Yale Inn: Finding a Place to Crash at Harvard Yale

To the seasoned Harvard-Yale game attendee, the question of where to stay is no big deal. But to freshmen who don’t know any Yalies, there has been some concern over finding a place to crash.

Harvard Houses and Yale residential colleges are matched together as “sister houses” to coordinate which common spaces students can sleep in. As of 2005, freshmen dorms were added to the mix, so freshmen can rest assured that they wouldn’t be sleeping out on the mean streets of New Haven.

Looking back at his freshman year experience, Lijia Xie ’17 remembers some of the logistical challenges associated with H-Y.

“There definitely were people who didn’t have anywhere to go at first and didn’t realize until they got to New Haven,” said Xie.

Xie’s friends ended up finding accommodations once there, either by latching onto friends staying with Yale students, or by sleeping in common living spaces through the sister house match-up.

“If you need to stay in one of the common spaces, I’d probably try to find a [Harvard] friend to stay together with,” he said.

Student groups also offer the opportunity to match up students. One example is the Harvard African Students Association, which partners with the Yale African Students Association. Students can fill out a Google form and get matched with a Yale student.

So freshmen, don’t fret. If you want to go to the game, there’s a futon or floor spot with your name on it.