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Articles by Arya Mehta
Column: Rearrange your room, rearrange your life
There’s the pillow you always keep on the left arm of the couch, and the spot on your counter where you place your keys after classes. There’s a fine layer of dust over your poster frames, or maybe you’ve kept the walls barren. As we’re settling into our dorms and off-campus housing, our furniture and belongings are settling into their places as well. Intentionality is a lost art.
A ‘Brand New Day’ for surveillance
Every few years since 2017, audiences have flocked to theaters to catch the latest Spider-Man movie. This month was no different, hitting records at the box office. In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is back and scanning for criminals’ faces by hacking into every camera in the city. This plot parallels another friendly thing in your neighborhood, including our own UNC campus: Flock Safety cameras.
Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ merges an ancient story with contemporary themes
Beloved are our folk tales and epics, because they are familiar. Our most enduring stories describe something vital to who we are, what we want and why we want it. Directors, artists and writers iterate the classics time and time again and are met with divisive criticism for each rendition. Christopher Nolan decided to take on “The Odyssey,” a Greek epic about the king of Ithaca’s 20-year journey, and was met with every opinion under Helios’ sun about what he kept, left behind or changed.
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' merges an ancient story with contemporary themes
Lifestyle Editorial Board Member Jul 28, 2026, 7:21 PM Beloved are our folk tales and epics, because they are familiar. Our most enduring stories describe something vital to who we are, what we want and why we want it. Directors, artists and writers iterate the classics time and time again and are met with divisive criticism for each rendition.
Kahlovera Mexican Bar & Grill puts family and affordability first
Lifestyle A classic fajita meal is pictured from Kahlovera Mexican Bar & Grill, a new restaurant on Franklin Street. Photo courtesy of www.kahloveratacos.com. Assistant Audience Engagement Editor Jul 27, 2026, 11:20 PM On Kahlovera Mexican Bar & Grill’s website, it states the restaurant started with a promise: real Mexican food, every guest treated like family and no shortcuts. It also states that promise has never changed.
UNC students brew coffee and community at The Grounds
Lifestyle The Grounds coffee shop Co-owner Allison Travis makes a latte in their store on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, N.C., on May 27, 2026. Photo courtesy of Lauren Rhodes/WUNC News. Editorial Board Member Jul 27, 2026, 11:36 AM Three weeks and a dream to launch a coffee shop is a tall order. Emily Lutgring and Allison Travis, the owners of The Grounds Coffee Shop, were ready to fill it.
Sienna Spiro's debut album "Visitor" finds its own unique and powerful sound
Lifestyle Jul 13, 2026, 7:41 PM It is a good sign when the first thoughts on hearing a new song are “who is this artist” and “I want to hear more.” Exactly in this case, Sienna Spiro’s debut album “Visitor” was an unexpected favorite of mine from the moment I heard the first chord. Released July 3, the 20-year-old British singer-songwriter’s first full-length project introduces her as a new artist with a unique voice and tone.
Rebecca Graham founds Clayboro Studios, continuing in her family's footsteps
Lifestyle Owner of Clayboro Studios, Rebecca Graham, demonstrates how to center clay on the pottery wheel during a date-night class on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026 in Carrboro, N.C. Photo courtesy of Sarah Arneson. Editorial Board Member Jul 6, 2026, 7:27 PM The clay can smell fear. That’s what Rebecca Graham, the founder and owner of Clayboro Studios, tells her pottery students, reminding them to be present in the moment when creating.
Local director Bronwen Carson awarded prestigious national fellowship
Lifestyle Bronwen Carson was recognized as a 2026 Drama League FutureNOW Directing Fellow during an awards ceremony held Monday, June 29, 2026, in New York. Editorial Board Member Jun 29, 2026, 9:58 PM There are a lot of spaces artists go — studios, theaters, headspaces, mind palaces and sets. For director and writer Bronwen Carson, those spaces are the edges where knowing meets imagination. Carson’s company, SoundingLine Arts, creates neuro-inclusive theatrical productions and installations.
Review: 'Toy Story 5' showcases how childhood has fundamentally changed
Lifestyle Jun 24, 2026, 11:38 PM After four movies, a few shorts and nearly three decades of bringing toys to life, “Toy Story 5” had every reason to feel unnecessary to the franchise. Surprisingly, Pixar’s newest installment finds a smart reason to exist: childhood has changed, and there’s no going back.
'Obsession' twists what we love into an unsettling new style of horror
Lifestyle Editorial Board Member Jun 19, 2026, 2:03 PM He is going to get the girl. We’re watching a love story, and there is a guy who is going to get the girl after trials and tribulations which will ultimately add to the emotional depth of their relationship. So goes many a blockbuster romance. However, "Obsession" makes a distinction between a romance and a love story by turning that feeling into fear. This film asks us to imagine being terrified of the one closest to you.
'Backrooms' invites us to the spaces we already know
Lifestyle Editorial Board Member Jun 8, 2026, 9:43 PM The best horror is born of comfort. When familiar memories and places are turned into uncanny resemblances, the ensuing discomfort becomes deeply personal. The "Backrooms" are a fictional liminal space, manifesting as a series of repeating hallways with yellow walls and fluorescent ceiling lights many of us associate with our schools and offices.
From acceptance to enrollment: a guide to registering for classes at UNC
University Photos courtesy of Adobe Stock May 30, 2026, 10:19 PM You might think that getting into UNC was the hardest thing you’ve done in the past year, but you have one more hurdle before you move into your dorm at Chapel Hill: registration. Fortunately, navigating class sign-ups, waitlists and ConnectCarolina is a lot easier when you know what to expect. Your registration appointment is when you can start registering for classes.
Some friendly advice on surviving your first-year requirements
Lifestyle Photos courtesy of Adobe Stock Editorial Board Member May 30, 2026, 8:02 PM Dearest Tar Heel, welcome to UNC. Your coming years are going to be full of Carolina Blue, sunsets over Franklin Street and, I sincerely hope, lots of joy. The first year is often a love-hate relationship, and something most people have strong feelings about are first-year requirements. These are part of the IDEAs in Action curriculum, which is a list of courses or academic categories you must fulfill.
'The Devil Wears Prada 2' survives the sequel trap with a story everyone wants
Lifestyle Red heel with cityscape in the background. Editorial Board Member May 21, 2026, 11:04 PM This spring and summer brings us new patterns, reemerging 2000s trends and layoffs at major news outlets. We itch for aestheticism and heels tapping across NYC streets amid dizzying changes in media and communication. "The Devil Wears Prada 2" tries to give this to us by addressing the commercialization of journalism, but forsakes both a satisfying narrative and fashion itself.
Satire: Grok, write me a headline
Opinion Editorial Board Member Mar 8, 2026, 8:10 PM It is not a dark and stormy night. It is sunny and clear, as is every day in New Silicon Valley. In place of clouds are lines of Starlink green lights floating angelically in great arcs through the ether. If one were to fly over the colony, they’d see neatly aligned laboratories and factories with homes nestled atop for hard-working families to retire to at the end of the night. Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg treat their subjects well.
Column: An ode to brain rot —
Opinion Editorial Board Member Jan 21, 2026, 10:57 PM The Jennifer Aniston neuron refers to a theory of brain formation, positing there are certain neurons which respond to anything vaguely related to one concept, like Jennifer Aniston. If this theory was correct, you would likely have a "6-7" neuron. One that fires not only when those specific numbers appear together, but rather any time a slight nod is made to the phrase, whether it be in speech or the score at a game.
Column: It was always the damn phones
Opinion Jan 12, 2026, 10:54 PM An ad made by Smartphone Free Childhood US opens with a father putting his young son to bed. Before turning out the lights, he issues an offhanded warning: “Remember there’s a box in the corner over there with all the pornographic material that’s ever been made in the world. Even the really weird stuff that could scar you for life.
Column: Every student filmmaker at UNC deserves greater access to equipment
Opinion Nov 18, 2025, 5:05 PM On Nov. 14, the UNC Student Film Association hosted its yearly Pitch Party where students share their short film ideas and assemble their crews. The premise is simple: accepted script writers bring their stories and leave with possible collaborators. Events like this are meant to broaden participation in filmmaking on campus. The issue isn’t whether UNC has talented student filmmakers — it does.
Column: Fruits, grains, vegetables, protein, politics
Opinion Nov 16, 2025, 9:36 PM Every five years, the United States government advises Americans about what food and drink they should be consuming in order to foster a healthy lifestyle. These recommendations apply to all ages, through their impact on school lunches, to college dining halls and even to nationally implemented food programs. However, the revision that is expected at the end of 2025 shows a departure from the traditional methods of crafting this advice.
Column: When war becomes a word we stop questioning
When you hear the “Department of Defense ,” you think of protection, not aggression. But as of Sept. 5, our current administration has stripped away the euphemism. It’s now the Department of War . The new tagline now serves as the official secondary title for what’s still, by law, the Department of Defense. While Congress hasn’t yet approved a permanent change, the order allows the name to appear in federal communications and ceremonies, and Pete Hegseth will now be known as the Secretary of War.
Column: Bring back physical documentation of photos
College is full of picture-worthy moments. Sports, parties, Halloween, fall break trips, spring break trips, an especially good dining hall meal, our campus, a cute outfit, your friend doing something stupid — I have 36,000 photos on my phone, and over 6,000 of those came from my first year of college.
Column: There's no neutral platform left
It is day 28 of the government shutdown and federal websites are sporting banners blaming the “Radical Left Democrats.” This message, under an assurance that you have landed on an official website of the United States government, could be considered surrealist modern art. Rhetoric is an expected part of political commentary. Specific news channels or social groups often signal their political affiliations, which in turn affects how audiences interact with them.
Life Lessons: Returning to old hobbies
In high school, when people asked about my hobbies, I had a long list to draw from. You could probably find me flipping through a good sci-fi book, playing video games — like The Legend of Zelda — or practicing my calligraphy. Now, when people ask about my hobbies, my mind goes blank. Talking about the books, games and art I was once passionate about feels like a lie, as I have not picked up any of those things in years. And I had to ask myself: when did I become so boring?
Column: The Mini Crossword spells more than words for media today
It’s the start to a very long day. You type three letters into a search bar and wait for the daily chance at prestige and exhilaration to appear on your screen — The New York Times’ Mini Crossword. Its squares are solace in an 8 a.m. lecture hall, its jaunty victory jingle like a warm hug. When the previously free crossword was recently made to require a New York Times subscription for access, fans were outraged. It was just a minute long game — surely it could remain free.
Column: Foster an economy of inconvenience
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue We live in an age of convenience with the ability to capture any moment, play any song and read any article at ease. Traditionally time-consuming hobbies have suffered as a result — 3,200 print publications have disappeared since 2005, and jazz has made up only around 1 percent of album sales in recent years.
Column: America cannot improve unless we start to care for her
Fourth of July fireworks, parades and cook-outs have stood as community staples across every era of American history, but the holiday saw a decline in celebration this year. In light of the current administration, many Americans — primarily liberals — have shifted to condemning celebrators and proclaiming hatred for the United States. This reaction is not without cause.
Decoding the Next Big Hit: How We Built a Crystal Ball for Netflix Content (Before It Airs!)
From Raw Data to Predictive Power: A Deep Dive into Engineering a Pre-Release Netflix Show Popularity Model In the dazzling, ever-expanding universe of streaming, one question reigns supreme for giants like Netflix: What will be the next big hit? Millions are poured into content creation and acquisition, but predicting audience reception before a show or movie drops is a notoriously tricky, high-stakes game.
🏆 Winning SJ Hacks 2025: Building SJ Hope Navigator - A Platform to Connect Shelter, Support, and Opportunity in San Jose
At SJ Hacks 2025, held at San José State University, the theme was “Public Good for the City of San Jose.” Among the three critical tracks, our team chose to tackle Homelessness, inspired by the city’s call to create solutions that foster dignity, stability, and support for its unhoused residents. We aimed to build SJ Hope Navigator — a platform to bridge real-time shelter access, client support, and pathways to opportunities — ultimately helping people move toward sustainable stability.
Column: In defense of the Triple-I: UNC must preserve interdisciplinary learning
In 1913, Henry Ford dreamt up the assembly line; never before had cars been built so fast. A century later, modern times are still rewarding expertise in a sole industry or task, and education is shifting to teach said overspecialization. UNC seeks to balance this by mandating exploration through the IDEAs in Action curriculum, with perhaps the most over-hated requirement being the Triple-I.
Column: Live, laugh, love live music - make live music a lifestyle at UNC
Most of us attend UNC for a small fraction of our life. While somewhat aware of the fact we should be making the most of our college years, we’re often swept away by the monotony or rigor of classes and work. Music provides many of us a constant backdrop for the responsibilities of daily life, listening to our playlists as we walk, eat and study. But we’re lucky enough to attend a university that can fill those silences for us.
Column: Nonchalance spells the slow death of freedom
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Friday, March 21, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue There is an obvious irony in nonchalance. Signaling unconcern for other’s opinions or conventions requires more effort than true neutrality in the first place. Simply being laid back or calm isn’t an issue, but many covet detachment, viewing being emotive as undesirable.
Netflix Show Popularity Prediction Newsletter
Arya Mehta · Follow 2 min read · -- Hello everyone, I’m excited to share my latest data science project with you — a machine learning approach to predicting Netflix show popularity. In this newsletter, I’ll walk you through my research problem, methodology, and some early insights that might change how we think about content creation. Netflix has thousands of shows and movies, but only some become breakout hits.
Column: Let’s stop beating around the bookshelf - entertainment shouldn't be the only goal of reading
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue “Have you heard? Colleen Hoover is retiring!” The eventually disproved rumor of Hoover’s retirement has been both celebrated and mourned by readers, but the discourse highlights a deeper pattern in contemporary literature her romance novels have catalyzed.
Column: You aren't what you eat, but you are what you speak
As one of three necessities of sustaining life, food underlies every part of human society. Some of the first words you learn when speaking a new language relate to food. Holidays and celebrations often center around seasonal recipes. Cooking traditions are passed down through generations and are often infused in social movements. It follows that since food is such a large part of ethnic identity that dozens of racial stereotypes are food-related, informing how we interact with cultural biases.
Column: Elon Musk may soon control your money, and your mind
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue Do you live to work? Dream of labor? Elon Musk wants you to. In the corporate hellscape America is becoming, Musk’s only interest in government power is revenue and cheap labor, and his use of X signals the beginning of a dark age for our nation.
Column: Men's mental health is not a problem for women to solve
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue Modern feminism has been experiencing a phenomenon of increased pressure to cater to men, as a growing number of women are striving to include men's issues in their spaces and convince men to join the movement. This expectation in a space made for the advancement of women has worrying implications and is inherently unproductive.
Column: Trump’s election has already brought out the torches and pitchforks
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue You would hope the brick walls of UNC would protect us from the angry mob forming outside, but unfortunately, its members are hiding everywhere. Passing by people that may be prejudiced against you in the halls is one thing, but when they gain the support they need to act on it they become much more threatening. Donald Trump is perhaps the most prominent figure in recent American history.
Column: Asian communities still haven't escaped colonization
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue The idea behind organizations and events that connect people through identity or race is to create a space where minorities don’t experience discrimination and can connect over a shared culture. However, even in these communities, there is underlying fracturing. Asian communities are often subgrouped, whether that be by country or regions within them.
Column: Carry neighbor culture with you to college
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue When I was 10 years old, at exactly 7 p.m. every evening, my family and the neighbors would carry lawn chairs into our shared yard for a daily conversation. Moving to college, I was excited to carry my metaphorical lawn chair into our shared dorm space, expecting an easy comradery.
Column: Sexual assault is not your entertainment, even when it's Diddy
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue Sean Combs allegedly abused and assaulted countless victims while running a sex trafficking enterprise that engaged in forced labor, coercion, exploitation, recording sex acts without permission, drugging victims, extreme violence and kidnapping. Diddy Freak Off party. Both statements have come to signify the same thing, but one probably triggered an urge to laugh.
Column: Protecting free speech shouldn't mean silencing certain students
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue It's natural that if a day comes to represent the start of a war, students will rally for a side. In the current climate, deaths will become politicized; that's an unfortunate truth. This argument is not meant to denounce the tragedy and unspeakable atrocities that occurred on Oct. 7, or deny any student the right to mourn.
Column: Mission trips are too cruel for your spiritual journey
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue “And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?”(Romans 10:14 NKJV) Every year, countless students and young people are shipped off to every corner of the world to serve while spreading the gospel. The attitude and structure of short-term missionary work is ironic, disingenuous and dangerous.
Column: Student organizations are important for majors - give them more credit
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue As America’s education system becomes increasingly saturated with new industries and curriculums, the expectation for students to balance academics, extracurriculars and service is becoming unmanageable. UNC should consider a more diverse range of credit opportunities before students forget to gather real world skills altogether.
How do THON 2024 dancers pass the time?
For 46 hours, 708 Penn State THON dancers stand, stroll and try to pass the time. Throughout the weekend, THON committees make sure there are plenty of activities for the dancers. Dancer Chloe Elias said there are a lot of activities to keep them busy like playground, four squares, hula hoops, lots of coloring and the Line Dance. Jillian Henok said the playground helps get her body active and keeps her moving.
Penn State THON hosts annual Family Carnival, reveals logo for 2024
Penn State THON hosted the THON Family Carnival, an annual event welcoming Four Diamonds Families back to State College, on Sunday. The Family Carnival is a “great way” for THON families to meet the other families, Haley Dougherty said.
Penn State THON reveals 2024 logo at THON Family Carnival
Penn State THON revealed its 2024 logo on Sunday at the THON Family Carnival, an annual gathering welcoming Four Diamonds Families back to State College. As the event came to a close, the THON Executive Committee unveiled the logo for this year, creatively embodying the theme of "Treasure Every Adventure." The artistic design of the logo was crafted by Sarah Leonard, a second-year studying graphic design.
Penn State iGEM team advances ‘the field of biology,’ wins silver medal
Penn State’s International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team was the first team in seven years to compete in a global competition against teams from over 65 countries. Luke Ng, the team lead, said iGEM is an annual global synthetic biology competition. The idea of the iGEM competition, according to Cecelia Micelli, was to solve a local problem using synthetic biology.
State College Borough announces parking changes ahead of Thanksgiving weekend
For Thanksgiving weekend, the State College Borough announced parking policy changes. According to the release, the Borough of State College Parking Department will temporarily lift its "No Parking 2 a.m.-6 a.m." and its "one- and two-hour" restrictions beginning at 2 a.m. on Thursday until 6 a.m. on Sunday. Lawn parking will not be permitted. Parking meters on the street and in parking lots are enforced from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., the release said.
Penn State Board of Trustees approves renovation project for the Nursing Sciences Building
Penn State’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve the Nursing Sciences Building Renovation and Addition project at University Park at a meeting on Friday. The Committee on Finance, Business, and Capital Planning previously recommended approval of the project at a meeting on Thursday. The project is approved in an amount not to exceed $28,000,000.
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