Recounts of pop’s prince return to the stage for the first time in years

Harry Styles is arguably the only true male pop star out there today. With audiences collapsing at the sound of his voice, fan girls buying concert tickets like madmen, and pop music that makes people feel good – it’s no surprise he’s the current prince of pop.  

He got his big break from music all the way back in 2016 on X-Factor and became a part of the world-famous boy band, One Direction. His band was much like any other boy band, a worldwide phenomenon for fan girls. Only lasting five years before their “hiatus,” the five boys put out five albums and did five world tours, pushing the limits of their abilities and pushing fan girl culture into another dimension. When the band went on hiatus in 2015, they effectively disbanded, with all members going on to release solo projects and further develop their fanbases.

Of the five members, Harry Styles has gone on to be the most commercially successful, with chart-topping hits like “Watermelon Sugar” and “As It Was” and an extremely successful two-year world tour. Following his global domination with his albums and tour, he took a long break. Completely disappeared from the spotlight, leaving devoted fans distraught and leaving the pop world a little duller. During this time, he took about three years away to recharge himself and find the music he wanted to make. Needless to say, his fans were missing his presence and his musical style. 

Just when pop culture needed back its prince of pop, Harry Styles announced his fourth album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. released March 6th. Along with the album, Styles announced a One Night Only concert for the day of the launch, where he would play the album for fans in his hometown of Manchester. Receiving tickets for this concert was much different than anything I’d ever experienced. Due to the extremely high demand for Harry Styles, his tour dates sold out like crazy, with prices being sky-high. With this show, I think his team wanted to do a different approach, so people were only able to receive tickets via raffle. Fans could answer one question only: whether they wanted to be seated or standing, and then put in their bank card information to get two tickets at 20 pounds each. If they happened to be chosen, they would receive an email with their ticket confirmation and soon be heading to the ONO (One Night Only) show.  

My mom, quite literally the luckiest person I know, got chosen! Soon we’d be heading to Manchester for this concert! A lot of people call us crazy for that, but it’s just something that my mom and I do. Concerts have always been a connection point for us, and because it’s just us two, we’ve always been able to make them a fun time. As I’ve gotten older and moved abroad, our range of concerts has just expanded. Call us crazy, but it’s a good way to see a new city and plan it around something fun. Her coming from the United States, she had more of a travel to Manchester, but we finally met up on March 5th. Excited to hear Style’s new album and see him on a stage for the first time in three years! 

The Concert 

 My mom and I got to the Co-op Live Arena at 6:20 pm for a 7 pm doors opening, and the line was already wrapped around the building. I wasn’t too shocked because I knew it was going to be crazy busy, but it just continued to evolve into madness. My mom and I were probably about 40 people away from where the line formed with actual barricades, and from the time we got in line, the line continued to spread all the way down. Wrapping itself around the parking lot and gardens, and people wrapping themselves around each other. I think there definitely could have been better planning here. I mean, they knew exactly how many tickets were sold, so the lack of queue planning felt odd. Ultimately, I was grateful for our position because we lucked out in getting in line just before it devolved. From where we were standing, we could see the doors open and security start moving at 7 pm, but our place in line didn’t start moving until 7:15 pm. Once we got through security, the staff scanned our tickets, and then we went to the next set of people.

Styles had made a deal with Netflix, so this ONO would be recorded and put onto the streaming platform as a way to memorialize this night. Netflix wanted the wow factor, so fans had to place their phones into plastic baggies that made it impossible to record on the camera. Because fans had their cameras taken away, Styles’ team offered each pair of tickets one disposable camera so fans could capture memories of the night. For the first time, I’d get to experience what a concert was like before cellphones were a thing – and I seriously loved it. Without the worry of trying to get the perfect picture or video of your favorite song, I could just live in the moment and fully experience the music in the way it was intended.  

Harry Styles came on stage around 9 pm, and the arena absolutely erupted. He walked through crowds of fans, as I tried to look at the big screens to see him. He took his steps up on stage, and if I thought the screams were loud before, now they were amplified tenfold. The tension in the room was palpable; everyone was so excited to be a part of this monumental moment.  

On stage, he wore wide-legged, banana-yellow pants and a royal blue jumper on top. Underneath the jumper, he had on a black buttoned-up shirt with white flowers printed randomly, and a big pink tie. Seemingly a wacky outfit, but Styles pulls it off- as he does with everything.  

Without speaking a word into the microphone, he begins crafting a beat on what seems to be a small DJ stand. He plays around with different notes, tones, and sounds for a few minutes before finally settling on the correct one. He begins tapping out the beat to “Aperture”- the first track of his album and the only single released before the album drop. The lights begin to flicker along to the beat of the song, creating a sonic world for the audience to fully be a part of. The rest of his band has now joined in to add musical texture to the beat. Once they all find the groove of the song, Styles approaches the mic to sing the first verse. 

As he takes his steps into the spotlight, the crowd erupts into screams once again. We can’t contain the energy. We’re all about to hear Harry Styles sing live for the first time in years. From where I am in the crowd, his back is more to me, but I can see him take a deep breath and grab onto the microphone. 

His voice begins to sing “Take no prisoners for me, I’m told you’re elevating. Drinks go straight to my knees, I’m sold, I’m going on clean.” My entire body is covered in goosebumps as he goes into the next verse. He goes into the next part of the verse, and when he gets to the line “it’s complicated,” there’s a part in the song where his voice alters to exaggerate the “ed” part for a few beats. The crowd took it upon themselves to do that part of the song, and we all screamed out “aye, aye, aye, aye, aye” to the beat of the song. Seriously, it was one of the coolest parts of a live crowd I’ve ever been a part of. Without even taking a beat or planning it, we completed a part of the song that wasn’t necessarily able to be translated live – and as the crowd, we made that happen. There’s another part in the second verse where he does the same thing with the word “cadence,” and as the crowd, we did it again. Immediately, the crowd felt connected to each other and to Harry. 

As the first song finishes, Styles steps away from the microphone to take a 30-second breather. He takes a few large sips of water and a few deep breaths before the beat of the next song kicks on. “American Girls”, a song mainly driven by the kick-drum beat, allows Styles an opportunity to dance to the song’s intro before stepping up to the mic. 

Going into the concert, this track was probably my favorite of the album, so it makes sense it’s one of my favorites of the night. This track is a bit livelier, with more flowing melodies, and that definitely translated well into the live version. This might have been a favorite of everyone, because this is one of the songs I remember everyone really dancing to. People screamed the lyrics, raised their hands to the lyrics, and dropped them to the beat. We all jumped up and down until we could no longer. 

After song two wraps up, Styles finally takes a few minutes to address the crowd. He thanks us all for being here tonight and extends his thankfulness to the fans who waited and stuck around while he disappeared from the spotlight. He tells us that he needed a break in order to find out who he was now as a 30-year-old performer, and he felt it necessary to find the music he wanted to make. As he continues to speak, I can feel the gratitude oozing out of him as he thanks the crowd one last time and encourages us to dance our hearts away!  

Sad as I am to say it, a lot of the songs from there blended, but I still remember distinct moments from each track. “Ready, Steady, Go” was an extremely lively song, with Styles running around basically doing laps on stage while still effortlessly singing along. In this song, there is a different microphone (almost like autotune on his voice) on the chorus, and in the live version, Styles brought a sort of radio mic on stage to sing that bit. It was a cool thing to experience, and on the Netflix special, they captured that moment very well. 

Similarly, “Are You Listening Yet?” had Styles running around like a madman while pointing the microphone to the crowd when we would all scream the question “are you listening yet?” over and over.  

The first slower, more melancholic song on the album is “Taste Back,” which gave Styles and the crowd a chance to simmer down while still enjoying the music. Towards the end of this song, in the bridge, Styles begs the question “Did you” repeatedly, and hearing this bit live is where I got the full experience of the drums bringing the beat back in, the synths livening the tune, and the backing vocals take this song to the next level. Finally, the music comes together in a serendipitous symphony, and Styles belts out the last chorus. Truly a wonderful experience that elevated the song to new heights.  

The next song, “The Waiting Game”, I quite literally do not remember at all…oops. Funny enough, when Harry talked to the crowd before this song he thanked us for spreading joy with him, saying “You’re the greatest group of people I’ve ever met in my life,” then announcing the next song played would be “Season 2 Weight Loss” for a moment then actually remembering the next song should actually be “The Waiting Game.” So maybe even Harry felt the song was a little forgettable…overall I think the song felt a little bland, and the live experience didn’t really heighten it for me. 

However, the song after that - “Season 2 Weight Loss” was an undoubtedly beautiful experience. Styles brought out a choir on stage, as this song relies heavily on backing vocals. From my place in the crowd, I hear the loud synthesizers begin, and Styles moves his arms in a conductor-like manner, then the overwhelming drum beat kicks in, and he transforms into a rockstar. He’s got this demeanor that comes over him that really drives his stage presence, and specifically this song. Styles and the choir take on this song and make a good song into a great one as Styles begs the crowd to still love him even as he goes through changes, “hoping that love will come around.” 

Following pleas for love, “Coming Up Roses” is the next song played, and here Harry sits down at the piano to deliver this ballad in a beautifully intimate way. On stage, Styles sits at the piano, and behind him are violin players who really transform this song into a beautiful symphony.  

Straying away from the softer side of the album, Styles pushes the audience into the pop world with his song, “Pop.” I remember this song being an enormous amount of fun. Maybe the crowd was ready to relinquish all those sad songs and start the fun again, because this song truly took the crowd to another level. Along with Harry, we danced and jumped and sang along until the song was over. The chorus of the song says, you guessed it, “pop” with a beat drop, and every time that would happen, all the hands in the crowd would go up in the air. This song I could really tell connected with the crowd and gave us a chance to dance along to a true “pop” song. 

Keeping it in a lively world, Styles delivers his dance-pop track off the album, “Dance No More.” From the title, one might think we wouldn’t be dancing to this song, but in fact, this is one of the grooviest songs on the album. Using a lot of call-and-response, Styles tells the crowd that “DJs don’t dance no more, but we want to dance with all our friends.” 

The last two songs to be played are more downbeat but are truly at the heart of the album’s themes. In “Paint by Numbers,” the audience sees how fame has impacted Styles and him trying to deal with it while still being grateful. A very intimate song with an equally intimate live performance.  

Lastly, “Carla’s Song” is an integral part of the album and this night. Styles shares with the crowd that while he took time away from the spotlight, he made wonderful, healthy, normal friendships that have really helped him have different views on life. He shares a story on Carla, a newly made friend of his, and how they were together, and she brought up a song by Paul Simon how she had never heard of him or any of his music before. Harry recounts how he grew up with Simon and Garfunkel vinyls in his house, and how he was so excited to be able to share that music with a new friend. He puts on “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and watches as Carla has a listening experience that leaves her in shock and awe. Styles tells us in the crowd that watching her listen to this piece of wonderful music for the first time reminded him why he is even making music. It helped him resonate with an inner experience of himself, and now he has a passion again for making music that leaves listeners with true starstruck feelings. And “Carla’s Song” does just that. 

As a nod to his friend, the song starts with the line “there is a bridge that leads to troubled waters. If you know, then you know. If you don’t then you don’t- it’s heavenly.” And that is a wonderful synopsis of the song. He implores listeners to grab life by the hands, but also take their time because “it’s all waiting there for you.” And as the crowd can go out and chase their many glorious dreams, Styles will be the soundtrack as he says, “I know what you like, you can hear it anytime.” Needless to say, this is a wonderful song, and an even more powerful album closer. I know that I was certainly very moved by this song, and from the crying faces and screamed lyrics around me – I could tell this one was a crowd favorite.  

Styles exits stage along with the band, and just when you think he’s done – he’s coming back for an encore. With the original part of the concert, Harry told us that they would be following the album order track by track, so there wasn’t any surprise with the set list. However, Styles had some crazy song surprises up his sleeve for the encore.  

The Encore 

For the first song, it was just Harry and long-time guitar player Mitch Roland on stage. Roland plays three chords of the song, and the arena screams louder than they have all night. Styles is playing “From the Dining Table,” a song off his debut album and one that hadn’t been played live in nearly six years. From all the songs we heard that night, somehow that felt like the most special one. Styles then goes on to play his classic hits “Golden”, “Watermelon Sugar”, and “As It Was.” I mean, seriously, just absolute pop bangers back-to-back, rarely giving the crowd a chance to collect our bearings.  

He wraps up the concert with thank yous to his family, his new friends, and us fans. Styles reflects and tells the crowd how “in a world like we have today that feels so chaotic, it’s easy to become hopeless. But I look at these rooms and what you have created, and there is just so much hope in here.” Thanking us for being a part of this wild ride for nearly 20 years, and “being a light in his life.” He encourages the audience to “be the change in the world that you wanna see,” as the piano plays “Sign of the Times”. He delivers what might just be his best song on paper, in a truly spectacular way. This song is filled with an enormous amount of hope, and it truly rings home with the speech he has just given us.  

The song wraps up, but the house lights don’t come up. I remember looking around the crowd, and everyone seemed a bit confused. I mean, it just didn’t feel over quite yet; something felt missing. At this point, my brain starts racking what songs he could even play. I mean, he’s literally played all his new songs and nearly all his most popular ones. Styles, being a little cheeky, starts the beats to “Aperture” one more time. The crowd fully delivers and exceeds my expectations. Similar to the first time this track was played, the crowd has fun with the beat and dances around. This time, however, I can tell Harry is performing this differently. The first time, he was a bit more poised, putting on a show. Now it feels like he’s dancing and singing as if he’s one of us in the crowd. For a moment, we all felt like equals, just people in a room that were all dancing to the same tune. For one last song, all of us give it all we’ve got to make this dance floor rock and disco until we drop.  

From my very lengthy description, you might be able to tell this was one of my favorite nights of my life. I had seen Harry Styles in concert before, but this one was seriously on the next level. This performance felt special to all of us. He, his band, the crowd, the crew – we all felt connected in a way that I’m not sure I’ve felt before. Maybe it’s that we all knew we were a part of something entirely unique, or maybe Harry’s right and it’s just fun to dance with your friends. All concerts are special within their own right, but this one was in an entirely different realm. 

Maybe there’s something to be said about putting your phone away to truly experience a live moment. I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the reasons this concert felt so intimate and powerful. Whenever Styles would come onto my side of the arena, it wasn’t phones shoved in his and our faces – it was all about being able to savor a special and fleeting moment. I’m so grateful that I got this chance based purely on luck, and I’m very grateful I was able to experience a concert in another, phone-free way, and just let myself dance and enjoy the music. And enjoy the music, I certainly did, for my feet ached and my knees hurt from the dancing and jumping around, but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. 

Photos by Riley Moore

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The Hungarian Piarist Ball is more than just an evening of dancing. It’s a celebration of tradition, community, and shared purpose.

Since it’s ball season at the moment, I wanted to shed light on one specific ball: The Hungarian Piarist Ball is held in New York City every year. The Piarist Ball is more than just a formal evening where girls are introduced into society, but also a cherished tradition that brings generations together with elegance, unity, and a purpose to raise money for the Piarist schools in Hungary. These schools provide excellent quality education to the less fortunate who still deserve the same academic opportunities. Donations made during the ball, as well as through the website, go directly to supporting the schools and ensuring students have what they need in order to learn.

I have been taking part in this ball for four years now, first as a debutante in 2023 and now as a member of the junior committee, helping recruit girls and guys to join the community and experience a night they will never forget.

The difference between the Hungarian Piarist Ball and any other ball is the purpose behind it. The entire evening serves as a fundraiser supporting scholarships, school development, and student opportunities for those facing financial struggles.

For many debutantes, the meaning of the night goes far beyond the dance itself. Alice Dupree, one of the debutantes, shared, “Walking into the ballroom was such a blissful feeling in the best way. You feel proud not just to represent yourself, but your culture and your family, even if some of us aren’t Hungarian.” Another reflected on the charitable impact, “Knowing that our participation helps students in Hungary makes the experience feel more meaningful. It wasn’t just about the dress or the dance, even though that was a really fun part, but it’s also about giving back, which is really powerful,” said Julia Rose French.

Being on the committee has taught me how to carry myself professionally and step outside of my comfort zone, especially when meeting new people, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past. The work is completely voluntary; there is no financial compensation, but the learning experience and community involvement make it worthwhile, especially within the Hungarian community in New York.

Escorts, too, describe the evening as more than a formal obligation. Daniel Galambos, an escort, explained, “At first I thought it was just about learning choreography and showing up in a tux to carry the girl on the dance floor, but it ended up being something I was genuinely proud to be part of.” Another, Mark Szirtes, mentioned the sense of unity built during rehearsals: “The practices brought everyone together so quickly, especially the fact that we only had the day off to prepare. By the time we stepped onto the floor, it felt like we were representing something bigger.”

During the buildup to the ball, we hold meetings and donor gatherings where contributions are made, and ideas are developed for the upcoming event. In the weeks leading up to the ball, rehearsals begin with a professional dance instructor teaching the choreography. On the day of the ball, everyone gathers for a final rehearsal before the formal opening.

The most recent ball, held on January 31, 2026, marked the 63rd annual celebration. In my opinion, it was one of the best not only because of the guests present, but also because of the traditional Hungarian folk dancers, the music, and the enthusiasm that filled the room.

The venue itself is a stunning ballroom with classic cathedral-type architecture, adding to the magic of the evening. It is a private location, accessible only to members, which preserves the exclusivity and tradition of the event.

As the night unfolds with cocktail hour, opening dances, dinner, photography, and music, it eventually comes to an end, but the memories of dancing, singing, and meeting new people remain. The Hungarian Piarist Ball leaves behind a strong sense of pride and unity among its guests. It proves that even a small community can make a meaningful impact through tradition, elegance, charity, and shared spirit. With 63 balls completed and many more to come, the legacy continues.

Whether attending as an escort, debutante, or guest, the experience is unforgettable and well worth taking part in at least once.

Photos by Viktoria Lili Kiss

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Dark, bitter, and shrouded in secrecy, Zwack Unicum is the mysterious elixir that has come to symbolize Hungary itself. At the first sip, you are met with a quite strong and unexpected taste, a fusion of precisely picked unique flavors. Few stories embody Hungarian pride quite like that of the Zwack family and their legendary company. Hence, the Student Advisory Council (SAC) could not miss the generous opportunity offered by the Zwack family to organize a program at the House of Unicum, showcasing Hungary’s remarkable achievements to international students. Special thanks go to the distinguished McDaniel alumnus Sándor Zwack, heir and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the legendary Zwack Unicum, for making this trip possible.

The story of Unicum began in 1790, when Dr. József Zwack presented his unique herbal remedy to Habsburg Emperor Joseph II. Although it has early medicinal roots, created as a digestive aid, Unicum has grown to be Central Europe’s leading distillery. The Zwack Company was founded in 1840 by József Zwack and, in 1892, moved to its present headquarters on the banks of the Danube in Ferencváros, Budapest. The story is one of survival. In 1944, during the Second World War, the Zwack distillery was bombed four times. Later, under communist rule, its production was nationalized. During these years, the Zwack family lived in exile in the United States, while the state-owned version of the brand continued producing Unicum using a falsified recipe. However, the family’s determination remained strong, and they found ways to prosper despite political repression. Starting from scratch in Italy, they rebuilt production on a smaller scale and, as mentioned at the House of Unicum, went “door to door to promote it”, said Péter Zwack. In 1987, Unicum was brought back to Hungary, and interestingly, for a short period, two types of Unicum existed on the market: state-made versus the family’s.

Today, Sándor and Isabella, children of Péter Zwack, both play a very active role in the company. They travel extensively as Unicum Global Brand Ambassadors in charge of establishing new markets. Unicum is exported all over the world and is particularly strong in Italy, Germany, and our neighboring countries. Remarkably, a six-generation family transformed a Hungarian tradition into an international brand born in the heart of Europe.

The family recipe — a blend of more than 40 herbs and spices — remains a closely guarded secret. Only a few family members know the complete formula, and just seven people handle the actual production of Unicum. The rest of the staff work with numbered codes that guide the process and sequence of creating the bitter. Our tour guide, Levente Laknerfi, shared with us some of the details that are revealed to the public. For example, the majority of the herbs are from Hungary, and there is a specific mix of herbs from Italy that only three people know in the whole world. Incomparably, production remains faithful to tradition even in modern facilities. Unicum is aged for six months in oak barrels that are never replaced, unlike wine barrels, which must be changed over time. Due to growth and expansion, the bottling takes place in Dunaharaszti, 30 minutes from Budapest. The alcohol has an instantly recognizable round, black bottle with a red cross in the middle. Unicum’s flavor is intense and unapologetic, a bitter symphony that is not for the faint of heart. Its bold flavor is unlike anything else and commands attention from the very first sip. When I first tried it, it reminded me of medicine, but the more I engaged with it, the more I realized it was something entirely unique. As of right now, there are 6 different types of Unicum: Original, Plum, Barista, Orange, Riserva, and Trezor. The McDaniel group was fortunate enough to try five out of the six varieties straight from the barrels. Without a doubt, my favorite is the Barista, with its 100% arabica coffee, which has a strong taste and smell however low caffeine level. Aged for ten years, the Unicum Trezor saw its first bottle sold only last year, in 2024, with a limited number of bottles priced at approximately Ft. 60,000 each.

Zwack Unicum is more than just a bitter herbal liqueur; it is a symbol of Hungary’s cultural pride and enduring tradition. Its presence in Hungarian homes, bars, and celebrations reflects a legacy that has been carefully preserved for generations. Every sip tells a story of resilience, of a family that overcame war, exile, and political upheaval to safeguard a secret recipe. To try Unicum is to taste not only a unique and complex flavor but also a piece of Hungary’s national identity, a testament to timeless craftsmanship and the enduring spirit of a nation. Unicum carries the taste of Hungarian history.

Photos by Krisztina Géczi & Levente Laknerfi

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In a time, that’s been overtaken by digital cameras and smartphones, film photography is having a comeback. Often considered to be an outdated format, analog photography has started to pull in the younger generation and their hearts, fueled by nostalgia, artistic look, and a desire for authenticity in a digital world. A photographer, Ansel Adams, once said, “Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art”.

One reason for the comeback is the aesthetic that only this one can offer. Film has its own quality, like the grainy textures, vibrant colors, and imperfections, that digital filters have so much struggle to replicate. I think that photographers are drawn towards the imperfect look of film, where each roll of film can hold surprises that can only be seen after you develop it. This chance, paired with the slower pace of shooting on film, turns photography into an art form. Unlike on digital, where hundreds of shots can be taken in minutes, film encourages you to be mindful about what you shoot, making every click intentional. In the words of contemporary photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, “The only way to get a good photograph is to take time and make it with intention.”

I believe that film is also fueling a cultural shift. Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are looking more for retro vibes, from vinyl records to vintage clothing. Film photography fits this analog style, giving us a connection to the past. Platforms like Instagram amplify this, with hashtags like #FilmIsNotDead. Thrift stores and online marketplaces have made vintage cameras accessible, with models like the Canon AE-1, which I personally have, for around $50-$200. Meanwhile, companies like Kodak and Fujifilm are bringing back discontinued film and have been reporting sales growth.

Film photography is often seen as an art form. The experience of handling film, the anticipation of waiting for development, and then the surprise of seeing the images all give it its appeal. As a photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson said, “To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality,”.

Getting into film photography is easy. Cameras can be found easily, and developing your film can be done at home or at a local lab. YouTube tutorials will be your best friend when it comes to learning about film, trust me, I know.

As a film photographer myself, it’s become part of my personality. I own multiple cameras, from a Canon AE-1 program all the way to the Soviet FED 4, each with its own personality. I go through at least a roll a week, sort of becoming a ritual to load film and then waiting to see my images come out. I’m proud to be part of the movement to keep film alive, and I’ve introduced many friends to it, sharing tips and cameras, watching them fall in love with analog the same way I did.

For those wanting to start, an easy and affordable way is by buying old used Soviet cameras like Zenit, FED, Zorki, and Lomo. These cameras are amazing. I own a few, and one thing about these cameras is that they are built like tanks. If a tank ran over one of these cameras, then the tank would probably be damaged and not the camera. They are budget-friendly and teach you the key parts of photography.

I think the power that film has is its ability to slow us down. In a world where so many things have become instant, the part of waiting for prints feels unknown. It’s about the process, the patience, and the story each frame tells. Film photography isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving. Wim Wenders, German filmmaker and photographer, puts it, “Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts,” a reminder of how film’s limitations can inspire creativity.

Photo by Alex Contreras

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Budapest is a hive of countless cultural activities and a hub of unique art spaces. Here are four of my favorites such gems including three that are very much off the beaten track.

Hungarian Art and Business (HAB) 

Hungarian Art and Business is located in the center of Budapest. It was established in June 2023. It’s a place that shows art and business, a place for contemporary art creators for ideas and creativity to grow.

HAB is one of the most beautiful buildings located on Andrássy út (road). It’s a classic great white palace. The building’s style is a neo renaissance villa. This building used to be a heritage site, then was constructed in the late 1800s for a summer resident. It was constructed again in 1898 by another owner as an architectural residence. Now, to this day, it’s a contemporary art and business place.

When entering HAB, you enter the main floor where there’s a restaurant and cafe with many tables and chairs, and a children’s corner for them to draw and play. Taking the spiral staircase to the top floor, there’s the main exhibition gallery area that consists of two rooms with high white clean walls and light brown hardwood floors. Going down to the bottom floor on the same staircase, you will see the workshop where the artists can work, leave their projects, and have meetings.

Many of the artists who show their work pieces are locals. They have also started showing artwork from artists from different countries. They change them almost every couple of months to show new artists and newer works of art, including paintings, prints, photographs, and different types of sculptures as well.

For those who are interested in contemporary art, please visit HAB on Andrássy út, where you can grab a bite and enjoy the arts.

House of Music

The House of Music is located in Városliget (City Park), Budapest. It was established in January 2023. It’s a museum to show traditional Hungarian music and others from around the world.

The House of Music building was designed by an architect who creates buildings in a natural setting with trees and plants surrounding it. The building has many windows to capture the natural sunlight. The color is a combination of brown and gold.

Entering the House of Music, there’s the main floor where you purchase your tickets, next to a souvenir shop. Once you purchase the ticket, you either take the elevator or the spiral staircase, where you enter three different exhibitions: one, the temporary exhibition; two, the permanent exhibition, and three, the dome room. In the dome room, you can visually see light moving around while listening to music, sitting on the floor on beanbags. There’s a café on the top floor with drinks and cakes. When entering outside, there is a musical playground for children and adults.

They also have concerts at this museum, outside the building. Invite local bands, mostly Hungarian folk music.

If anyone loves music, then I definitely recommend this museum, where you can learn new things and listen to new music and songs. It’s good for all ages.

Ernst Gallery

Ernst is located by Ferenciek tere (square) in Budapest. Its owner opened his own gallery in 2008. The gallery was designed in an artistic, antique, and luxurious way.

The building is on the corner of a street, a perfect location for a gallery to be. It’s close to a church and some restaurants and cafes, good for locals and tourists to visit. When entering the gallery, there are many oil paintings on all the walls and antiques on pedestals.

This gallery is to show Hungarian art throughout the world. The art shown is of rich Hungarian heritage with paintings, posters, antiques, and jewelry. This small, peaceful gallery is to show the power of antique Hungarian works of art.

It’s a quiet and beautiful place, if you are interested in seeing Hungarian art, here is the place to go to learn more about Hungary’s culture in art.

Lado Gallery 

Lado is located in Budapest in the Klauzál tér market hall on the second floor. The gallery owner is a businessman who rented out the location from the government. Who later made it into a modern gallery. The gallery aims to be in a less open setting.

The gallery shows contemporary art in all media, mostly seen paintings and sculptures.

They are all for purchase at the location itself and have opening days for the new artists. Every two months, there’s new art shown. The art can also be seen on the gallery’s websites and social media.

If interested in more modern contemporary, and is interested in purchasing, I suggest visiting this gallery.

Photos by Sofia Jackovics

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Emotional Intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and influence one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. In the context of relationships, emotional intelligence plays a pivotal role in fostering healthy, supportive, and communicative connections between individuals. Psychologists have long emphasized how the skills associated with emotional intelligence contribute to better conflict resolution, empathy, and overall relationship satisfaction.

Emotional Intelligence in Relationships

1. Self-awareness: Recognizing one’s own emotions is the first step in emotional intelligence. In relationships, being aware of your feelings helps you communicate effectively and prevents unnecessary emotional outbursts. This is especially important when navigating disagreements or stressful situations, where emotions can run high.

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, and drives, as well as their effect on others,”says Daniel Goleman.

2. Empathy: A key component of EI, empathy allows individuals to understand and share the feelings of others. In relationships, empathy is essential for connecting with your partner or loved ones on a deeper level, providing emotional support, and building trust. Empathetic individuals are better equipped to validate the emotions of others and respond with compassion.

“Empathy is the ability to feel with another person. It means to sense the hurt in another person and respond with care,”says Carl Rogers.

3. Emotional Regulation: Managing one’s emotions in healthy ways is vital for maintaining positive interactions in relationships. Individuals with high EI can calm themselves in stressful moments, avoid escalation during conflicts, and communicate their feelings constructively. Emotional regulation is essential for reducing tension and promoting emotional stability.

”The ability to manage your emotions in healthy ways is essential for maintaining balance in relationships,”says Daniel Goleman.

4. Social Skills: Effective communication and the ability to manage social interactions are fundamental aspects of emotional intelligence. Strong social skills help individuals express themselves clearly, listen actively, and respond appropriately to the needs of others. These skills are critical in maintaining harmony, especially in intimate relationships where misunderstandings and miscommunication can cause significant strain.

“The key to managing conflict in a relationship is not avoiding it, but how you handle it when it arises,”says John Gottman.

5. Conflict Resolution: Emotional intelligence provides individuals with the tools to manage and resolve conflicts constructively. People with high EI are more likely to approach disputes with a problem-solving mindset rather than becoming defensive or aggressive. They understand the emotional undercurrents of the conflict and work collaboratively toward a solution, fostering greater understanding and connection.

“In relationships, the ability to negotiate and resolve conflicts is one of the most important skills we can develop,”says Daniel Goleman.

Emotional Intelligence in Romantic Relationships

In romantic relationships, emotional intelligence is particularly important because it affects how partners connect, communicate, and manage challenges together. Couples with high EI tend to have healthier relationships, marked by greater intimacy, understanding, and a deeper emotional connection. They are more likely to resolve disagreements calmly and constructively, without resorting to toxic patterns like blame or defensiveness.Studies on Emotional Intelligence and Relationship Satisfaction have shown that individuals with higher levels of emotional intelligence tend to experience greater satisfaction in their relationships, whether romantic, familial, or professional. These individuals possess the emotional awareness and communication skills needed to navigate difficult situations with empathy, mutual respect, and problem-solving strategies.

Emotional Intelligence and Parent-Child Relationships

Emotional intelligence is also important in parent-child relationships. Parents with high EI are more likely to understand and validate their children’s emotions, fostering a secure attachment and emotional resilience in the child. By modeling emotional regulation and empathetic communication, emotionally intelligent parents provide children with the tools to navigate their own emotions and relationships. “Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness, but it develops through nurturing, positive relationships, especially with caregivers,”says Daniel Goleman.

Emotional intelligence is integral to the success of relationships, whether romantic, familial, or professional. The ability to be self-aware, empathize with others, regulate emotions, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts in a healthy way are all skills that contribute to the overall health and satisfaction of relationships. Psychologists like Daniel Goleman, Carl Rogers, and John Gottman have highlighted the importance of these emotional competencies in creating strong, supportive, and lasting connections.

Overall, emotional intelligence is not only important for individual well-being but is also for building and maintaining meaningful relationships that thrive on mutual respect, understanding, and emotional connection.

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Hallucinations, sensory experiences that appear real but are created by the mind, are often associated with mental illness, drug use, or neurological disorders. However, they are more complex than simply being symptoms of pathology. The psychology of hallucination delves into how and why these experiences occur, how they are interpreted, and what they reveal about the brain’s perception and cognition processes.

Hallucinations are defined as perceptual experiences that occur without an external stimulus. They can involve any of the five senses, like auditory hallucinations (hearing voices or sounds that aren’t there), which are the most common; visual hallucinations (seeing things that don’t exist); Tactile hallucinations (feeling sensations that have no physical source); and Olfactory and gustatory hallucinations (smelling or tasting things that aren’t present), which are less common but still significant. These experiences are often vivid and seem entirely real to the person experiencing them, creating a challenge for both the individual and those around them in distinguishing between reality and the hallucination. “Hallucinations could be expressions of repressed desires or unconscious thoughts,” said Sigmund Freud.

At the core of hallucinations lies the brain’s complex mechanisms of perception and interpretation. The brain continuously processes information from the senses, creating a seamless experience of the external world. However, hallucinations disrupt this process. There are several potential causes for this disruption, which are:

1. Sensory deprivation: When sensory input is limited or cut off (e.g., in darkness, isolation, or under extreme stress), the brain may “fill in the gaps” with internally generated imagery or sounds. This can explain why solitary confinement or prolonged sensory isolation can lead to hallucinations.

2. Neuro-chemical imbalance: Hallucinations are often linked to changes in neurotransmitters—chemical messengers in the brain. For example, dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and reward, has been implicated in the hallucinations experienced by those with schizophrenia. Similarly, drugs like LSD or psilocybin alter serotonin pathways, which can lead to vivid visual hallucinations. Research has shown that psychedelics can produce similar effects in healthy individuals, leading scientists to investigate their potential for unlocking new insights into consciousness.

3. Brain areas involved: Brain regions such as the temporal lobes, parietal lobes, and prefrontal cortex are involved in perception, reality testing, and cognitive processing. Activity or dysfunction in these areas—whether due to neurological disease, trauma, or drug use—can lead to the generation of hallucinations. Studies using imaging technology, like fMRI, have shown increased activity in the auditory areas of the brain during auditory hallucinations in individuals with schizophrenia.

4. Memory and expectation: Sometimes, hallucinations can be influenced by a person’s expectations or prior experiences. The brain might rely on past memories or cultural influences to create vivid sensory experiences that seem to correspond to a perceived threat or emotional need. For example, individuals under extreme stress may hallucinate a loved one’s voice or presence, providing comfort or a sense of control in a frightening situation.

Hallucinations are of different types, and they have some psychological implications, which are mostly categorised based on the underlying cause, which include:

• Psychotic Hallucinations: These are typically seen in conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression. In these cases, the hallucinations are often not just isolated sensory experiences but part of a broader disruption in reality perception. People may hear voices that command them to act in certain ways or experience paranoia. The psychological impact can be intense, causing distress, confusion, and a loss of connection to external reality.

• Hypnagogic hallucinations: These are sleep-related hallucinations that occur when falling asleep (hypnagogic) or waking up (hypnopompic). They often involve vivid imagery or sounds, and in some cases, people might confuse them with reality. They are not necessarily pathological but can be distressing. These types of hallucinations are particularly interesting from a psychological perspective, as they suggest that the boundaries between waking and dreaming states are more fluid than typically thought.

• Substance-induced hallucinations: Drugs, particularly psychedelics (e.g., LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline), as well as certain medications and alcohol withdrawal, can cause hallucinations. These experiences may alter perception, induce a sense of altered reality, and provoke intense emotional responses. Though these hallucinations may not always reflect underlying psychiatric pathology, they highlight the mind’s malleability and the brain’s capacity to distort sensory input.

• Cultural and religious hallucinations: In some cultures, hallucinations are considered spiritual or mystical experiences. People might report seeing or communicating with deities, spirits, or ancestors. While these experiences might be interpreted as religious or supernatural, from a psychological standpoint, they offer insights into how culture and belief systems can shape the content of hallucinations. In this sense, hallucinations may not just be random misfirings of the brain but reflections of deeply ingrained cognitive frameworks.

The emotional and cognitive responses to hallucinations can vary widely, and they depend on the context in which they occur. For some individuals, hallucinations are terrifying and disorienting, leading to anxiety, confusion, or distress. In other cases, they can be benign or even pleasant experiences—such as in the case of some mild, non-psychotic hallucinations that are triggered by sleep deprivation, fever, or meditation. The psychological impact is often tied to whether the individual believes the hallucinations are real and whether they have the cognitive ability to “reality test” their experiences. People who experience hallucinations often struggle with distinguishing between what is real and what is imagined.

Conversely, individuals with a higher degree of insight into their condition may experience their hallucinations with more curiosity or detachment, trying to understand or interpret them rather than being overwhelmed by them. This suggests that psychological resilience, coping strategies, and even one’s belief systems can play a key role in how hallucinations are experienced and interpreted.

Hallucinations can be treated by addressing the underlying cause, whether it is a mental health disorder, neurological condition, or substance use. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often employed to help individuals develop skills for managing distressing hallucinations, especially in conditions like schizophrenia. Medications such as antipsychotics are frequently prescribed to help regulate neurotransmitter imbalances and reduce the frequency and intensity of hallucinations. However, the psychological nature of hallucinations means that treatment often also involves helping individuals rebuild their sense of reality. Reality testing techniques can be used to help patients assess whether their experiences are consistent with external reality, and mindfulness practices can help reduce the emotional distress that often accompanies hallucinations.

In conclusion, hallucinations represent a fascinating intersection of perception, cognition, and psychology. While they are often seen as abnormal or pathological experiences, they reveal much about how the brain constructs reality. Whether caused by sensory deprivation, chemical imbalances, or intense psychological states, hallucinations challenge our understanding of what it means to perceive the world around us. By studying the psychology of hallucination, we gain a deeper insight into the intricate and mysterious workings of the human mind.

Photos by Ameerah Auwal Muhammad

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