Welcome to the phoenix
The Official News Source of Sarah Lawrence College
The Latest

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world hard and classrooms even harder. In the height of panic, teachers and school administration worked with what they had for the students' best interest. Proms were canceled and elementary schoolers learned multiplication on Zoom. Pivots were made to try and compensate for the shocks and concerns people were riddled with. Coming up on five years since the pandemic, we are starting to see the lasting effects in the classroom.

On Saturday, October 4, the Sarah Lawrence Activities Council (SLAC) hosted their annual Fall Festival, a charming celebration of the approaching season. In addition to pumpkin painting and lawn games, the club organized a caramel-apple making station, an array of seasonal refreshments including apple cider and hot chocolate and an ambient setting complete with music and decorations. The festival was held on Westlands’ North Lawn and was well attended by the student body.

On Wednesday, Oct. 1, Lorde sold out Madison Square Garden, marking it one of the biggest shows of her career. The Ultrasound Tour features songs from her new album “Virgin”, as well as other fan favorites from her entire musical career. The show's openers were the indie artists Chanel Beads and The Japanese House, setting a dynamic atmosphere in anticipation of Lorde's set.

“Sarah Lawrencing”. It’s a verb unintelligible to those not in the know, but it has been coined to give a name to a quintessential social experience for any Gryphon: being ignored by someone you know as you pass them traversing campus.

Martin Rather, a 2024 Harvard Law alum, has dreamed of coaching basketball in a high academic environment since his own days on the court. Upon hearing the news of a position opening at Sarah Lawrence, Rather got the chance to make his dreams come true.

From the woods of New Hampshire, Sadie Currier ‘29 has been elected as the Class of 2029 President. Currier is a bass-playing, film-loving, disciple of the humanities and is dedicated to structuring her presidency through the values of her fellow students.

The success of the Sarah Lawrence Women’s Volleyball team also runs on the mental toughness and adaptability of its players. These ingredients are important, along with maintaining strong defensive positioning, delivering accurate serves, and executing coordinated offensive plays.

The women’s tennis team had their first Skyline match last Thursday, Sept. 18, against Yeshiva University. The match was held at United States Tennis Association (USTA) Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY, also home to the U.S. Open

The privatization of print media is a limiting yet somewhat necessary paradox. Newspapers and research publications need to make money somehow, but how can we, the American people, engage with the freedom of the press if we almost always have to pay for it?

Following a 40-kill performance across three Sarah Lawrence wins, Athena Kazos (#10), outside hitter and senior, rightfully earned the title of Skyline Conference’s Player of the Week announced on Sept. 15, 2025.













NEWS
FEATURES
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world hard and classrooms even harder. In the height of panic, teachers and school administration worked with what they had for the students' best interest. Proms were canceled and elementary schoolers learned multiplication on Zoom. Pivots were made to try and compensate for the shocks and concerns people were riddled with. Coming up on five years since the pandemic, we are starting to see the lasting effects in the classroom.
On Saturday, October 4, the Sarah Lawrence Activities Council (SLAC) hosted their annual Fall Festival, a charming celebration of the approaching season. In addition to pumpkin painting and lawn games, the club organized a caramel-apple making station, an array of seasonal refreshments including apple cider and hot chocolate and an ambient setting complete with music and decorations. The festival was held on Westlands’ North Lawn and was well attended by the student body.
Studying at Sarah Lawrence can feel like a daunting task– with conference papers piling up, the 100-page readings and presentations you haven’t started. That some students voluntarily chose to take on a part-time job both on and off campus in addition to all that work may sound almost psychotic. The Phoenix spoke to some of the students who hold jobs on campus. What we found is many students who said their jobs actually enhanced their academic experience.
SPORTS
The women’s tennis team had their first Skyline match last Thursday, Sept. 18, against Yeshiva University. The match was held at United States Tennis Association (USTA) Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY, also home to the U.S. Open. It was an extremely close match, with the Gryphons losing 3-4. Regardless, the team agrees that it was a great way to start off the conference.
Despite the uncertainty of the girls incoming season, things took a turn for the better at the beginning of the semester. Martin Rather, a 2024 Harvard Law alum, has dreamed of coaching basketball in a high academic environment since his own days on the court. Upon hearing the news of a position opening at Sarah Lawrence, Rather got the chance to make his dreams come true.
Winning a volleyball match requires a precise blend of key elements: disciplined teamwork, consistent communication, and strategic execution. The success of the Sarah Lawrence Women’s Volleyball team also runs on the mental toughness and adaptability of its players. These ingredients are important, along with maintaining strong defensive positioning, delivering accurate serves, and executing coordinated offensive plays.
ARTS & CULTURE
On Wednesday, Oct. 1, Lorde sold out Madison Square Garden, marking it one of the biggest shows of her career. The Ultrasound Tour features songs from her new album “Virgin”, as well as other fan favorites from her entire musical career. The show's openers were the indie artists Chanel Beads and The Japanese House, setting a dynamic atmosphere in anticipation of Lorde's set.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, the Musical Theatre Ensemble (MTE) unveiled their production of Tick, Tick… Boom! The Concert, in the Batesment—a clever combination of words that signifies the small, narrow room below Bates Dining Hall.
I knew the world of Young Adult literature with an intimacy that most people don’t even know about their own parents. But then in 2020, BookTok appeared, and everything about this world that I had loved for so long changed.
OPINIONS
THE ASHTRAY
In a groundbreaking announcement made early this morning, Sarah Lawrence College has introduced its plan to change its name. According to the college’s representative, growing concerns and pushback from students have led Sarah Lawrence to believe that it is important and integral to the school’s mission and reputation that it not flaunt and promote the name of an old white woman.
What follows is a cautionary tale about the perils of not reading your class syllabus. Do not let this happen to you.
Tiktok is dead and buried. Facebook is only relevant if you’re over the age of fifty. Instagram is on thin ice (and that’s only if you’re casual about it). Twitter is run by a literal Nazi. If you even try to bring up Snapchat, I’ll laugh in your face. So… What is the next big social media platform?
We received feedback directly from the community that Sarah Lawrence was feeling left out on these traditions. Sure, we have Sleazeball and 30x30, but we needed something fresh and new. Don’t worry, Gryphon Nation! We have come up with the perfect tradition, perfectly tailored to the lovely, lovely students of the college!
Apparently, we already have a few rivals. I say “apparently” because none of them are ‘real’ rivals. One of our so-called ‘college rivals’ is Vassar College, which is a joke. Every single student that I know was waitlisted from Vassar. I’ve also heard people say that our rival is NYU. I do not believe that in the slightest. I don’t think NYU even knows that we are their rival, which makes it kind of embarrassing. We need a rival who is going to actually know that we exist.
“Recently, the development office received a letter from an alumna in San Francisco who was distressed by the rumor that the campus is now 50 percent homosexual”, states Anne Rophie in her article for The New York Times.
Realistically, it is probably closer to 90 percent.
Most people on campus have read the article that Rophie dedicates to talking about one so-called ‘problem’: most of the Sarah Lawrence student body is queer. Honestly, that is a pretty accurate read. But is it a problem? No. But in the year 2025, there is an actual problem. A new trouble plaguing Sarah Lawrence . (No, it’s not another cult.)
Where are all of the emos at Sarah Lawrence College?
One of the main complaints I hear from my fellow Gryphons is that it is undeniably, excruciatingly difficult to date at Sarah Lawrence. Listen, I get it. And I’m here to help. A lot more goes into successfully finding a partner at Sarah Lawrence than it would at a bigger – or even small, but normal – school. I have put together a foolproof procedure to guide you all on how to conquer your fears and convince some of the scariest people on the planet (cool girls at Sarah Lawrence) to go out with you.
In a surprise announcement at this year’s athletic banquet, Sarah Lawrence College has announced that it will be starting a football team for the first time since a short-lived run a number of years ago. This announcement has come alongside some other surprising choices made by the newest addition to the athletic community: the first of which being that the team has decided to “own their own means of production” by immediately staging a coup d'etat and coaching themselves.
At a press conference on Oct. 27th—coincidentally held on Sylvia Plath’s birthday—Cristle Collins Judd’s speech ended with her noting that she is “aware that many of our students identify with the LGBTQ+ community, but as far as I’m concerned, you all fit under ‘G’: Gryphons.”
I sincerely hope your fall semester is going well. I know that conference week is coming up and none of you have started your papers. I am offering encouragement! You are all invited to the president's house for some apple cider and s’mores. I don't live there, but I hear it's nice. I live somewhere much more decadent where Dr. Martens® will never get a chance to tread.