Yale, a bastion of intellectualism and privilege, is surrounded by an urban and impoverished area with its share of crime and poverty. For Yalies, living in a small city offers cool perks like weekly local markets, a wide array of restaurants, and a lively club scene. But it can also include the dangers of city living, such as traffic and crime.
However, Yalies possess a certain pride in their city because they know they can truly say that they don't live in an idealic collegiate bubble. New Haven keeps Yalies grounded in the real world, with its community, its history, and, yes, even its problems. New Haven is an especially great city for students who want to positively impact their community. Many Yalies tutor at local middle schools, sing at the homeless shelters, or help raise money for entrepreneureal residents. Safety in New Haven is equivalent to most other cities. Don't walk alone at night, don't wave your wallet around, and be smart.
Of course, the area immediately surrouinding Yale is more similar to a lively, bohemian college town than your typical city. The restaurants are primarily enthic and many stores are local, sustainable, and cater to the university lifestyle. New Haven does boast some great places to visit. Check out Wooster Square (with the famous Pepe's and Sally's pizza joints), East Rock Park (to the northeast of campus), and the Schubert Theatre. And don't forget to take a stroll along Chapel Street to wander among a wonderful mixture of boutiques, galleries, cafés, and restaurants.
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Local Atmosphere at Yale University
C+
New Haven is not terrible, but not nice.
New Haven often gets a bad rap but stereotypes often are built on truth. New Haven is not a nice city and not the type of place you can go wandering around at night, especially as a woman. That said, there are a few good shops on Chapel and Elm because the area immediately surrounding Yale has been heavily gentrified.
May 11, 2012
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Local Atmosphere at Yale University
A
Busy Body
Everyone is so busy with their own activities, let it be clubs, varsity sports, archipelago, orchestra, the Yale Daily News, part-time jobs and studying. Yet even though everyone is juggling with ten things at once, everyone manages to have time to still meet up with friends and hang out either in the dining halls or at parties. The community is definitely tight and friendly.
Apr 21, 2012
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Local Atmosphere at Yale University
WarriorSam
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering '15
3.5
B
Yale and New Haven?
Most Yale students don't interact with New Haven residents much on a regular basis. Some interactions come through service organizations, but a lot of Yale students keep to the Yale bubble. While it doesn't have the greatest reputation, the area of New Haven immediately surrounding Yale feels safe and is kept up well. The food is amazing (great pizza and Thai), but the shops can leave something to be desired. While we live in New Haven, you shouldn't ignore the accessibility of New York. Many students, especially upperclassmen, take day trips there on the weekends.
Jan 30, 2012
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User rating for Yale University - Local Atmosphere is
3.5 out of 5
based on 28 user reviews.
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