Yale University

December 15, 2004:
I have a Yale hat. It is a blue ski cap with a white Y on it. I like it, but I feel bad that it isn't being used the way that I intended. I bought it for my "Yale picture" for this travelogue, but here I am at the end of my time here and the picture hasn't happened. Well, at least I'll have a warm, Ivy League head.

Yale turned out to be very good to me. I met a wide range of students who were able to show me their classes, colleges, and activities. I never quite made it to Mory's, but I plan to come back next semester to celebrate with the team that brought us the Harvard-Yale prank. I also hope to give a Master's Tea—not to glean information from students but to share my observations of Yale and its peer institutions.

I am very grateful to everyone who offered to help me at Yale. I wish I had been on campus at a better time of the academic year, and I wish I had more time to meet with more of the people who volunteered their services.

But I am also grateful (and a bit surprised) to be at the halfway point in this project. In January, I will start a new chapter at the University of Pennsylvania. But right now, I have time to catch up on my writing and to take a break.

Happy Holidays!

December 6, 2004:
Yale is rich. Of course, all of the Ivies have tremendous wealth. But at Yale, the money is more obvious.

The architecture at the school is amazing. Many of the newer buildings have been designed at great expense to look older—the windows deliberately cracked and repaired, the roof tiles chipped by hand, the stones stained and weathered. The school's power plant has gothic-style smokestacks. A wealthy donor bequeathed millions of dollars to build Sterling library, and many of those millions went into the details of the library, making it the single most spectacular building I've seen during this project.

The money isn't just used on architecture. It is also spent on social activities and education. Speakers are brought to the campus to speak to students. The colleges provide money for dinners, parties, and recreational equipment. Students can form community service groups or study abroad, all with the financial support of the university.

The irony—and I certainly am not the first commentator on the subject—is that Yale is an oasis in the middle of an otherwise depressing area. New Haven is everything that Yale is not, and the contrast between the two is almost painful.

I've heard from two groups of students. One group doesn't like New Haven—they say that the streets are dangerous at night and sketchy during the day. Dozens of students have told me that they prefer to stick close to campus. But the other group likes New Haven. It's not that bad, they say, and it gives them a chance to interact in the real world. Both of the students in this group actually prefer the location of the school.

On a different note, most classes are over at Yale. Now we're into the reading period. From what I understand, not much reading gets done in the reading period—especially early in the week. The students will start thinking about their finals after they take a few days to unwind.

December 1, 2004:
Before I get into this week's observations, I should make one addition to my note about the Harvard-Yale game. Some very creative Yalies played a prank that is worth checking out.

One of the most interesting aspects of Yale, from my point of view, is the residential college system. When students arrive on campus, they are each randomly assigned to one of twelve residential colleges. Because of the random selection process, the colleges do not have personalities—there is no athletic college or nerdy college. Rather, each college is a microcosm of Yale, and students can develop close friendships in this sub-group.

The living spaces are amazing compared to what I've seen at other schools. Each residence has several entryways with doors to suites at every floor. Common rooms in the suites have large windows with good views and decorative fireplaces. Each college has a basement that houses a variety of activities, from rock climbing walls to pottery studios to gyms to movie theaters.

Every college has a Master who lives in the college with his or her family. The Master is responsible for the social activities of the college. They routinely host Master's Teas in their homes, where students gather to mingle with special guest visitors. Each college also has its own Dean in Residence, who is responsible for the academic advising of the students.

The residential colleges are beautiful and pragmatic. Yale is a great place in many ways, but the living situation is definitely a high point for me.

I am also fascinated by secret societies at Yale. The members of the societies with ominous-sounding names such as Skull and Bones select juniors who will replace them in the society the following year. They meet in windowless crypts and they...

Well, that's all I've figured out so far. They are secret, after all.

November 16, 2004:
People often ask me how I am writing the book. What is my research method? How do I meet new students? What am I looking for?

Well, let me give an example of how it works when it works right.

I met a person at Dartmouth who told me that she had some friends at the other Ivies. I immediately asked, "Do you know anyone at Yale?" She told me that she did and offered to put me in touch with her friend.

Her friend—a senior in Branford College—met me on campus the day after I arrived. We went to lunch in a dining hall, talked about the social scene at Yale, and went to a senior seminar in International Studies. Later that day, she wrote to me and asked if she could send some information about my project out to her friends at Yale. I, of course, said yes.

By the end of the day, I had almost 100 emails from Yale students. Many people invited me to their favorite (and least favorite) classes. I was invited to various parties and social events. Teams and groups welcomed me to join them for practices, gatherings, and performances. Several people offered to show me around Yale and their residential colleges, and many people just offered to sit and talk to me about their thoughts on Yale. Thanks to the initiative of two students and the help of many more, I should be set for my time in New Haven.

On a slightly different note, last weekend was the Harvard-Yale football game in Cambridge. Undefeated Harvard stomped Yale into the ground without mercy or ceremony. In addition to watching their football team getting spanked, Yalies also had to contend with strict alcohol/partying policies during their visit. According to popular rumor, Harvard rolled out some new rules that dampened the usual social scene at the game, and the Yalies were not thrilled.

When I arrived in Cambridge on Friday night, however, I had no problem finding Yale students. They were the ones talking and laughing in the streets. New policies or not, the Yale community seemed to have a good time at the game. It was a good way to launch into a week-long break from classes.

November 16, 2004:
I decided to visit Yale right before the holiday break for a reason. Frankly, I didn't expect that the administration and students would be especially friendly. With breaks and exams, I figured I would spend a minimal amount of time on campus. I have no idea why I assumed that Yale would turn out this way, but I did.

It seems that I was wrong. Several students who are friends of friends already contacted me. The Yale Daily News wasted no time writing a story about my project. The reporter and photographer with whom I met were both extremely helpful, showing me around campus and taking me into their residential colleges. A member of the administration contacted me before I arrived, and she recommended that I come to Yale a week ahead of schedule to have more time with the students. It is early in my stay here, but Yale is shaping up to be a very welcoming place.

It's odd to have my perception of a school change so quickly, but I am very glad that it did.

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