Washington Square News

Washington Square News

Washington Square News

All content by Alexa Donovan
An illustration of a smartphone with an alarm going off that reads “Alarm. Snooze,” a pair of wired headphones and a N.Y.U. shuttle that is titled “Route W” against a purple background.

What I learned during my first year at NYU

While I haven’t mastered everything during my first nine months at university, these nine tips will help any incoming student ease their first few semesters.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Apr 28, 2023

Going to a rigorous college in New York City can be challenging, but I’ve learned certain things that have made the transition easier. College can be fun, academically challenging...

A red, brown and white painting hanging on a cream colored wall inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There is a cream colored railing around the base of the wall, and “Cecily Brown, Death and the Maid” is written in capitalized gray letters above the painting.

Review: ‘Death and the Maid’ breathes color into mundane inevitabilities

Cecily Brown’s solo exhibition can be viewed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art until Dec. 3.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Apr 26, 2023

It is hard to miss the Cecily Brown exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; its advertising banner creates a stark contrast of color on the colossal and ornate building on...

A collage of two photos of six mannequins wearing different fashion clothes. The mannequins are exhibited inside the Museum at F.I.T.

FIT’s new exhibit explores the intersection of fashion and interior design

Showcasing designer's work alongside their living spaces, ‘Designing Women: Fashion Creators and their Interiors’ is on view until May 14.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Apr 13, 2023

The most recent exhibit at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology emphasizes the bridge between high fashion and interior design. Drawn from the museum’s permanent...

A white wall with three pieces of art displayed on it. On the left, a large textile artwork. In the middle, a small abstract black-and-white print. On the right, a slightly larger black-and-white print of silhouettes of two bodies facing each other.

‘Mostly New’ brings the best of NYU’s art collection into the spotlight

The latest exhibition at NYU’s Grey Art Gallery, which will run through May 20, shows a new breadth of work in the university’s collection.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Apr 11, 2023

The humble exterior of the Grey Art Gallery, NYU’s fine arts museum located inside the university’s Silver Center, fails to convey the beauty of the spectacular pieces of art...

An illustration of writer Annie Ernaux wearing a green shirt and holding her head with her left hand.

Review: Annie Ernaux’s ‘Happening’ illustrates the necessity of reproductive care

The winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature retells her personal difficulties accessing healthcare in 1960s France.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Mar 29, 2023

In October of 1963, a 23-year-old Annie Ernaux wrote in her diary, “I am pregnant. What a nightmare," an entry later featured in her 2000 book, “Happening.” Though at the...

A bar counter with several people sitting next to it. There is painted text reading “Nuyorican Poets’ Cafe” in all capital letters on the wall behind the counter.

Celebrate women’s history year-round at these local spots

Women's History Month is coming to a close, but you can commemorate feminism all year at these city spots.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Mar 29, 2023

Women’s History Month may be ending soon, but appreciation for feminism and women’s empowerment is a year-long affair. With a storied past and thriving culture celebrating...

The nighttime skyline view of Downtown Manhattan.

How channeling my inner ‘Sex and the City’ changed my life

When I found myself with three single best friends at NYU, I turned to one of my favorite shows for inspiration.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Feb 24, 2023

I like to consider myself to be one of the Carrie Bradshaws of the world. Perhaps we are not one hundred percent alike — where she falls victim to Manolo Blahniks, I fall victim...

An illustration of two figures conversing at the Guggenheim Museum. Various paintings are displayed on the walls above the spiraling, white balconies.

Review: ‘Alex Katz: Gathering’ balances natural and urban New York City

The downtown New York artist’s solo exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum is on display until Feb. 20.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Feb 16, 2023

The entire rotunda of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is full of color and life thanks to artist Alex Katz. Katz is familiar with NYU’s surrounding...

A small christmas tree placed on top of a wooden shelf with two gift boxes wrapped with brown paper under it. The boxes are tied with red straps with text “FOR YOU” in all caps. In the background are shelves of indistinguishable goods.

The ultimate gift guide for the NYU student in your life

If you’re wondering what your Violet wants for the holidays, look no further.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Nov 23, 2022

With the holidays just around the corner and Black Friday sales starting soon, you may find yourself wondering what to get that NYU student you know and love for the holidays....

The painting “New York Office” by Edward Hopper. A young woman stands next to a large window. She wears a blue dress and holds a letter. The room has light blue walls and warm lighting, and the building has a white marble facade. The sun shines diagonally into the scene, casting a shadow on the adjacent street.

Review: Edward Hopper’s art showcases his hatred for NYU

“Edward Hopper's New York,” a love letter to New York City, is on view at The Whitney until March 5, 2023.
Alexa Donovan, Staff Writer Nov 22, 2022

Edward Hopper’s 1945 painting “August in the City” depicts the side view of a rounded window protruding from an elegant brownstone. The urban house, adorned with yellow curtains...

An illustration of a female-presenting figure sits, with legs crossed, listening to music with black over-ear headphones. In the background, a urban landscape approximating Times Square in New York City. The signs in the background read “Cinema,” “Bank,” “Fitness Center,” “Tattoo,” “Art,” “Great Recipe,” “Green Tea,” “Restaurant,” “Jazz” and “Cupcake.”

How moving to New York helped me rethink my relationship with anxiety

I had expected my anxiety to get worse after moving to Manhattan. Instead, my relationship with it got exponentially better. 
Alexa Donovan, Contributing Writer Oct 28, 2022

I have always been more anxious than the average person. A panicker. A perfectionist. A people pleaser. I overthink, I overshare, I overexert myself.  New York City works better...

A weaving titled “Gretal Gretal” hangs on a white wall in an art exhibition space.

Christina Forrer’s exhibition nourishes your inner child

Los Angeles-based artist Christina Forrer’s weavings and drawings, on view at Luhring Augustine through Oct. 29, express relatable anxieties and fears through a childlike lens of the world.
Alexa Donovan, Contributing Writer Oct 24, 2022

Known for creating fantastical art that expresses chaos and evokes powerful emotions, Swiss-born and Los Angeles-based artist Christina Forrer is hosting her second solo exhibition...

Alexa Donovan stands in front of 211 Thompson St., an apartment building in Greenwich Village. Alexa is looking at the camera and wearing a navy shirt and denim skirt.

Born To Be at NYU

As this NYU student returned back to her family’s first stomping grounds, she finds her true self.
Alexa Donovan, Contributing Writer Oct 20, 2022