Lorraine Olaya — Copy Chief

I barely had time to even write this staff rant and if that doesn’t accurately describe how my last few weeks of the semester have been going, I don’t know what does. 

On transience

Kevin Kurian — Opinion Editor

I’m slowly losing my sense of time. It feels like August was a week ago. The semester should’ve ended with Thanksgiving break, and that’s all I have to say about that. 

On an existential question

Alexandra Chan — Managing Editor

Theoretically, grades exist. But do they really? Do we exist? I argue, no. 

On graduation

Jake Capriotti — Photo Editor

I’m graduating. Oh fuck… now what?

On the endless abyss of finals

Michelle Han — Deputy Opinion Editor

A classic finals experience is that you can somehow work on homework all day and still end up with more to do than you started with. 

Contact WSN Staff at [email protected].