Dear YSM Readers,
I write to you as the Archivist of the Yale Scientific Magazine with our second newsletter. This installment highlights specific themes that emerge from articles found in the archives of the Yale Scientific Magazine, from our first issue in 1894 to the present day. It is with great pleasure that I present our second edition to you below.
Advice and Reflections On Life At Yale
“On the Choice of Courses” – February 1912
By: Yale Scientific Magazine Editorial Board
“Customs at Yale a Century and a Half Ago” – January 1913
By: B. Bowman
“Is Yale Extravagant?” – February 1914
By: J.A. Miller, Jr.
“On Finding One’s Place in the World” – May 1928
By: Meredith B. Wood
“Pardon Me, Sir, I’m Looking For…” – October 1954
By: Richard R. Shank, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, Yale University
“An Opinion on the Undergraduate Sciences” – January 1967
By: Jeff Woolf
“Science Groups at Yale” – September 2001
By: Suzana Zorca
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It is that time of year again. Just weeks ago the new class of 2029 was welcomed to campus with great fanfare. FroCos shuttled bins of clothing, fans, and all types of dorm room decorations up the steep steps of Old Campus dormitories. Handsome Dan and our University’s administration seemed omnipresent throughout campus, welcoming this first-year class and their families. Days later, upperclassmen moved in and campus was filled with the bustling, excited energy that can only be created by the reunion of friends from across the country and from across the world.
The start of a new school year brings new opportunities academically, extracurricularly, and socially. Seniors will begin their theses or research projects, exploring niche areas of science, history, math, and more. Some upperclassmen will begin to pursue higher level studies in their majors. Schedules may become filled with classes like Inorganic Chemistry, Fluid Dynamics, or Linear Algebra. For freshmen, so begins their first semester of college––a momentous checkpoint along one’s path to their future. And underlying this all, not to state the obvious, Yale is a truly unique place to have these experiences. The college is an institution with a storied history that influences our time here as undergraduates. Ours is an education steeped in tradition, at times strange customs, and filled with many quirks and eccentricities. In navigating this wonderfully layered and full life at Yale, one has unparalleled opportunity to grow both as a student and a person.
Nevertheless, with the start of the school year it is not surprising that some nervousness may come along with it. This sentiment has been captured throughout the history of our magazine. Our writers, students and professors alike, have published various articles imparting their wisdom and their advice for making the most out of Yale. A selection of those articles have been selected here. Some provide satirical value while others contain advice that is truly timeless. So take a moment to breathe, step back from the veritable whirlwind that is the start of the academic year, and, as always, please do enjoy.
Sincerely,
Matthew Blair
Yale Scientific Magazine Archivist
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The digitization of the Yale Scientific Magazine would not be possible without the help of our supporters. This project is the culmination of efforts between the Yale Science and Engineering Association (YSEA); Yale Printing and Publishing Services (YPPS), who led the digitization operation; the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library; the Yale Library System; and Benjamin Franklin College. Special thanks to Milton Young and Joseph Cerro of YSEA; Patricia Smith and her team at YPPS; Lindsay Barnett, Bethany Seeger, Michael Lotstein, Jeanne Lowry, and Melissa Grafe from the Yale Library System; and Head Jordan Peccia and Maria Bouffard of Benjamin Franklin College. This project demonstrates the truest sense of and at Yale.