As usual, I can’t believe the semester is almost over. Next week is the last week of classes and then there is reading period and finals. From now until the end of finals there will be many papers due and many exams accompanied by many study breaks later and early in the morning.
I wish everyone the best as we all work hard. Pace yourself. Do your best. Get enough sleep. Get some exercise. Be supportive of one another (and quiet as people work).
Next week will be the last one for activities/receptions/events in the college before they are replaced with all those study breaks.
For the moment, I just want to remind people of few events:
Today, at 4:30 p.m. a Trumbull-Davenport joint tea at 4:30 p.m. featuring Min Jin Lee, author of Free Food for Millionaires (2007) Pachinko (2017).
The tea will be held in the Davenport Common Room; the dinner (if you have signed up for it) follows in the Trumbull House.
Min Jin Lee is a graduate of Yale (and Trumbull College). She is also a graduate of Georgetown University Law School. While at Yale she was a history major but also was an active writer. She won the Henry Wright Prize for nonfiction and the James Ashmun Veech Prize for fiction as an undergraduate.
Min Jin Lee was born in South Korea in 1968 and came, with her family, to the United Stes in 1976 and Grew up in Elmhurst, New York. She spent time in the Queen’s library where she learned to read and write and attended the Bronx High School of Science.
Whereas Min Jin Lee started out her working career as a corporate lawyer living in New York, she later turned to writing and has not only written the two books listed above (each of which won several prestigious awards), but has written short stories, commentaries and reviews as well. She also has lectured on writing, literature and politics at places like Columbia, UConn, Hamilton, Harvard, and the Asia Society in New York. Her writing often focuses on Korean-American topics and her most recent novel (Pachinko) is the first to address issues relevant to Koreans living in Japan. (She credits a Trumbull Tea hosted by former Trumbull Master Harry Adams featuring a missionary to Japan as providing her initial thoughts about writing about these experiences.)
Friday, a Senior Wine and Dessert reception in the Trumbull House.7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
On Friday from 7:30-8-30 I will host our Trumbull seniors for a wine and cheese reception. (You must be 21 to partake – almost all of you are, but I do hope those of you who are not will still come and socialize with you and we’ll have other things for you and for those over 21 who choose not to drink wine, to drink). Come celebrate the conclusion of classes before you dive into the work of preparing for finals and of finishing papers.
December 3rd, Monday, The Yale Handbell Ensemble’s Concert in the Trumbull Common Room will take place from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Yale Handbell Ensemble has picked our Common Room as an ideal venue for their performances. I’m glad they have. They are good. Come take a brief break from studying and a few short steps to our Common Room to hear our own Katie Shy and Milo Brant and their group perform (and enjoy some cookies and coffee as you do.) They are good.
Sophomore Reception December 4th from 9:30 to 10:30 PM
On Tuesday, Trumbull sophomores are invited to the house (100 High Street) between 9:30 and 10:30 PM to enjoy music and lots of good food featuring sushi, baked Brie, apples with warm caramel sauce and other treats.
December 5th, Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m. a Hanukkah celebration in the Trumbull House
Bring a menorah or share one which we will supply. We’ll have some music, latkes, and applesauce. We’ll light the candles and enjoy one another’s company. I imagine it will be primarily our Jewish students who will attend (but please know that all are welcome to join in).
(Hanukkah begins this year at sundown on December 2nd and ends each year at nightfall on Monday, December 10th.)
Everyone, do join in our many study breaks!
For those of you on Old Campus, these breaks will be a new experience. Come on over to Trumbull and join in (and our FroCos will also be taking care of you over in Bingham and I’ll come over too bearing food and encouragement.)
There will be breaks with food in the Trumbull Dining Room and the Dining Room will be open for longer than usual hours for study (supported in large part by our wonderful TCC).
I will host a study break in the house which will be a silent study break. This means you can come over, get food and silently settle in about the house and get work done (with the ability to grab coffee, tea and snacks as you please throughout the evening). If you just want to eat the rule is: Come on in; grab some food (quietly) but then move elsewhere to socialize.
Experience has taught me that most of you are night owls but also that we have some early birds. For those early birds (and those pulling all-nighters – which happens, though I don’t recommend it!) the FARR room will be kept open from 6 a.m. until the dining hall opens for quiet study. There will be coffee, tea, ice water and simple breakfast snacks. (Pajamas and robes are acceptable attire!) Enter (quietly) through entryway K. Remember that people (and our Dean!) live in entryway K above the FARR room so be considerate as you enter and leave.