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Film screenings and festivals have historically required large gatherings of people in one room, all looking at the same silver screen. But due to social distancing measures taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic, that is not an option anymore. Yet the show went on for the second annual CU Film Showcase, which brought people together from all over the world on April 27 to watch students’ short films on their personal silver screens.

It is time we hold the administration of the School of General Studies to its word. If administrators truly mean that their primary goal is to make General Studies as affordable as possible, they must change their transfer credit policy to accept online classes from other accredited colleges and universities. It would save General Studies students tens of thousands of dollars in student debt.

During the peak of COVID-19 cases in New York City, Columbia construction workers resumed operations at the Manhattanville campus after an updated state order outlined exceptions to social distancing guidelines on Sunday. However, workers and experts raised concerns over construction workers’ increased risks of contracting COVID-19 and the conditions that place workers at greater risk of injury and make social distancing impossible.

Maintaining any semblance of normalcy remains one of the biggest obstacles that the University faces following the move to remote instruction for the remainder of the semester. Although professors have had to adjust to teaching lessons over Zoom, the music department at Columbia has been especially challenged with finding creative ways to tailor the format of their classes and programs to help their students learn and perform amid a pandemic.

One of my mother’s favorite stories, which she likes to tell at my expense, has to do with my first day of preschool. I suppose I was a bit of a brat when I was younger. It happened to be someone’s birthday, and I apparently exclaimed that it would be my birthday soon as well. Thankfully, my teacher was feeling diplomatic and told the class, “Let’s sing Happy Birthday to Philip!” to which I responded, “Who’s Philip?” Up until then, I hadn’t left the sheltered confines of home where my parents had only called me by my Korean name. I didn’t know who “Philip” was, but I would come to find out very soon.

As many Columbia students and faculty place their ornately decorated Seder plates on the kitchen table, recite prayers like the Ma Nishtana with their family, and eat foods like matzo and charoset, there is an atypical, surreal aura surrounding Passover this year. As the Columbia community fans across the globe in light of the coronavirus pandemic, flights are canceled and families are Zoom-ed into the dinner table, Columbia students’ families are keeping traditions alive during Passover.

“HOLD FAST TO THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH. LET YEARS TO COME DO WHAT THEY MAY.” The quote, embossed in gold above the John Jay lounge’s fireplace, seems to be etched just as deep within our minds.