All of the sudden, I felt like I criminal. I was guilty of aiding and abetting The Enemy. I had been unfaithful to my almamater. I deserved to sent immediately to jail (or, even worse, to Princeton).

Slowly, however, sanity returned to me and I realized that I wasn't guilty of an Ivy League felony, only of having fun.

When two student bodies get caught up in a traditional rivalry, many hyper-competitive individuals seem to forget the purpose of the whole affair: fun.

If there is really any Harvard student who believes that "Yale sucks" or any Yale student who honestly feels that "Yale may suck, but Harvard blows" should report immediately to the medical tent for treatment.

And, folks, no matter what you say, neither place is a safety school for anyone unless you happen to have your last name on a building.

Now I know that most people at least think they treat the Harvard-Yale rivalry as the fun sophomoric exercise that it ought to be, but not everyone really does. I learned that two years ago.

Everyone should just relax a little and remember the obvious: we are all fortunate people avoiding the Real World by attending one of the best colleges on the face of the earth. In addition, we are all participating in a tradition created to give us wonderful college memories that will loosen our purse strings during Novembers to come during alumni fundraising campaigns.

This column shouldn't be misinterpreted as a crunchy plea for everyone just to hold hands. Go ahead, Harvard and Yale students, roast each other until your heart is content.

Just don't crucify me for sitting on the other side.

Ted G. Rose is a Crimson Staff Writer