Shopping Envy at Princeton, Less School at Yale, and a Lyrical Cunundrum at Cornell

The quick and dirty about what's been going on around the Ancient Eight (and other schools too).

Though Tigers in years past have chosen to poke fun at Harvard students for our less-than-universal access to hot breakfast, they're not laughing anymore. Now, in fact, they wish they were us. A recent news story in the "Daily Princetonian" berated Princeton's lack of a shopping period at the start of the semester, listing Harvard as the primary example of a place that does it right. We may not get to eat pork rolls for breakfast, but who needs those when we can use all the money we're saving on add/drop fees and spend it on hot breakfast in the Square?

Down in New Haven, they're counting the days till the first of their two—yes, you read that right, two—fall breaks. After deciding the fall semester was just too long (and coming up with some numbers to justify the extra time off), Yale added a mini-recess at the end of October to its academic calendar. Alas, it looks as though Yalies may need to use that extra time to get ahead on readings and assignments before the administration starts cracking down on grade inflation. In any event, we'll catch you at The Game, friends. Or, um, that sporting event on the first day of your second fall break. Whatever.

Cornell is determined to prove that Lupe Fiasco is not talking about them in his new song "Hood Now (Outro)" when he credits "Cornel[l]" with making the Ivy League hood (at about 1:22). Instead, they maintain, he is talking only about former Harvard professor Cornel West. "Although the University was founded much later than the other members of the Ancient Eight," they write, "it was never 'let into' the league, but rather established the conference with the other Ivies in 1954." Cornell is a real Ivy League school, you guys! Meanwhile, Cornell with two "l's,", take that hurt; make it into songs.

In other news, it looks as though Emma Watson, enigmatic as ever when it comes to her educational status, may well be on her way back into the Ivy League. Let's hope she doesn't get too famous to stay this time.