<p>@IxnayBob haha fair I’m a midwesterner so there you go</p>
<p>What is your favorite thing about Yale? And what is your least favorite? </p>
<p>My favorite thing about Yale is the student body. I came to Yale-- as opposed to, say, MIT (though I didn’t apply so it’s presumptuous of me to imply that was a decision)-- because I wanted to be surrounded by people with really diverse interests, hopefully a lot of brilliant non-scientists (as I am myself a sciencey premed). I have completely realized the benefits of that choice. I’ve sat up late having discussions about utilitarianism and fracking and music in my common room, and I’ve made friendships that I’m really truly thankful for. Not to say any of this wouldn’t happen at any college, just that Yalies on the whole are very interested and interesting people. My guidance counselor told me my Yale adcom said that after verifying academic qualification, the question they ask to decide whom to admit is “would this person be an interesting suitemate to have?” and I have definitely seen the effects of this.</p>
<p>My least favorite thing about Yale is as follows: I think there’s too much emphasis on ECs. The problem is, to get into Yale, not only do you need the perfect SATs and GPA etc, but you need to spend a lot of time in a lot of ECs. People then come into Yale with lots of inertia from high school and sign up for a laundry list of groups. Compounding the problem is the fact that social life at Yale revolves around ECs in a way it doesn’t at a lot of other schools. At Yale, you’ll regularly go out and drink with your political group, or dance team. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this in and of itself; it’s actually quite a lot of fun. What it means, however, is that people are just busy as all hell, and my favorite Yale experiences have generally been the spontaneous: going out for a bite to eat, just chilling and listening to music, playing a game of pickup basketball. All of which is a long way to say I wish Yalies were more spontaneous, though I realize that on the flip side, we all are busy with interesting and fun pursuits, so I can’t be too mad.</p>
<p>@litotes Thanks! I have yet another question, if you’re struggling with or class or even a teacher, what do you usually do?</p>
<p>go to a peer tutor, go to office hours, or go to my residential college dean, depending on the type of struggle</p>
<p>
I would just like to add that a person like this should check out the Yale Precision Marching Band, even if she doesn’t play an instrument.</p>
<p>Totally agree Hunt. That’s a perfect spot for someone with those kind of interests.</p>
<p>FYI I can no longer maintain this thread as I am busy once again but hopefully some others can help out.</p>
<p>I heard Yale residential colleges set up activities for their students (like a water balloon fight) or there are traditions.</p>
<p>What’s it really like? Is it something more for freshman than for seniors? Is it spread out through the year or clustered into one area?</p>
<p>Yale students are devoted to their residential college for all 4 years. Everyone thinks theirs is the best. Each one is unique and has its own traditions. For example, Jonathan Edwards has a Spider Ball every year. They have intramural teams and competition is fierce, though anyone is welcome to play. During finals, the Master will have study breaks with treats like pizza, cookies, hot cocoa. After spending the weekend at Harvard for The Game, my D said she really really appreciated her residential college even more. </p>
<p>T26E4 posted this last year, and it has stayed in my thoughts:
</p>
<p>LOL ^^^</p>
<p>And while we’re at it, what’s the party scene at Yale? (I REALLY love to dance, however with my (pitiful) popularity status, the only parties I am invited to or even hear of are my high school’s school-hosted parties.)</p>
<p>@Gallory, based on my son’s research this year, he has determined that the parties at Yale are better than those at NYU, UPenn, Columbia, and Harvard. He intends to continue his research for another 7 semesters. </p>
<p>@Gallory</p>
<p>There are more college sponsored events for freshmen, but that’s because freshmen counselors are typically a fairly big part of your life when you’re a freshmen (in a good way. Or you can avoid them altogether if you want).</p>
<p>You’ll have at least one study break every week where they have free food and usually some sort of activity. There is always IMs, so if you do those you’ll be pretty involved with your college. You’ll also have Master’s Teas which are not limited to students just your college, but there’s usually a disproportionate number of students from whatever college is hosting it. Plus, it was likely set up by either a student in your college or your master, and it will be hosted by your master, so your college will have its imprint on it. </p>
<p>There are also plenty of special events. This week in my college for example, there are holiday dinners and tree decorating at the master’s house. We have an arts week with performances and exhibitions by students in the college. There’s the occasional classical brunch with live classical music at the master’s house on Sundays. There are college trips to things like apple picking, Mets games, a performance in NY, etc. There are a couple holidays specific to each college. Every Friday afternoon there’s free food in the master’s office, so people will stop by and hang out for a little while. In addition to the bigger campus wide parties hosted in colleges, there’s a dance/party specifically for members of your college and their guests. When you’re a senior there are a bunch of things for the senior class in general and for the seniors in your college. My college has a wine seminar with one of the fellows of the college that meets on Saturdays. There’s the Mellon Forum where seniors meet for dinner and give presentations about their research. My college has a nice theater, and in order to reserve it you have to have at least one member of my college in your group, so that meant that there was usually a good chance that I had some connection to the people putting on the performance. Sometimes students will put together special events for the college. One time, for example, we had a beer brewing party at the master’s house. And of course, the college council meets every week and that’s open to everyone, so that’s another way to be involved. </p>
<p>For most students, most of their friends are from their college. As the years go by you’ll be pretty well connected to other people in your college and will have a good idea of the unstructured social events going on. </p>
<p>FWIW, here’s the email my master sent out this week. Maybe this can help you get some idea of what it’s like. It’s the last week of classes, so there’s not a ton going on. </p>
<p>Welcome back, Moose! There’s a lot going on … and many study breaks lined up for Reading Period & Exam Period. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at our Holiday dinner, tree decorating party, and other gatherings. </p>
<p>1) Ezra Stiles College Council Elections - Monday December 8th (Deadline for candidacy is TODAY!)
2) Holiday gifts for Dining Hall and Custodial Staff
3) Holiday Dinners - This Saturday December 6th from 5-7pm
4) Tree Decorating Party in the Master’s House: Sunday December 7th from 3-5pm
5) Ezra Stiles Water Bottles have arrived!
6) Lotteries for upcoming events
7) Currently On View: Graduate Affiliate Anya Montiel’s show in the Art Gallery
8) Recycling Bins
9) Info Session on Summer Research and Fellowships in the Sciences - Wednesday December 3rd at 8pm
10) The Adrian Van Sinderen Book Collecting Prizes for Seniors and Sophomores
11) Important procedures for Winter Recess:</p>
<p>Best of luck with the last week of classes!</p>
<p>1) Ezra Stiles College Council Elections - Monday December 8th (Deadline for candidacy is TODAY!) </p>
<p>How to run:</p>
<p>Elections will take place on Monday, December 8th, 2014 at 9pm.
To run, return the candidacy form to xxxxxx by email no later than Monday December 1st, 2014 at 9pm.</p>
<p>The available positions:</p>
<p>President: runs ESCC meetings, coordinates the various groups under ESCC’s umbrella, writes important and hilarious emails, runs (with help) various events and panlists, deals with random questions from Stilesians (xxxxxxx)</p>
<p>Secretary: takes and disseminates notes from ESCC meetings, makes sure the president follows the Consitution, protects the rights of Stilesians (currently xxxxxxx)</p>
<p>Treasurer: handles the finances of ESCC and its various committees and organizations, works with Marc to manage the budget, DECIDES WHAT FOOD TO GET FOR ESCC (currentlyr xxxxxx)</p>
<p>Historian: provides delightful weekly historical updates, maintains records of meetings and events, publicizes ESCC-related events (currently xxxxx)</p>
<p>Eligibility to run:</p>
<p>You’re eligible to run. If you’re an enrolled non-senior in Stiles, you are eligible to run for any of the offices. You do NOT need to be a member of ESCC to run.</p>
<p>Eligibility to vote:</p>
<p>All members of ESCC are eligible to vote in elections. If you’re not sure if you’re a member, you must have attended at least one meeting. Please email me and I will let you know. Because democracy is so important, you all have one more chance to become a member of ESCC, by filling out the attached membership form and returning it to me (in person) by Wednesday December 7 at 9pm.</p>
<p>Questions/Intention to Run:</p>
<p>Email me or any of the current officers if you have any questions at all about elections or the offices, or if you are thinking about running for anything. If you have questions about any of the specific positions, feel free to email me or the current officeholder.
I’m happy to sit down and talk to anyone thinking about running or with any concerns about it. Don’t hesitate to ask!!</p>
<p>Best wishes,</p>
<p>~ESCC Board</p>
<p>2) Holiday gifts for Dining Hall and Custodial Staff</p>
<p>Ezra Stiles students have a long tradition of collecting holiday bonuses for our dining hall & custodial staff at this time of year. So please keep an eye out for the table near the dining hall in the coming days, and contribute a bit if you can. The women and men who clean this place and keep the dining hall running every day will be grateful. </p>
<p>3) Holiday Dinners - This Saturday December 6th from 5-7pm</p>
<p>Upperclassmen in Ezra Stiles … ES 2018 in Commons!
This is a Family Night, so all off-campus Stilesians are welcome to join us. No transfers!
Dress up!</p>
<p>4) Tree Decorating Party in the Master’s House: Sunday December 7th from 3-5pm</p>
<p>Please come to the Master’s House on Sunday from 3-5pm to decorate our (big) tree, enjoy holiday fare, and sing carols (if you’d like!).
It’ll be a great study break … come over whether you’re an experienced tree decorator or this will be your first time!</p>
<p>5) Ezra Stiles Water Bottles have arrived!</p>
<p>$5 in the Master’s Office!</p>
<p>6) Lotteries for upcoming events</p>
<p>Look for an email from xxxxxxx with information about lotteries for:</p>
<p>Jazz Concert by the Mingus Big Band at Sprague Hall, Friday December 5th at 7:30pm <a href=“http://music-tickets.yale.edu/single/eventDetail.aspx?p=12490”>http://music-tickets.yale.edu/single/eventDetail.aspx?p=12490</a></p>
<p>Benefit Concert for Yale Africa Initiative Student Scholarships featuring Afro-pop star Angelique Kidjo with Shades, the Yale Percussion Group, and the Yale Concert Band <a href=“http://music.yale.edu/2014/10/22/angelique-kidjo-perform-benefit-concert-yale-dec-6/”>http://music.yale.edu/2014/10/22/angelique-kidjo-perform-benefit-concert-yale-dec-6/</a></p>
<p>War at Yale Rep on Saturday December 6th at 8pm <a href=“http://www.yalerep.org/on_stage/2014-15/war.html”>http://www.yalerep.org/on_stage/2014-15/war.html</a></p>
<p>7) Currently On View: Graduate Affiliate xxxxxx’s show in the Art Gallery</p>
<p>Land-Home-Memory:
A Photography and Print Exhibition
by xxxxx</p>
<p>An exhibition of photographs and relief prints by xxxxxx about the beauty, nostalgia, and complexities of calling a place home.</p>
<p>8) Recycling Bins</p>
<p>If you need a recycling bin for your suite in Ezra Stiles please come to the Master’s Office to pick one up before break.</p>
<p>9) Info Session on Summer Research and Fellowships in the Sciences - Wednesday December 3rd at 8pm</p>
<p>Yale College Annual Info Session on Summer Research and Fellowships in the Sciences
Hosted by Dean Segraves and the Yale Undergraduate Science & Engineering Committee</p>
<p>THIS Wednesday, December 3rd at 8pm
(Room in LC to be announced, look for signs when you enter LC!)
Churros from Tomatillo will be provided!</p>
<p>Calling all undergraduates interested in the sciences! This Wednesday, 12/3 at 8 pm, there will be an Information Session on Summer Research and Fellowships in the Sciences, hosted by the Yale Undergraduate Science & Engineering Committee and Dean Segraves, Director of the Science and QR Center & Associate Dean for Science Education. This is a once-a-year special event, so if you are interested in learning about and exploring the many opportunities for pursuing science research through Yale this summer, we hope you can make it - you won’t want to miss it! Students of all class years and majors are welcome and encouraged to attend. Room in LC to be announced (look for signs when you enter the building). Churros from Tomatillo will be provided! We hope to see you there!</p>
<p>10) The Adrian Van Sinderen Book Collecting Prizes for Seniors and Sophomores</p>
<p>The Adrian Van Sinderen Book Collecting Prizes for Seniors and Sophomores</p>
<p>In order to encourage undergraduates to collect books, build their own libraries, and read for pleasure and education, Adrian Van Sinderen YC 1910 established two prizes— one for seniors and one for sophomores— in 1957. The Senior Prize is $1,000, and the Sophomore Prize is $700. </p>
<p>For more information, including instructions and the application form, visit: <a href=“Welcome | The Adrian Van Sinderen Book Collecting Prizes”>Welcome | The Adrian Van Sinderen Book Collecting Prizes. Application materials are due by 5 pm on Friday, January 23, 2015. To view the poster advertising the prize, visit our blog at <a href=“http://printer.yale.edu”>http://printer.yale.edu</a>.</p>
<p>Selected collections will be examined by appointment before spring vacation. If a collection does not reside at Yale, the student should be prepared to show the judging committee what he or she considers the most significant portion of the collection.</p>
<p>@chncsy </p>
<p>If you’re a freshman, you’d probably talk to your freshman counselor. You could go to your dean, but, at least early on, you’ll probably have a stronger relationship with your freshman counselor. Frocos spend a ton of time helping freshmen with all sorts of problems. That’s basically what their job is. </p>
<p>@chncsy I’ll echo what litotes said about the best part of Yale. </p>
<p>Really, the only bad thing about Yale that you need to worry about is the same problem that all of Yale’s peer schools have. It can be killer on your self-esteem, especially if you’re used to being a big fish in a small pond. The students aren’t arrogant or anything, it’s just that if being smart and/or accomplished is a big part of your identity, it may be difficult when everyone around you is as smart and accomplished as you are and you don’t feel so special anymore. </p>
<p>@GFM2014 Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions. </p>
<p>Exactly IxynayBob. </p>
<p>In my Ds college, the Master regularly has a lottery where students are picked to go to a Broadway show in New York. It is an all paid trip where they have dinner in NY with the RC fellows and see a show. It is very popular. </p>