Over the past two semesters, the Editorial Board has strived to make sense of the rapidly changing landscape facing students at the University of Connecticut. We have covered everything from the dangers of artificial intelligence to UConn’s plan for developing its regional campus. Throughout our analysis, there is a common through line that all students […]
Over the past two semesters, the Editorial Board has strived to make sense of the rapidly changing landscape facing students at the University of Connecticut. We have covered everything from the dangers of artificial intelligence to UConn’s plan for developing its regional campus. Throughout our analysis, there is a common through line that all students should take to heart. Amid the all-consuming and numbing national news, against the backdrop of pressure on higher education, we must ask: How can we make our time and money spent on UConn worth it? At The Daily Campus, we believe that students should be mindful of their actions and the world around them. <img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="696" height="464" data-attachment-id="176244" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/how-do-we-make-our-education-worth-it/wilbur-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1000,667" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="WILBUR" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?fit=696%2C464&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176244" style="aspect-ratio:1.499273607748184;width:490px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WILBUR.png?resize=630%2C420&ssl=1 630w" sizes="(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> The Wilbur Cross building on UConn’s Storrs campus. The building houses many offices for administrational purposes at UConn. Photo by Connor Sharp, Photo Editor One of the most pressing ethical concerns facing colleges today is the use of AI among both students and staff. The Editorial Board has written on the subject twice over the past year, emphasizing both times The Daily Campus’ zero-tolerance policy for AI. Our staunch belief is that using AI to complete tasks, especially in terms of journalism and writing, takes out the integral human element needed for free expression. As such, we have taken steps to make sure The Daily Campus remains AI-free. Despite this, the AI wave has largely seemed to take over the educational landscape. According to a Gallup poll last March, more than half of college students now use AI on a regular basis. The question of AI usage returns to our central concern. As students, are we getting the most out of our education? Do we even know what we’re getting from it in the first place? In an ideal world, UConn would reflect and represent what its students believe in. After all, we are the ones who pay the university’s tuition costs. The Editorial Board has highlighted many of UConn’s decisions in the past two semesters, most prominently the university’s plan for regional campus growth. This plan has the potential to impact both current and future UConn students. It is the belief of the Editorial Board that the student body should be made aware of this initiative. So too do we believe that students should know about UConn’s ongoing housing and admittance crises, as well as its attempts to sweep its negotiations with educational faculty unions under the rug. Student awareness of these issues is an important step in the process of understanding what exactly is happening at UConn. Too often, students go about their day without considering how UConn behaves as a whole. How do we change that? The Daily Campus aims to keep the student body informed and engaged by preserving the freedom of the press. More than a year after President Donald Trump took office for the second time, the fundamental right of journalistic freedom is under fierce attack. This pressure includes FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s attempts to intimidate and belittle the media. As a bastion of free expression, The Daily Campus is continuing the fight to remain an independent organization, unyielding in reponse to attacks on press rights. Those attacks are not just coming from the national level. The Editorial Board was alarmed to learn in fall 2025 that the Indiana Daily Student, a fellow student-run college newspaper, was forced to shut down print operations due to clashes over freedom of expression with Indiana University. We condemned this action then, and we do so now. The fundamental right of press freedom cannot be undone, and that is why maintaining the independence of The Daily Campus is paramount. The best way to ensure our newspaper remains a fully free organization is through our funding. The funding increase approved by UConn students has allowed The Daily Campus to acquire more resources and given us financial room to pursue greater heights of journalism. We will continue to give back to the student body by advancing their interests, ensuring their words are not left behind. Our readership deserves the right to be heard and to be informed, and we will continue to fulfill that promise. The Daily Campus will continue to ensure that it makes the most of its time and resources to deliver award-winning journalism to UConn students. The question is now put to you: Will you make the most of your time here at UConn? Hopefully, the answer is a yes.
Jake McCreven and Avery Becker
As the school year comes to a close, it gives us the chance to reflect on all the successes our athletic programs had this year! As the sports section, it is our pleasure to continuously publish stories, updating fans on the latest news regarding the UConn Huskies. See you all next season, Avery Becker and […]
As the school year comes to a close, it gives us the chance to reflect on all the successes our athletic programs had this year! As the sports section, it is our pleasure to continuously publish stories, updating fans on the latest news regarding the UConn Huskies. See you all next season, Avery Becker and Jake McCreven Sports Editor and Associate Sports Editor 2026-27 Men’s Basketball By Sam Calhoun <img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="696" height="465" data-attachment-id="176235" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/uconn-2026-sports-recap/brae/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?fit=1000%2C668&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1000,668" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="brae" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?fit=696%2C465&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?resize=696%2C465&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176235" style="aspect-ratio:1.4970081595648232;width:506px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?resize=768%2C513&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?resize=696%2C465&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/brae.png?resize=629%2C420&ssl=1 629w" sizes="(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Photo by Emma Meidinger, Associate Photo Editor For the third time in the last four seasons, Dan Hurley, Alex Karaban and the UConn Huskies played in the national championship game. Yet, for the first time in program history, Connecticut lost in the national title game, falling to Michigan—a team that bulldozed through opponents this season in a manner reminiscent of the 2023-24 Huskies. Throughout the season, several moments stood out: beating Kansas inside the raucous Allen Fieldhouse, the thrilling overtime win at Providence, and Tarris Reed Jr.’s historic performance against Furman. Of these, Braylon Mullins’ clutch shot to send UConn to the Final Four over Duke in the Elite Eight was unparalleled, giving the Blue Devils a taste of their own medicine and avenging the 1989-90 team once and for all. Women’s Basketball By Jake McCreven <img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="696" height="464" data-attachment-id="176237" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/uconn-2026-sports-recap/wbb11/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1000,667" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="wbb11" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?fit=696%2C464&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176237" style="aspect-ratio:1.499273607748184;width:486px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wbb11.png?resize=630%2C420&ssl=1 630w" sizes="(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Photo by Connor Sharp, Photo Editor The narrative surrounding the UConn women’s basketball team’s quest for a repeat national title was rewritten well before the final buzzer sounded in Phoenix last month. The Huskies, previously undefeated and riding the fifth longest winning streak in Division I history, were thumped by South Carolina in the Final Four as Geno Auriemma, smoldering with resentment, trudged off court after exchanging verbal blows with South Carolina’s Dawn Staley. It was a messy and tension-filled end to an otherwise historic season in Storrs. The Huskies, buoyed by the All-American efforts of Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, forced nearly 250 more turnovers than they allowed field goals made, and won their first 38 games by an average of nearly 40 points. Football By Raiyan Hussain UConn football’s stellar 2025 season ended bitterly with the resignation of HC Jim Mora Jr. and subsequent Fenway Bowl rout. Though it stings, it won’t define them and the broader Mora era. Under Mora’s leadership, WR Skyler Bell, along with QB Joe Fagnano, RB Cam Edwards and others, cruised their way to another nine win season. Bell etched his name into UConn’s record books in doing so. The apogee was reached upon beating future ACC champion Duke before a packed Rentschler Field, which students stormed at the game’s end. It’s these guys and moments that we’ll remember when recollecting this team. They define the long-awaited resurgence of Connecticut football. Men’s Soccer By Colette Doyle The UConn men’s soccer team had a strong 2025 season, finishing with a 12-5-4 overall record and a 5-2-1 record in the Big East. The team opened the season undefeated through the first eight matchups, most notably over Syracuse and Akron. The Huskies advanced to the Big East Championship after defeating Akron in the semifinals but fell to Georgetown in the final. Their second-place overall finish in the Big East earned them an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, where they received a first-round bye. The team went on to defeat Cornell but were ultimately eliminated by the Maryland Terrapins. Overall, the season marked significant success for the program, highlighted by both conference success and a return to national competition. Women’s Soccer By James Badeau The UConn women’s soccer team came off winning the 2024 Big East title and finished its 2025 regular season with a record of 11-4-3, 7-1-2 in conference play. It was a bit of a rocky start to the season, as they won the first game against Stony Brook and followed it with two losses to Texas A&M and Brown, then a 0-0 draw to Rutgers. The Huskies got on the right track, winning their next 4 matches, 3 of which being by multiple goals. September 24 saw a crucial matchup against No. 24 Xaiver, where UConn drew 1-1. The next match on September 27 was their final loss of the regular season coming to Georgetown. UConn finished the season on a seven game unbeaten streak heading into the Big East Tournament. It was a September 24 rematch against Xavier in the Big East Semifinals, where the Musketeers eliminated UConn 7-0. Senior Chioma Okafor led the Huskies this season with eight goals and was selected for first team All-Big East. Freshman goalkeeper Ava Yamas led the Big East with 10 shutouts and ranked second in the conference with an average of 0.8 goals allowed per contest. Field Hockey By Elliot Koplas The UConn Huskies field hockey team competed in another successful season ending the year 12-9 (6-1 Big East). The squad was led by scoring leader Julia Bressler and assisting leader Sol Simone and fell just short in the Big East final, losing to Liberty in overtime. The Huskies responded in the NCAA tournament with a Sweet Sixteen win over Wake Forest. Their season ended in a hard fought 1-0 loss against the No. 3 seed Harvard Crimson. Despite this, they anticipate a successful season next year and remain poised for another deep postseason run in the NCAA tourney. Volleyball By Ryan Lombardi The UConn volleyball team started off the year with a dominant 11-1 non-conference run, which carried them to a successful 19-9 campaign. The squad saw standout years from senior outside hitter Emma Werkmeister and graduate student setter Doga Kutlu, both receiving All-Conference and All-Region honors in their final seasons with the Huskies. Werkmeister was explosive from the service line, ranking second in the country in aces per set, while Kutlu was equally crucial in setting up the offense, becoming the sixth UConn player to surpass 3000 career assists. The Huskies capped off a strong season with a gritty 3-1 win at Georgetown in a bittersweet finale for the upperclassmen, securing a .500 conference record in a season defined by veteran leadership. Cross Country By Bridget Brondson The women’s cross country team enjoyed an excellent season, finishing fourth in the Big East Championship and sixth out of 37 teams in the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship. Senior captain Chloe Trudel was a standout competitor throughout the season, ending the year with a new personal best time of 20:16.0 at Regionals, earning her 10th overall. Freshman Sascha Letica was the definition of underclassmen resilience as she also claimed a personal best time at regionals, 20:44.4, and 16th overall. Brooke Strauss and Malin Rahm were also standout competitors throughout the season. Strauss earned her personal best in the 6k at the Paul Short Run in early October, earning a 20:22.4 finish. Women’s Hockey By Kaden Knapp UConn women’s hockey had a season to remember. For the first time in program history, the Huskies won an NCAA Tournament game, defeating Princeton 4-1 before falling to Penn State in the next round. They finished 28-9-2 overall and 17-6-1 in conference play. For the second time in three years, UConn captured the Hockey East Tournament title. Connecticut beat Northeastern in the championship after losing all three regular-season matchups to the Huskies. Tia Chan was spectacular in her final season in front of the goal. The Ontario native became the second Husky to be selected as a First Team All-American. She won Hockey East Goaltender of the Year, leading the conference in wins (27), shutouts (5) and save percentage (.951). Kyla Josifovic led the charge offensively. In 39 games, the senior led the team in points and goals with 40 and 16. Men’s Hockey By Nicole Caruso The UConn men’s hockey team had a stellar season, making it to the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history. Despite falling to Michigan State in the tournament, this still marked an impressive season for the team. The team ranked No. 13 nationally and ended the season with a 20-13-5 record. The Huskies also secured their second straight CT Ice Championship title defeating Quinnipiac University. Joey Muldowney led the team in goals (17) and Ryan Tattle led in points (32). Defenseman Viking Gustafsson Nyberg made his NHL debut with the Minnesota Wild just days after signing an entry level contract with the organization. The Huskies will look to continue to prove themselves as a top team in Hockey East next season. Indoor Track By Bridget Bronsdon UConn’s indoor track and field team captured their fifth consecutive Big East Championship title. The men earned 194 points, beating out second place, DePaul with 113, by a landslide. The women enjoyed the same success, claiming 169 points while second place DePaul followed behind with 133. Joshua Mooney earned the Big East Most Outstanding Field Performer due to his first-place heptathlon finish, claiming 5,717 points. Anna Connors also took home the gold with a 400m time of 54.33. The Huskies swept the 60m hurdles with Mohamed Wahdan (6.92) , Wyatt Gravier (8.13) and Jordon Quinn (8.15) going first, second and third. The men’s and women’s coaching staff was also celebrated, winning Big East Coaching Staff of the Year. Outdoor Track The Big East Outdoor Championships, on May 14-16, will most likely yield success for the Huskies as they earned their fifth consecutive indoor title in late February. The success continued into the outdoor season with various notable finishes of the track and field. Leading the freshman talent is Medwin Odamtten, who recently earned a personal best at the UConn Northeast Challenge with a 200m time of 21.37. On the field, sophomore Enaji Muhammad earned a first-place finish in the Northeast Challenge pole vault, recording 2.11m. The men’s 4x400m relay also took home a first-place time of 3:09.79 thanks to Peyton Butler, Gabriel Cuffey, Teyedza Jaravaza and Del Lindsey. With the success just beginning, it’s sure to continue. Swim and Dive By Avery Becker The UConn women’s swim and dive program only amassed one loss over the entire season, finishing their 2025-26 campaign on a six-meet winning streak. The Huskies closed out their season with a second-place finish in the Big East Tournament. Throughout this three-day meet, records were broken. Sydney Perkins, Rhian Russell, Maggie Rhodes and Jessica Sheng broke a school record in the 200 Medley Relay. As the Huskies shift their focus to the 2026-27 season, they will look to continue their momentum! Baseball By Will DeLetto In the midst of the 2025-26 season, the UConn men’s baseball team’s season has been reflected by both resilience and offensive firepower through a tough schedule. The Huskies have hovered around .500 with a record of 21-20. In the Big East, they hold a 7-5 record and sit 4th in the standings. Key contributors such as Polemeni and Marshall have powered the lineup with timely hitting and running production, while the pitching staff continues to develop and deliver in big moments. With steady growth over the remainder of the season, the Huskies look to reinforce their status as a competitive force and build a strong foundation for continued success. Softball By Brayden Gorski After a rough start in non-conference play, the UConn softball team currently owns a record of 23-24 with seven games left before the Big East Tournament. The team sits in third place in the Big East with a conference record of 13-5, and they have a home record of 12-2 at Burrill Family Field. Cat Petteys followed up a 15-home run freshman campaign with 17 home runs and counting in 2026. Caprice Bohmer and Jessica Walter have been the backbone of the rotation. Bohmer has 112 strikeouts on the year while Walter has a 3.69 ERA in her first season at UConn. The squad has a chance to repeat as the Big East Champions and make their second consecutive NCAA tournament. Women’s Lacrosse By Thad Sawyer Consistency has been hard to come by for the women’s lacrosse team, as they’ve won three games in a row just once this season and missing out on double-digit goals for five straight games beginning in the middle of March. Rayea Davis scoring her 200th career point and Megan O’Brien’s emergence as the team’s leading scorer have been bright spots. Abby Beran is also on track for her second straight Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. Still, individual accomplishments have far outweighed team success this season. Tennis: Alex Klancko – The UConn women’s tennis team had an up and down season. In regular season play, the Huskies finished with a record of 12-8 with a conference record of 4-3. In the Big East Championship, UConn avenged their loss on April 2, to four-seeded Georgetown 4-2 but fell to one-seeded Xavier 3-4. The UConn tennis team was able to keep their undefeated record alive versus Seton Hall after they beat them 4-3 on April 8. The Huskies will look forward to bouncing back next season after a rocky 2025-26 season. Golf By Ryan Lombardi The UConn men’s golf team is preparing for the Big East Championship coming up as they look to end an impressive campaign on a high note. They claimed victories in the UConn invitational in September and more recently the Golfweek/Stifel Spring Challenge. Senior Connor Goode has led the squad, earning five top ten finishes this season. Junior Bradley Sawka has had an equally stellar season, leading the team with 20 rounds at par or better. The group seems to be in top form after sophomore Kai-Jun Huang just put up his best performance of his career this past weekend. The Huskies will look to carry that momentum into postseason play, searching for their first team conference title since 2021.
Mikayla Bunnell and Kevin Guinan
The 2025-2026 academic year was nothing if not full of news at the University of Connecticut. The year brought construction, funding cuts and protests, but amid the challenges came wins, success stories and new records not to be forgotten. Enrollment, housing and classes Starting the year off right, the university welcomed the record-breaking class of […]
The 2025-2026 academic year was nothing if not full of news at the University of Connecticut. The year brought construction, funding cuts and protests, but amid the challenges came wins, success stories and new records not to be forgotten. Enrollment, housing and classes Starting the year off right, the university welcomed the record-breaking class of 2029 last fall: roughly 7,500 new Huskies. Of that number, 4,715 were first-year students at Storrs and 1,850 at UConn’s regional campuses. About 960 were transfer students. At the same time, students discovered how the university decided who got housing after The Daily Campus’ freedom of information request revealed that housing demand increased 11.25% — 1,172 applications — from fall 2024 to fall 2025. The Storrs campus housed 13,400 students, another record-breaking number, in fall 2025. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="464" data-attachment-id="176222" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/news-a-year-in-review-2/cthall-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1000,667" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="CTHALL" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?fit=696%2C464&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176222" style="aspect-ratio:1.499273607748184;width:570px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CTHALL.png?resize=630%2C420&ssl=1 630w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Connecticut Hall, located on UConn’s Storrs campus. The building houses UConn undergraduate students alongside a dining hall that is available to students and the public. Photo by Nathan Galicinao, Grab Photographer In October, the university announced that sophomores would be guaranteed on-campus housing, despite declaring that only freshman had guaranteed housing just months before. They said there would be a limited number of beds for rising juniors and seniors. Also in October, it was announced that development would begin for yet another off-campus housing complex near the Storrs campus: The Mark Mansfield, owned by Landmark Properties, the owners of The Standard at Four Corners, which opened to residents in August. In the fall semester, UConn also conducted a review of 40 undergraduate programs, 21 graduate certificate programs and 11 master’s programs. These programs were identified as having low enrollment, making them subject to being cut or consolidated. It’s still unclear exactly which programs are still at risk. Changes to campus: Construction, closures, boots This year, UConn introduced a new device for parking enforcement: SmartBoots. Boots are put on cars with over $200 in parking tickets. To get the boot off, students were required to scan a QR code and pay off all their fines to get a code. Students had to type the code into the keypad on the boot and then return it to the Facilities Operations building. In just two months, Parking Services had already collected thousands of dollars in outstanding tickets. Speaking of parking, UConn also announced plans to add another parking garage on the south side of campus, either behind John Buckley Residence Hall in Downtown Storrs or behind the UConn Fine Arts Complex, taking the space of Lot R. Construction also continued throughout the year in many locations on campus, including renovation to the Gant Math-Science Complex, the construction of a new School of Nursing building and major expansions to the Greer Field House to build the Bailey Student-Athlete Success Center. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="463" data-attachment-id="176220" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/news-a-year-in-review-2/construct/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1" data-orig-size="800,532" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="CONSTRUCT" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?fit=696%2C463&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?resize=696%2C463&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176220" style="aspect-ratio:1.5037794845329528;width:565px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?w=800&ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?resize=768%2C511&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?resize=696%2C463&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CONSTRUCT.png?resize=632%2C420&ssl=1 632w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Construction happening at UConn’s Storrs campus. Students have been vocal about their distaste for the year round construction that has been happening on campus recently. Photo by Sydney Chandler, Staff Photographer Gampel Pavilion got some love this year as the second phase of renovations to the building got approved at the beginning of the spring semester. The largest renovation since the arena’s opening in 1990 will cost $99.4 million and will feature a complete roof replacement, update HVAC and ventilation systems, and install more concession options, premium clubs and merchandising space. Construction on Gampel started soon after the last basketball home game — so soon that the men’s basketball National Championship watch parties were held in the Toscano Family Ice Forum and Joseph J. Morrone Stadium. Construction is expected to be completed in November 2026, just in time for the next basketball season. At the very end of the fall semester, students said “goodbye” to Downtown Storrs’ Barnes and Noble as it closed. It’s expected to be replaced by Urban Lodge Brewery in fall 2026. This year, UConn Brewing Innovation, which offers academic programming in the craft beer industry, grew in popularity. The program served about 60 students for its first few years, but has amassed a waiting list of several hundred students. With the new brewery location in Downtown Storrs, more classes can be offered in the future, focusing not only on beer but also on running a business and marketing. UConn and the federal government This year, researchers at UConn had to figure out how to grapple with President Donald Trump’s new research priorities. The university decided to shift to these new research priorities to align with the administration and maintain its research funding. According to a letter from the university, some of these priorities included energy independence, AI and quantum technologies, defense, manufacturing, cancer genetics and genomics, technology development, entrepreneurship and more. While $3.7 million in previously cancelled research grants were restored, there are still concerns about the future of federal research funding. As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity ramped up across the country in early 2026, immigration was top of mind for many on UConn’s campus. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="465" data-attachment-id="176224" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/news-a-year-in-review-2/vigil/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?fit=1000%2C668&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1000,668" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="vigil" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?fit=696%2C465&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?resize=696%2C465&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176224" style="aspect-ratio:1.4970081595648232;width:583px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?resize=768%2C513&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?resize=696%2C465&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/vigil.png?resize=629%2C420&ssl=1 629w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Students ignite lighters at a vigil to honor the victims of ICE at Dove Tower on Feb. 4, 2026. Event organizers, as well as attendees, shared their stories and messages to the crowd. Photo by Nora Mariano, Staff Photographer Through the fall semester, UConn continued their marketing partnership with Avelo Airlines as the company continued to work with ICE on deportation flights. The university never responded to three members of the public who reached out asking the university to end its relationship with Avelo. Avelo ended its partnership with ICE in January 2026, but remains a marketing partner of UConn. In February, UConn confirmed that there had been no sightings of ICE on campus. The university emailed guidance on what to do if ICE did show up and tried to gain access to non-public buildings on campus like classrooms, offices and dorms: “inform” ICE officials to wait for University Safety, “call” University Safety to tell them that ICE is on campus and “escalate” by calling a supervisor. Also in February, students held a vigil for ICE victims, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both shot and killed by immigration agents in Minnesota in January. Campus wins The year’s news was not entirely bleak, however. In October, the UConn Marching Band was surprised — on national television — with an invitation to the 100th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in fall 2026, becoming one of only 10 groups selected to participate. In December, Jonathan the Husky got his first book: “The Lucky Husky” by 2011 UConn graduate Bethany O’Brien. Proceeds from the book sales support the care of Jonathan XV, the real-life Husky mascot. It was the first book in a growing series. The second book, “Dairy Bar Disaster,” released on April 12. And HuskyTHON broke multiple records this year, amassing over 4,800 participants and raising over $2.2 million for Connecticut Children’s Hospital. Like any other year, 2025-2026 had its ups and downs. Students and faculty spent days and nights worried about research funding and international students, and sent countless emails to UConn Housing and Parking Services. But they also spent time celebrating the many joys on campus, like the millions of dollars raised for children in need, the national recognition of the Pride of Connecticut or the stellar women’s basketball season (even if it didn’t end the way we wanted). No matter what happens on UConn’s campus, students will leave here as Huskies forever.
<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="392" data-attachment-id="176202" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/176200/rayfordbromley/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?fit=2000%2C1125&ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1125" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="RayfordBromley" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?fit=696%2C392&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176202" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=1536%2C864&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=150%2C84&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=1068%2C601&ssl=1 1068w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=1920%2C1080&ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?resize=747%2C420&ssl=1 747w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RayfordBromley.png?w=1392&ssl=1 1392w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Comics by Rayford Bromley, Contributing Artist/The Daily Campus
<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="392" data-attachment-id="176203" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/176200/ahreumkindness/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?fit=2000%2C1125&ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1125" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="AhReumKindness" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?fit=696%2C392&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176203" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=1536%2C864&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=150%2C84&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=1068%2C601&ssl=1 1068w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=1920%2C1080&ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?resize=747%2C420&ssl=1 747w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AhReumKindness.png?w=1392&ssl=1 1392w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Comics by Ah Reum Kindness, Contributing Artist/The Daily Campus
<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="392" data-attachment-id="176204" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/176200/alexapappas/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?fit=2000%2C1125&ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1125" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="AlexaPappas" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?fit=696%2C392&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176204" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=1536%2C864&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=150%2C84&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=1068%2C601&ssl=1 1068w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=1920%2C1080&ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?resize=747%2C420&ssl=1 747w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AlexaPappas.png?w=1392&ssl=1 1392w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Comics by Alexa Pappas, Staff Artist/The Daily Campus
<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="392" data-attachment-id="176201" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/176200/samanthahass/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,1080" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="SamanthaHass" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?fit=696%2C392&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176201" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=1536%2C864&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=150%2C84&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=696%2C392&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=1068%2C601&ssl=1 1068w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?resize=747%2C420&ssl=1 747w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?w=1920&ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SamanthaHass.png?w=1392&ssl=1 1392w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Comic by Samantha Hass, Artist Editor/The Daily Campus
Maleena Muzio and Ayyan Tamjeed
Just like that, another year came and went here at The Daily Campus. Over the last few months, we ate a ton of ice cream, watched another national championship game (boo Michigan) and saw Quavo perform at UCONNIC. Life had the pleasure of covering these events and more. Every Sunday at 6 p.m., we gather […]
Just like that, another year came and went here at The Daily Campus. Over the last few months, we ate a ton of ice cream, watched another national championship game (boo Michigan) and saw Quavo perform at UCONNIC. Life had the pleasure of covering these events and more. Every Sunday at 6 p.m., we gather at The Daily Campus building in downtown Storrs to pitch and take stories, answer silly icebreakers (like taking a “How Many Camels Am I Worth” quiz) and simply enjoy each other’s company. There is no place we would rather be than a good old Life meeting. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="465" data-attachment-id="176178" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/year-in-review-looking-back-on-life/banana/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?fit=1000%2C668&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1000,668" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="banana" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?fit=696%2C465&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?resize=696%2C465&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176178" style="aspect-ratio:1.4970081595648232;width:505px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?resize=768%2C513&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?resize=696%2C465&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/banana.png?resize=629%2C420&ssl=1 629w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> The ‘UConn bananas,’ a group of students who dress as bananas at basketball games. The group travelled to the final four to see the team make it to the championship game. Photo by Emma Meidinger, Photo Editor/The Daily Campus. Campus life at the University of Connecticut is incredibly unique, and somehow, also feels universal. From our school spirit to homemade ice cream all the way to our involvement with the arts, there is something for everyone to enjoy or take part in at UConn. This year, Life was there to highlight and capture it all. From event coverage to our newly emphasized features to media reviews (that sometimes go viral), there is also something for everyone in Life. Shining a light on different clubs and organizations at UConn this year was something that our predecessors Dan Stark and Sam Brody worked into the paper more prominently. As writers, these features were some of the most enjoyable and rewarding pieces to write. Getting the chance to learn more about what UConn has to offer, and about the students and people behind the work that sometimes goes unnoticed here, and then sharing that information with the world aligns with how we view one of the best aspects of quality journalism — telling the stories of those who may not have a voice or platform to do so. Publishing features is something we are both incredibly excited to continue. Thanks to our amazing Staff writers and contributors, we were able to publish features on local bands and musicians, the UConn Bananas, the UCONNIC DJs, the UConn Thrift Den and other organizations. Thank you to Kayden for making these features come to life on social media. We hope to keep collaborating with the social media section to visually display more features like Thaddeus Sawyer’s story on UConn’s Pep Band that provided a behind the scenes look at “The Huskies’ secret weapon.” That story captured the hearts and minds of many at UConn, as it became our most-liked Instagram post this year, with over 1,200 likes and counting. As the future Life editors, we’d like to thank our outgoing editors, Dan and Sam, for leading such an exciting and fun section, and for all their bold new ideas and direction. Dan, we are so proud of you for entering your professional journalism career and wish you the best of luck. Sam, we congratulate you on becoming next year’s editor-in-chief at the DC and know you will do great things. We are looking forward to filling your shoes next year (or continuing to for me – Maleena) and promise that Life will keep showcasing our beautifully diverse student body and campus opportunities. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="463" data-attachment-id="176179" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/year-in-review-looking-back-on-life/quavo/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?fit=1400%2C931&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1400,931" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="quavo" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?fit=696%2C463&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=696%2C463&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176179" style="aspect-ratio:1.5036881886895548;width:462px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=1024%2C681&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=768%2C511&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=696%2C463&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=1068%2C710&ssl=1 1068w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?resize=632%2C420&ssl=1 632w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quavo.png?w=1400&ssl=1 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Quavo performing at UConnic, UConn’s annual music festival. The event celebrates the end of yet another semester, and student’s continuing on their educational journey. Photo by Nora Mariano, Staff Photographer/The Daily Campus We appreciate all the hard work that our graduating seniors — Karla, Hayden, Dan, Gabby, Christina and Sarah — have done for the Life section and The Daily Campus. We’re glad that you decided to spend your time here with us, and we wish you the best after graduation! We’d like to give a massive shoutout to all our staff writers, correspondents and contributors of the Life section. It is with the hard work of all our amazing writers that we can cover so many amazing events, clubs, shows and music. We hope to see all of you — and more — return to The Daily Campus building in the fall! A round of applause is well deserved for the production team, from the copy editors, designers, digital producers, delivery drivers and the managing editor team. It’s with their hard work that our efforts come to fruition on the website and in print. Life has its ups and downs, but we’re grateful that we went through it together this year with the Life section. As the semester reaches its conclusion, another one is ready and waiting to spring up right afterwards. We’re excited to lead Life next school year and implement some new ideas of our own. Check back in August for what we have in store or stop by if you want to have a good time. Sincerely, Ayyan and Maleena
The Manuscript: Sarah’s Spotify Wrapped (UConn version)
The first and only thing you need to know about me is that my pride and joy is my Spotify account. My music taste is divided into 124 playlists, which are separated into folders based on different genres, seasons and vibes. Over eight semesters, I have consistently rotated and developed my musical hyper fixations that […]
The first and only thing you need to know about me is that my pride and joy is my Spotify account. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="390" data-attachment-id="176026" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/grad-issue-2026/sarahvial/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?fit=800%2C448&ssl=1" data-orig-size="800,448" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="sarahvial" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?fit=696%2C390&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?resize=696%2C390&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176026" style="aspect-ratio:1.7857245854361932;width:569px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?w=800&ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?resize=300%2C168&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?resize=768%2C430&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?resize=150%2C84&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?resize=696%2C390&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvial.webp?resize=750%2C420&ssl=1 750w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Photos courtesy of the author My music taste is divided into 124 playlists, which are separated into folders based on different genres, seasons and vibes. Over eight semesters, I have consistently rotated and developed my musical hyper fixations that I could talk about forever. Without further ado, for my contributions to the senior class grad issue of 2026, we will reminisce about my UConn journey by reviewing the songs that helped me survive the past four years of blood, sweat and tears. “Sonder” by The Wrecks Once upon a time when Storrs was nothing but confusingly large buildings and upper-class frat boys with beards, this track boomed through my wired headphones on my morning walk to SOCI 1000. What particularly captured my attention about this one was the unique rasp of the lead singer of The Wrecks, Nick Anderson, as well as the title ironically being a word I had to look up in a dictionary. This alt rock number has an entertaining instrumental ensemble but enter here as an honorary mention: the acoustic version. The softness these lyrics displayed gave the song a new innocence that I still feel in my bones with nostalgia. “You Don’t Go To Parties” by 5 Seconds of Summer It was inevitable that a 5SOS song landed on this list, as the band’s albums are what still keep me going, in particular “5SOS5,” which was released in September 2022. This is where I argue that this band deserves much more recognition after its early push in pop-punk, launching it into underwhelming success. This track hits close to home and in an album of bangers, the production style is reminiscent of the band’s simple pop feel-good songs. The concept of juxtaposition between depressing lyrics and peppy instrumentals will forever remind me of the constant feeling of college: “Wow, I’m tired but I guess I’ll rally because I’m young.” <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="913" data-attachment-id="176060" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/to-the-people-that-got-me-here/sarahvialbaby/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?fit=800%2C1049&ssl=1" data-orig-size="800,1049" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="sarahvialbaby" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?fit=696%2C913&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=696%2C913&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176060" style="aspect-ratio:0.7627024696680421;width:370px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=781%2C1024&ssl=1 781w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=229%2C300&ssl=1 229w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=768%2C1007&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=150%2C197&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=300%2C393&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=696%2C913&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?resize=320%2C420&ssl=1 320w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sarahvialbaby.webp?w=800&ssl=1 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> “7” by Catfish and the Bottlemen There’s always something really special about a song that makes you think of someone you care about. Fortunately, this banger has been on almost every playlist I’ve made since high school. This addictive track has a style that fits well with my playlist of “songs I think are laced with addictive chemicals.” When I hear the bass-driven pre-chorus that builds up a feeling, I can only describe it as the tunnel scene from “Perks of Being a Wallflower.” The overall euphoria ripped by the lead electric guitar that mimics someone singing is what seals this as one of the coolest songs to grace my ears. “Blowing Smoke” by Gracie Abrams Picture it: leaves are turning orange and the backroads of Coventry, Conn., are empty with nothing but occasional squirrels and 68-degree air as a junior in college. Call it basic, but this song mixed in with other hits from the “The Secret of Us” album like “Risk” and “That’s So True,” are the perfect lyrical explanation of the brain of a woman. If you’ve ever loved a song so much that you wished there was an album of the same tracks in different fonts, this is that. The feeling of female rage masked by soft acoustics is what I mean by just being able to understand a song. A good lyricist is one that can use words that shouldn’t go together but successfully make me feel a certain way. This was the point in college where I learned that everything works out just the way it should. “For The First Time” by The Script This one’s a bit difficult to write, so I’ll keep it brief. The past few years were some of the hardest, most fun, life changing times I may ever experience all at the exact same time. The feeling of “smiling when you’re close to tears” is all too real, and if you’re scared of change like I am, may you remember to lean on the people that surround you, especially when times are hard. “You’re Gonna Go Far” by Noah Kahan To the people in my life, I hand off this message to you that wherever you are, I’m a call away and will always be here for you. When you need a break, give yourself one and remember that nothing is ever that deep. This place is ready for new faces and new experiences as the cycle goes on. To my fellow grads, if you’re ever missing home, somehow, we’ll be here forever.
I’m always scared. Human interaction especially frightens me. People scare me. Talking scares me. Being perceived scares me. So when I joined The Daily Campus as a copy editor last year, I had no plans of becoming more involved. Involvement, after all, means being perceived and talking to people, and that is terrifying business. But […]
I’m always scared. Human interaction especially frightens me. People scare me. Talking scares me. Being perceived scares me. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="696" height="900" data-attachment-id="176032" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/grad-issue-2026/gabby/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?fit=750%2C970&ssl=1" data-orig-size="750,970" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="gabby" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?fit=696%2C900&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?resize=696%2C900&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176032" style="width:407px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?w=750&ssl=1 750w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?resize=232%2C300&ssl=1 232w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?resize=150%2C194&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?resize=300%2C388&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?resize=696%2C900&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabby.webp?resize=325%2C420&ssl=1 325w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" /> Photos courtesy of the author So when I joined The Daily Campus as a copy editor last year, I had no plans of becoming more involved. Involvement, after all, means being perceived and talking to people, and that is terrifying business. But once I was at the DC, I changed my mind. Being around cool people and reading other people’s writing reminded me how much I want to believe in communication. Because I think what’s at the heart of communication, writing and the newspaper is an attempt to connect with other people. And what else is there? The DC made me want to try and connect with people, despite my fear. And so I wrote. Somehow, it’s worked out pretty well. I wrote a couple pieces where I read way too much into movies, and I got a column where I get to nerd out about science every two weeks. In said column, I talked about being comforted by how small we are, and I mean it. Look at the Great Oxygenation Event; it caused so many species to go extinct, but also set the stage for countless more to evolve. And it was all because of cyanobacteria. One of the smallest organisms imaginable was enough to create the basis for every living thing we know and love today. To me, the Great Oxygenation Event is a microcosm for everything done in a group. Take the newspaper: We all come together with our contributions, however small, to make a greater whole. So maybe on some level, I am no better than a bacterium. Maybe everything I do and say and write is tiny and insignificant. But maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s all going to be part of something bigger someday, even if I never get to see it. The way I think about it, putting any writing or any kind of communication out into the world is always going to be a message-in-a-bottle type of situation. You don’t actually know if anyone is ever going to see it. And even if they do, you don’t know if it will resonate. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="257" height="183" data-attachment-id="176071" data-permalink="https://dailycampus.com/2026/05/05/to-the-people-that-got-me-here/gabbybaby/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabbybaby.webp?fit=257%2C183&ssl=1" data-orig-size="257,183" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="gabbybaby" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabbybaby.webp?fit=257%2C183&ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabbybaby.webp?resize=257%2C183&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-176071" style="width:374px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabbybaby.webp?w=257&ssl=1 257w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabbybaby.webp?resize=150%2C107&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailycampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gabbybaby.webp?resize=100%2C70&ssl=1 100w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 257px) 100vw, 257px" /> But it could, and I think the chance that it could is always worth taking the risk. The Daily Campus helped me believe that. The center of all communication and connection is people, so I want to take some time to shout out some: To my friends: Love you all. I am so lucky to know you. I wish I could put all of you in a suitcase and carry you around with me everywhere I go. (There will be air holes in the suitcase, don’t worry.) You mean the world to me. Shoutout to Jordan, my co-copy editor for the past two years and one of my best friends, who put up with me constantly forgetting where the master budget is. The DC wouldn’t have been half as much of a joy without you. Stay octagonal, baby squirrel. Shoutout and also apologies to the Sunday night production crew, who had to hear my incessant yapping and pterodactyl noises while I worked. Shoutout to everyone I’ve crossed paths with at the DC, to all the lovely folks I wish I had more time with and gotten to know better. You all are so fantastic and fascinating. Shoutout and thank you to the editors and executives I’ve worked with, past and present, who inspired me, and to the writers who did the same. Not to be parasocial, but I’m going to miss working with and editing for y’all. Shoutout to anyone who’s read or supported my writing, to anyone who’s made me believe, for even a second, that it isn’t such a horrifying thing to be perceived after all. And to The Daily Campus, and everyone who’s ever given me space to speak, on the off chance that I might have something to say worth hearing: Thank you. Thank you so much. I’m glad I took the risk. The Nicaraguan sign language started by people from different backgrounds signing at each other over and over, until they managed to reach a common ground. And isn’t that just beautifully representative of how every communication occurs? We go and we toss our unfamiliar words and gestures at each other, over and over, until they become familiar. Despite everything that could go wrong, we just try. We just keep trying. I tried. I’ll keep trying. I hope you do the same.