The strength of a Yalie's pen—or keyboard

If you haven't got anything nice to say, Yale is the place to say it. From rumor mill tabloids to hard-hitting news reporting, a plethora of undergraduate publications let Yalies express their opinions and display their talents. This includes aesthetic works as well—poetic and artistic students always find a forum for their work.

There are three major organizations at Yale dedicated to journalism and news reporting. The Yale Herald, which celebrated its 13th birthday in 1998, is distributed to students for free each Friday. Comprised of arts and entertainment, sports and intramurals, news and student opinion, student comics and poetry, as well as a weekly calendar of events, the Herald covers anything that affects the Yale community. The Herald also publishes special issues for the annual Yale-Harvard game, Valentine's Day, Commencement, and this issue for incoming freshmen. The Yale Daily News (YDN) is distributed each morning free of charge. Providing up-to-date news and opinions, the YDN is the nation's oldest college daily. The New Journal, published five times during the year, is an analytical news magazine that covers cultural and academic issues concerning New Haven and Yale.

If you are more interested in creative writing, you might give a thought to one of Yale's magazines dedicated to literature. The Yale Literary Magazine and Zirkus focus mostly on poetry and artwork, but both accept fiction as well. The Yale Daily News Magazine awards the prestigious Wallace Prize for fiction and non-fiction at the end of the school year. In addition, the YDNM publishes interviews, poetry, and artwork. muse, published by the Herald, blends poetry, fiction, artwork, and criticism.

Rumpus and The Record are humor magazines. Self-proclaimed "Only magazine at Yale about stuff at Yale," Rumpus takes pride in its sensationalism, modeling supermarket tabloids. With headlines such as "Fifty Yale Hookers, Maybe More" and "Separated at Birth: The Math Prof and the Psycho," Rumpus has earned a reputation for fabricating the truth all in the name of humor. The Record, which is published less frequently than Rumpus, is a collection of humorous parodies and stories, à la Mad magazine.

For science-minded folks, there's the Yale Scientific, the only Yale publication which keeps the undergraduate population informed of the goings-on in the world of Group IV. The quarterly journal includes highly technical articles concerning current issues in science, as well as informal interviews with respected members of the science faculty.

The Yale Political Monthly covers the current national and international political arena and features reviews on new books, often books by Yale professors. For students who wish to write reviews that do not necessarily pertain to political science or government, there is the new Yale Review of Books.

The Yale College Course Critique is one of the most sought-after and widely-read publications on campus. By compiling student course evaluations, the Critique provides the inside scoop on professors, homework, grading, and the quality of Yale courses.

This is only a sampling of the publications at Yale. Experience is not necessary—most organizations frequently seek new writers, editors, photographers, and artists. Whether you find a group that suits you or would like to start one of your own, don't be afraid to speak your mind. There is a publication just for you. All you have to do is grab a pen or a camera and join the fray.

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