HI YALE! I’M BACK, BABY!
Okay, well, technically I was already back on campus last semester (spring 2021). But this fall, I’m back with a few marked differences: classes are in full swing (and in person), the campus is BURSTING with life, and most importantly, I’m bloggin’ again! :’) I’ve even met some of YOU, dear readers, on campus. Some of you have followed my blogs since day 1! Now you’re here as a wide-eyed first year and my heart is bursting with pride. (If you are here & want to grab a meal, please reach out!)
So in my first blog post for this semester, I want to talk to you about my f e e l i n g s. That’s right. As a second semester senior graduating this December, I feel the pressure to truly “enjoy” this semester. It’s like I have an obligation to “make the most out of it.” I’ve been talking to a lot of recent college graduates and people who have settled into their working lifestyles for years now. Many say the same thing: enjoy college–it’s the best years of your life–there’s nothing like it once you leave–you’re surrounded by people standing on the cusp of greatness! Now, this is both wonderful and terrifying at once. Is life really gonna go downhill once I snag that diploma and yeet outta here? Should I be doing more to take advantage of these ivory towers? Am I doing enough to really enjoy Yale?
Obviously, I want to leave Yale without any regrets. On one hand, that means checking off items on my FOMO-induced bucket list: climbing up Harkness Tower to see the iconic bells (CHECK), sneak onto any Yale building rooftop for a vista of New Haven at night, visit Steep cafe on Science Hill, go to a sports game (any sports game. yes I have never been to a sports game at Yale before. sue me!), hit every residential college’s buttery (late-night snack spot, ALMOST CHECK), ice skate at the Whale (our skating rink), get delicious tacos from the food trucks by the wharf (CHECK), pet Handsome Dan (DOUBLE CHECK)… the list goes on and on.
I “played” the bells in Harkness Tower.
Eating tacos at the Wharf with friends!
On the other hand, I also want to be super intentional about my time this semester. I want to spend time with the people I know and love dearly, some of whom I began my Yale journey with, like my first-year suitemates, and the women in my first-year bible course. I also want to take this semester to rest and recharge, as well as spend time on what I love most: writing. That means intentionally building out alone time in coffee shops and the occasional self-care solo date, like taking myself to Bow Tie Cinema or treating myself to boba at Whale Tea for no particular reason or falling asleep with a book on top of my face in a courtyard hammock. There is so much beauty and life to absorb in New Haven in the everyday rhythms.
Writing with coffee at Koffee.
Date at the cinema!
Enjoying life on a hammock. Okay, this one was staged, but remains true to the spirit.
So, I’ve made up my mind. I will enjoy Yale in the big and small, solely on my terms: a pacing that is intentional and unhurried, one that will yield four months of fulfilling memories. It will be a semester filled with good eats, belly laughs, and hugs. Even as I plan for a post-grad life and the world of possibilities beyond Yale, for now, I’m reminding myself to be thankful for the simplicity of a scooter ride down cobbled paths as I weave through my fellow Yalies.
Cross Campus
