Notes and News - Week of 2/21/22

Dear Red Lions,

Hope you all got a minute to enjoy the sun today and soak up its warming rays.  

As you know, we are in the middle of a surge in COVID-19 cases right now.  The rise in cases is making it difficult to carry on with organizing big activities in TD.  So this week’s Fireside Chats on my patio are canceled.  First-year lions who signed up should have received a note from Dean Mahurin.  We’ll add on additional sessions in March to make up for this week.

We are also postponing our TD Ski Trip until next Saturday 3/5.  The Mott Woolley Council will be sending us the Google sign up form for the lottery early this week.  In the meantime we have worked with Yale’s Public Health team to add additional testing requirements to make the trip as safe as possible for students who want to attend.  So stay tuned!

In the meanwhile, I am delighted to share these wonderful photos taken by our TD Webmaster, Alisia Pan ’23.  Here is the link for the photos from our Valentine’s Day skating trip.  And here is the link for the photos of from our IM volleyball victory against Berkeley on 2/7.  Go Red Lions!  Here is our “Photo of the Week” of the group photo taken with TDers and their friends at our ice skating trip last week.  

Here are some important events/deadlines for the next few weeks:

Tuesday 2/22 5:30pm TD Senior Mellon Forum 
Our Mellon series continues with presentations from Senior Lions, Franklin Bertellotti and Helen Dugmore. Please note that we are shifting the dinner to Grab&Go so we will aim to start our presentations by 5:45pm, allowing our presenters a little time to get their a/v set up.  So please go straight to the 53 Wall Street auditorium to view the presentations.  Anyone signed up for dinner will be able to pick up their meal after the presentations.

Wednesday 2/23 5-7:30pm Guac Cart Returns to TD Dining Hall 
The delicious Guac Cart is heading back to our Dining Hall.  So get ready for some fresh guacamole with all the wonderful fixings and trimmings with plenty of chips.  

Thursday 2/24 5-7:30pm Celebrating Black History Month Menu (TD Dining Hall)
Our special dinner celebrating Black History Month will feature dishes from our wonderful TD Dining Hall staff!   Show your appreciation of our staff by coming back for dinner!  

Friday 2/25 TD Aides Applications due 
Last call to submit your application to join our wonderful TD Aides team.  Here again is the link to the application.

Saturday 3/5 Mott Woolley Ski/Snowboard/Tubing Trip 
Our wonderful Mott Woolley Council is working hard to plan out our biannual ski/snowboard/tubing trip for this semester.  We will have to implement additional testing requirements to make the trip as safe as possible given that this will be a 2 hour bus ride to Berkshire East in northwestern Massachusetts.  We are hoping to get the info out to the college by midweek at the latest so please stay tuned!

“one day I actually thought about the limitation of perspective.

What if there’s a perspective that hadn’t been shown—that felt,
for lack of a better word, snubbed? A voice that disputes the
voice that we’ve come to trust, maybe because it suspects that
we’ve come to trust that voice and it doesn’t want us to?” 
(Susan Choi)


DATES AND DEADLINES

ACADEMIC STRATEGIES
Apply to be an ASP Mentor in 2022-2023
Join next year’s Academic Strategies Mentor team! To apply for this paid position, fill out this online application: 2022-2023 Academic Strategies Mentor Application. Deadline March 7; finalist interviews after Spring Break.
 
Attention seniors: Apply for the Academic Strategies Woodbridge Fellowship
We are seeking a full-time Woodbridge Fellow for July 2022-June 2023 to assist Academic Strategies in three crucial areas: Communications, Data Analysis, and STEM programming support. For more information and to apply, visit this site: https://secretary.yale.edu/services-resources/woodbridge-fellowship. An information session about the Woodbridge Fellows program will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 22, from 12-1 pm (see website for details). Questions about the ASP Woodbridge Fellow position? Contact Karin Gosselink, Academic Strategies Director, at karin.gosselink@yale.edu. Deadline to apply is February 28. 

Procrastination: How to Work Through It (in person)
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 4-5 pm ET
We all procrastinate. When your procrastination habits get in the way of your goals, however, it’s time for a change. This workshop offers strategies for identifying the sources of procrastination and pursuing productive habits that can get you back on track.
 
Pathways for First Years (in person)
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 7-8 pm ET
What do you really want to get out of your first year? This interactive workshop helps students identify goals and sources of satisfaction and offers strategies for avoiding common pitfalls like overextension and burn out.
 
Managing a Heavy Reading Load (online)
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 8-9 pm ET
Feeling overwhelmed by piles of reading? Learn some essential strategies to make the most of your limited reading time. Have less stress and create more free time!
 
Public Speaking Online (in-person workshop)
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 4-5 pm ET
Professors are increasingly asking students to engage in public speaking, from leading class discussion to more formal presentations. This workshop suggests preparation and performance strategies to help you do your best in the online world.
 
Mock Interview & Resume Review for Summer Opportunities (in person)
Afro-American Cultural Center
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 5-6 pm
Practice interviewing for jobs, internships, and fellowships through the Afro-American Cultural Center’s Mock Interview & Resume Building Workshop! Attendees will rotate through speed mock interviews and receive constructive feedback, as well as get individualized advice on how to improve their resumes. This event is open to all undergraduate students across class years and majors. After registering, send a copy of your resume— along with all questions and concerns—to afamhousestudentsuccess@gmail.com no later than February 21, 2022.
 
Senior Thesis Peer Groups (in-person; Register for location)
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 6-8 pm ET
Friday, Feb. 25, 3-5 pm ET
These sessions will offer a combination of group work time (with the support of a Writing Partner during some weeks), group discussion time (a collective sharing of ideas, experiences, current challenges), and advice on working through this process from the earliest stages to the end, in a curriculum developed in part by Yale students in response to their own experiences here, with the support of faculty members, librarians, and other staff.
 
Writing Emails, Reports, and Presentations: Academic and Professional Communication (in person)
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7-8 pm
Learn strategies for writing for professional and formal academic audiences.
 
Getting the Most Out of Your Seminars & Lectures (online)
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 8-9 pm ET
Seminars and lectures make different demands on students. Learn preparation, participation, note-taking, and review strategies to help you succeed.
 
Exam Study Strategies (in person)
Thursday, Feb. 24, 4-5 pm ET
Reduce exam stress by learning new strategies for preparing and studying for midterms and finals. This workshop offers suggestions for preparing for and taking problem-based, short answer, and essay exams.
 
Get the Most Out of Your Language Classes (in person)
Thursday, Feb. 24, 7-8 pm ET
Learn the daily habits and mindsets that can help you succeed in learning a language at Yale.
 
Cultivating Faculty Mentors/Recommendations (online)
Thursday, Feb. 24, 8-9 pm ET
Initiate conversations, ask for assistance, request recommendations, and build mentoring relationships with Yale faculty, teaching fellows and staff.