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2 months ago | 
columbiaspectator.com | Sophia Li |Conner Sund
When I was a sixth grader, I would obsess over stationery with my best friend, Jenna. We would scour through magazines for the hottest new Japanese pencils and erasers, test out different highlighters, and watch back-to-school hauls from our favorite YouTubers. What once was an obsession has now mellowed out into practicality—having the right school supplies and technology can be game-changing for your productivity at college.
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2 months ago | 
yahoo.com | Zoey Goto |Sophia Li
“Being a lobster fisherman runs in your blood,” says captain Fred Penney, hauling a hefty wire cage out of the choppy waters and slamming it on the wooden deck. The trap is wriggling with shiny armoured lobsters and weighs roughly the same as a bag of cement, but 76-year-old Fred, who’s been fishing the ocean around Boston Harbor since childhood, makes the endeavour look effortless.
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2 months ago | 
nationalgeographic.com | Zoey Goto |Sophia Li
“Being a lobster fisherman runs in your blood,” says captain Fred Penney, hauling a hefty wire cage out of the choppy waters and slamming it on the wooden deck. The trap is wriggling with shiny armoured lobsters and weighs roughly the same as a bag of cement, but 76-year-old Fred, who’s been fishing the ocean around Boston Harbor since childhood, makes the endeavour look effortless.
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2 months ago | 
yahoo.com | Zoey Goto |Sophia Li
It’s rare for a hotel to have hosted four US presidents. Rarer still for it to also have a queer nightclub in its basement — where, during its weekly underwear parties, revellers check not only their coats but most of their clothing into the cloakroom on arrival. But Gifford House in Provincetown isn’t your average hotel. It’s the jewel in the crown of a town that prides itself on having one of the highest concentrations of same-sex households in the US.
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2 months ago | 
nationalgeographic.com | Zoey Goto |Sophia Li
It’s rare for a hotel to have hosted four US presidents. Rarer still for it to also have a queer nightclub in its basement — where, during its weekly underwear parties, revellers check not only their coats but most of their clothing into the cloakroom on arrival. But Gifford House in Provincetown isn’t your average hotel. It’s the jewel in the crown of a town that prides itself on having one of the highest concentrations of same-sex households in the US.
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Feb 14, 2025 | 
nationalgeographic.com | Zoey Goto |Sophia Li
The sun glows a fiery shade of orange as it starts to dip below the watery Nantucket horizon. At the helm of the boat, captain John Stobaugh casually steers the wheel with his palm as he serenades the setting sun and the small cluster of guests on board with a melodic sea shanty. It’s a folksy tale of drunken sailors, long-lost love and the hope of fairer weather ahead: lyrics that have rung out across these waters for centuries.
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Feb 9, 2025 | 
columbiaspectator.com | Sophia Li |Anais Fotsing
If you’ve ever found yourself doom scrolling through Sidechat at 2 a.m., reading posts about campus drama, oddly specific inside jokes, or the occasional philosophical debate, you’re not alone. Sidechat has become a go-to platform for students looking to learn the latest news and connect through digital campus culture, without the pressure of tying their names to their posts. From hot takes about professors to genuine academic struggles, Sidechat offers a candid look at Columbia student life.
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Feb 3, 2025 | 
family.style | Sophia Li |Sahir Ahmed |Jane Lewis
Americans may exude external confidence, but the Danes operate from internal self-esteem. This differentiating factor stems from Denmark’s culture of adequately addressing its citizens' basic needs. It’s a compelling, psychological sentiment that illuminates the success of Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW), attributed to the value system integrated in Danish culture. Once perceived as a smaller player in the global fashion arena, Denmark’s capital event now resonates internationally.
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Feb 3, 2025 | 
family.style | Sahir Ahmed |Brontez Purnell |Sophia Li |Jane Lewis
A book is the imagination made manifest—worlds, characters, and ideas realized through pages and alchemized by readers. For Black History Month, we wanted to explore how culture and community nourish the soul, from the meals we share to the stories we tell. Family Style asked 15 Black artists, writers, and cultural figures to share a book by a Black author that has stayed with them.
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Dec 6, 2024 | 
columbiaspectator.com | Ria Dalal |Sophia Li |Sally Weitzner
As the semester winds down and the calendar year comes to an end, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by deadlines, final exams, and the pressure to end the year strong. But finishing the year on a high note doesn’t have to mean doing everything perfectly. What truly matters is reflecting on the past, being intentional about the year ahead, and making decisions that lead to growth, leaving you feeling accomplished and refreshed.
