Before You Go: A Guide to Harvard-Yale Once ‘The Game’ is Over

Well, you’ve gotten to the end of another Harvard-Yale. Congratulations on watching four quarters of amazing football, thanks in part to Dean of Students Thomas Dunne’s “safe” tailgate ending at half past noon. Since Harvard has definitely won by now, it’s time to begin the celebration. As soon as the clock hits zero, many students will sprint down towards the field — despite the risk of bruises or broken ankles — and run towards the 50-yard line. If you happen to find yourself on the turf after the Crimson’s decisive victory, locate the football player who was your freshman roommate, the one that sits next to you in Stat 100 (or Stat 110, smarty pants!), or the one you met that one time in the dhall, and give them a bear hug.

At many schools, students will also rush to take down the goal post. This tradition hasn’t yet made its way to Harvard, possibly because our intellectually gifted peers know better than to endanger themselves by climbing to high and precarious positions. If our goal post winds up on the ground, however, it’d probably appreciate a tour of our beautiful campus. The post might be hungry after years of work, so now’s the chance to let it finally try some Shake Shack. Of course it needs to see Harvard Square and the Yard. And don’t you dare forget the Quad!

As the hours tick on and the rush of either Sprite or your three school-sanctioned drinks wears off, you have a decision to make: keep the party going, or start healing. We’ll break down both options.

Keep the Party Going

Oftentimes, the football teams put together a ‘post-game.’ No longer gladiators hurling the pigskin, they are free to party. While most of campus makes the sane decision to take Advil, drink some water, and go to bed, the rest of Boston parties on, unaware of our petty Ivy League squabble. It’s still a Saturday night, so there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs happy to receive you if you’re of age.

Some Yalies will also choose to spend the night in Boston, wandering around the streets of Fenway while thinking about how much worse their lives are in New Haven. Falling in love with a Yalie isn’t unheard of, so you could try your luck at recreating Romeo & Juliet. That being said, a relationship with someone of such scholastic inferiority may be difficult to maintain.

You can take your star crossed lover to one of Harvard Square’s fine dining establishments, but make sure to cover the bill, as they might still be licking their wounds following the traumatic loss. If you’re feeling as though they might be The One and that you might be so bold as to suggest they travel home with you to meet your family during the Thanksgiving break, take them to Toscano for a classier night out on the town.

But if you think the romance might be a fleeting, heat-of-the-moment dalliance spurred on by the crazed emotions of the weekend, we suggest Grendel’s Den as an appropriate place for your post-game canoodling. While not quite the same level of intimacy as the romantic Toscano, the privacy of the tables coupled with the high probability of seeing your fellow Crimsonites makes it the perfect mixture of low-lit ambiance and a public display of Crimson superiority.

Start the Healing Process

Even if you are able to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and rally for an evening of revelry, your party-to-sleep ratio is probably dangerously unbalanced. Unfortunately, acting like Dionysus is not very good for your body. After the adrenaline wears off, your feeling of indestructibility will start to falter. Drink lots of water, eat plenty, and sleep. Potassium is supposed to help with headaches, and they do make supplements for these things. Consider investing in some of those. Thank God for the 24-hour CVS pharmacy (of which New Haven has zero). Shower, for the sake of your classmates — including your correspondents.

While you might be nursing an ear-splitting headache, rejoice in the fact that tomorrow is Sunday, another whole day off! Take advantage of the day by catching up on the enormous amount of work you have allowed to build up over the last few days, or take a leisurely walk to the total serenity of Walden Pond (are there even ponds in New Haven?). Luckily, there’s only two days of class before the fun starts anew. You will be reveling in turkey and even more football in just a
few short — but very long-feeling — days.

After a Loss

Yale students, this section is for you. Although Eli’s boys couldn’t secure the win on the field, keep your heads up: at least you’re not in New Haven! After the game, walk back to Harvard Square (that’s right, no shuttle necessary to get to and from our athletic center), and buy yourself a pick-me-up meal. Walk around our urban utopia and remind yourself that Thanksgiving is just a few short days away.

Crimson fans storm the field at the Yale Bowl in 2021. By Angela Dela Cruz

When you return to Yale, try not to beat yourself up too hard. Misery loves company, so be sure to head to Toad’s, where you will find all five of the other glum Yale football fans. Head to Frank Pepe’s to grab a slice — pizza always numbs the sorrow of defeat. Admittedly, New Haven bagels are better than those of Boston, so try to relish in that small victory the morning after.

In the Coming Weeks

When you’re finishing up classes and preparing to take finals, you’ll remember this weekend fondly, whether you’re an Eli or a Cantab. There are few things in the world that are better than a college rivalry. A celebration of friendly conflict, a closely-fought battle, and an American game that owes its roots to these schools — all describe Harvard-Yale.

After the game, be sure to cherish that experience, and relish in the unique opportunity that you and 30,000 others had to come to Soldier’s Field road together and be a part of American history. Go make this weekend one that you will never forget.

—Staff writer Reed Trimble can be reached at reed.trimble@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Thomas Harris can be reached at thomas.harris@thecrimson.com.