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

NYU president Andrew Hamilton spoke at the commencement of class of 2019 at Yankee Stadium in May 2019. Class of 2020 and 2021, which held their commencements online due to COVID-19, are invited to join the in person commencement of class of 2022 in May 2022. (Photo by Alana Beyer)

Yankee Stadium to host commencement for 2020, 2021 graduates

NYU’s class of 2020 and the class of 2021 are invited to an in-person graduation at Yankee Stadium on May 18, 2022, following two years of virtual ceremonies.
Kashish Bhatia, Staff Writer November 2, 2021

Following two years of virtual graduation ceremonies, NYU announced that a joint in-person commencement ceremony for the class of 2020 and class of 2021 will take place on May...

Students in a classroom attend in-person classes with limited safety precautions. NYU needs to provide virtual class options for students who cannot attend campus due to COVID restrictions. (Photo by Manaal Shareh)

Editorial: NYU must expand virtual attendance options

Although we’re making progress in the fight against COVID-19, it is essential that virtual attendance options are available to the NYU student body.
WSN Editorial Board October 4, 2021

Students received some revolutionary advice from a wise and ever-helpful NYU Returns email on Sept. 30: stay home if they feel sick and report any symptoms to the NYU COVID-19...

A sign outside a restaurant near campus tells patrons that they must be vaccinated to be served. However, many NYU students have reported that local businesses are not complying with Mayor DeBlasio’s mandate. (Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

NYC vaccine mandate goes unenforced at local businesses

The city’s Key to NYC vaccine mandate came into effect Sept. 13, but NYU students and local businesses have expressed concerns about its implementation.
Gabriel Hawthorne, Staff Writer October 1, 2021

Despite Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Key to NYC vaccine mandate for indoor activities having gone into full effect on Sept. 13, students have noticed that some local businesses are...

30 Cooper Sq. is an office building located near NYU’s campus. Recent graduates are having difficulties finding jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)

Recent NYU graduates search for jobs, but find bleak prospects instead

Due to the economic fallout of the pandemic, NYU alumni have had to reassess their career choices and job prospects as they enter the workforce.
Maria Freyre, Contributing Writer September 30, 2021

Ali Vera, class of 2021, handed in her two weeks’ notice to The Sunshine Method tutoring service on Sept. 13. She had decided to accept the job after graduating, even though...

Local businesses near Washington Square Park experienced a difficult time during the COVID-19 lockdown and only recovered when the campus reopened. They form the backbone of the neighborhood, and NYU students and faculty function as a major source of income. (Photos by Camille Harvell)

Return to campus eases 18 months of financial distress for local businesses

Bagel Bob’s, Irving Farm and many other businesses near campus are household names around NYU. During the height of the pandemic, however, they almost disappeared for good.
Api Dhadda, Contributing Writer September 29, 2021

Peter Karounos’ family has owned and operated University Floral Design on University Place since 1928. But in the months following March 2020, the pandemic wrought nearly irreparable...

Salsa learners gather at Washington Square Park for their lesson. Free salsa lessons are scheduled between 5:30pm to 8:00pm every Tuesday till the end of September. (Photo by Maria Freyre)

Salsa dance classes bring spice to Washington Square Park

Free weekly dance classes have brought salsa to Washington Square Park every Tuesday. The classes continue until the end of September.
Maria Freyre, Contributing Writer September 22, 2021

Parkgoers become salsa dancers when they step into Washington Square Park’s Garibaldi Plaza for salsa Tuesdays.  These weekly salsa classes are for everyone from beginners...

An exploration of the impact a global pandemic can have on ones body and self-image. (Illustration by Natalie Olaya/natalieolaya.com)

Flaca o gorda: My struggle with pandemic weight gain

My journey dealing with the effects of weight gain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lorraine Olaya, Copy Chief August 30, 2021

Content warning: This piece discusses weight gain and body image issues. I stand in front of the mirror, my hands on the jeans bunched up around my thighs. They refuse to be...

NYU announced its plans to return to an in-person semester for the fall of 2021 however, there has been no broad action on addressing class attendance policies. With strict attendance policies along with the increasingly contagious new COVID variants like the delta variant, students worry that they will once again have to prioritize class attendance over their physical health. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Opinion: Mandatory attendance policies are irrational and ableist

Before the pandemic, some NYU professors and schools were notorious for strict attendance policies. As the pandemic continues with rising cases and dangerous new variants, though, do mandatory attendance policies make sense for NYU’s first in-person semester since the start of the pandemic?
Srishti Bungle, Deputy Opinion Editor August 25, 2021

In spring 2021, NYU announced its plans to return to an in-person semester in the fall. Along with the announcement, the university released a number of requirements to keep students...

When the pandemic hit, the drag culture was hit just as hard. Many queens, such as Honey Davenport, turned to the internet and social media, attempting to translate the extravagance of a live performance to a camera. (Staff Illustration by Arnav Binaykia)

New York drag queens share struggles and successes of online performance

Drag queens speak on the drastic changes that New York City’s drag culture experienced during the pandemic.
Valentina Arrieta, Staff Writer May 6, 2021

Drag is a performance of gender expression, most commonly seen when someone performs femininity, or personifies a female character, as a drag queen. Regardless of gender identity,...

NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts is located at 566 Laguardia Pl. In March 2018, the center hosted performances of Gob Squads War and Peace. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

Revisiting Gob Squad’s performance techniques in a time of remote theater

While it’s been more than a year without live theater, the enlivening experience of Gob Squad lives on.
Perry Gregory, Contributing Writer May 6, 2021

On a Thursday night in 2018, I felt emotionally stagnant. I decided to see Gob Squad's rendition of "War and Peace" at NYU's Skirball Center. I left the theater in tears and came...

A seemingly idyllic sidewalk in Middletown, Connecticut. (Photo by Eugene Hu)

The Foreigner

Tensions arise for Eugene Hu when he stays at his old college roommate’s house in Connecticut during the pandemic.
Eugene Hu, Contributing Writer May 3, 2021

                      “I’m boycotting your Chinese bricks!” Tim said to me. It...

For the 2020-2021 school year, NYU reopened its Washington Square campus with a combination of hybrid, in-person, and fully remote classes. This nontraditional experience has given NYU first-year students some unique college memories. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)

NYU’s Class of 2024 reflects on their first year

After an unusual start to their college career, NYU first-years recall some of their standout memories while holding out hope for a normal college experience this fall.
Natalie Melendez, Staff Writer May 3, 2021

When the Class of 2024 imagined their first year of college, they envisioned spending their days strolling through the city streets and their nights laughing with friends during...