In the first week of my arrival at Yale, I found myself asking to the representatives at the international office, "What do you mean by a campus: when am I technically on / off campus?" This unanticipated question received a weak answer. My anxiety with the whole notion of campus was relative to the cultural baggage that I carried along with me from my country.
All campuses I visited in India were bounded entities. Be it CEPT, IIMs, or even regional universities. They are sets of buildings interspersed with a bit of landscape within a confined region. I imagined Yale to be like that too. However, the nature of Yale campus is different. The campus of Yale firstly means buildings that belong to Yale, and operate for Yale University. They could be administrative, educational or recreational. These buildings are interspersed within the town of New Haven, although within a definable geography. Thus the campus map of Yale overlaps with the map of the city.
It was only when I started attending my classes in different departments that I understood the nature of this campus. In some ways, it is interesting because throughout the city during the day time, you see students fluttering from one street to another. The University has mixed up completely into the city (town will be a better word - New Haven is hardly a city). Therefore people prefer to bike (cycle). Walking from one department to other could take you 10 -15 minutes. Walks are never boring across these 300-year old buildings.
'On campus' you have free wifi access. Many a times, you have weak wifi signals while walking on streets, leaking out of the thick walls of the university buildings. Yale has a free shuttle (bus) service which perhaps ties up the campus together. In some ways, it defines the University geography. The campus is tamed to a large extent. Buildings have been appended with wheel chair accessibility ramps, 300 year old doors are inflicted with electronic locks, interiors are painted white and bright - and all this is done absolutely elegantly.
The Yale 'blue' dominates the colour scheme throughout the town and there is strong architectural control on the signage design. Blue = Yale. Or perhaps, like navy, cobalt or sky, there should also be a Yale blue - wonder why we never heard of it! But what I mean to point out is that colour defines the bounds of the campus too.
These bounds become very important after 6pm and before 6 am since students are advised to 'remain in groups', 'not carry expensive items' or 'not flash your phones' especially during this time period. Within these bounds, we can avail special security services between 6 pm to 6 am! Thus, the campus redefines itself through circuits of security routes.
Finally, from whatever extensions the meaning of campus could have, I have realised that the glossary we worked with in India has a different dictionary for itself here. It would take me time to understand these nuances of language (purely word-meaning relationships) to be able to fit myself into this new system perfectly.
This post can also be found at www.yalestories.wordpress.com
All campuses I visited in India were bounded entities. Be it CEPT, IIMs, or even regional universities. They are sets of buildings interspersed with a bit of landscape within a confined region. I imagined Yale to be like that too. However, the nature of Yale campus is different. The campus of Yale firstly means buildings that belong to Yale, and operate for Yale University. They could be administrative, educational or recreational. These buildings are interspersed within the town of New Haven, although within a definable geography. Thus the campus map of Yale overlaps with the map of the city.
It was only when I started attending my classes in different departments that I understood the nature of this campus. In some ways, it is interesting because throughout the city during the day time, you see students fluttering from one street to another. The University has mixed up completely into the city (town will be a better word - New Haven is hardly a city). Therefore people prefer to bike (cycle). Walking from one department to other could take you 10 -15 minutes. Walks are never boring across these 300-year old buildings.
'On campus' you have free wifi access. Many a times, you have weak wifi signals while walking on streets, leaking out of the thick walls of the university buildings. Yale has a free shuttle (bus) service which perhaps ties up the campus together. In some ways, it defines the University geography. The campus is tamed to a large extent. Buildings have been appended with wheel chair accessibility ramps, 300 year old doors are inflicted with electronic locks, interiors are painted white and bright - and all this is done absolutely elegantly.
The Yale 'blue' dominates the colour scheme throughout the town and there is strong architectural control on the signage design. Blue = Yale. Or perhaps, like navy, cobalt or sky, there should also be a Yale blue - wonder why we never heard of it! But what I mean to point out is that colour defines the bounds of the campus too.
These bounds become very important after 6pm and before 6 am since students are advised to 'remain in groups', 'not carry expensive items' or 'not flash your phones' especially during this time period. Within these bounds, we can avail special security services between 6 pm to 6 am! Thus, the campus redefines itself through circuits of security routes.
Finally, from whatever extensions the meaning of campus could have, I have realised that the glossary we worked with in India has a different dictionary for itself here. It would take me time to understand these nuances of language (purely word-meaning relationships) to be able to fit myself into this new system perfectly.
This post can also be found at www.yalestories.wordpress.com
1 comment:
First of all congratulation's 4 ur selection in one of the best universities of this world.
The observations and descriptions are very nice,so waiting till you upload some photos of the university.
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