Odessa's Oddities & Curiosities | Week of 5/26/2025

Dear friends,

I write as a Yale College graduate — trust me, that’s how I will start every piece of correspondence from here on out :) None of it has really quite sunk in yet—it still feels like leaving for summer break.

Quick housekeeping note! If you have subscribed to my newsletter with your yale email and you wish to continue receiving these self-indulgent missives, please do subscribe with your personal email.

I’ve been telling everyone to start their own newsletters so that I can stay in touch with them. I hope you, dear reader, feel in better touch with me this way than the kaleidoscopic highlight reel of Instagram. Speaking of Instagram, the real challenge of graduation is figuring out what I should change my Instagram bio to. It feels lame to keep Yale ‘25 in my bio (enough already), but after trying to figure out my life post-grad, I also have to figure out how to summarize myself in a pithy phrase. Oy!

Also, keep your inboxes peeled because I may be moving to S*bst*ck soon…although, I loathe to speak of it on this platform, which has served me very well. My family has named this policy “Odessa’s Rule”: I consider it disrespectful to mention another brand/company/restaurant/etc while frequenting an establishment of the same category.

A few graduation notes:

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, per tradition, Yale seniors descend upon Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the weekend before grad festivities. We coincided with the PGA Tour, a giant cheerleading competition, and a Harley-Davidson convention. An unwieldy combination. Liana, Ava, and I have decided to forgo our post grad plans to become groupies for Black Glass. Per their Facebook, they are “Carolina's premiere Rock and roll cover band since 2005.”

Former PM Jacinda Ardern spoke beautifully during Class Day, where I adorned a Jewish pirate hat (thank you, Medad, for the inspiration).

And Dean Lewis read us the beautiful poem “Ithaka” by C.P. Cavafy

Graduating feels like a wedding and a funeral all at once. First, god, finding the perfect white dress. I must have seen every single white dress on the internet, trying to find a dress for graduation. The grad photos — very similar to engagement photo shoots. But then, the whole process is one of grief. Knowing nothing will ever quite be the same. Grieving these four years. The black robes. All the black body bags (*cough* duffel bags) for my many, many clothes. A mindfuck, for real.

A lot of media to update you on.

First, Sarah recommended Broad City, and I’ve been obsessed. Brilliant. I can’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. You can find it on Hulu.

Blooma insisted I watch Emily in Paris before going to Paris, so we’ve been watching that together.

And my mom and I have attempted to watch Conclave twice, but keep falling asleep, which doesn’t bode well for my review. But I’m actually loving it. It’s beautiful. Sort of funny. Excited to finish it soon.

I’ve been loving Doppelganger by Naomi Klein, which I know I’m quite late on. At first, I was skeptical that her premise could last longer than an essay, but she keeps winding deeper and deeper, and I’m happily following along.

I also started Tits Up, which I recommended a few newsletters ago. My mom got me the physical book. Sarah Thornton nails it as always. I also just find the cover delightful, and I’ve been bringing it around with me everywhere.

I have a new favorite podcast: Good Hang with Amy Poehler. Amy is so warm and funny and sharp. And she brings on the best people. It feels like eavesdropping in the best way. I’m not usually a fan of the interview format, but this podcast has surpassed all expectations.

I’m home now, and my dad and I get to geek out about logistics together i.e. watch Wendover Productions. And this fascinating video on the logistics of fruit! Do you know that supply chain logistics determined your favorite fruit?! Also when you eat a crisp apple in mid summer know it was picked 9 months ago?! Learn more fun facts like that in this video.

Inc. Magazine compiled this fabulous oral history of the first year of the Webby Awards. Extra special to see these photos.

Sonically, I was lucky enough to hear Noah Kahan live at Bottlerock, Napa. I bawled through most of the set. I’ve also loved seeing the groovy Khruangbin.

Also, Sofi Tukker, the DJ duo, released a separate version of their album inspired by Bossa Nova Brazillian music called butter, so far setting the mood for my summer.

For my Common App essay, I described a metaphorical tour of my brain. At the end, I wrote:

This is my brain now. But just wait until you see my brain in four years: bursting with white matter, grey matter, and all the things that actually matter.

(Aside from that, I now know, you don’t want your brain bursting with anything, far better to increase the density of your neurons.)

Yale taught me so much. And I felt it, receiving my diploma: here I am, bursting with all the things that actually matter.

I still find that I lack the words to sum exactly what Yale has meant to me. Maybe I will find the words soon. Maybe not. It’s only been a week after all.

What’s that cliche? Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.

I love you all very much.

With love & curiosity,

Odessa