David Adam Kess via Wikimedia Commons

As student organizations highlight spirit events and advertise Yale-Harvard merch, excitement for “The Game” has grown only louder with each passing day. This weekend, thousands of Yale students, alumni and fans will descend upon Cambridge to watch the Bulldogs face off against Harvard in one of college football’s most historic rivalries.

For many Yalies, the pilgrimage to Cambridge is about much more than football. It’s a weekend to bond with old — and new — friends, explore enemy territory and embrace the traditions that make The Game so iconic. Students are buzzing about what Cambridge has to offer — from historic sites to spirited tailgates celebrating the 140th annual edition of “The Game.”

“[Cambridge] is a nice town and it’s great to be so close to Boston, which is a fantastic city,” said Alex Geldzahler ’28, a frequent visitor to Cambridge. “I remember [the city] being very busy, and Harvard being full of both students and tourists. It’s not quite like Yale.”

Owen Zerbib ’28, who has never visited Cambridge before, told the News that he is looking forward to seeing a different type of college experience at Harvard. Unlike Yale, “where it’s just Yalies all in a one-mile radius of each other,” Zerbib said, Harvard is located near other colleges which he anticipates to be “an interesting social scene.” 

Zerbib added that he is also “excited to see what aspects of Yale are better than Harvard.”

Exploring Cambridge and Boston, however, might pose a challenge to Yalies this time around.

On Sunday night, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, or the MBTA, announced that the Red Line between Harvard and Broadway would be closed for critical track repairs beginning Nov. 17 at 8:30 p.m. through Nov. 24.

With some Yalies opting to take the Amtrak to Boston South Station or planning on celebrating in the city, these closures will require advanced planning with scheduled shuttle buses between Boston and Cambridge during the busy Yale-Harvard weekend.

Students remain optimistic that issues with public transportation will not hinder their weekend plans in Cambridge. Braiya Nolan ’25, despite hearing of the closures, still plans on crossing the Charles — a river separating Cambridge from Boston — for festivities. 

“I’m looking forward to being 21 there,” said Nolan. “I think Harvard does a really bad job of facilitating student activities and student parties, but I’m looking forward to being able to go out in Boston as a legal adult rather than being restricted to Harvard.”

Abhinav Karthikeyan ’25 also looks forward to experiencing his last Yale-Harvard as an undergraduate with celebrations in Boston proper. He plans on exploring the city and “seeing the sights” with old high school friends at Harvard.

Besides watching The Game itself, catching up with friends is at the top of the weekend plans for most students the News talked to.

“I’m looking forward to a good football game … to catching up with friends from Harvard and spending a very chill night with my friends, just exploring the city,” said Alex Ye ’25.

Students also eagerly anticipate pre-game and post-game festivities and tailgating, including mixers between Yale’s residential colleges and Harvard’s houses, clubs and alumni groups.

Beyond the planned festivities at Harvard, Kalina Brookfield ’28, a Boston native, also encourages Yalies to go out and explore. 

She recommends walking along the Charles River and checking out the Esplanade, as well as the planetarium in the Museum of Science, which she notes is one of her favorite spots. For those interested in the party scene, Brookfield recommends checking out the MIT fraternities scattered across Cambridge and parts of Boston University’s campus.

For many, The Game is also a long-awaited opening act of their November Break.

Brookfield told the News that because she lives in Boston, attending The Game was always a part of her plan for returning home for Thanksgiving.

The Game will be played at Harvard Stadium on Saturday.