Embracing the tradition of Yale spirit

Yale. The name alone carries a certain weight, conjuring up images of young men in jackets and ties ambling down cobblestone paths. The word "Yale" is itself a symbol of academic excellence and prestige. But there is more to Yale than just rigorous classes and old buildings—the University is full of traditions ranging from the classic to the quirky.

One of the oldest and most exclusive traditions at Yale is Mory's Temple Bar, a private dining club on York Street that was established in 1861. Portraits of Yale team captains from years past decorate the walls, and generations of names are carved into the wooden tables. Yalies can only join Mory's with the sponsorship of a current member.

Mory's is most famous for its toasting sessions. Most undergraduate organizations—from sports teams to Yale Political Union (YPU) parties—make regular trips to the restaurant. Once seated, groups pass around large silver tureens called "cups" filled with color-coded alcoholic concoctions. Although each color represents a different champagne-based drink, no one is certain of the recipes.

The rules for drinking cups are complex. As the cup is passed around the table, each person gives it a half-turn before drinking. The cup can never touch the table. If people start singing while you are drinking, you can't stop until they do. When you finish a cup, you must dry it with your hair so that no ring is left behind when the cup is placed upside down on a napkin. According to tradition, a ring means the drinker buys the next cup.

Mory's showcases Yale's a cappella groups, who earn their toasting sessions by singing for restaurant patrons. The 14 official groups kick off the year with a month-long "rush" of auditions. At the end of rush, each group "taps," or selects, its new members. On Tap Night, each group takes Old Campus by storm, noisily seeking out the freshmen chosen to join their ranks.

There are two senior-only singing groups, the all-female Whim'n' Rhythm and the more famous all-male Whiffenpoofs. The Whiffs are Yale's oldest singing group, founded in 1909. The group's repertoire features traditional songs and Yale classics such as the well-known "Bright College Years." Whim'n'Rhythm was founded in 1981. At the end of the school year, these two prestigious groups hold their own Tap Night on Old Campus.

Entry into one of Yale's mysterious secret societies works in a similar fashion. At the end of the school year, current members (all seniors) nominate juniors for membership into their society. The societies induct new members on their own Tap Nights—evenings filled with crazy costumes and strange rituals. Many societies congregate in "tombs," foreboding, windowless buildings scattered around campus. Little is known about what exactly goes on in secret societies, but there are plenty of rumors.

The Guild of Yale Carillonneurs serenades Yalies on a daily basis by ringing the bells of Harkness Tower bells at 12:30 and 5:00 p.m. The group's repertoire includes everything from the Star Wars theme to Britney Spears to Mozart. Auditions for the Guild start at the beginning of the year, and new members are then initiated into the group during their own Tap Night.

No canon of traditions would be complete without an age-old rivalry. The Game, the annual football battle between Yale and Harvard, is held every year the weekend before Thanksgiving break. Before the contest, students and alums hold huge tailgate parties to get into a rowdy mood. Yale won 24-21 in last year's edition, on a touchdown pass from Joe Walland, TD '00, to Eric Johnson, JE '01, with less than a minute remaining, clinching a share of the Ivy League title. The Bulldogs lead the historic series 63-45-8. This year the Game will shift back to Harvard Stadium.

Tradition also extends to The Game's sidelines. When Yale scores, students join in as the Yale Precision Marching Band (YPMB) erupts with a rendition of "Bulldog," written by Cole Porter, Class of 1913. Until warned not to, the YPMB also played "The Stripper" at the end of the third quarter to accompany the Saybrook Strip. The Strip is a peculiar tradition that continues—sans music—to this day. Guarding the field is Yale's official mascot, Handsome Dan XVI. The dapper bulldog has a white Y-shaped design in his fur.

Football games also feature feisty competition among the residential colleges, which taunt each other with inventive cheers to express college pride. Jingoistic Timothy Dwight students, armed with their infamous cow bell, scream their war cry at other colleges. One brave Sillimander makes a statement each game by taking the college's flag for a lap around the field.

Another sports tradition involves Yale's track team. Dressed in white, these athletes participate in the 101st Annual Beer Relay around Old Campus, ferrying cups of beer from one end of the quad to the other. Interestingly, every year is the "101st Annual."

For those less serious athletes, intramurals are a low-pressure option. The 12 colleges battle it out in sports ranging from soccer to ping-pong to coed innertube water polo. The annual quest for the Tyng Cup, the prize for winning intramurals, can become fierce. Last year, Morse took the cup for the first time since 1987.

The Tyng Cup should not be confused with the Tang Cup, however, which is presented each year during Spring Fling to the college with the fastest beer-drinking squad. In the 1940s, Yalies invented the competition, which involves single-sex teams guzzling a row of full beer glasses. Champion-level swillers can chug a cup in about one second. Until the drinking age was raised to 21, Tang was a University-sponsored activity; it is now held by the [[Delta]]KE fraternity. This past April, the women of Morse and the men of Saybrook proved to be the most accomplished.

Hungry Yalies brave the "Doodle Challenge," an ongoing burger-eating dare offered by the Yankee Doodle coffee shop. Although the challenge began as a casual bet among friends in the 1950s, in 1989 it gained official status with a prominently displayed plaque. The record stands at 28 butter-topped burgers consumed in one two-and-a-half-hour sitting.

The colorful traditions that mark Yale's calendar go on and on. Every Halloween, the Yale Symphony Orchestra performs a special concert at midnight. The orchestra provides the soundtrack to an original film starring a large cast of students and faculty filled with rowdy hijinks. Costumed Yalies can also enjoy All Hallow's Eve by trick-or-treating at President Levin's, GRD '74, house and the Yale College Council's carnival. And no Halloween would be complete without dancing at the wild Pierson Inferno.

One chilly night in December, Yalies ball-hop from one residential college to another in semi-formal attire. Each college offers a unique experience—some hire jazz bands, while others feature traditional DJs. Before the balls, freshmen gather for the Freshman Dinner held in Commons. Ice sculptures, a parade of food, and sumptuous desserts are fixtures at this grand annual feast.

The mother of all formals, the Winter Ball, takes place at the beginning of February. With help from the Yale Ballroom Dance Team, students learn to waltz, tango, and three-step. For the month of February, the brothers of [[Delta]]KE host Feb Club, which holds a party each night at a different location to combat midwinter blues. The key to Feb Club is locating each party—they're not advertised like weekend frat festivities. Feb Club concludes with a secret New York City bash.

Spring brings Yale's biggest and longest campus-wide party, Spring Fling, which is usually held on Old Campus. Last year, Wyclef Jean braved inclement weather and brought his Brooklyn-Jamaica hip-hop groove to New Haven. Other acts such as George Clinton, the Lemonheads, and Rusted Root have provided the main attraction in past years. Yalies can also amuse themselves at carnival events, which have at past flings included moonbounces and mammoth velcro obstacle courses.

Clearly, not everyone needs to be a Whiffenpoof to partake in Yale's traditions. New traditions are constantly revising old ones, so while the images of stodgy tradition conjured up by the word "Yale" may seem daunting, don't be intimidated. Just remember, Eli traditions are an ever-changing mixture of both the tacky and the timeless.

Sheela V. Pai contributed to this article. Photo by Tyler Mertes.

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