Homecoming is one of those weekends when Columbia students try to do everything at once. Midterm season is in full swing, Halloween and fall break are on the horizon, parents are visiting for Family Weekend, and somehow, we’re also expected to care about football. It’s basically Halloweekend, except no one knows what to wear, everyone’s parents are in town, and the school spirit is largely theoretical. Here’s a rundown of my Homecoming.

August marks the beginning of a new chapter: your first year of college! Your emotions are probably scattered—there are feelings of excitement, nerves, and hope for what’s to come. As you hug your parents goodbye and settle into your new dorm room, you may begin to think about all the new people you’re going to meet, including your New Student Orientation Program group.

Columbia scientists have discovered one of the most precise genome-editing techniques to date. A June 1 study found preliminary evidence that human embryo genomes can be altered without damaging DNA cells—a development that has sparked discussion about the limits of gene editing and offered potential for correcting disease-causing mutations linked to heart disease and age-related dementia.

The end of the spring semester has finally arrived, which means it’s time for a bittersweet goodbye to our graduating seniors. While we have barely known them for two years, it feels like we’ve known them our entire lives.

Free Food Expo is back this semester with a wide-ranging lineup of returning favorites and new vendors. Hosted by Spectator and Columbia College Student Council, the event will take place this Friday, March 27, from 12 to 2 p.m. on Low Plaza, featuring ramen, rice bowls, coffee, boba, and more. And the best part? It’s all free.

With exams, p-sets, and the perpetually busy lives of college students, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. Before you know it, you wake up sick, need a prescription refilled, or realize you’re overdue on your yearly checkup. Luckily, Columbia Health is designed to support students’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and is a close, convenient resource to fill these needs. Whether you need to see a medical professional, speak to a counselor, or have health insurance-related questions, Columbia Health can help you out. Here’s a guide on how to navigate the system.

At some point, many Barnard students will end up at Primary Care Health Service. Whether you wake up with a sore throat that won’t go away, need a flu shot before midterms, or just want to check in about your health, PCHS is your campus resource for medical care.

Students gathered at Low Plaza on a crisp Saturday afternoon to try bites from neighborhood favorites and learn about new restaurants at this fall’s Free Food Expo. Cohosted by Spectator and Columbia College Student Council, the event featured a mix of new and returning vendors, providing attendees with samples ranging from freshly brewed Adeni chai to warm bagels.

Expectations for your first months back at college are always higher than the reality. You tell yourself that this semester will be different; you’ll have your life together, stay on top of your problem sets and readings, maybe even start going to the gym again. It’s that classic beginning-of-semester optimism, the kind that lasts about three days before you move into Butler permanently and watch as your meal points disappear in front of you.