Div Dictionary: BTFO

Summer is nearly at hand. The pollen numbers are down to ‘deathly’ here in New Haven, the weather is gorgeous, and it’s that lull between spring classes and summer classes that’s better known as commencement. I've just returned from some time away, where spent a weekend in Arizona playing golf with my grandfather, and a few days at home in Nebraska meeting with my Session and Presbytery—good times. Best times: my sister competed in the Nebraska State Special Olympics and took a gold in the softball toss and a silver in the 50m walk. Leaving that joy, I've returned to a time of transitions. Tomorrow, many friends graduate. Tuesday, summer courses begin. To everything a season...luckily this is a very nice season for weather.

I realize that there are going to be many acronyms and words thrown at you in the next few months, and especially during BTFO. So I thought I'd spend a bit of time on the biggest potential question mark...what the heck is a 'BTFO'?

BTFO: (n) shorthand for 'Before the Fall Orientation', a week-long event at Yale Divinity School (aka YDS, look for the upcoming Div Dictionary on that one), which is student-driven, student-directed, and student-run (with the generous support of the amazing faculty and staff).

An important bit of information: BTFO is scheduled to begin the afternoon of Monday, August 23rd, and conclude on Friday, August 27th. We will also likely have activities available through the weekend so that you can make the most out of your free time in New Haven before classes start on Monday. The specifics of the days are still being worked on, and will likely change many many many many times over the next few months. But the dates will not. AUGUST 23-27. Mark your calendars!

BTFO functions only as well as the students, faculty, and staff who help make it happen. Lucky you...everyone I know of is top-notch. And I think I know most everyone. During the week, we will regale you with various traditions, worship services, and speakers. Our goal is to answer SOME of the many questions you naturally should have (if you don't, goodness gracious you need to think some more!). The week is short, but we're going to try and balance a lot of info-sharing (registration, financial aid, best places to get lunch for vegan-El Salvadoran food lovers, etc) with time for you to meet informally with professors, current students, alumni, and classmates. This event has been running for a while now, and we will try to take the best from previous years. This is, in short, a week to cover the most common questions and to inform you about the players at YDS, Yale, and New Haven. It can't answer all your questions--what fun would that be anyway?--but it should answer many, and give you outlets to know how to find answers to the rest.

Most importantly, it should be fun, and we are looking forward to the joy that will come from the week. Over the course of the summer, we will pass along more details about BTFO. In the meantime, feel free to check out the Yale Divinity School public events calendar to get a sense of what's going on around the Quad. Some of you have found Josh and I on facebook, after Melissa let us find you on the YDS Admits page. Thanks for that form of communication. Contact us at btfo2010@gmail.com as well if you have a question, or post it on this blog if it's a general question. We will NOT be setting up a Twitter account, I am glad to report. To me, the notion of doing something named for a little yellow animated character is innately silly. "But Alex, you said earlier in the post 'to everything a season' so why not a season for this?" Valid question. I am caught by my own words. But I'm not going to change my stance on Tweets. Sorry.

Until next time, stay thirsty my friends.
-Alex