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. I also missed all the small things that make my Yale experience unique.
First and foremost, it’s hard to believe I spent an entire summer without setting foot in the dining hall, one of my favorite places on campus. The dining hall is the heart and soul of the residential college: it’s a great place to catch up with a friend over dinner, grab a homemade waffle in the morning before class, a salad for lunch, and everything in between. Part of that “everything in between” includes the absurd variety of Yale Dining desserts: inside-out cupcakes, magic bars, organic brownies, French toast cupcakes, apple cobbler, and Pumpkin cheesecake Oreo deliciousness.
I’ve missed living in a castle with flying buttresses, common rooms with fireplaces, and a buttery just one floor below.
My castle, more commonly known as Berkeley College, happens to be located on Cross Campus, the main artery of Yale’s central campus. As I soaked in the last moments of summer out on the green in front of Sterling Memorial Library, I couldn’t help but to capture the brilliant colors of the sunset reflecting on the clouds.
Beyond my infatuation with library explorations, I’ve also missed exploring the art galleries, a cappella concerts, and theatre productions. I’ll never be able to make it to each and every event, but the talents of my peers never cease to amaze me.
But more than anything else, I’m so happy to be back on campus with my friends: my family here in New Haven.
It’s good to be back!