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Pressing Pause

Christina Mainero | October 29, 2013

“He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.” –Albert Einstein

I’ll be honest. The first eight weeks has been nothing short of a whirlwind. I definitely do not feel totally settled (and I’ve lived in New Haven for the past two years and completed a Masters program here at Yale). But, maybe that is part of finding one’s place within the fabric of the school. At least that is my current conclusion. Yet, despite the fact that I am still settling into life here at SOM, there have already been numerous experiences that will be forever ingrained in my memory. What sorts of experiences, you ask?

Here, let me give you a few examples.

  • Learning the word quincunx in Probability. If you could find a way to play that word in Scrabble, you automatically win. (And, yes, I know it’s a little nerdy that that was my first thought upon learning that word).
  • Being serenaded by my cohort in class on my birthday. You guys are awesome.
  • The curiosity of my classmates. I love how eager everyone is to try out new things and learn from one another—whether it’s trying out a new sport or learning how to play the harmonica or going to the Cabaret or learning how to make risotto or whatever.
  • Silver Cohort’s unceasing dedication to using the microphone in class.
  • Dizzy bat. Perhaps the most entertaining five minutes and twenty three seconds of my time here so far. Also, Disha Patel, you are unbelievably good at dizzy bat. Please make instructional videos on how to be a champ. 
  • Watching people bond and develop friendships.  Even the occasional hug. Not gonna lie: I think hugs are pretty awesome. I knew y’all would come around. Good job, guys.
  • Riding a carousel the first night of orientation. (TRIVIA: Did you know carousels travel counter-clockwise and merry-go-rounds travel clockwise?)

So, off to a pretty solid start in my book. Though it’s often used as a metaphor for new beginnings, I think the idea of each of our experiences starting off as blank canvases is particularly fitting. With the help of my classmates, I’m starting to add color and form to my canvas. By the end of the next two years, I know that the canvas I create with their help will be a work of art. And, it will be something very different than anything I can possibly imagine now. But, the best part is that this canvas will represent just the beginning of what I hope is a lifetime worth of collaborative ventures with my classmates that transform the way that our society thinks about, perceives, and addresses challenges.

Things I’m looking forward to:

  • The end of fall one (and hopefully surviving it)!
  • The international experience (traveling abroad with some of the coolest, most intriguing people I know? Why, yes, please!)
  • Continued sarcasm
  • Dinner parties, scintillating conversations, and game nights
  • Learning how to play hockey
  • Design thinking
  • More inside jokes, ridiculous moments, and silly stories
  • Being a part of this constantly buzzing hub of activity
  • Beating the second years in all of the rest of the 4029 Cups for the year
  • The opportunity to learn from all of my classmates
  • The opportunity to share what I can with them
  • Two more years of Ashley’s Ice Cream, the Cabaret, Mamoun’s, and dizzy bat