This year's Homecoming is a time for celebration, as students, parents, alumni, and other Columbia affiliates come together in a moment of school spirit. Our second Homecoming since the start of the pandemic comes after a year of extensive change at the University, from readapting to in-person learning to pending leadership changes at Columbia's highest levels. Throughout this tumult, the Lion spirit among the student body has grown in many ways, as we return to a campus life reminiscent of pre-pandemic days.

Within this edition, you can hear from Chauncey himself about the importance of studying LGBTQ history. You can read about trans and nonbinary students grappling with what it means to attend a historically women’s college, and the club they created to provide support and socialize. And you can read heartfelt perspectives on queer experiences, from interrogating hookup culture to exploring intersectional identity, in our opinion pages.

Welcome to the Space Issue! This special project, presented by The Eye’s inaugural Archival Team, was borne of a curious urge to destabilize the limestone-and-brick solidity of Columbia’s campus. The halls we walk, the parks we enter (or don’t), the dorms and lounges we find community in—behind all of these seemingly-steady spaces are rich histories of activism, administrative strife, and constant renegotiations. Who is allowed to take up space on campus? Where does Columbia fit into the neighboring community? Why are we here?

Welcome to Columbia! As you settle into your new home and get acquainted with campus, you probably have a number of lingering questions about what the years ahead will look like: Where should you eat when you are sick of dining hall food? What are the Columbia traditions you can’t miss? What controversies do you need to get up to speed on? Inside this special issue, you will find everything from course recommendations to tips every first-year student should know. Of course, we also present to you stories you should know as you take your first steps.

During this program, we welcomed 56 incoming undergraduates, including transfer and dual-degree students, from around the world to embark on a two-part journey. For the first seven days, fellows engaged with 19 staff-led workshops introducing them to the fundamentals of journalism and the work of nearly every Spectator section. These online workshops were offered both synchronously and asynchronously to accommodate fellows’ time zones and other personal circumstances. For the remainder of the program, each fellow was assigned a mentor from current Spectator staff, who walked them through the creation of their first articles, videos, graphics, and illustrations.

In reflection and celebration of the first in-person Commencement week since 2019, Spectator spoke with seniors from across the University, highlighting the stories of Columbia’s graduating artists, athletes, activists, and more. In this year’s Commencement edition, find articles on Columbia’s largest cohort of formerly incarcerated students to graduate, senior columns from graduating members of Spectator, and profiles on athletes who changed the game for their respective teams.

As a long, dark winter abates and we are greeted with spring, another season of sports begins. Like many of the Columbia traditions that were lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, the baseball and softball teams have been unable to don Columbia Blue for almost two years. This year, the Lions have a chance to put on their cleats and take the diamond again.