Ariane de Gennaro
The Yale Tour. We’ve all seen them. The big groups of parents and students standing in a semi-circle on cross campus, all surrounding a singular student wearing their blue lanyard with the big text: “Yale Tour Guide.”
The Yale Admissions Tour traditionally takes attendees from the Visitors Center to Cross Campus, Silliman College, the Beinecke Plaza outside the Schwarzman Center, the Women’s Table outside Sterling Memorial Library and the Old Campus Courtyard.
But sometimes, when I pass by these tour groups, I wonder if I could ever show them the best parts of Yale — the real parts. What if I could? Where would I take them?
To get a better idea of what spots on campus are hidden — or not so hidden — gems, the YDN sat down with some students to hear what they had to say.
When prospective and current students are looking at what Yale is really like, study spots often rank high on the list of places to see. After all, a student’s duty is to do their schoolwork. After completing three years of study as an undergraduate student, Sarah Guan ’23 has a couple of secret study spots that she let the YDN in on.
“I love Kroon Hall, which is the School of Forestry,” Guan said. “I like to study there because there’s a lot of natural sunlight, and it has a very green and woody feel to it. It makes me feel very calm when I’m studying.”
Sunlight. Green. Calm. All things we like to hear when it comes to a place where we might be for hours on end, grinding through psets and diving headfirst into readings.“I also really like Bass. If you go down the stairs, there’s a bunch of these comfy, cushiony seats. I really like to take my shoes off and study there, just sit cross-legged,” Guan said.
Okay, Sarah, you sound like you’re getting pretty comfy! We love to see it. Sometimes, the hard wooden chairs in the library just aren’t gonna do it. Soft sofa seats may be just what you need to finish out that last body paragraph in your paper.
“And then if I really need to grind,” Guan explained, “then I’ll go to a classroom, like HQ, where I really need to be in that space or I need a whiteboard.”
Yep, we’ve all been there. Papers, midterms, psets galore! A classroom in a building such as HQ, WLH, or LC is likely where you should be.
The News also spoke to Adam Zhang ’23, a senior in Pierson College, about his favorite locations on campus. In terms of studying, despite being an undergraduate, Zhang often finds himself in the fortress of glass walls that is the School of Management.
It is a “really great study spot… [it has] really tall ceilings, these glass walls, huge windows, a lot of space, it’s super clean,” Zhang said.
Equipped with modern, state-of-the-art facilities, the Edward P. Evans Hall is home to the Yale School of Management. From the way Adam describes it, the space sounds like the perfect recipe for a productive study spot when you really need to wind down.
Zhang also talked about how he enjoys being “away from the craziness of campus,” so he loves to find spaces outside of campus to turn to when he needs a breath of fresh air. One location in particular is the Grove Street Cemetery, which is located across the street from the Schwarzman Center.
“Over the summer, I actually went to it every single day just to walk around and be still. Even throughout the school semester, I’ve found a couple days where I can just go there and kind of escape and to be alone or be with a friend. It’s really quiet, it’s actually quite beautiful, especially now when the leaves are starting to change colors. And, yeah, it’s a little sanctuary, even though it’s a graveyard. It’s kind of weird to say that.”
Especially as a student, it’s easy to get overwhelmed during stressful times, like the thick of midterm season. But having places that can keep you grounded is key to maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle. For Adam, the cemetery is that place.
And of course, we can’t forget how beautiful Yale’s campus really is. Bethel Asomaning ’25 described some of her most frequented, Instagram-worthy locations.
Asomaning told the News she loves spending time at Beinecke Plaza because “that’s a place I really enjoy… I remember coming to Yale for the first time and thinking it was the most beautiful spot on campus.”
For Asomaning, another one of her favorite places to be is “the lawn from Steep and Steep itself.”
“I think it is a really beautiful spot, especially overlooking Hillhouse,” Asomaning said.
Within Yale’s campus, the plentiful greenery and natural elements are often refreshing to look at after a day spent buried in books or studying in classrooms and libraries.
So to summarize, the best Yale Tour would visit the School of Forestry, Bass Library, Humanities Quadrangle, the School of Management, the Grove Street Cemetery, Beinecke Plaza and Steep Cafe. Not sure if that’s very feasible for a walking tour leading dozens of prospective students and parents…
At the end of the day though, while there may never objectively be best spots on campus, it’s clear that everyone is able to find their personal favorite places to be, and that’s what truly matters.