Arethusa, a local ice cream store based in Connecticut, is one of a few ice cream shops within walking distance of Yale. Located along Chapel Street, it is comfortably situated across from Old Campus and lies on the same block as fan favorites, including Claire’s Cornucopia and Starbucks.
This past summer, as a student in Yale Summer Session (YSS), I lived on campus and experienced New Haven summer. During the first few days of YSS students were eager to meet their classmates and mealtimes involved gathering around two picnic tables in Silliman College. After my first day of classes, an outdoor lunch ended with a group of girls and me hoping to seek refuge from the heat and by studying in Sterling Memorial Library.
Sometime during our lunchtime conversation, someone mentioned National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. In honor of our first day of classes (and an excuse for ice cream), it was unanimously decided that a trip to Arethusa was the only logical post study snack. At that time, I only knew my summer suitemate Alice, but soon I’d become close with Ella, Isa, and Valerie - all members of the original Arethusa crew.
Isa, Valerie, Alice, Ella and I with Heidi
During that first lunch, I never expected to see us together again as a group. We were taking different courses and had different interests. The odds of us sticking together were slim. For reference, below is a quick summary of my amazing friends.
1. Alice, my suitemate, is a computer science queen. Taking difficult computer science classes and involved in computer science related extracurriculars, Alice is the definition of a passionate and hardworking computer science student at Yale.
2. Then there’s Ella. Ella is our resident student athlete. With a whopping 400m time of 55.13 seconds, Ella is a member of the Yale Women’s Track and Field team (I’m also betting on her chances as a future Olympian).
3. Next, we have Isa. When she’s not writing for the YDN or for her English courses Isa shines in her comedy group, The Good Show. Subjectively, Isa is the funniest out of all of us. Also, her hugs are top-notch.
4. Finally, we have Valerie. Besides showing off her amazing dance skills in Danceworks, Valerie is always willing to help others as a Cultural Connections leader and member of the Yale Coalition of Allyship Advocates.
If someone told me a year ago that some of my closest friends at Yale would have completely different interests as me, I would have been in disbelief. Fortunately, after that fateful day in Arethusa, with Yale being our common ground and the help of National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, we still manage to regularly see each other during the academic school year.
I’ve realized there is no formula to being a Yale student. In both social and academic realms, there’s a place for everyone. It is this diversity that makes the friendships here some of the most fulfilling and exciting friendships I’ve had.
One of our many trips to Arethusa
