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

Divya Nelakonda

Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor

Divya is a Tisch sophomore majoring in Collaborative Arts. She’s a little lost — yes, in life — but, seriously, she’s directionally challenged, so if you see her, she could probably use directions. Currently in California, she misses the sights, sounds, and dogs-wearing-jackets of the NYC streets. She spends most of her days watching movie trailers instead of picking one and reading recipes that she’ll inevitably improvise in the kitchen. Follow her on Instagram @tskd, or better yet, add her on Co-Star @divya.n.

All content by Divya Nelakonda
Reading, roller skating, listening to true crimes podcast or making the best spicy fried chicken sandwich. We’ve all been there this quarantine season. (Photos by Scott Hogan, Guru Ramanathan, Leo Sheingate, Sasha Cohen. Staff Illustration by Alex Tran)

Culture Desk Faves: Our Quarantine Hobbies

WSN’s Culture desk shares the ways they found to cope with quarantine.

Having spent a majority of 2020 in quarantine, everyone’s had enough time on their hands to become a master baker, handwrite their autobiographies and watch every show Netflix...

NYU’s inadequate quarantine meals gained some internet notoriety especially on video platform TikTok over the last 14 days. Students reflect on their experiences with viral video and news reports and find a silver lining from the chaos. (Photo by Cristina Diaz)

NYU Quarantine Meals Leave Students With a Taste of TikTok Fame

After NYU’s quarantine meal service proved to be insufficient, inconsistent and often inedible, students quickly learned that the less food they received, the more TikTok followers they gained. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, some students have found a silver lining in their newfound fame.
Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor Sep 2, 2020

Just days into the mandatory 14-day quarantine, NYU students were served the now-infamous watermelon chicken salad. The strange combination was one of several poorly executed meals...

Quarantine Hasn’t Stopped This NYU Junior From Turning Out Looks

Quarantine Hasn’t Stopped This NYU Junior From Turning Out Looks

Niha Chandrasekar strives to keep up creativity in her fashion and beauty, even without the unparalleled creative energy of New York City.
Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor May 1, 2020

When I first saw CAS junior Niha Chandrasekar on Zoom, the first thing that caught my eye was her makeup: an ombre rainbow that spanned across her eyelids. But what was most striking...

Amid a pandemic, many who are quarantined have turned to baking bread as a new hobby. Beauty & Style Editor Divya Nelakonda shares her experience trying the new phenomenon. (Staff Photo by Divya Nelakonda)

I Discovered the Joy of Bread Baking in Quarantine

A little yeast goes a long way.
Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor Apr 23, 2020

If I could explain the phenomenon of baking bread during the pandemic, I would. Maybe it has to do with the primitive feeling of kneading a ball of dough. Or perhaps it's the patient...

A model wears a piece by designer Miashan at New York Fashion Week 2020. The fashion industry has been forced to evaluate how it can remain operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Fast-Fashion in the Face of the Coronavirus

The Coronavirus sheds light on the hidden victims of fast-fashion.
Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor Apr 9, 2020

Long before the coronavirus, the future for the fashion industry was grim. As the pandemic spread to Italy as the Fall 2020 fashion week in Milan was beginning, widespread panic...

Quarantine has given us plenty of free time. With salons and beauty parlors closed across the country, there are still ways you can practice self-care from the comfort of your home. (Staff Photo by Divya Nelakonda)

Photo: Creative Self-Care in Uncertain Times

Apr 2, 2020

Quarantine has given us plenty of free time. With salons and beauty parlors closed across the country, there are still ways you can practice self-care from the comfort of your...

WSN stays busy with the newest Animal Crossing game. Heres what weve been doing to stay busy during quarantine. (Staff Photo by Bella Gil)

Culture Desk Faves: What We’ve Been Doing in Quarantine

Yoga, Animal Crossing and dog walking, what more could you ask for?
Bella Gil, Lauren Gruber, and Divya Nelakonda Mar 27, 2020

The only option for all of us right now is to stay inside. Working from home and attending school from home may come with some extra time none of us expected so here’s what the...

One student had to finish all the food in her refrigerator before leaving New York. While some had to abandon their de-stressing trips, others spent time dealing with stocked up groceries. (Staff Photo by Chelsea Li)

How Students Are Spending Their Spring Break In Quarantine

From booking last-minute plane tickets to baking vegan cakes, NYU students are adapting to an unusual and uniquely stressful spring break
Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor Mar 23, 2020

With the announcement a week prior to spring break that NYU's Washington Square Park campus would begin remote classes due to the continuous rise of coronavirus cases in New York...

Multi colored perfume bottles line a windowsill. The WSN Culture desk is here to discuss some of their favorite perfumes. (Staff Photo by Bella Gil)

Culture Desk Faves: Signature Scents

The Culture Desk dish on their beloved perfumes.

If you asked someone, “What perfume are you wearing right now?” most people would be able to answer in a heartbeat.The Culture Desk dishes below on what scent defines them...

Mascaras come in all sizes and forms. Here are some of the culture desk’s favorite mascara picks. (Staff Photo by Chelsea Li)

Lashes For Days: The Culture Desk’s Go-To Mascaras

Volume, length and lashes, oh my!

Benefit Cosmetics’ “They’re Real!” Mascara  Great minds (and lashes) think alike.  Mascara was the first beauty product I began to wear on a regular basis. To this...

Marinated kelp and Japanese sweet potatoes are combined with Momofuku’s Tingly spice, roasted chicken and tomatoes to create David Changs Kelp Yourself bowl.  Served on a base of shredded kale, Sweetgreen reached out to Momofukos creator to add a Japanese flavor to their menu. (Staff Photo by Chelsea Li)

‘Kelp Yourself’ to Sweetgreen’s Latest Collaboration With Momofuku

David Chang’s kelp salad is ambitious but leaves more to be desired.
Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor Feb 14, 2020

Sweetgreen and Momofuku both mark special places in my psychogeography of New York City. My mom and I frequented Sweetgreen when we toured colleges, and my friend and I celebrated...

Staff Rants and Raves: Oscars

Staff Rants and Raves: Oscars

Sunday’s Oscars was a historic night for film. Here’s what our staff has to say about it.

Rants On Viewer’s Etiquette Jake Capriotti, Photo Editor I did not know what to expect from my first Oscars party at NYU. I attended the Third North viewing with two...

Despite a restful winter break, there were definitely some things the culture desk missed about the city. (Staff photo by Chelsea Li)

Culture Desk Faves: What We Missed About the City

Winter break doesn’t last forever.

It’s easy to get burned out in New York. Winter break is a great time to return home and recharge. As we eat in our hometown diners and visit old friends, a part of us still...

WSN recommends some singles you may have missed this week. (Photo by Divya Nelakonda)

Photo: Weekly Radio Roundup

Jan 31, 2020

WSN recommends some singles you may have missed this week. (Photo by Divya Nelakonda)

The Soho Diner tucked away in Lower Manhattan. (Photo by Divya Nelakonda)

Photo: Soho Diner Reimagines the Humble American Eatery

Jan 30, 2020

The Soho Diner tucked away in Lower Manhattan. (Photo by Divya Nelakonda)

The Soho Diner tucked away in Lower Manhattan. (Photo by Divya Nelakonda)

Soho Diner Reimagines the Humble American Eatery

Serving night owls, early birds and everyone in between, you can find pork schnitzel and vegan banana pancakes all at the same joint — further proof that the American diner is truly timeless.
Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor Jan 30, 2020

In the age of elaborate latte designs, rainbow-colored food and bizarre cross-cultural ingredient combinations, the classic diner feels akin to a lost art. Even in the city that...

Start taking care of your skin with a simple and effective routine. (Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Simple Steps for Smooth Skin

Divya Nelakonda, Beauty & Style Editor Jan 27, 2020

Skincare. It’s one of the biggest crazes as of late; and there is no better time than college to build a skincare routine to both repair existing issues and prevent future complications....

The ground floor of Essex Market is a large workspace with plenty of natural light. (Photo by Sabrina Choudhary)

The Inside Scoop on Essex Market

Navigate the indoor market with this list of seven must-try pit stops.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Dec 2, 2019

The Essex Market lived on the corner of Essex and Delancey Street for 79 years. In May 2019, the market relocated across the street to Essex Crossing, a complex complete with residences,...

The holidays are upon us, and everyone is scrambling to find unique and interesting gifts for loved ones. (Via Pexels)

A Guide to New York Holiday Markets

Finally, a gift only you can get your hands on.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Dec 2, 2019

Holiday season is now officially in full swing, and so is the last stretch of the semester. Before you return to the tranquility of your hometown, you may want to make a shopping...

This week, Chef Aarti kicked off the Chef’s Table: Women in Culinary series, hosted by NYU Eats. (Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Chef Aarti Sequeira Kicks off NYU Eats Chef’s Table: Women in Culinary Series

Escape the drag of dining halls with fine cuisine at an NYU Eats Chef’s Table event.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Nov 18, 2019

While other children spent their elementary and middle-school years watching Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network, my after school channel of choice was the Food Network. I filled our...

Meditation room at GCASL 486. MindfulNYU offers quiet, seated, upright meditation to students during weekdays. (Via NYU)

Yoga and Meditation on Campus

The best low- to no-cost yoga and meditation classes before finals hit.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Nov 3, 2019

With midterm season finally coming to an end, many NYU students cannot wait to turn in their last exam or paper. It’s no secret that college can be incredibly stressful. Luckily,...

Breakfast options for sale in Spacemarket outside Weinstein. (Photo by Talia Barton)

Hit the Snooze and Get Breakfast Too

It isn’t hard to keep your dorm room breakfast-ready.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Oct 7, 2019

We’ve all been there. You’re at your morning lecture and as the professor drones on, all you can think about is your empty stomach begging for a bagel. Or worse, the classroom...

African black soap body wash in Sidestein is a  gentle, hydrating body wash. Beauty section in Sidestein covers everything students need. (Photo by Talia Barton)

The Bizarre World of Sidestein Beauty

Move over Lush, Sidestein has NYU students covered.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Oct 3, 2019

You’re checking out at Sidestein. A pack of paper towels in one hand, and a coffee in the other, you notice something. Right by the cashiers sit the mysterious “clean” beauty...

The exterior of Pietro Nolita reflects its pink interior. (via Flickr)

Pietro Nolita Is Not-So-Pretty in Pink

Eat with your eyes, and only your eyes.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Sep 24, 2019

If you’re anything like me, preparing to come to New York City included spending countless hours on Instagram immersed in photos of all the unique shops and restaurants surrounding...

Aphrodite Dry Cleaners is often frequented by NYU students due to its proximity to Washington Square Park. (Staff Photo by Min Ji Kim)

Pressed for Success

The best spots near campus for all your dry cleaning, tailoring and laundry needs.
Divya Nelakonda, Staff Writer Sep 9, 2019

The start of a new school year doesn’t just mean new classes and new school supplies. It also means preparing your best suit for a job interview and wondering how to get the...

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