![A portrait of Natalie Thomas.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Natalie-Thomas-1200x1200.jpg)
Natalie Thomas, Editor-at-Large
All content by Natalie Thomas
![A white-and-blue cup of hot chocolate with cocoa powder in it. It is on a wooden table and on the cup it reads, “happy holidays” and "maman."](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/culture-dining-holidaydrinks-1200x800.jpg)
Staff Recs: Holiday drink orders
From cozy lattes to spiced wine, here are WSN’s recommendations of drinks near campus that will get you into the holiday spirit.
Natalie Thomas, Krish Dev, Juliana Guarracino, Andrea Lui and Sabrina Lee
• December 14, 2023
![An illustration of a megaphone with the phrase “Staff Rants” written on it. The megaphone wears a red Santa hat and the background is white with blue snowflakes.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ops-staffrants-holiday-1200x1200.jpg)
Staff Rants: Holiday Overload
It's the end of the term, which means it's the holiday season! WSN staff shares their thoughts about it — the good and the bad, but mostly the bad.
Krish Dev, Alisha Goel, Alexa Donovan, Molly Koch, Qianshan Weng, Sabrina Lee, Bruna Horvath, Natalie Thomas, Katherine Welander and Naisha Roy
• December 1, 2023
![A woman with blond hair and a black shirt which reads “L.O.M.L W.Y.A. R.N. ?” stands on a stage with a microphone under green lights. In front of her below is a crowd of people holding up cell phones.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/arts-renee-rapp-1200x710.jpg)
Review: Reneé Rapp’s ‘Snow Hard Feelings’ Tour
With one special guest, two openers and three pairs of pants, Rapp returned to New York to perform with her own sound.
Natalie Thomas, Anna Baird-Hassell and Emily Genova
• November 2, 2023
![Taylor Swift performs standing with a guitar in hand. Swift wears a pink mid-length dress with layered ruffles as she sings into a standing microphone.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/taylorswift-gudavalli-10-1200x900.jpg)
Ranked: Taylor Swift’s vault tracks
From devastating heartbreak ballads to solo-dance-party anthems, there is a vault track for everybody.
Emily Genova and Natalie Thomas
• October 25, 2023
![Fans sang, danced and cheered throughout the film. (Manasa Gudavalli for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/concertfilmTaylorSwift_ManasaGudavalli-2-1200x675.jpg)
Review: Taylor Swift brings the stage to the big screen in The Eras Tour concert film
In this cinematic cut, the Eras Tour “Hits Different.”
Manasa Gudavalli, Natalie Thomas, Naisha Roy and Emily Genova
• October 16, 2023
![Taylor Swift stands on a black platform onstage with a microphone in hand, surrounded by smoke and red light. A white spotlight shines on her as she performs, wearing a black bodysuit with one pant leg and sleeve as well as black boots.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/taylorswift-gudavalli-17-1-900x600.jpg)
What to know before you go: The Eras Tour
Swifties, here's the ultimate survival guide to seeing Taylor Swift in all of her eras. “1, 2, 3, let’s go bitch!”
Natalie Thomas and Manasa Gudavalli
• May 26, 2023
![Convalescent plasma treatment can be effective in treating COVID-19 for selected patients, according to recent research from NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NYU_Langone_Medical_Center_41246168170-Kimmel-Pavilion-790x900.jpeg)
Plasma treatment benefits some COVID patients, NYU study finds
An NYU Grossman study found that transfusing blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to COVID patients with preexisting conditions can improve the recovery process.
Natalie Thomas, Staff Writer
• February 16, 2022
![6 NYU profs awarded lifetime fellowship for contributions to science](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/news-aaas-featuredimage-2-900x515.jpg)
6 NYU profs awarded lifetime fellowship for contributions to science
The researchers recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science reflected on their work and their contributions to science.
Natalie Thomas, Staff Writer
• February 8, 2022
![NYU announced in a Jan. 12 email that the spring 2022 semester will be held in person. Senior leadership acknowledged that flexibility regarding in-person classes would only be offered temporarily at the start of the semester. (Staff Photo and Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/news-facultyflexibility-900x598.jpg)
Some faculty unwilling to allow remote learning, despite NYU guidance
NYU’s return to in-person instruction has left some students struggling to receive virtual accommodations during the first week of classes.
Lauren Ashe, Carmo Moniz and Natalie Thomas
• January 25, 2022
![NYU’s new Faculty Cluster Hiring Initiative aims to improve faculty diversity. However, it remains unclear how the university actually plans to revamp the hiring process. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/culture-ie-cluster-hires-900x625.jpg)
NYU’s cluster hiring initiative sure is a cluster
Over the next three years, NYU plans to recruit professors through cluster hiring. Professors will be hired under research clusters to promote faculty diversity and interdisciplinary collaboration, but the plan is confusing.
Natalie Thomas, Contributing Writer
• December 8, 2021
![Gloria Corruzzi is a professor at the Center for Genomics and System Biology. (©Moree: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/sga-4-Gloria-900x701.jpg)
24 NYU professors named world’s most cited researchers
Researchers across the university were recognized for authoring papers that were in the top 1% of their fields when ranked by number of citations.
Natalie Thomas, Contributing Writer
• December 7, 2021
![Students in class at the 6 Washington Place academic building. NYU faculty have voiced concerns about the university’s COVID-19’s safety guidelines. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/news-packedclassrooms-900x651.jpg)
Faculty research challenges NYU’s claims of little to no risk of classroom COVID-19 transmission
As NYU returns to full in-person instruction this semester, faculty have expressed safety concerns with university COVID-19 prevention policies.
Natalie Thomas, Contributing Writer
• October 7, 2021
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Graylin Lucas, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
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Jake Christy, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
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Brian Sanchez, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
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Vaishnavi Girish, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
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Skylar Boilard, Staff Writer • February 11, 2025