October arrives this coming Thursday. Summer is truly over. The weather’s been great and I hope it continues. Yet I do know that the semester is speeding by and that work is heating up. Take a deep breath. Keep working but also get enough sleep and exercise and take short breaks (see below – attend a tea or two, come to our Trumball, just take a walk.) I will host my first quiet study break late this Thursday evening following a dessert reception for sophomores.
Lots of you have experienced some stress already. Lots of you have dropped a course. Many students do not talk with one another about these things but I assure you, if you’re facing new academic challenges or if you have dropped a course you are not alone. (Indeed, dropping a course now and concentrating your efforts on your other courses often is a very good decision.)
Pace yourself for the rest of the semester. I’ll be holding the first study break this week in the house. It will be silent. You can focus and eat snacks; you can get that paper started or that problem set done.
Today (Monday): A Trumbull Sustainability Audit!
Watch it happen in our courtyard. Our trash is ready for our auditors. It’s happening today 4 p.m. It’s worth watching. What did you throw away that you should have recycled? What did you put in recycling that you ought not to have placed there? Find out and then follow instructions.
COMING TO TRUMBULL ON SATURDAY (Oct. 3): TRUMBALL
Next Saturday, Oct. 3rd Trumball occurs from 9 pm – 1 am in our courtyard (or dining hall if it rains). A dance floor, tent and music and lots of food will appear.
The TCC will be selling tickets all week in the dining hall at dinner ($5 for one ticket; $8 for 2 tickets). Tickets are required for entrance and for free crepes. (If money is tight, just tell me.)
Crepes will be available from 9-11 p.m. (Other food and things to drink will be available too.)
This was a wonderful event last year and many of the same folks are working on it again this year. Thanks to all those who are working (and will continue to work) on this event.
Two Teas with Two Writers This Week:
#1 John Jerimiah Sullivan, Tuesday at 4
#2 Our own Jonathan Holloway, Wednesday at 4
Tuesday 4:00 p.m./John Jerimiah Sullivan The Windham/Campbell Awards for writing ($150,000 to support truly spectacular writers’ work) are being awarded tonight at 5 p.m. in Sprague Hall by President Salovey. These are major writing awards given for different categories of writing (poetry, fiction, non-fiction).
Trumbull has invited one of the winners, John Jeremiah Sullivan an American writer and editor from Kentucky to be our tea guest in the house at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 29th. He is a book author Pulphead: Essays; Blood Horses: Notes of a Sportwriter’s Son. He is also a contributing writer to the New York Times, a contributing editor of Harper’s Magazine and southern editor of The Paris Review.
Tuesday’s tea conversation will be on “The Last Wailer,” his essay about traveling to Jamaica to seek out Bunny Wailer, a founding members of Bob Marley’s legendary band. It’s not long! I know everyone is busy but this is worth taking a break for. Read the essay (copies of which are available in the office and I’m going to make a scan of it available to everyone). Then come ready to discuss it OR just come and hear a great writer talk about his rise to fame. (The essay isn’t long in length. It is long in quality!)
Wednesday 4:00 p.m./Jonathan Holloway Dean Holloway transforms from his role as Dean to his other identity as an historian and writer for this event. Come meet him and hear him talk about his work and experiences in the house at 4:00. Watch your email for excerpts from his book Jim Crow Memory and Identity in Black America since 1930. Some of you have read this book. Others may wish to read some excerpts to get a feel for his (wonderful) writing. All are welcome to come, hear him talk and ask questions.
Thursday, Oct. 1, Sophomore Dessert Reception 7:00 to 8:30
There will be a dessert reception for sophomores in the house at 7:00-8:30 p.m. this Thursday evening. Come socialize and help yourself to a great variety of desserts, coffee, tea, and soft drinks from 7-8:30.
At 8:30 this event will magically transform to a ……
Thursday, Oct. 1, Quiet Study Break for anyone in the House from 8:30 to midnight.
Thursday, Oct. 1. For everyone.
Work is getting serious. I’ve talked to lots of you about intense and long problem sets and papers that need to be written. Thus, I’m going to hold my first “no break study break” in the house immediately following the Sophomore Dessert Reception.
The reception will end at 8:30 but all desserts that have not been consumed and drinks will remain. I’ll add other things to the food mix later in the evening and coffee, tea etc. will be available all night. Come study in the house and get up to stretch and snack when you feel like it. We maintain a strict quiet rule so people can really get work done. Indeed, I work myself. If you want to grab a snack and run that’s fine but if you stay in the house it’s for quiet study and writing.
A Mental Health Skills group
I’ve been asked to convey information about a new mental health skills group that the Yale Psychology Department Clinic is sponsoring. It starts very soon. I’m happy to advertise this. Note that there is a fee for this. If you have an interest in this but can’t afford it, let me know.
“Interested in learning about the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? Want to improve your ability to modify your unhelpful thoughts and actions? Join the Mental Health Skills group, a skills-based course for Yale undergraduates at the Yale Psychology Department Clinic (405 Temple Street). The group will take place on Thursdays from 4:30-6 pm, and will meet for 8 weeks beginning on October 1st. Each session will cost $10 for a total of $80, with a reduced price of $60 for those who pay in full at the beginning of the course. If you are interested, please fill out the survey below.”
http://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3CdLQbSXbouXfbD
Thanks this week go to:
Our graduate affiliates, Jennifer Hirsch and Katie Oltman for leading our apple picking trip to Bishop’s Farm.
Christopher Peters, Thomas Hopson and Kevin Garcia for providing music on Saturday for the Family Weekend reception.
Victoria Hernandez and Zak Kayal for making the Sunday reception on Family Weekend happen.
Karen Eisenman, Deb Bellmore, and Debbie Rueb for overseeing the entire Family Weekend set of events.