Welcome
What is Unexpected Connections?
Unexpected Connections is a collection of works by Yale upperclassmen put together for the freshmen Class of 2018. The pieces explore the extraordinary diversity of the Yale community through poetry, prose, and video. Each instillation tells a story of wisdom and belonging - a story of what it means to be part of Yale.
A letter from Dean Gentry
Dear Class of 2018,
In a few weeks, you will embark on your college journey, and we look forward welcoming you to Yale. As a Yale College student, you’ll meet people from all walks of life, and as a part of this community, you’ll have experiences that will help define your character and shape the person you’ll become. There will be surprises and unexpected moments that you’ll have, and we invite you to engage in as many experiences as possible.
The Unexpected Connections project was born out of a desire to share the interesting connections, both sustained and fleeting, often empowering and sometimes challenging, that students have with each other and with members of the Yale community. These moments might begin outside their comfort zone, yet end with students learning something about themselves and others that they might not have ever known otherwise. Students often have described these experiences as transformative and a central part of their life at Yale.
Starting with this first video installment, we will be sharing a collection of Unexpected Connections assembled by a selection of current students who volunteered to submit spoken word pieces, essays, poetry, or videos with you. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss these Unexpected Connections submissions in small groups with your freshman counselor during orientation. We encourage you to be open to all the wonderful possibilities that await you, and we look forward to hearing about some of the unexpected connections that you’ll have.
Sincerely,
W. Marichal Gentry
Associate Vice President for Student Life
Senior Associate Dean of Yale College
On behalf of the Unexpected Connections project team
Student Projects
Unexpected Connections
Christian Noël, Saybrook, 2015
I arrived at Yale ready to start the next chapter in my life. I had brought along my sheets for my bunk bed, a microwave for my late night cravings, a TV for movie watching, and everything else I needed to complete my room. Unfortunately, I also brought along a box full of timidity, a suitcase full of insecurities, and a bag full of anxiety. I was far from Mr. Popular in high school; getting picked on and called names was something I was used to. I thought my inferiority complex would shed after graduation, but it stayed. I wanted to go back home because I thought I couldn’t keep up with the other geniuses at this school. Because I didn’t think people would want to be friends with a loser like me. Because I was so easily intimidated that I had a hard time approaching many people. Sometimes I would skip lectures just because it was difficult to be around so many people. I would cringe every time someone said, “Let’s eat in Commons,” because I got so self-conscious around that large of a crowd. The struggle was real, to say the least.
I read up on many different student groups. I wanted to join a couple so I would have a smaller environment to meet people in. One of those groups was the Yale Leadership Institute (LI). I felt invited because they said they work with all types – even the super introverted guys who most people wouldn’t consider “leadership material.” Getting in was exciting, but my major insecurities set back in when the meetings started up. A lot of the others were very social, extroverted, and not afraid to speak out. For a while, I dreaded going to the weekly meetings because I was constantly comparing myself to the other students. But after awhile, I realized something: Everyone here got into Yale because admissions saw something special in them; which means someone saw something special in me too. The others have awesome talents, but I have awesome talents too. Instead of comparing my weaknesses to their strengths, I should learn from everyone here. Instead of seeing the others in my meetings as “people who are better than me,” I saw them as “peers I can learn from and make connections with.” The connections I made in LI (and the rest of Yale) were unexpected because I didn’t think being around (seemingly) intimidating people would actually teach me to open up and be confident in myself. Being around them taught me that I had something to contribute to the world, just like everyone else. I can become someone, just like everyone else. I can succeed at Yale (and life), just like everyone else. And I can eat my pepperoni pizza comfortably in Commons, just like everyone else!
Eventually, I became a director on the executive team of LI. The program I was once intimidated became something I helped run. Don’t ever limit yourself. When you step on this campus, approach Yale as a diverse community to learn and grow from, not a field of intimidation and competition.