The return of Gatsby
Gatsby party 2019. (Image courtesy of Megan Ballard.)

The return of Gatsby

The 2021-2022 academic year at New College has been characterized by the return of a variety of New College traditions and fixtures of student life, including Walls, Center of the Universe Parties (COUPs), Grad Cruise, Ringling Underground and, eventually, hopefully, the Four Winds Cafe. While…

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Grocery Shuttle initiative aims to thwart hunger on campus
Students Evan Teal and Sarah Darancou get food from the salad bar in Hamilton Center, circa 2017. (Photos by Michala Head)

Grocery Shuttle initiative aims to thwart hunger on campus

Access to food is a serious topic, especially at New College. Without a car, getting groceries is practically impossible without a friend to drive you or the money to spend on delivery services. The on-campus mandatory meal plan has garnered considerable criticism, and the limited…

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A practical risk assessment of non-fentanyl synthetic opioids
ISO is reported to be both more dangerous than fentanyl, and more difficult to test for. Photo courtesy of Ridgeview Hospital.

A practical risk assessment of non-fentanyl synthetic opioids

Overdoses from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids define the third wave of the opioid epidemic, and the coronavirus pandemic has only made it worse. Fentanyl is primarily responsible, but non-fentanyl synthetic opioids (NSOs) pose unique challenges. Recently, a new NSO, isotonitazene (ISO), was found in…

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How America became submerged in an invisible opioid epidemic
A graphic from Project Opioid Tampa Bay, showing lethal dosages of heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil.

How America became submerged in an invisible opioid epidemic

Since 1999, more than 500,000 people have died from opioid overdoses in the U.S.—the victims of America’s opioid epidemic. In the 2010s, state and local governments filed thousands of lawsuits against companies that make and distribute the drugs seeking to hold them accountable. A handful…

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Earth Day Mulberry Festival aims to connect students with each other and the earth
The Earth Day Mulberry Festival will be on Apr. 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Caples campus.

Earth Day Mulberry Festival aims to connect students with each other and the earth

On Apr. 22, the Council of Green Affairs (CGA) is hosting the Earth Day Mulberry Festival at the Caples campus. The festival will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 8 p.m.—the time in between decorated with mulberries, hammocks, live music, gardening, painting, yoga, mysticism,…

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Effects of microplastics on human health: an exigent question with few answers
CNN estimates that, globally, we ingest 5 grams of plastic every week, the equivalent of a credit card. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Effects of microplastics on human health: an exigent question with few answers

There is a lot of plastic in the world. Since 1950, more than 7,800 million tonnes of plastic have been produced, generating 6,300 million tonnes of waste, of which approximately 9% was recycled, according to Life. Plastic waste has its own host of issues, but…

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The tragic story behind Miya’s Law, and what it means for tenant safety
A headshot of Miya Marcano (2002 - 2021). Photo courtesy of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The tragic story behind Miya’s Law, and what it means for tenant safety

Content warning: discussion of breaking and entering, violence against a college student, murder Miya Marcano, a 19-year old sophomore at Valencia College in Orlando, FL, was last seen alive on Sept. 24, 2021 at the Arden Villas Apartments in Orlando—where she lived and worked—and was…

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Caples Mansion’s mold remediation was successful—here’s what’s next
Caples Mansion renovations as seen on Mar. 2, 2022.

Caples Mansion’s mold remediation was successful—here’s what’s next

The Caples Mansion, built in 1921 by Alfred Caples, was vacated and closed in Jun. 2018 after mold—Penicillium Aspergillus to be specific—was found. But, beginning in 2021, renovations have been underway. The mansion is a part of the Caples–Ringling Estates Historic District, forcing renovations of…

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Mask mandates expire nationwide
New York City, which once had the highest death rate in America at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, recently lifted its mask mandate. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Mask mandates expire nationwide

In 2020, when COVID-19 began to spread across the country and quickly took control of the popular consciousness, it became associated with two things: masks and New York City. New York was, in the first six months of the pandemic, easily the hardest hit location…

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