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Outside Columbia’s gates, hundreds of students and community residents cheered, honked, sang, and danced to celebrate the victory of the projected president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden. For many, it was the first presidential election they voted in.

We are now only a few days past November 3. While the final results of the election are still unclear, it is evident that both parties have a lot of thinking to do. The Democratic post-mortem will focus on the party’s stunning loss of seats in the House and failure to perform as expected in the race for control of the Senate. Similarly, Republicans will have to consider how their party is becoming increasingly reliant on the electoral college and figure out a way to win more suburban and college-educated voters.

In an area that many locals deem Little Dominican Republic, Indian flavors also have a bold presence. While Indian eatery Roasted Masala on Columbus Avenue closed during the pandemic, many Indian restaurants in Morningside Heights have quickly adapted to outdoor-and indoor-dining models to keep the spices and flavors of Indian cuisine alive. Eight Indian restaurants, from hole-in-the-wall North Indian vegetarian eateries to elegant Indian-Nepali fusion restaurants, find their homes within walking distance from Columbia.

It is undeniable that one of the most attractive features of Columbia is its location. New York City is a metropolis often referred to as the greatest of its kind. Songs, TV shows, movies, and most significantly in this context, Columbia’s admissions literature, suggest that New York City is a melting pot of people. So, that begs the question: Why does it seem that for a good portion of Columbia students, New York City begins and ends with Manhattan—and if we’re feeling particularly adventurous, downtown Brooklyn? It seems to be lost to the Columbia community that New York is comprised of five very distinct boroughs that should be individually recognized and respected.

When the FBI asked University President Lee Bollinger to monitor foreign-born Chinese students on campus last fall, he rebuffed the intelligence organization.