NewsBreak Original

The logo for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is pictured.Courtesy Wikimedia Commons. In the era of social media and creation platforms, it has become significantly easier to discover communities of people with common, loved interests. From niche topics like different types of soups to extremely popular Disney movies like “Encanto” (2021), platforms like TikTok and YouTube make it possible for individuals to broadcast their own thoughts and theories about their favorite media pieces and for others to build on or encourage them. A noticeable section of this shared love is shown through fan theories.

The poster for the Netflix documentary "The Tinder Swindler" (2022) is pictured.Courtesy Wikimedia Commons. According to Cecilie Fjellhøy, “Nowadays the best way you can meet someone is on a dating app.”

The New England Conservatory of Music is pictured on Feb. 6.Katrina Aquilino / The Tufts Daily. Disclaimer: Brendan Hartnett and Allie Birger are former editorialists at The Tufts Daily. They were not involved in the writing or editing of this article.

The Women's Center is pictured on Feb. 22.Mina Terzioglu / The Tufts Daily. Tufts ranked number 50 out of 130 universities in the Eos Foundation’s 2022 study, “The Women’s Power Gap at Elite Universities: Scaling the Ivory Tower,” which measured gender parity among elite university leadership.

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life is pictured next to Jumbo on Feb. 8.Cora Hartmann / The Tufts Daily. Young women of color report higher levels of political and civic engagement than their peers, according to a recent analysis of a 2020 web survey by the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

Senior Josh Hochberg is pictured on Feb. 16.Quan Tran / The Tufts Daily. Senior Josh Hochberg published a paper on voter ID laws in the University of San Francisco Law Review in January and received widespread attention on campus and beyond.

The author of "The Nineties" (2022), Chuck Klosterman, is pictured.Courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Chuck Klosterman writes about society’s most prevalent topics, including pop culture, sports and music, in his many works of nonfiction and fiction. The bestselling author’s newest novel showcases his brilliant, blunt writing style. “The Nineties” (2022) tackles one of humanity’s most tumultuous decades.

Hamantaschen made by Not Your Bubbe’s Hamantaschen are pictured.Courtesy Jacob Shaw. With the festival of Purim just around the corner, this year marks the long-awaited return of Not Your Bubbe’s Hamantaschen, a hamantaschen bake done by the students at the Bayit — Tufts’ Jewish Culture House — after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Mods are pictured on Oct. 25, 2021.Nicole Garay / The Tufts Daily. Tufts began sending COVID-19-positive students to isolate in the Homewood Suites hotel in Arlington as The Mods neared full capacity on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Tisch College Speaker Series lineup is pictured in Barnum Hall on Feb. 19.Angelia Shi / The Tufts Daily. The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life announced their spring 2022 Susan and Alan Solomont Distinguished Speaker Series lineup on Feb. 4, featuring U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, Senator Tim Scott and more slated to give their perspectives on the future of American politics.

Granoff Music Center is pictured on May 7, 2014.Nicholas Pfosi / The Tufts Daily Archives. The Tufts Community Union Senate heard supplementary funding requests and updates on the theme for the Class of 2024 Prom in a virtual meeting on Monday night.

The arts exhibit "Art for the Future: Artists Call and Central American Solidarities" is pictured.Courtesy Sadie Leite. For about five years, curators Abigail Satinsky and Erina Duganne have worked on the new Tufts University Art Gallery “Art For the Future: Artists Call and Central American Solidarities,” which opened Jan. 20 on the Boston and Medford campuses.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia reportedly ordered troops to be deployed into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine on Monday, a move that will likely further escalate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

A classroom in the Olin Center is pictured on Feb. 8.Katrina Aquilino / The Tufts Daily. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most classes at Tufts were conducted in a virtual or hybrid format from March 2020 to the end of the 2020–2021 school year. However, thanks in large part to the widespread distribution of vaccines throughout last spring and summer, the fall 2021 semester saw life at Tufts begin to slowly return to normal. While we were still required to wear masks indoors and frequently test for COVID-19, we saw the return of in-person club meetings and activities, as well as mostly in-person classes.

The interior of Lyndell's Bakery is pictured on Feb. 9.Elin Shih / The Tufts Daily. When you open the door to Lyndell’s, you’re walking into more than just a bakery. You’re taking a bite of local history.

The window sign of Pini's Pizzeria is pictured on Feb. 11.Cora Hartmann / the Tufts Daily. Pini’s Pizzeria is new to Boston Avenue, having recently moved into the location that previously housed the beloved Espresso Pizza. Espresso Pizza’s owner, Patty Moore, announced she was retiring in December 2021. Moore had taken over Espresso after the passing of the pizzeria’s previous owner, her brother, Anthony Salvato Jr. in 2010. Luckily for all pizza lovers in the area, Pini’s hopes to bring the same good food and sense of community that was previously offered by Espresso.

Lema Abuoqab is pictured holding her book "Eric's Brain Elementary."Lola Owett / The Tufts Daily. For many young children, visits to the doctor can inspire feelings of fear and confusion. These feelings are coupled with the fact that many conversations at the pediatrician’s office leave out children, as they are between doctor and parent, rather than doctor and patient.

Calling all Tufts foodies! A new food-themed special interest house called the Foodie House is coming to Tufts. The Foodie House will be a housing option for anyone who loves food. The house was founded by Tufts undergraduate students Holden and Jackson, who requested that part of their names be omitted out of concern for their privacy. It will be supervised by Distinguished Senior Lecturer in the anthropology department Cathy Stanton and Associate Professor of Anthropology Alex Blanchette. Holden and Jackson are passionate about food and envision a shared living space where members can bond over their shared interest in all things food related.

In the final weeks of each semester, Tufts students expect a familiar email in their inboxes, urgently inviting them to click on a link and complete their course evaluations. In return for completing the evaluation, students receive early access to their unofficial transcripts, allowing them to see their grades prior to the grading deadline. For most, however, the process that occurs after submitting their course evaluations remains largely unknown, along with the evaluations’ impact on faculty.

The Cummings Center is pictured from the Memorial Steps during winter.Kiana Vallo / The Tufts Daily. Construction is underway for a new Starbucks location set to open on the first floor of the Joyce Cummings Center as early as this summer, Tufts’ Director of Auxiliary Services Jason McClellan confirmed in an email to the Daily.