Annie Lin

As I get ready to be thrown out of my Pierson dorm room for the last time by Yale Conferences and Events, I am eminently grateful for my friends, my professors and my experiences here. I leave Yale knowing that it made me a better, more capable person. For all the hustle and bustle, stress and imposter syndrome and the difficulties of COVID-19, Yale holds a special place in my heart. 

That is, of course, thanks to the people who make up this community. It’s due to the campus culture and traditions that have been cultivated here. Late night buttery runs, grinding in Bass (occasionally), and reading inane YDN articles in the dining hall each morning.

One of my favorite traditions is Harvard-Yale; it’s an event that brings together our community, throughout the generations. In fact, many of my best memories and friendships have been formed at The Game. As a naive first year, I remember wondering why this event was so noteworthy. But I soon realized that it really wasn’t like any other sporting event. Whether it be singing the Bulldog Fight Song with new friends and old alums, rushing the field for the 2019 climate protest or celebrating our wins, Harvard-Yale has always culminated in a sense of belonging and instilled a desire to make our own memories of serendipity on this campus. 

Like the vast majority of us, I did not step foot onto this campus nearly four years ago intending to finish Yale over Zoom. As I walked onto Old Campus, I was filled with a sense of idealism, and awestruck by the history of this institution. Four years later, I think we have had the privilege to pursue much of what we wanted. But many of our expectations have also been shattered.

COVID-19 hasn’t left any part of this world untouched. It has disrupted our day-to-day lives, our traditions and our aspirations, affecting us and our loved ones with hardship and even tragedy. Yet, we have learned in spite of these challenges. We have had to adapt, to become more resilient. And despite being stuck in quarantine, and uncertain as to what the future holds for us, we refuse to be inactive or be made irrelevant.

My memories of Yale are often what sustain mein times of difficulty. I know that The Game is only a trivial version of this, but in many ways it’s representative of what makes this place so important to me and many of my classmates. We may have missed it in 2020, but you can be sure we’ll be back. 

As we reflect on our time together, I want to ask you all to do something you couldn’t when you first got here. Whether they be from Harvard-Yale or elsewhere, go on your phones and look at the photos you’ve taken, the memories you’ve made. Consider the friendships you have formed at Yale, and how these people have helped you become who you are now. As you do so, let me remind you that getting through all this is absolutely no small feat.

Boola Boola.

MILAN VIVANCO