[I want to apologize beforehand for the length of this post. I want to make sure to include an honest description of my experience for the past 2 months and a half. Also, realize that this is only MY experience and not THE sole experience here at Yale. I hope that this post can help some of you with your ultimate decision of where to go and help get younger kids more interested in Yale.]
So, it’s been such a long time since I’ve been on CC and posted, and I must say that I like this side of the admissions process much better than the other. I definitely miss the whole CC experience, although I can’t say I miss the “Chance Me” threads one bit. It’s also been interesting meeting CC people in person and counting them as some of my friends.
So, I’ve been here for about 10 weeks already, and I’m glad to say that I made the right choice. Yale has met my expectations and beyond. That’s not to say that Yale is perfect; it most definitely has its faults. But in the whole picture, Yale is amazing.
I did Cultural Connections (one of our pre-orientation programs, which I’ll call C.C. do differentiate it from CC). C.C. was SO MUCH FUN! The name (“Cultural”) turns off so many people (almost turned me off) and it’s really a shame. I feel like C.C. was more of an excuse to have fun than anything else. It was not as “cultural” as I thought. We played laser-tag, went shopping, had a ridiculous scavenger hunt, a talent show, a dance, academic and student life panels, not to mention that we got to be on campus for an extra week (which was useful in learning to navigate campus once Camp Yale started). Our “cultural” discussions were limited to a Spike Lee movie, a “getting to know each other exercise,” and something else that I can’t remember. Other than that, C.C. is all the fun of Yale without the work. In fact, I don’t think I went to bed before 3 a.m. during C.C. At night, the whole group would congregate in the LW courtyard and play ninja, mafia, Big Booty, or just listen to our talented friends (and police officers, NO JOKE) play the guitar and sing.
Once Camp Yale started, the fun did not stop. There were parties every day, which made it really easy to meet people and just get closer with my suitemates. In fact, a lot of the acquaintances I know outside of my Residential College (Calhoun College, the best one of the 12; I’ll explain later) I met at parties. The weirdest thing of all is just imagining that these crazy people who you are partying with and having a great time with are all smart. These are kids who got 2400 on their SATs, did a whole lot of research, love to read Plato for fun, or started their own nonprofits. It’s amazing!
My transition academically was really difficult. I have the WORST study habits you could possibly have, not to mention I was more preoccupied with having fun and getting involved than anything. What was most difficult was realizing that I couldn’t do everything I wanted AND still do well in classes. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything Yale has to offer – cultural organizations, dance groups, singing groups, theater groups, political groups, random events and discussions, famous people coming to visit, performances, panels, volunteering groups, and the list goes on. This definitely tainted my first few weeks here because I was stressed about 75% of the time during weekdays. But after, the first midterm season passed, I was able to take a step back and reevaluate things and I think I’ve caught up somewhat. But I definitely know that I cannot do everything that I’m doing now next semester and still be sane.
This is where weekends can be both a blessing and a curse. Weekends here are SO MUCH FUN! If you’re into the whole partying scene, you will fit right in at Yale. There are parties going on Thursday through Saturday, and if you look hard enough you might even find some on Wednesdays. If you’re into the hard partying and drinking scene, fear not! Yalies can mix with the best (worst?) of them. [This is obviously a sensitive topic to many and I do not mean to encourage anyone to partake in heavy drinking. Just mentioning the fact that if that’s what you’re into, you’ll find people here who share your social habits.] If you’re not into the drinking scene, but are into the dancing/partying scene, that’s available too (although, this is usually relegated to Yale College sanctioned dance parties and sometimes your friends, who will throw dance parties, but it will probably have alcohol present). If you’re not into this scene at all, that’s perfectly fine too. In fact, I’ve had as much fun just hanging out with friends and playing cards, dominoes, talking, watching TV, playing Wii, etc. as I’ve had when I go out and party. It’s all about finding your niche, which you will.
The Residential College system is AMAZING. I know everyone always says this and it comes off as cliché. But, it’s true and I just want to validate, as well as just give my experience. I am in Calhoun College and I obviously think that it is the best RC Yale has to offer. While everyone else says that their RC is the best, many people like the new, renovated Calhoun a lot! We are one of the smaller colleges (physically and I think in terms of numbers) and this has its great benefits. While we only have one courtyard, and our perimeter is probably smaller than the perimeter of Silliman’s courtyard, we are one of the tightest knit communities at Yale. In the first few weeks alone, I met so many sophomores, juniors, and even seniors, all who were extremely friendly and wanted to get to know us. I don’t mean superficially met them – as in we introduced ourselves and then forgot who we were the next minute. I mean, people whose names I know, who I see and talk to on a regular basis, and whom I know I could count on should I need anything. I don’t think many people can actually say this. Our master and dean are also one of the best at Yale. Dr. J (as our master, Jonathan Holloway, likes us to call him) is a young, cool, dare I say, hip guy with an amazingly cute family. Dean Woodard is CRAZY, but in a good way. In her talks to us she says the most random things, and has the most unique intonations ever. They’re great people. But regardless of which RC you get placed into you will learn to love it. (I did not like the fact that I got put into Calhoun back in July, but now, I am so glad I did!) A lot of your Yale life revolves around your RC – there’s the buttery, which has cheap food during late nights and it’s a great place to hang out and meet people in your college. I kid you not when I say that I go to the buttery about every other day. There’s also the library, which is a great alternative to Bass, which closes at 2. I can’t believe I’m admitting to this, but I have slept in my library 3 times when I was up late doing work. There’s also the Dining Hall. Calhoun College has one of the friendliest staff in the world. They’re cool people and it’s nice to be able to just have a conversation when they’re making you a hamburger or something.
If anyone is interested in the cultural scene at Yale, here is a bit about it. I am an active member of the Latino Cultural Center (affectionately called La Casa). [There’s also the Afro-American Cultural Center aka “the House”, the Asian American and Native American Cultural Center, the Women’s Center and the Slifka Jewish Center.] The Centers are great place for people to hang out or even better to get involved in the campus at large. Each Center houses many student groups and also need student workers. They serve as a great resource for anyone who needs it, a “home away from home” if you will if necessary. They also host many events. That being said, it’s also easy to get sucked up into “cultural cliques.” Now, this is inherently a bad thing and many people would think that it’s actually a good thing. I will not insert my opinion on so-called “self-segregation” but I didn’t want to be part of that. If you’re like me, then you need to beware because it’s fairly easy to get so involved in the cultural centers that you get sucked into the “cliques” even if unintentionally. But, it’s fairly easy to avoid this. It’s just a matter of wanting it. (That’s my personal opinion, by the way.)
Academically, Yale is Yale. We all know what Yale has to offer academically – great professors (i.e. people renowned in their areas) and great opportunities. We have Nobel Prize winners, people top in their fields, etc. etc. But, this doesn’t mean that they’re great lecturers (necessarily). For example, some lectures seem pointless. Point in case, CHEMISTRY! There is basically very little point in attending lectures, except that they take random attendance. Most people in Chem just go on Facebook or do their homework during lectures. However, not all lectures are this way. I know professors who are REALLY animated and command attention during their lectures (i.e. Intro to Cog Sci professor, Jonathan Holloway, etc.). Seminars are, in short, AMAZING. My French professor is amazing, as is my English professor. I think at times these less renowned professors are some of the best. Prof. Ritzenberg (English) is really funny, animated, caring, knowledgeable, and makes class really fun. To his extent, shopping period is amazing, although I didn’t take advantage of it.
But, what makes Yale by far the most amazing place, are the intangible things that Yale has to offer. (This section is going to seem very unclear because I can barely articulate what these intangible offerings are.) For one, walking through the buildings, you get an amazing feeling of history. If you’re into that whole sentimental, emotional thing about being at an Ivy League, just thinking that so many famous and amazing people walked through the same halls you’re walking or lived in the same rooms you did, makes you feel part of something much greater than you. Another thing about being a Yalie is the other people who share the title with you. There is an indescribable camaraderie amongst all Yalies, old and young. I had the wonderful privilege of dining with alumni last week and I take it a great honor to count myself amongst famous architects, actors, businessmen, philanthropists, and just overall amazing and successful people. It was so interesting to see all the alumni present, who were literally decades apart in age, get along so well as if they’ve been life long friends. Even more amazing, was how well we, freshmen and juniors in college, fit in and got along with these 55+, businesspeople. Even more amazing, if that’s even possible at this point, was the fact that the young kids were the sanest at the dinner. The jokes and stories that these alumni were throwing around were borderline inappropriate for their age group (no offense to older parents on this thread; you just wouldn’t expect people this old to say some of the things they did). But it wasn’t a bad thing, it was a good thing that made them more real and accessible. It was also just great to talk to people who knew the likes of George W. Bush when he was in college.
This, of course, just further proves the cliché, yet VERY TRUE, point that what makes Yale, Yale is the amazing people here. You barely get to experience as a pre-frosh or an applicant, but take my word for it, that once you get here, it will astound you!
Good luck to all 2014 EA applicants, RD applicants, and upcoming high schoolers. I hope that in a few months time, I can count many of you among my peers! If you guys have any questions, don’t hesitate to post them on here or PM me and I’ll get back to you guys as soon as I can.
Now, off to rehearsal and then work…
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