When you move to the East Coast from California, everyone tells you exactly this: “It’s cold, but at least you’ll have seasons!” I always thought this sentiment was a little silly–we also have seasons in the Bay Area; it’s not like January and June feel exactly the same! But once I got to Yale, I realized there was some validity to the “at least you’ll have seasons” concept. The seasons are DRAMATIC in New Haven. While I experienced them from the ground every year–the vivid muggy green of late summer, the stunning colors of fall, the icy brutality of winter, and the vibrant-but-pollen-filled blooming of spring–it was only this year that I was able to see them from above. I lived in a twelfth-floor apartment that looked right out onto campus, and I took at least one picture of the view every season.
FALL
You’ll never feel more collegiate than you do when walking through campus on an autumn morning. To be frank, this picture was taken in early fall and doesn’t capture the true majesty of the season. It’s an honest-to-goodness, sweater-wearing, apple-cider-donut-eating, pumpkin-patching New England autumn. “Dark Academia,” you’ll say to yourself as you watch The Bachelor in your brightly-lit dorm room.
WINTER
There’s no two ways about it: winter is cold, wet, and feels like it lasts forever. But those first few snows are euphoric: sledding at the Divinity School, dining hall hot chocolate–not to mention the uptick in winter formals, parties, and college-sponsored activities that keep you from developing a maddening case of cabin fever.
SPRING
Spring has sprung! Suddenly, you’re studying for your finals outside. You’re taking roadtrips with your friends to nearby hiking spots, like Sleeping Giant State Park, or carrying a picnic up East Rock. You’re feeling bummed that, just as the weather heats up, it’s time to leave–unless, of course, you stick around for…
SUMMER!
It’s hot, but it’s beautiful. You’ve never seen so much green! You have to resist the temptation to get Arethusa ice cream every day. You can walk to the beach and buy dinner at the Long Wharf Food Trucks. You can take advantage of Payne Whitney’s pool! And you can even try a lobster roll at the brand-new cheesesteak and lobster roll place downtown, Philly’s!
