November 4, 2026

Providence College's Student-Run Newspaper Since 1935

Category: Opinion

Oct82026Why Have We Forgotten About Books?

With the rise of technology and social media, teenagers and adults are no longer venturing to the bookstore and choosing...

Sofia Chioccariello ’28

Oct82026Efficiency Over Equity at Late Night Madness

As a senior who has now attended four Late Night Madness events—yes, I am that old—I can safely say that...

Rachel Barter ’27

Oct82026Fall is a Gift

by William Ryan ’30 on October 8, 2026

Winter is coming, but fall is coming first! Thank the Lord that it has finally arrived. No more dying in the summer heat, being eaten alive by bugs, being miserable in any sense of the word, or wishing the sun would explode. Fall is here, everyone, and we need to celebrate by eating a whole bunch of pumpkin ice cream! Not only is pumpkin orange, which frankly is awesome, but it is also the best-tasting thing you will ever eat. Have you ever had pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? I have, and they are leg-shakingly delicious. Have you ever had pumpkin butter? I have, and it is also delicious, though there is a clear drop in the leg quivers. Other fall flavours include apples and cinnamon, I guess. They are far from the greatest to ever do it, the pumpkin, but still, they have some good applications. Thanksgiving, for example, would be incomplete without the decorative apple pie sitting next to the empty tin of pumpkin pie. Speaking of Thanksgiving, who’s not looking forward to that? Everyone loves their extended family, and everyone loves to get unreasonably full on some pretty decent food. Except for stuffing. I love you, stuffing. Speaking of eating an obscene amount—my god, this article is writing itself—Halloween is coming up. Which includes huge amounts of absolutely delicious candy for probably way too cheap. Skittles, M&M’s, Snickers, Mike and Ikes, Kit Kats; they even have Whoppers for the freaks of the world. But undeniably, the best candy you’re gonna be eating this fall is those pumpkin-shaped Reese’s, which taste 10 times better than the original Reese’s and are in the best shape imaginable. There is no one who has ever lived who did not like pumpkin Reese’s. 

Now, if you’ll get a tad philosophical with me, fall is a beautiful season, the most beautiful season if you ask me. Visually, it is absolutely gorgeous. Oranges and yellows and that magical shade of red some leaves turn are unbelievable to watch. We are so lucky to be able to witness that every year. Those leaves give us an incredible show as they die, and I think that is another level of beauty. Their death is celebrated by nature; it’s beloved by billions of people. It’s not a tragic event—not even a sad goodbye—it’s a slow, beautiful transition into something completely unrecognizable: winter. Fall is beautiful because it is the season of change. If we saw life in the same way we saw fall, we would be a happier species. 

But anyways, fall is the best. It also smells the best, which I forgot to mention. There is always a moment, every year, where the smell of fall hits you, and it’s like, oh my god, fall is here, everyone, we need to have a party. That’s how I feel right now, and it is amazing.

Oct82026Late Night Christmas? Kelly Clarkson Delivers at Late Night Madness

On Saturday night, more than 10,000 Friars, families, and friends packed the Amica Mutual Pavilion for Providence College’s annual Late Night Madness. The night started with performances from several PC student groups, followed by introductions of the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the men’s hockey team. Finally, just after 9 p.m., Kelly Clarkson took […]
Nate Gustafson ’29

Oct82026Cornell 7

I am Jane Doe. Thousands upon thousands of women on the internet are Jane Doe. Of course, we are not all the Jane Doe who is a victim of gang rape, the Jane Doe who is traumatized for life, and the Jane Doe whose dignity was ripped from her shaky hands as Cornell University tried […]
Kaelynd Brouillette ’29

Oct82026Softening the Edges

I recently finished a book for my theology 200-level class that left me with a broadened, revitalized mindset, with thoughts and ideas transformed into my own words and descriptions that echoed the book’s philosophy. I hadn’t felt enlightened by a school-assigned book since The Things They Carried when I was a senior in high school. […]
Grace Pappadellis ’29

Oct82026Adole(scents)

I miss the smell of my childhood home.  Sometimes I will catch a whiff of an autumnal aroma that brings me back to my old living room. Any candle with cinnamon, clove, and pumpkin in the mix was immediately bought by my mother and lit during the fall months. That, combined with the strong scent […]
Georgina Gamble ’29

Oct82026Editor’s Column

Hey there, Friartown! Long time no see! Good to know that everyone has survived the shift into October. I hope everyone had a great parents’ weekend, I know I did. And I may have had a bit too much fun…it’s only the second week of October, and I already have a terrible case of senioritis! […]
Sydney Cloutier ’27

Oct82026The Day Ends at 5 p.m.

There is something deeply depressing about leaving class at 5 p.m. and realizing it’s already dark. It’s not actually that late. People are still walking around, clubs are still meeting, and professors are still assigning work due at midnight. But once the sun goes down, my brain seems to decide that the day is over. […]
Ava Stringer ’28

Oct82026Here’s The Tea: We Need More of It

I often reflect on my mid-afternoons and find a sense of emptiness, as if something were missing. They are wrought with exhaustion, the combination of long classes and the inevitable early sunset leaving me rather withered. It was not until recently that I may have found a cure for this ailment. Perhaps we as Americans […]
Anamaria Palacios '29