These columns usually begin with some kind of jaunty joke about life at Yale, but today, I’m leaving the lede a little bare. This is a serious matter! I’m going to take you behind the scenes of ENIGMA, and tell you the origin story of the column, the step-by-step writing process and the ideas that got scrapped.
To most, February is just another month. By now everyone has abandoned their New Year’s resolutions no more Dry January or twice-weekly trips to Payne Whitney. Winter drags on. Social life dims with early sunsets. The staying-in epidemic strikes, and seasonal depression spikes. Valentine’s Day aside, I’d wager that most college students are in social hibernation mode.
Yale is a mysterious place. From whispers of society parties to screams from the Bass Naked Run, there always seems to be some campus tradition that's equal parts confusing and intriguing. Hi! My name is Eliza, and I’m a sophomore in Pierson College studying comparative literature. I’m one of many Yale students with puzzling backgrounds. I’m trained as a butcher, and I love tofu. I’m Jewish, and my mom’s last name is Church. I’m American, and I went to an international school for 10 years. I quote Proust just as much as I quote Season 8 of Love Island. I know all too well that there’s a lot more to people, places and things than meets the eye. And that’s why I love Yale. You can never fully understand everything going on here, but you can try! And that’s what Enigma, this column, is all about digging deeper into these pressing questions and providing much needed answers.