The Yale Free Press

When I first came to yale, I asked myself what a liberal arts education means. Unfortunately, I was not able to answer my own for another two years. Why did it take me this to develop my answer? The question simply did not enter my head again until last year as I left the Yale Daily News. During my time with that paper, I wrote over 100 articles and enjoyed working with my fellow writers and editors. Despite the good times, I could not help but leave it all behind.

Now, as I begin the second half of my Yale experience, I feel I have learned a bit more about finding the right activity for me. Here are some headlines and advice I would have liked to see as a freshman.

STUFF HAPPENS AS WAVE OF APATHY HITS

Why did I continue with the YDN so long? It was familiar; it was the same thing I had done throughout junior high and high school. But once my deadlines hit three stories a week, I quickly realized it had been my old friends that made my high school paper fun, not the activity itself. From creating new jokes to punching holes in the wall, my fondest memories of the New Trier News were only tangentially related to writing news.

What I also learned is that the quality of one’s work is directly related to one’s enjoyment of that work. As I became more and more certain that the YDN was not for me, my headlines got increasingly boring. I am sure that if I had continued writing, today’s headlines would have been something along the lines of “PIE IS DELICIOUS”. Success and personal fulfillment in any activity requires that you actually enjoy it. Just putting time into something does not necessarily mean you will get more out of it.

STUDIES SHOW BEING UNIQUE HELPS STUDENTS FIT IN

When I think of the most unique extracurriculars that Yale offers, they are the ones where students can interact with their classmates and see and understand new viewpoints. Most students will never again have an opportunity to meet with so many bright minds and strong leaders, and I believe that interacting with such a diverse student body is more useful than reporting on a few outside sources. Where else are you going to have a gold medallist figure skater and a world-class ping-pong player debating with future U.S. Presidents and aspiring Spingfield power plant owners?

Having discussions with fellow students is also important because there are so few opportunities to have long talks with professors and teaching assistants. They offer solid guidance, but for a full exploration of an idea, one needs more than a few office-hour visits. Some of the most insightful discussions I have had did not take place in an office or classroom, but in the dorms and dining halls.

ANTI-GRAVITY CLUB NOT AS ONE MIGHT THINK

Contrary to popular belief, a liberal arts education does involve voting for John Kerry or taking pottery. What it does involve is the development of personal viewpoints.

Juggling is undeniably fun, but I have found that the most fulfilling activities complement the main goal of Yale classes. Furthermore, such clubs are usually the ones that are unique to Yale. Many colleges have their own juggling groups, but how many have a thriving political union or rigorous student philosophy meetings? They present a number of challenges, most of which are more rewarding than hobby-driven clubs. Really, the only thing you can’t do at Yale is take Writing 101 with Tommy Lee.

This became a major reason for me to leave the YDN and join the YFP. My time with the editors is no longer spent verifying facts, but defending the logic of my argument. I moved from articles where personal opinions are forbidden to essays where that was all that drove the writing.

We publish a wide variety of political views and philosophical views, all of which are done in the context of a discourse with fellow editors and writers. Our goal is to develop personal viewpoints as well as writing skills. The YFP is an environment that encourages students to know people, not sources.

I personally have been much happier with my experience at the YFP, but I hope readers do not interpret this piece as a one-sided attack on the YDN. The YDN is a publication with a long history and a well-established reputation. What I wish to say is that every student should be careful in choosing what activities they join. The YDN is one of the finest college papers in the country, yet it would not satisfy someone looking to do editorial writing.

My own path to a fulfilling activity has been long and winding, but I hope my advice as well as the advice of the rest of the YFP staff will guide freshmen and seniors alike to discover something they truly enjoy.