Moving back into my residential college the other day was amazing. After a summer of living off-campus in New Haven, dealing with mice, maintenance, interesting neighbors, and consistently running out of groceries (who knew my roommate and I could eat so much cereal?), I could not have been happier to change my home address back to Timothy Dwight College for my sophomore year.
After one year at Yale, I truly consider it my home. Instead of having my favorite chair in the family room or a favorite place to sit out and read in the backyard, I have a whole campus filled with places I love, places that I’m excited to get back to for round two.
Working in the Admissions Office this past summer, I was constantly reminded of the hectic and seemingly never-ending college search process. It really wasn’t so long ago that I was looking at all of these gorgeous college campuses and hearing all of the great and unique opportunities that each school boasted (and they all seemed to have the exact same ‘entirely unique’ things).
I had a hard time ‘seeing’ myself at many schools. Even at Yale, it didn’t happen automatically. But the more I explored and learned about real student lives at Yale, the more I fell in love. So I’ve taken the time to compile a list of my Top 5 Spots at Yale.
1. The Timothy Dwight College Dining Hall
If you are looking to socialize for hours on end or grab a quick breakfast while skimming through the Yale Daily News, dining halls are the perfect place for you. I particularly love TD’s dining hall, with the sun streaming through the windows in the morning and the Sunday family dinner tradition that I have with a group of my friends.
(Photo Credit: Yale Undergraduate Admissions)
2. Ingalls Rink
Whether students have experienced the excitement at a Friday night hockey game or had the chance to skate across the ice themselves like I have, the unique curving architecture of the Yale Whale holds so much contagious energy.
(Photo Credit: Micahel Marsland, Yale University)
3. Kroon Hall
The top floor of Kroon Hall is gorgeous. Tables, couches, study rooms, natural light, the fresh smell of nature (really!), and hiddenness from most undergrads make this uber environmentally friendly building a top-notch study space for those times when I just need to focus.
(Photo Credit: Michael Marsland, Yale University)
4. Old Campus
Despite not having lived there myself (TD and Silliman freshmen get to call their residential colleges home from their first day at Yale), Old Campus is a vibrant quad that always seems to act as an outdoor gathering place. Whether lounging in the near-summer heat with friends during spring reading week or participating in a midnight snowball fight, I love the crisscrossing paths and friendly atmosphere that make Old Campus such a social, lively place.
(Photo Credit: Michael Marsland, Yale University)
5. Hammocks
Dispersed throughout the courtyards of twelve residential colleges, large hammocks invite friends to sit and talk, hang out, or take a well-deserved five-minute break throughout their day. I am a firm believer in the power of fresh air and a fresh perspective, and the number of hammocks across campus definitely makes this possible!
(Photo Credit: Snigdha Sur, Yale ‘12)