After a blissful week of no classes, Barnumbians returned this week to the imminent mountain of deadlines and exams. But congratulations—the fact that you are reading this means you made it through the week (almost)! And while this week has been busy for students, a lot has happened on campus and beyond. Take a look back at some of this week’s top stories from Spectator.

With the stress of midterms, the swings in weather, and a seemingly never-ending flu season, it’s no surprise that Barnumbians are falling ill. However, if you’re finding that you just can’t seem to recover from an illness or are constantly finding yourself feeling under the weather, there’s a handful of other provocateurs that are making you really sick.

For most students, this week couldn’t pass by quickly enough, with each day bringing us closer to the sweet relief of spring break. Now that break is finally here and you actually have a couple of minutes to breathe (unless you’re one of the poor souls with a Friday afternoon FroSci midterm), let’s take a look back at some of Spectator’s top stories from this week.

Barnard’s President Debora Spar’s official last day is this Sunday, prompting many students and colleagues to look back on the past nine years. Some have analyzed her accomplishments and shortcomings, talked about how her departure is not the end of Barnard, and how she has branded the College as an elite institution.

Now that we’ve gotten a taste of spring weather (seriously—did you see Low Beach last week?), many Barnumbians are itching to spend more time outside. Luckily for you, not only does New York City have a ton of places for you to explore nature, but our prime location also gives us access to scenic day trips all over the Northeast.

Whether you’re trying to level up your adulting abilities, have some fun in the kitchen, or impress a special someone, being able to cook a meal in your dorm kitchen is an accomplishment in and of itself. Though it might seem daunting, getting into cooking is actually super easy. The key is to start with beginner recipes and work your way up. Below, Spectrum has compiled seven beginner recipes for dinner or dessert that anybody can tackle.

For those of us in Barnard housing, it’s a sad fact that each load of laundry will cost us $2.50. And perhaps what makes this fact even sadder is that our neighbours across Broadway have access to free laundry facilities. So if you’re a budget-conscious Barnardigan (or any busy and/or lazy Columbian), college can turn into a contest of how long you can go without washing your clothes before somebody says something.

In our crowded New York lives with eight million neighbors, getting sick is inevitable. Still, we blow off getting medical attention when we are ill, even if there’s a good chance that our colds are something much more serious.