As students soak in their last days of freedom at Barton Springs and Zilker Park, the Life&Arts staff has made The Texan’s dark, scurvy-inducing basement its home. Although we incessantly inhabit the windowless workspace, our ideas for the upcoming semester continue to flourish.

Life&Arts features content ranging from profiles on students, alumni and staff to local interests and oddities. Alongside regular coverage of upcoming film and album releases, our department aims to introduce new columns about topics such as fashion, food, literature and sex. 

Throughout the semester, we will cover the city’s major festivals including Austin City Limits Music Festival, Fun Fun Fun Fest and Fantastic Fest. As we cover each festival, readers can expect live-blogging, live-tweeting and guides to ensure a full experience of the events. 

In addition, many of the department’s weekly series will make a comeback this semester. In 300, writers spotlight the stories of people who are constant fixtures around campus with rich stories that often go untold. Readers can glimpse into UT’s past through TBT, a piece that compares an article from the Texan archives to today’s current events. From the albino squirrel to 3D-printed nipples, Science Scene attempts to enlighten students on topics in science and technology.

Some new weekly series will include 60 Seconds, Free Week of Austin and Lunchtime Links. In 60 Seconds, students will be able to see their professors in a new light through rapid-fire interviews that touch on everything from musical taste to odd hobbies.

Free Week of Austin keeps students on a budget updated on free events happening throughout the week. For students looking for quick distractions between and during classes, Life&Arts will be re-introducing Lunchtime Links — a compilation of interesting videos and articles from across the Internet. 

We also plan to offer more multimedia and interactive content online. On a biweekly basis, Life&Arts will publish an article that takes a more visual and in-depth approach to storytelling. Whether it’s a musical road trip through Austin or a look at the condition of the city’s film industry, these special articles will incorporate photos, graphics and videos to offer our readers a fulfilling read. 

With the start of a new semester, the Life&Arts staff hopes to bring a refreshing take on University life. We hope to be the campus’ go-to source of information as we continue a proud tradition of reporting and modern storytelling. As we scout the city for our next subject, Life&Arts promises to uphold accurate and inclusive coverage of Austin and the Longhorns who inhabit it.