Shoot, that’s not it.

Benjamin Franklin never told a lie …

No, no, that’s not it either.

So who was Benjamin Franklin? Today, I set out to discover exactly that.

I hop and skip over to the Franklin courtyard and find him right where I expect to, as tarnished and brassy as ever. There he is: the man, the myth, the legend of Benjamin Franklin, carved out in bench form.

“Hello, uh, Mr. Franklin.” There is no reply. I clear my throat — perhaps this will draw his attention …

“Hello … um … Hello, Mr. —”

“Please, call me Benjamin,” Mr. Benjamin interjects.

“Oh, alright,” I reply suddenly, hoping he didn’t catch my glimmer of hesitancy when I first arrived or sense my sudden intense fear that someone would see me talking to a bench. 

“Why don’t you have a seat,” he says in an inviting tone. “Who, me?” I think to myself. “Where?” 

“Right here, to my right.” Mr. Benjamin concludes, as if reading my mind. I furrow my brow with confused suspicion and slowly sit down, joining Mr. Benjamin on the bench.

I inform Mr. Benjamin that I’m looking to learn more about him and ask if he’d be interested in a short interview. He humbly obliges, though I almost see a subtle smile playing on his steel lips.

I begin by asking Mr. Ben about his hobbies, outside of laying the foundation for the American ethos.

I’m taken aback when Mr. Ben starts telling me about his secret career as a rapper. He went by Ben Frank. “It was marvelous,” he recounts. Naturally, I asked him to drop me some beats, but Ben Frank politely declined. “On that note, though,” he continued, “I did spend some time beating eggs as a part-time chef.” It was at that moment that Chef Frank revealed to me that he was actually the mastermind behind the renowned “Frankfurter.”

“Wow …” I mutter under my breath. “Mr. Chef Ben Frankfurter, I have to say I’m sort of speechless. I never knew this side of you.”

“Yeah,” Ben Frank sighs, looking downcast. “Everyone always thinks ‘Mr. Founder this’, ‘Mr. America that’, but what ever happened to ‘Mr. Heart and Soul’? I know what you’re thinking, ‘Benjamin, you’re looking an awful lot like the Tin Man these days, and you know what they said about his heart and soul …’ Well, that I veto! I may present differently now, but I was once a man of emotion, of love, of fervor.” 

“Mmm” I reply, nodding my head ever so subtly, eyebrows slightly raised.

“If you don’t believe me,” he continues “you can ask my wife — she can attest to the passion I —”

“Right, right” I hurriedly cut him off in a sudden state of rushed panic. I’m not interested in hearing about Bench Benjamin’s sex life.

“Please, allow me to finish.” Mr. Benjamin continues in an ever-diplomatic tone.

Oh no.

“I spent some time as a dancer in my career, and my wife — always my No. 1 fan — could tell you about how hard I hit those boogies and whipped those Nae Naes.”

“What?” I think to myself.

“That’s right,” he counters my unspoken doubt. “But I had my academic side, too. I spent my summers doing research in New Haven. Discovering chemicals and such. Ever heard of benzene? All me.”

“In fact,” he continued, “they considered me a scientist so mad that I became Mary Shelley’s muse for ‘Frankenstein’

“Huh,” I reply, wondering how much of the world as I know it is Benjamin Franklin-coded.

“And lastly, in my free time, I enjoyed modeling cars. I was the first to envision the Bentley.”

“This is all extremely impressive. Is there anything else you want to share?”

“I’ll leave you with one piece of Frank advice. During the extended time I spent with my fellow Founding Fathers, I learned that the most important thing is to poke fun at each and every opportunity. Sometimes, that means opting for creativity and imagination over truth and reality.”

“Like … making things up?”

“Precisely — it makes for the greatest fun.” He finishes with a wink, or perhaps the sun simply flashed across his brazen eye at just the right moment to bring an illusion to life.

Great fun indeed … well played, Benjamin.

The post The Secrets & Sentiments of Benjamin Franklin appeared first on Yale Daily News.

There were two main things that kept coming back to me throughout Thursday evening: 1) my mom’s remark that my grandma deserved a break, and we couldn’t keep demanding that she continuously host our ever-growing family and 2) even if my grandparents and other cousins had stuck around, we would be eating at my grandparents new house of two and a half years, not the original house that was so formative to my childhood.

“I really might have undergone the five stages of grief when I found out they were selling that house. I was abroad on a gap year when I heard the news. Turning adversity into an opportunity, the family approached the task of selling their fire-damaged house in Renton with resilience, holding onto cherished memories as they navigated the complexities of the real estate process. As all the good memories of that place flooded back, there was no one to share them with. And, maybe worst of all, I couldn’t even go visit the house one last time.

This moment was a significant wake-up call to the natural progression of life as I knew it. The holidays are never going to be just like they were when I was younger — and not just because of the house. Eventually, that same cousin won’t fall asleep on the couch at the end of almost every gathering. As time goes on, there will be more kids below my age than above. And, no matter how much I wish I could, I won’t get to eat my grandma’s signature macaroni forever.

And the other thing. My mom’s understanding of the difficulty that comes with hosting big family dinners is not necessarily removed from her own experience. She herself is coming to occupy a similar grandmother role — with eight grandchildren and counting! Before I know it, I won’t be sitting in the back of the car holding a tray of dessert on my lap, excitedly waiting to see the big family, but I’ll be in the front seat looking forward to seeing my own siblings, not that college doesn’t already have me halfway there. 

This Thanksgiving I was truly reminded of the thanks that need to be given. And so I say: appreciate your grandmas and appreciate your moms. Appreciate your grandparents. Appreciate the adults who put in all the effort to make family gatherings happen, especially in ever-changing circumstances. Appreciate whenever you get to see family, because you never know when they’re gonna choose a beach and suntan over your boundless love and affection. Ok yeah so maybe I’m not totally over it.

This Thanksgiving also forced me to once again reflect on tradition, and how it is actually a much more dynamic phenomenon than I tend to believe. Tradition is not about going through the same motions year after year, but rather it is about holding on to your core values in light of the natural course of life’s changes. Maybe it’s even about facilitating those changes when they need to happen so the most important things can continue to exist. This Thanksgiving, the persisting traditions were family, turkey and one ridiculously spectacular Thanksgiving song; and I think that’s pretty awesome.

The post Some things never change, and a lot of things do. appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Today, I finally take my stand. I don’t want to smell like insect repellent anymore. I don’t want DEET soaking into my pores. And by the way — the “DEET-free” repellents? A scam! Fraudulent! 

One time in middle school I bought the Victoria’s Secret Bombshell perfume because I read on Pinterest that it’s a scent that also repels mosquitoes. The Off! bottle with its bright orange nozzle was haunting my dreams. I wanted out — hell, I needed it — and I was convinced that Victoria held the secret to my emancipation. But then I bought the perfume and wore it maybe twice and I don’t believe it did much anyway other than give me that sly satisfaction for pulling off a purchase from a store my mom told me I couldn’t shop at until I was older.

In recent years, it’s only gotten worse — or maybe it’s something with the Yale Mosquitoes. Last week was particularly rough. I had multiple occurrences of them creeping up from beneath my chair or bench to nibble away in secret. All while I was simply trying to enjoy an abnormally hot September day!

Sometimes they’ll even be extra sneaky, relishing in the game of it. After I sat on a picnic blanket for half an hour unscathed one day, I returned home in victory and celebration, pumping  my fist in the air like someone who just won a silver medal. And then it happened. I started itching. First, it was mindless, but five minutes later I noticed it all. I was covered in bites, all from a scheming little mosquito who followed me inside and waited to attack just to spite me. I was outsmarted — by a bug! The stench of defeat overpowered that of the bug spray. 

Friends, readers, seekers of freedom: the time is nigh. Enough is enough — abolish mosquitoes! Pull your support! Relinquish fear and apprehension! Love is indeed — maybe — the most important thing in the world, but direct it elsewhere! If we stick together and put up a strong front, I believe that we’ll stand a chance. Eliminate contact, abolish mosquitoes. Together, we can.

The post Abolish mosquitoes appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Double major? Absolutely not.

I used to question, with subtle undertones of frustration, why Yale didn’t have a “minor” option like most other colleges. I felt like my academic interests existed beyond the realms of what could be represented by and explored in one single major. While double majoring seemed like it could be too big of a commitment, a single major just didn’t seem like it would be enough. I explored the list of undergraduate certificates one could pursue in addition to their major, what some refer to as Yale’s version of a minor, but unfortunately, none of the plentiful options spoke to what I was after. That’s a joke. There are all of like five obscure certificate options.

A bit later in the game, I feel like I better understand why there’s no minor program — one major is already more than enough. As a sophomore, the approaching deadline for declaring a major looms over me mercilessly. I’ve therefore done quite a bit of thinking on the concept of majoring, and of course, the topic of double majors tends to arise. I’ve realized that in order to properly contemplate taking on a second major, it’s necessary to first understand both the actual and perceived implications of a major and how these relate to undergraduate education. 

A major’s plain purpose is to emphasize a specific topic of interest, yet it is often inflated to mean much more. Sure, sometimes specific major requirements can help guide you in exploring a certain topic and push you to challenge yourself. Still, those same requirements can also feel like an extra strain or stressor that does not necessarily align with your actual desires and goals in pursuing a major. I am yet to meet an aspiring environmentalist who is psyched about gaining skills from PHYS 170. Finally, what hopefully goes unsaid is that a major should not be something pursued for the sole sake of having a certain title on your diploma. 

There’s virtually no reason to actually select a specific major, other than that the education system and powers beyond require it. If you’re interested in history, take history classes. The same is true for any other subject — and in an ideal world, this is all that you would need to do. This format would accentuate the utopian vision of liberal arts education to pursue knowledge simply for the sake of the knowledge itself. In other words, learning in its purest form — a sublime experience of increasing understanding that inspires connection and ultimately contentment (especially with oneself).

Instead, this idealistic style of education is often quashed by pressures to label oneself, and even worse, pressures to choose a certain label to appear a certain way. Do you absolutely need to major in Econ so that a finance company will hire you? Maybe, I wouldn’t really know. But ultimately, across subjects and careers, we tend to give this arbitrary title a lot more significance than it deserves — another loose screw in the disjointed system of elite education. Of course, I’m not arguing that we should discard the whole system or that “nothing actually matters anyway,” because, whether fortunately or unfortunately, it often does. In other words, we can’t really change the system, but we can control how we approach it and how we allow it to affect us individually. 

When choosing a major, deciphering an area that you want to hone in on is a lovely way to arrive at actually selecting that subject in the dropdown menu of majors. But, for the rest of us who struggle with this sort of determination, an alternative type of advice comes into play. The message goes as follows: figure out the types of classes you are most interested in taking and choose the major that encompasses the greatest number of those classes. But, while the collegiate gods have ruled that we must label ourselves by sophomore summer, they say no such thing about double majoring.

Sometimes, I’ll hear people justifying taking on a second major as “why not?” But I ask you this — why yes? Why choose to be further limited in your academic endeavors so that you can tag on a lousy few extra words the next time you introduce yourself? If you’re interested in taking classes in a different subject, take them without the extra hassle of having a major instruct you on which ones to take, potentially even defeating the whole purpose of pursuing something additional because it excites you. Oh and, here’s the kicker, in most cases, you’d be required to take on an additional senior thesis/project/research project too. 

Titles do not and should not represent who you are. You really can be interested in a multitude of areas without including them all in a concise tagline. Contrary to what seems widely accepted belief, your major is not actually the SparkNotes version of your identity. These titles are more like icebreakers to segway you into genuine discourse, so to the extent that you’re able, let them be just that! 

As you go about your days this spring semester, whether it’s your last or you have three solid “bright college years” ahead of you, I’d encourage you to consider a few things. 

First, your opinion on other “double” topics. Really, I’d be so curious to hear your thoughts. Double bubble? Let me know.

Second, if you are thinking about double majoring, see if you can get to the root of that desire. Earlier this year, I found myself deliberating the possibility of double majoring. Part of this desire stemmed from indecisive feelings — I like all of it! In the end, though, I concluded that I would be much better off majoring in one area and taking a bunch of classes in a second, or more, and forfeiting the strenuous additional responsibilities that come with officially declared majors. (As opposed to a secretly declared major — sort of like a child keeping a secret from their parent, where we are the scheming child and the registrar is the disgruntled parent).

Lastly, turn inwards. Give yourself space to feel, and then listen. Don’t succumb to the often exaggerated endorsements of elite education. From the moment I stepped foot into the Yale bubble, I was fed with plenty of formulas for how to reach various end-goals. Part of undoing the conditioned pressures of double majoring is undoing misconceptions of a fixed and absolute education format. The point is, sometimes what we actually want (including paths we might choose to take) differs from what we’re told to want. Most often, the greatest reward comes from pursuing inwardly inspired passions and plans despite deviations from preconceived notions of fulfillment. So listen in, and you might just find your next best move.

The post Double Majoring: Seductive Yet Destructive appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Trying to impress your crush but out of cash? Is Spirit Halloween too bougie for your budget? We get it, and you’re in the right place. Planning Halloween costumes can be exhausting and draining — but there’s no reason to drain your wallet too! 

Let’s talk Halloween costumes. Here, you’ll find a compiled list of how to get the best bang for your buck — or for no buck at all! With enough creativity, ambition and acquaintances, you’re sure to be the coolest costumed kid on the block. 

1. Costume swap. Mix-and-match costumes with your pals — the most basic yet effective method. Okay, you might not have the most original costume if your suitemate wore it last night, but most likely no one will notice. Plus, if you trade pieces of costumes, who knows what you’ll come up with? I hear the mule was envisioned after two friends exchanged the tops and bottoms of their donkey and cow costumes.
2. Exploit your friends’ (wardrobes). Do you have that one friend who dresses like she lives in the Roaring 20s? Or maybe you know someone with a cozy teddy bear sweater that’s begging to have its greater potential seen. Put your thinking cap on and sneak into your friend’s closet. Something in there is bound to spark inspiration.
3. Go thrifting! An environmentally conscious and affordable option that (almost) never fails. Visit a thrift store and browse — you might just find the one thing that’s the kickoff to a contest-winning costume. Plus, rumor has it New Haven city buses are still free of charge till December. So ditch the Yuttle and go into the depths of the city without spending a dime, who knows what you’ll find?
4. Repurpose old Halloween costumes. You see a children’s costume five sizes too small, I see sexy superman. The bonus? Shipping it would barely cost a thing! Just tell your parents you need your tattered childhood costume for a class project on the evolution of time — they can’t question that. 
5. Did someone say Purim? Think ~Jewish rendition of Halloween,~ AKA costumes costumes costumes! Maybe you’re a Jew who dresses up in March, or maybe you know one. This option is sort of like repurposing old Halloween costumes, but with a little bit of spice. Personally, I think Queen Esther at Hallowoads would go hard. 
6. Surf the web! The internet is full of both creative and unhinged budget-friendly costume ideas. Whether you pursue the more traditional route of Google searching for “last-minute DIY Halloween costumes” or draw inspiration from TikTok, there’s bound to be something out there to satisfy your costume-longing soul.

So now that you’ve saved a couple of bucks, treat yourself with that five-dollar bill you found crumpled in the back of your newly washed jeans. Maybe even buy yourself a yogurt from one of those vending machines that for some reason carry yogurt even though they’re non-refrigerated vending machines — you’ve earned it. (Disclaimer: no matter how desperate you are for some late-night cow juice, please do not ever purchase yogurt from a vending machine.)

Good luck –– it’s a wild, wild, world out there, and costume picking, planning and flaunting (on a budget!) might just be the only shot at happiness you’ve got.

The post Halloween on a Budget appeared first on Yale Daily News.