You don't know what you're missing

My first glimpse of New Haven occured through the eyes of a fearful Yalie. Touring as a pre-frosh, I had expressed apprehension at spending four pivotal years of my life in a town known to be "interesting" at best and a strife-ridden hellhole at worst. In response, my host pointed down the road to College Street, which binds the edge of Old Campus. "Living here is perfectly safe," he told me, "as long as you don't go past there."

PHOTO CREDIT/YH By refusing to venture past the Green, Yalies miss out on much of what New Haven has to offer.

Fortunately, I ma-de it to Yale and disregarded the advice of my erstwhile protector. I work in a Section 8 housing project a mile from campus for 15 hours each week and am a happier and slightly wiser Yalie for the experience. But I can't forget that first encounter with fear. Although my host's temerity reached unusual levels, it was exemplary of a significant portion of this student body. In various instances I have heard my peers admit that they never venture past Chapel or Church Street, that they could not name any city streets, and that New Haven is a "ghetto." Seniors who should know better shrink away from suspicious-looking characters on their way to J. Press or Seychelles. Even after four years here, many Yalies refuse to take advantage of the educational experience New Haven offers.

Of course, some deserve plaudits for aggressively pursuing opportunites in their new home city. Participation in community service traditionally hovers around 50 percent, and some of that 50 percent have developed real and meaningful relationships with neighborhoods or citizens outside of Yale's tight ambit. Additionally, Yale students maintain a significant presence in New Haven's public schools and bring their academic prowess to bear with impact and élan.

But a number of Yalies remain completely unaware of what they're missing. Yale has no apparatus for gauging the urbanity of its student body, and so estimates of this number rely heavily on anecdotal evidence and questionable deductions. Every student knows, however, that Yale life provides countless escape routes, from soirées in a Taft penthouse to fusty Conservative Party dinners in coat and tie. With very little effort, or even intent, students can create a completely artificial environment for themselves.

And that's sad, because New Haven is a cultural center on the uptick. Not only are private and public monies pouring into the Elm City, but attractions ranging from the New Haven Knights hockey team to the summertime Festival of Arts and Ideas have begun to re-infuse this place with verve and vibrancy. And the classic pleasures are here too: a picturesque neighborhood with eclectic shops lies tucked away near Science Hill, while a 15-minute walk to Wooster Square reveals an Italian neighborhood with beautiful streets and cuisine to match.

Then again, Wooster Square rests flush against some of New Haven's poorest neighborhoods. But that's the point; rather than ignoring and thus reinforcing these inequalities, all Yale students must take that first step to get to know their town. Even short introductions like Focus on New Haven provide a basis for real relationships in which students enjoy all New Haven has to offer and, in turn, share the gifts that got them here. Each of us can teach math or science or prepare New Haven students for the standardized tests we so easily aced. For a relatively small price, each of us can use our immense privilege to lift someone up.

To those of you looking for a life of comfort, it's only going to get better once the Yale coccoon falls away. In the meantime, rather than lamenting the proximity of poor neighborhoods to campus, take advantage of the fact that you can see another side of America. Explore New Haven on foot and learn its ins and outs. Join a community service organization. Just don't view your home city with fear and indifference. After all, we may be geniuses and superstars in the making, but no one ever gets to the promised land by playing it safe.

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