With the first week of March behind us, we are coming up on our one year quarantine-iversary. It was exactly a year ago that we traveled back home for what we thought was an extended spring break — which turned into an entire semester at home. Little did we know, many of us wouldn’t be returning to campus for over a year. Not only have we been coping with a pandemic over the last 12 months, we have lived through many other notable events. From the rise of TikTok to the election of President Joe Biden, Maria Villarroel covers it all in her opinion piece, “Trip down memory lane: Quarantine edition.”
While the University might still be working through enacting effective school policies, campus organizations have had to continuously get creative in their operations. Getting new members and retaining them has been harder than ever, with everyone in their own “bubble” (and maybe even time zone).Orgs have had to amp up their efforts this semester to keep people coming back. From guest speakers to Zoom auditions, Opinion Editor Sara Rodia explores how four campus org leaders have adapted to this new virtual format in order to keep their orgs both fun and accessible.
This week, national news has also been abuzz, with the influx of sexual assault allegations against Governor Cuomo — he may have guided us through the first year of the pandemic, but is this the end of the line for him? Staff Writer Brianna Hill discusses what this means for Cuomo’s future and whether or not this New York “hero” has become a villain.
Women’s History Month is also in full swing. It’s a time where we reflect on how fundamental women are to our societal growth and how we can change the narrative surrounding prevalentissues like sexual assault, so they may become obsolete.
Last week, new University president Shanley also announced a virtual Commencement, not unlike the circumstances that faced the Class of 2020 last year. For our graduating seniors, while we wish there was a way for them to walk across the stage, for now it seems that the case is closed.
We are certainly in a different place than we were last year, and with the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the country, we here at the Torch hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel coming soon.
