What makes love perfect? Can it survive when it stops being human? Leslie Tong PO ’29 returns with her weekly column, attempting to answer these two questions through her analysis of Shunkinshō, Junichiro Tanizaki’s 1976 work.
Columns
Blueprint of fandom: Emma Chamberlain, the anti-influencer who influenced everything
The original VSCO girl? Bianca Mirica PO ’29 answers this with her weekly fandom column. In this issue, she discusses Emma Chamberlain’s rise to fame, continued longevity and lasting success as a cultural icon. For Mirica, Chamberlain became –– and stayed –– famous because she presented reality, not some false narrative. Her earliest vlogs in her teenage years revealed to millions that it was perfectly acceptable to be a teenage girl who didn’t have their life figured out.
Stuck in the Margins: “Chaos in the Mecca”
Zena Almeida-Warwin PO ‘28 is back with her weekly poetry column. In this edition, she reflects on her weekend trip to Howard University. Almeida-Warwin spent time at the HBCU during homecoming, also known as “the mecca” by students.
Anime Film Features: When love blows up in your face
Imagine first meeting a person and falling in love with them, and they seem to reciprocate the same feelings towards you. Everything seems to be going right, only to find out that this person is actually out to kill you. How would you react, and how would you look back on your past experiences with this person? Columnist Joon Kim PO ‘26 explores these questions as he looks through this movie.
Inscriptions: Stuck in LA with “Invisible Cities”
Do you hate Los Angeles traffic as much as the next person?` Back with his weekly column, Liam Riley PO ‘26, frustrated after a day of wrong turns and stubborn dogs, turns to Italo Calvino’s, “Invisible Cities,” in an effort to debunk the monster that is LA.
Office Hours for the Soul: Pitzer’s Amanda Lagji on finding purpose in the unexpected
Siena Giacoma PZ ’27 brings us the story and advice of Pitzer College professor of English and world literature, Amanda Lagji. Giacoma highlights the innovative course she’s teaching next semester and discusses how Lagji’s decision to study abroad in college altered her career path.
Deep Fried Cinema: Aliens, dismemberment and psychosexual terror
It’s October, and spooky season is here! Ava Samson PZ ’28 and Angelina Liu PZ ’28 have arrived, with their first horror review. This week, they discuss Andrzej Żuławski’s film “Possession” (1981).
Marked by excellent camera work, the film explores the main character Anna’s abandonment of
her family and her husband, Mark, seemingly for an extramarital affair. However, as Mark digs deeper into her erratic behavior, he discovers a truth far more grotesque and otherworldly than he could have imagined.
The Writing Process: Why writing is unfair — and why that’s ok!
Otto Fritton PZ ’27 returns with his column, “The Writing Process.” Working on his debut novel, Fritton has long grappled with Stephen King’s words about what makes great writing, specifically in the register of voice.
No Sex In This City: Crush course in crushing
Tom Cat is back. In the latest rendition of her weekly column, she discusses the daunting issue of having a crush. Turning to the male audience, Tom Cat uncovers the secrets of having a crush and how fellow students deal with the delusional fervor.
Books ‘n Love: A matter of right person, wrong time
Romance mixed with time travel — who wouldn’t be intrigued? Columnist Kassia Zabetakis PZ ’28 explains and reviews the evolving plot of Ashley Poston’s novel “The Seven Year Slip.”