Photo by Kat Wang
You’ve all heard of it. You’ve all been waiting for it. You’re all terrified of explaining to your parents why it’s called what it’s called. It’s Freshman Screw, and it’s finally here!
Freshman Screw is one of the most interesting and unique traditions that Yale has to offer. The idea behind Screw is pretty simple: you set your suitemates up with a blind date, and they either hit it off and “screw” at the end of the night (sorry mom) or they end up having the most awkward night of their life and you’ve “screwed them over.”
Freshman Screw felt like a pretty big deal for me last year, so I want to share some advice and bits of truth that might help you freshmen who have screw coming up in less than a week. First things first, although the idea behind Screw is to go with a blind date, the majority of dates aren’t actually blind. I knew who I was going with well in advance, as did most of my friends. Still, having your friends set you up takes a lot of pressure off of finding a date for yourself, so let your suitemates take the reins. And if you’re still looking for someone to set your friend up with, try the “Screw Date Shop” Facebook group.
If you do end up going with a blind date, use the night as an opportunity to get to know him or her! Screw can be a great way to meet new people and make new connections early on in your Yale career. And remember: if they totally suck, you can always ditch them and dance with your friends instead.
At the end of the day, you don’t need a date. For me, the most fun part of Screw was getting dressed up, taking pictures and dancing my heart out with my friends. Unlike your residential college’s Screw or sorority formals, Freshman Screw is the one formal event that the entire freshman class gets to go to. Take advantage of that by spending the night with your friends and enjoying one of Yale’s best traditions.
Best of luck to you all and happy screwing!