Joshua's Blog

Hello! My name is Josh and I'm a sophomore in Berkeley College from New Rochelle, New York. After dabbling in everything from Psychology to American Indian Studies during my freshman year, I have decided to double major in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and Spanish. I am active in student government at Yale and represent the Berkeley community on the Yale College Council. I teach health education to New Haven middle school students every week through Community Health Educators and serve as the treasurer of the Public Health Coalition. With the help of a brand new organization called “The Future Project,” I mentor a high school student in community activism projects. In my free time, I enjoy throwing pottery, exploring Yale’s 30 libraries, cross country running, and learning about ancient South American cultures. Thanks for checking out my blog!

One-Half

Recently, a lot of my friends have been tossing around the “one-half” idea. We’re sophomores (read: we’re old). Two years into college and we feel old.

No, maybe it’s not age. Maybe we just feel like we know this place. For almost two years, we have grown and Yale has grown. Exciting things are happening on campus: a new batch of Yale College Council Officers will be elected in the next few days, Yale will open a brand new college in Singapore in 2013, and two new residential colleges will open their doors to students in 2015. Yale is in motion.

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The Snow Report

After much anticipation, winter has finally coated New Haven with a layer of fluff! So here’s your snow report: the Elm City has never been more beautiful. The Freshman Class Council had a midnight snowball fight on Old Campus, students were out and about in the snow, and the morale is high heading into second semester. We’re glad to be walkin’ in a winter wonderland!

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Ringing in the New Year with a New Library

Friends, I have a confession. For those readers who have kept up with my blog over the past year and a half, you may have noticed a trend. Somehow, one way or another, I always end up talking about at least one of Yale’s libraries.

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An Autumn Collage

As I stepped out of Sterling Chemistry Laboratory a few weeks ago, I took a deep breath of crisp autumn air. After too many days of preparing for my Organic Chemistry midterm, my mind was ready to rediscover the beauty of Yale outdoors after too many hours staring at free radical halogenation reactions and the syntheses of epoxides. Twenty-four hours earlier, I entered Bass Library with books in hand and an over-stuffed backpack. This time, I entered the library with nothing more than an artistic vision.

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Happily “Undecided”

Over the past year and a half, there have been a number of elements of the college experience that I’ve particularly appreciated. Whether it’s meeting peers from around the world, discovering unexpected interests, or rekindling overlooked passions, the university setting often provides an ideal medium. Within a liberal arts college, students have the opportunity to explore new possibilities, challenge themselves academically, and thrive as members of a community.

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The MOH

On a typical Saturday morning, you can usually find me hiding under layers of blankets in bed. But once or twice a year, I set my alarm for 6:30 AM and jump out of bed for an event that we call MOH.

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The Butterfly Lovers

The story began on a picturesque spring day. Liang Shanbo met Zhu Yingtai, a female dressed in a boy’s disguise, at a wayside arbor.  In that moment, they avowed to become sworn brothers. As students, three happy years of close affinity passed quickly and the two had to return to their homes. Zhu’s anxieties were clear: she had been arranged to marry someone else. Zhu’s protest against an undesired marriage presents the climax of the conflict. Liang confesses his longing for Zhu, but upon discovering that Zhu will be married, he died of heartbreak.

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All the Small Things

One year later, I’m just as enchanted as I was as a wide-eyed freshman. I still wear my keychain around my neck when I’m doing laundry, I still explore the craziest study spots on campus, and I never want to stop meeting new people. Spending the majority of this summer away from my home in New Haven was a blessing: I had the opportunity to reflect on my freshman year, evaluate my Yale experience thus far, and live in South America for a month. At the end of the summer, I missed my friends, my classes, and my residential college.

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Meet the Bloggers!

Welcome to the Bulldogs' Blogs! It is my pleasure to introduce the new bloggers for 2011-2012! Over the next few weeks, look out for new posts, photos, and videos. We can't wait to share our Yale experiences with you. As always, feel free to leave comments, questions, and suggestions. 

Pictured below, from left to right, is Josh, Snigdha, Hunter, Hanoi, Shamillah, Michelle, Vrish, and Emily. Noam will also be joining us as a blogger this year, but was not able to make it for the photo.

Check back soon for new content! Boola boola!

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Livin' La Vida Quiteño - Quito Part II

I've been here in Quito for the past three and a half weeks. But today, for the first time, I finally felt like a Quiteño, a native of this city.

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