XOXO, SLC Anon.

At the beginning of the whirlwind of days leading up to the 2024-25 school year at Sarah Lawrence College, first-year students crowded into a newly-familiar Barbara Walters Campus Center for their first foray into orientation week: Title IX training. Via a dense Powerpoint presentation given by Kristin Collado, Sarah Lawrence’s Title IX coordinator, freshmen were inundated with everything they need to know about Title IX—including the role of mandated reporters, definitions of sexual harassment, misconduct and discrimination, and student’s rights under Title IX. Similar presentations are administered to mandated reporters—which include faculty and staff, as well as student leaders like Residential Advisors (RAs) and Gryphon Guides. 

On Oct. 2, Hill House residents received an email from Dave Stanfield, the Vice President and Dean of Students at Sarah Lawrence College, about the fate of the Free Speech Board—two pieces of plywood stacked atop each other and cemented to the ground by two metal pipes, perched atop the narrow hill beside the back entrance of Hill House. Reactions to this email were mixed. Some felt relieved, others were angry and a few were confused, unaware that this had even been in discussion.

Ribbion-making and carrying giant pumpkins across campus are some of Maddie Thompson’s core memories from this year’s cross-country season. Thompson is the first Great Big Pumpkin winner for the women’s cross-country team. Following the Skyline Conference Championship 6k Race, Head Coach Tom Dilberto bequeathed an organic big orange pumpkin to Thompson for her drastic improvements throughout the season, staying determined and committed until the very end. Her personal best 5k performance was 31:31 minutes.

Finishing up the last race in the cross country season this year will be followed by another soon-to-be-completed race for Nat Skoczenski. College is often a slow and steady race, and Skoczenski’s is finally at the finish line. Their plans after graduating include “—pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology, but before then… who knows. Looking for jobs in research and patient care but maybe I’ll become a cheesemonger or kayaking instructor in the meantime.” 

Fifth year Women’s volleyball libero, Kaille Ferguson, continuously grabs crowds’ attention on the court. After a unique first year of playing on a coed team due to COVID, this setback proved to have minimal impact on Ferguson’s drive to continue playing.

On Nov. 1,  English rock band The Cure released their first studio album since 2008’s 4:13 Dream. During the 16 years between the release of their previous album and this new one, titled “Songs of a Lost World”, it seemed as though the band had accepted their status as a legacy act, content to play the hits and release live albums, deluxe editions of past releases and even an ‘acoustic hits’ album in 2017. But with the release of Songs of a Lost World, it is obvious that The Cure still has plenty to say as it approaches its 50th year as a project.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, the autumnal sun cast a golden light on an event that no one could miss. It had everything you could ever need: live music, student vendors, zines, and free food, all done in the most melanated and well-seasoned way. This was none other than Sarah Lawrence’s annual “Student of Color Block Party.”