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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

Ashley Wu

Ashley Wu, Editor-in-Chief

Ashley Wu is a mysterious Asian woman.

All content by Ashley Wu
(Staff Photo by Taylor Knight)

The Factory, revived

New Yorkers may be nostalgic for Andy Warhol’s ’70s-era Factory, but the spirit of artistic innovation and youthful collaboration is alive and well.
Ashley Wu, Editor in Chief November 24, 2021

When I was 17, I saw Nan Goldin’s “Ballad of Sexual Dependency” at the Museum of Modern Art. Goldin’s photographs flashed across the screen as the pastoral chords of “I’ll...

WSN is undergoing a regeneration. We are more committed than ever to providing the truth to the students of New York University. (Staff Illustration by Susan Behrends Valenzuela)

Letter from the editor: on regeneration

Welcome to Washington Square News, NYU’s independent undergraduate newspaper.
Ashley Wu, Editor-in-Chief August 25, 2021

Dear Readers, A few weeks ago, I lost my notebook. It was a wire bound notebook from Muji that I wrote in almost every day. Powered by thoughts, drawings and bad jokes, the...

(Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

Slices of Home

Places in New York City that remind us of home, or otherwise hold a special place in our hearts.
Ashley Wu, Caitlin Hsu and Alexandra Chan August 25, 2021

China Chalet By Ashley Wu, Editor in Chief The first thing I remember about China Chalet is the sidewalk. Cigarette butts and loose sequins scattered the pavement outside...

An illustration of a Black woman in a green shirt and a white woman in a yellow shirt listening to music through wired headphones. The cord of the headphones spells out “Listen to This.”

Listen to this: Singles from July

In case you missed it, here are new tracks by Bo Burnham, Peggy Gou and more.

WSN’s music desk is no longer on summer hiatus. While the staff took a short break, the music world delivered hundreds of singles to sift through and enjoy. And yet, through...

A representation of Wu's Shanghai. Ashley reflects on her grandparents and feelings of loss. (Photo by Ashley Wu)

Photo: Char

Ashley Wu, Deputy Managing Editor April 23, 2021

Wu's grandma's apartment complex in Shanghai. (Photo by Ashley Wu)

You know who had a bad day? Asian women

You know who had a bad day? Asian women

The killing of six Asian women in Atlanta is a hate crime informed by centuries of exoticization and dehumanization.
Ashley Wu, Opinion Editor March 18, 2021

Yesterday morning, I awoke to frantic texts from relatives and friends back home in Georgia who were terrified by an act of senseless violence in a year fraught with hate crimes.  On...

Kaufman’s latest film “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” centers around a young woman visiting her boyfriend’s parents. While there, time seems to shift around her as the storyline becomes increasingly confusing and less linear. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ Will Leave You Confounded

This movie will have you scouring Reddit for hidden meanings as soon as the credits roll.
Ashley Wu, Editor-at-Large September 14, 2020

In true Charlie Kaufman fashion, the director’s newest film, “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” crafts a brilliant and rich narrative that makes very little sense. With a...

Trump’s WeChat Ban Is Xenophobic

Trump’s WeChat Ban Is Xenophobic

The ban of the Chinese messaging app WeChat could have disastrous effects on the Chinese immigrant community.
Ashley Wu, Editor-at-Large September 11, 2020

After the news broke that President Donald Trump was set on banning TikTok in America, the app’s myriad of devoted followers spoke out against the injunction with semi-religious...

Transfers’ Journal

Transfers’ Journal

A collection of short narratives that give an insight into the lives of transfer students, discussing the concepts of transferring from another university or another school within NYU, where it is often difficult to situate in.

Journal Entry #1 By Ashley Wu Admitting that I was lonely felt like defeat. When I transferred to NYU in the fall of my sophomore year, I ignored all the warnings from my friends...

Online gift cards, donations, live streams and more are still viable options during this time. The WSN Arts desk lists some ways you can still support independent artists from a safe social distance. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

How to Support New York’s Vibrant Independent Arts Scene

Even though New York is on pause, that doesn’t mean you still can’t support your favorite local bookstore or movie theater from home.

One week ago, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered New York City movie theaters to shut down as part of many initiatives to hopefully “flatten the curve.” Earlier in...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 29 – March 6

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

The transition to March and change in weather beckons a sonic shift. Thus, this edition of Weekly Radio Roundup showcases musical experimentation on behalf of well-known artists...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 22 – Feb. 28

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

A wave of lovely strangeness prevails in this week’s edition of Weekly Radio Roundup. From The Weeknd’s latest late-night atmospheric melody to the airy sounds of The 1975’s...

In the mood for love? WSN recommends some Valentine singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Staff Recs: Valentine’s Day Edition

The Arts Desk recommends the best films, music and galleries for you to enjoy this Valentine’s Day.

Ashley Wu, Deputy Arts Editor  Even though Valentine’s Day was invented by Hallmark to sell greeting cards, let’s try to forget about capitalism for a second and celebrate...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 7 – Feb. 12

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

From Sufjan Stevens to Carly Rae Jepsen, this week’s slew of singles mostly consisted of soft-spoken reflections on living in modernity. Whether it’s King Krule shrieking about...

Weekly Radio Roundup: Jan. 31 - Feb. 3

Weekly Radio Roundup: Jan. 31 – Feb. 3

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

In a week of wonders, Porter Robinson is back after a long hiatus and Elon Musk is now an aspiring artist? I guess if this edition of Weekly Radio Roundup proves anything, it’s...

The film's cinematic competence cannot compensate for its unwavering reliance on jump scares. (Staff photo by Ashley Wu)

Photo: ‘The Turning’ Reanimates Tropes That Should Stay Dead

February 5, 2020

The film's cinematic competence cannot compensate for its unwavering reliance on jump scares. (Staff photo by Ashley Wu)

Sex Education is back for a second season, and continues to address traditionally taboo issues of sexuality. (Staff photo by Chelsea Li)

‘Sex Education’ Season Two Explores the Serious Side of Sexuality

The new season deftly tackles issues like sexual assault, but still fosters toxicity in its portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships.
Ashley Wu, Deputy Arts Editor January 31, 2020

Content warning: This article contains spoilers. An awkward, sexually inexperienced high school boy charging his classmates for his (unqualified) sex advice — to call the...

The Manic Pixie Dream Girl Still Feeds on Insecurity

The Manic Pixie Dream Girl Still Feeds on Insecurity

An unrealistic literary trope, popularized and fetishized by young-adult fiction writers, has negatively influenced the self-esteem of women who read these books during formative years.
Ashley Wu, Staff Writer November 18, 2019

I loved John Green’s writing in middle school. When my seventh-grade crush took my hands and said, “You remind me of Margo from ‘Paper Towns,’” my brain produced so many...

To Condemn Serial Killers, We Must Stop Glorifying Them

To Condemn Serial Killers, We Must Stop Glorifying Them

Serial killers like Ted Bundy deserve to be relegated to the dredges of society, and we must change how popular media portrays them.
Ashley Wu, Staff Writer October 21, 2019

In an era where documentaries about serial killers are so palatable that people throw watch parties with snacks and bottles of wine, it’s no surprise that millennials have a...

(Staff Photo by Elaine Chen)

Oxford Fashion Studio III S/S 2020

Ashley Wu, Staff Writer October 5, 2019

Read more of WSN’s New York Fashion Week coverage here. Email Hanna McNeila at [email protected].

Rupi Kaur Is Killing Poetry

Rupi Kaur Is Killing Poetry

The popularity of Instagram confessional poetry is rising, but is it wiping out more legitimate forms of poetry?
Ashley Wu, Staff Writer September 15, 2019

Nowadays, Instagram poetry is seemingly everywhere. On social media, small aestheticized squares of text dominate the feeds of millions of people. These short confessional poems...

CAS sophomore Liora Rafailova in a brown button-down shirt with swirling fleur-de-lis imagery and intricate diamond-shaped embroidery. (Photo by Ashley Wu)

The Golden Lining of a Thrifted Find

Piece Out is a Beauty & Style series where students discuss their favorite wardrobe pieces and the stories behind them.
Ashley Wu, Staff Writer September 9, 2019

Fashion has the ability to represent the type of person you are, and to express your inner personality or feelings through your outer self. CAS sophomore Liora Rafailova is a firm...

Travel Can Revitalize Hong Kong

Travel Can Revitalize Hong Kong

Traveling to Hong Kong can help boost the city’s economy, which has suffered in the midst of protest.
Ashley Wu, Staff Writer September 5, 2019

The reports coming out of Hong Kong have been dominated by extreme stories about the protests. In the Chinese supermarket, I catch whispers traveling over meticulously-stacked...