Although seems like I was just a first year at Yale moving into my dorm for the first time, it is unfortunately not the case. While I have seen parts of campus I never knew existed and explored New Haven to the best of my abilities during these past three years at Yale, there are still so many things I want to accomplish before I finally graduate next May. To keep me accountable, below is a brief list of activities and places I want to accomplish before my time at Yale is up.
1. Run a half marathon (specifically the Faxon Law Half Marathon): I have been meaning to run a half marathon for the longest time. After sleeping through the race last year, I hope that I will have learned my lesson this time around and wake up on time.
2. Explore Long Wharf: This is another item on my bucket list for a while. Even though I always pass by Long Wharf during my commute to and from Yale, Long Wharf always felt too far away for a quick trip. When I do make the trek out to Long Wharf, I am looking forward to a peaceful walk alongside the water and to trying out the various food trucks along Long Wharf.
3. Take a sunrise hike to East Rock: I have hiked to the top of East Rock at least once a year during the past three years at Yale. Since I want to keep this streak alive my senior year, another hike to East Rock seems fitting. Although it will be hard to wake up, I know I won’t regret the early wake-up call once I take in the early morning views.
4. Make a pottery set: It is safe to say that I am not the most artistic or creative of people. Even though I have visited the art studios and printing presses in Yale’s residential colleges, the idea of making something in the pottery studio seems daunting due to the time commitment required. Hopefully, I will be able to visit the studio soon since I will have to make several trips to the pottery studio before completing my project.
5. Indoor climbing at City Climb: I pass by City Climb, an indoor rock-climbing gym, during my runs along the Farmington Canal. Like many of the other items on this list, I’ve been meaning to make the trek out to City Climb for a while. However, my excuse for neglecting to accomplish this earlier is my perpetual lack of upper body strength and fear of the resulting soreness.
6. Participate in an IM (intramural) sport: Even though I am a huge advocate for residential college life, I have never played an intramural sport. Every year, students in the residential colleges compete for the Tying Cup by competing in various sports throughout the semester. While my lack of hand-eye coordination won’t help my residential college score any points, I believe participating in intramural sports is a rite of passage for each residential college.
7. Explore Payne Whitney’s facilities: Besides going to Payne Whitney during the rare instances the Timothy Dwight College gym is closed, I rarely make the most of Payne Whitney’s facilities. Luckily, I plan to change this this year and use the indoor pools or the squash courts that are available for students to use.
8. Try a different college’s buttery: As a Timothy Dwight student, I am undoubtedly biased towards our buttery, which is essentially a late-night snack shop run by students. From the plethora of signature dishes named after our amazing buttery managers to the mounds of cookie dough and the deep-fried delicacies known as chicken tenders, fries, and mac-and-cheese bites, I never felt compelled to visit other colleges’ butteries. While a 14-College buttery crawl seems like a large feat, it would be fun to see what other colleges have to offer and visit their butteries.
9. Visit the Peabody Museum: The inner child in me is still very much fascinated by dinosaurs. If it weren’t for the construction, I would have visited the Peabody Museum much sooner. Fortunately, the museum is set to open in 2024 so hopefully, I can visit the museum prior to my graduation.
10. Take an art class: Even though art is completely unrelated to my major and currently have one semester’s worth of classes left, I am interested in taking an art class at Yale. As of now, I have my sights set on either a beginner drawing or painting class.
I am sure there are many other things at Yale I want to do and visit before my time in New Haven is up. Even if I do not accomplish all the items above, I know that I will leave Yale feeling accomplished, for the friends I’ve made, problem sets I’ve accomplished, and the essays I’ve completed just before the deadline. Alongside of the unique senior year activities, completing the items above will simply be the cherry on top of a mound of accomplishments at Yale.
