It’s fall at Columbia—temperatures are dropping, the leaves are changing color, and cuffing season has officially begun.

We don’t know about you, but here at Spectrum, we spend all year looking forward to Bacchanal. For the first time during the school year—with the vague exception of Homecoming—the Columbia student body gathers to enjoy some live music and festivities. This year was especially phenomenal with Tinashe as the headliner, Ravyn Lenae as an opening artist, George Clanton as a supporting artist, and our very own campus band TheFleok as the student opener. And TheFleok weren’t the only students who made an appearance on the big stage: Onyx, a pre-professional hip hop dance group, joined Tinashe during her performance of the hit “Nasty.”

College is all about balance—meeting deadlines, acing exams, and, let’s be honest, knowing where to find the best drink deals in the neighborhood. Whether you’re looking for trendy cocktails or lively sports bars, Morningside Heights and the Upper West Side have no shortage of options. But how do you make sure you’re getting the best for your buck? There’s no gatekeeping at Spectrum, so here are our favorite happy hours near campus or just a short subway ride away.

Our staff-curated Morningside Heights bar crawl has finally arrived! Spectrum has compiled some of our favorite bars and drinks near campus for you to try out. Whether you are a martini enthusiast, a whiskey drinker, or a fan of some late-night bites, there’s something on this list for everyone.

With spring registration approaching sooner than you might have anticipated, we at Spectrum are remembering some of our favorite spring semester courses. Some are classes we loved so much we wish we could take them again—many of them are classes that also fulfilled some requirement with a light workload. If you’re feeling lost in the overwhelming pool of options made available on the class registry, here are some tried and tested courses you can keep in mind.

With class registration wrapping up, we at Spectrum have been thinking about our favorite courses. If you’re currently in them—don’t stress, there’s at least one person who would recommend them. And if you’re trying to plan out future schedules, you can keep some of these courses in mind.

As we approach midterm season, your hours once spent going out will turn into discussion sections and teaching assistant-led office hours. It is only natural that with every passing hour, your sleep-deprived mind focuses on your TA’s neat handwriting, the sparkle in their eyes, or the way they make complex topics seem so easy. Once you start laughing at their unfunny jokes, you ask yourself, “Is an academic love affair that bad?” It’s easy to get swept away by the allure of intellectual connection and admiration, but Spectrum is here to help you identify the signs and work past this crush.

It’s the weekend, or close to it. You’re at an East Campus Halloween party filled with costumes. Nothing should scare you more than a bad pickup line. Spectrum is here to help you spook your friends.

With the beginning of LGBTQ History Month upon us, we at Spectrum are excited to learn more about queer history. No matter how much or how little you know, there are plenty of classes for you at Columbia. Spectrum staff members have put together their favorite courses at Columbia and Barnard on LGBTQ and gender studies to fill your schedule in future semesters.

With course registration opening next week, many of you are wondering what courses you should take within or outside of your major. If you’re not sure what kind of classes you’d like, take a look at our staff’s favorite courses. Use this opportunity to try out new classes and subjects, especially ones out of your comfort zone. You might surprise yourself!