Vol. CXXVII, Issue 2

Blacker’s Potato Cannon Banned After Over 20 Years of Use

After over two decades ofcontinuous operation, Caltech Administration has banned the firing of the potato cannon as part of Blacker Hovse’s rotation events. Built in 2002 as part of a Ditch Day stack, firing it has been a Blacker Hovse tradition ever since. “The potato cannon was my favorite rotation event last year. I’m disappointed that this year’s frosh [weren’t] able to have the same experience as I did,” says Ethan Labelson (EE ‘26, Blacker/Dabney).
ASCIT Social Calendar 2023-24

ASCIT Social Calendar 2023-24

While houses throw a significant portion of the social events during the year, ASCIT throws events open to the entire student body every term. We’ve listed an overview of the events that we both host and help out with, often with our advisor, Tom Mannion, the Senior Director of Student Activities and Alumni Engagement.
Barbies, a.k.a Feminism 101?

Barbies, a.k.a Feminism 101?

Over this summer, the blazing-pink cinematic nuclear warhead that is Barbenheimer – the sobriquet of the dual releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer – hit theaters worldwide.
Blacker Olympics - The Frosh Perspective

Blacker Olympics - The Frosh Perspective

Following Dabney Boat Tours, Chill at Page, and Ricketts Open Mic Night, the team-based, tournament-style competition centered around the promise of a massive water fight at the end, which participants could use their tickets to prepare for. Up for sale were water guns, tubs of water balloons, and defensive materials like mattresses and cardboard. To earn tickets, participants competed against each other in a series of games - ranging from lock picking to tug of war.
Caltech Men’s Soccer Rising to the Top

Caltech Men’s Soccer Rising to the Top

The Caltech Men’s Soccer team has been having a groundbreaking season this year, displaying a level of excellence and resilience that has made the institute proud. Their prowess on the field has been nothing short of phenomenal, displaying a level of excellence and resilience that has resonated across the campus.
Caltech Y Annual Yosemite Hike: An Odyssey

Caltech Y Annual Yosemite Hike: An Odyssey

In the mystical realm of Yosemite National Park, where towering sequoias whisper tales of centuries past and granite giants stand as stoic sentinels to the whims of time, a brave band of Caltech students - prefrosh, returning undergrads, and grad students - embarked on a four-day backpacking and camping odyssey as a part of the annual Caltech Y hiking trip.
The Truth About Not Eating When You’re Hungry

The Truth About Not Eating When You’re Hungry

[TW: Eating disorders, starvation] For me, it was a comment from my dad that planted the seed. My friends watered it. Social media gave it light. I nurtured it myself at times, until it broke through the one thing I swore I would protect: my curiosity, my joy, my desire to learn.
When Tradition Awakens Trauma: The Fleming Cannon's Unintended Consequences

When Tradition Awakens Trauma: The Fleming Cannon's Unintended Consequences

The firing of the Fleming Cannon is a tradition that is supposed to bring pride and joy to the hearts of students every year and mark the progression of time from the end of rotation to the end of every term. However, for many students, the sound of the Fleming Cannon carries a heavy burden, evoking memories of a past they had hoped to leave behind when they came to Caltech.