<p>Originally assigned to Stiles, I was disappointed. The architecture is not the “standard,” and I didn’t know what to expect. But after three and a half years in Stiles, I could not be happier. I would match our spirit and comaraderie against any other house on campus. We represent a good cross-section of all interests: arts, academics, athletics. I feel positive that Fluffy’s experience was NOT a Stiles experience. Like anything else, you have to keep an open mind…your experience will be what YOU make it!</p>
<p>i’ll only say that i don’t live on old campus. anything more than that might give away my identity.</p>
<p>Wow, my experience has been totally different from fluffy’s.</p>
<p>I don’t spend much time with my residential college. One of my very closest friends is my suitemate, but we’re close primarily because we both spend a lot of our time with another organization (Yale Political Union, what what), from whence most of my friendships were sprung. A lot of people in my college are pretty close to each other, but there isn’t the massive sort of drama that fluffy describes–or, if there is, it’s easy to opt out of it and find friends elsewhere.</p>
<p>That said: I love Yale. Love love love it. Most of the reasons I was initially excited about coming here (residential colleges, Directed Studies, &c.) are not exactly the things that I feel most affinity towards now, but I’ve found other things that I love even more. I feel like there’s something here for everyone, and if you approach it with the right attitude, you will find your niche and be extremely happy here.</p>
<p>@lookbeyond: what are some of those other things you found that you didn’t initially expect to love so much?</p>
<p>This thread has been so interesting - can any other Yalies comment on other aspects of Yale or otherwise share their perspectives/experiences?</p>
<p>I was also wondering about debating at Yale - does anyone know of the major teams and competitions? (ie. Worlds etc…)</p>
<p>^ I know that Yale has a Parli team that does very well at national tournaments and stuff (not sure about international) but that they don’t, unfortunately, have a Policy team. :(</p>
<p>wow, my experience has been totally different from fluffy’s as well. in my entryway there’s a group of us who are pretty close, go out together, eat dinners together, etc. they’re definitely my closest friends.</p>
<p>as for academics, the number of small seminars you’ll get (especially freshman year) depends on a combination of luck/initiative. last semester i had a fantastic english seminar, but i didn’t get in to any seminars this semesters - i have all lectures except for language. i definitely wouldn’t say the professors (even for lectures) are uninterested in students. in my experience they are totally approachable and willing to communicate with students. for my big lecture classes, though, i usually end up talking to my ta’s - not my professor - if i have questions, but that’s just me. just don’t go in expecting all your classes to be small, because you’ll be disappointed.
students are very hardworking, but not cutthroat by any means.</p>
<p>the campus itself is safe, but i wouldn’t venture too far into new haven by myself or anything. it’s probably the same as any other urban campus.</p>
<p>i guess one thing that i wasn’t expecting (well, i guess something i just didn’t have any experience with) was the whole prep-school element. its not prevalent by any means, but being from the west coast i hadn’t met a lot of people who had attended those sorts of schools. it’s not really a negative or anything, just something i find interesting.</p>
<p>as for morse and stiles, i’m in one of them (not saying which one) and yeah they’re the “bad” colleges. i won’t lie, haha. but i love my friends in my college and am perfectly happy here regardless. you get over it, and it won’t affect your experience to such an extent that you’ll be any less happy or satisfied with your college experience than people in other colleges. morse and stiles have really nice freshman dorms, too.</p>
<p>ask more questions! we’re on spring break and i’m lying around at home totally bored. i love yale and miss it so much i want to go back already! i’m such a dork…wanting to go back to school…haha :)</p>
<p>I’m a freshman at Yale and New Haven has actually grown on me. Honestly, you won’t have much time to go on frequent outings anyway (like how many times a year do MIT/Harvard kids actually take advantage of Boston anyway? From what I’ve heard from my friends - 0). But there’s a GREAT selection of restaurants in the vicinity and campus is always so happening that you can always find something fun to do.</p>
<p>I don’t think Yale life is arts-dominated at all. In fact, I’m a little confused as to where this conception comes from. Yes, there are always plays, musical performances, etc. going on, but they don’t overwhelm, or even begin to dominate your life in any way. I have been to two improv shows and one concert all year. I’m more interested in the social sciences, and have been lucky enough to go see Sotomayor, Howard Dean, and JAMES FRANCO speak (yes I realize Franco has nothing to do with social sciences). </p>
<p>I don’t think New Haven is dangerous as long as you’re smart about it, and I firmly believe that Yalies are a diverse mix of people who are very down-to-earth (even the billionaires) and very accepting. And we’re just plain happy. There is no cutthroat culture as far as I’m concerned and collaboration is very common. When my friends from Harvard came for The Game weekend, they reiterated two main observations:</p>
<p>1) Yale is so much prettier than Harvard
2) They didn’t love Harvard to the extent that my friends and I love Yale. Of course, I’m not saying this applies to every Harvardian, but in most of my friends at other colleges, the ridiculous passion for their school is lacking.</p>
<p>FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY, AND FOR YALE.</p>
<p>Similar concern to Phreez; I am wanting to do Maths/Physics. Is Yale the right place for that?</p>
<p>“(like how many times a year do MIT/Harvard kids actually take advantage of Boston anyway? From what I’ve heard from my friends - 0)”</p>
<p>This is garbage, our crew goes into Boston every weekend.</p>