Flyers from various student organizations fill Columbia’s residential halls and libraries with bright colors, catchy slogans, and event advertisements. Above all, they offer students—especially new ones—the potential for meaningful connections within the Columbia community.

Going from New Student Orientation Program friends to a filmmaking duo, Oliver Schneider, CC ’25, and Lucien Beber-Turkel, CC ’25, gain inspiration from mundane day-to-day experiences—from subway monologues to campus graffiti—to create a multitude of short films.

Every afternoon, Ari Freed, CC ’28, sets up his cello in his dorm room and plays a melody that fills the corridors of John Jay Hall.

Within minutes of the lights dimming in Roone Arledge Auditorium on April 4, the sound of wolf howls filled the room, and a video of the CU Generation troupe morphing into werewolves played on large screens on either side of the stage. As the beastly noises died down, Sam Smith’s “Unholy” played as the group’s performance of “Wasteland” opened the group’s annual showcase: Genesis 2025.

On the edge of the South Lawn facing Butler Library, students stood in solidarity with Mahmoud Khalil, SIPA ’24, and Gaza on Tuesday, intertwining their art with their advocacy.

Roone Arledge Auditorium was full of chess players from seven of the eight Ivy League universities on Feb. 23, all with their eyes set on victory. Apart from the captured queens, traded pawns, and fierce competition, the event was full of community.

TheFleok triumphed at Bacchanal’s annual Battle of the Bands on Feb. 13, beating out five other music groups for the coveted opening slot at Bacchanal 2025.

Beyond the occasional appearance of a genie, something magical happened at the Lenfest Center of the Arts from Feb. 6 to Feb. 9.

Known for its long lines and square slices, the uptown location of the popular pizzeria Mama’s TOO! is a staple of the Columbia and Morningside Heights community. Since November 2024, the establishment has leased out an adjacent storefront with plans to expand.

Some may know Edward Zhang, CC ’25, from his most-viewed video captioned “Us after pound town” set to the tune of Lesley Gore’s “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows.” The video received 8.6 million views on Instagram and 1.6 million views on TikTok.