What Is Yellow To You?

By Upper-Schooler Alyna Rei

Starting off the new year and a new semester, the blog staff has opted to free itself from the dictatorial constraints of Ms. Zachik and choose its own themes. We begin the year with “Yellow” to kick off the new term. 

Everyone has an opinion on the color yellow. Some people say they like it, some people say they are repulsed by it. Some are in the middle. What comes to mind when you hear the word yellow? Sunflowers? Happiness? Rubber ducks? Vomit? 

For me, personally, the first thing that comes to my mind with the color yellow depends on the yellow. If it’s a lighter, almost blinding shade of yellow, I think of heat because of the desert or a warning sign just like what Christina Lam said. If the shade is softer and warmer, I think of a nice calming sunset. This shade brings me ease and has a more “home-like” feel.

I put this question to different people and was able to get a variety of answers.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word yellow?

Ms. Castellano (Teacher): “When I was younger I never thought about dreams and colors. At some point I had a dream about a yellow feather. It was the first time I remembered dreaming in color. Since then, yellow represents that flight feather I dreamed of long ago.”

Ms. Maguire (Teacher):  “When I hear yellow I think of sunshine, warmth, and cheerfulness. I imagine sunflowers, daffodils, palo verde trees, daisies, and all the other yellow flowers that bring an undeniable burst of brightness into the world. I have a sunny yellow Le Creuset dutch oven that I adore; I just got a new tea kettle that is a rich golden hue, and I have kitchen towels in various shades of yellow. Yellow is great for everything except clothing; it makes me look green.”

Ms. Carter (Teacher):  “The first thing that comes to my mind is a sign in my classroom that is yellow that says “Bienvenue a la classe de français.”

Mr. Satterfield (Teacher):  “Yellow is a calm color in an uncalm world. Yellow is warm, but not hot. Yellow is comfortable. Sleepy, even. Bumblebees are yellow. Sunflowers. The Sun. Yellow is the color of the sky at sunrise or sunset when there are no clouds. Yellow is lemonade on a hot day, or the flames in a fireplace on a cold one. Yellow is the banana you eat and the snow you don’t. Yellow can’t be rushed, and you wouldn’t want to, anyway.”

Mr. Gil (Teacher):  “Yellow” is a song by Coldplay. Everyone knows the yellow brick road even if you have not seen The Wizard of Oz. Looking down I thought of yellow shoes that I would never wear. Looking at the walls of my classroom, I see the dark yellow paint that one of my students really hates. Over by the clock there is a UC Berkeley flag that has a shade of yellow named California Gold. When I don’t have anything else to look at, I think about how yellow is not my favorite color. Keep up the good work with the blogs, I like reading them.”

Maya Karpaty (Senior):  “When I think of yellow I think about bananas. Sometimes they’re good, sometimes they aren’t but I always seem to come back to get one when I’m hungry. I also was going to say something basic like “the sun,” but there’s a big debate that the six year old in me says I should color the sun at the corner of my paper orange. I don’t know. Also bees.”

Landon Elder (Junior):  “When I hear the word yellow, the first thing I think of is a Rubber Duck. I think of a Rubber Duck when I think yellow because I like Rubber Ducks. They are squishy, cute, and I love ducks. . . . Rubber Ducks are great.”

Christina Lam (Junior):  “The first thing that comes to mind when I hear yellow is nuclear waste. Yellow has been used in warning signs and to cause alertness. It’s used for its blinding hue in warning pavers which are the yellow bumpy things on sidewalks for people who can’t see well. Yellow has been associated with illness within history. It also just seems like the color anxiety would be.”

Cole Robinson (Junior):  “When I think of the color yellow, it reminds me of any good times in my life. It is associated with most happy moments for me, although it escapes me on why. It could be because of how the many hues of yellow fill me with a sense of warmth and comfort.”

Abby Assefa (Sophomore): “When I hear yellow, I think of sunflowers and happiness. I feel that when you look at yellow it is an overall bright and positive color. Sunflowers also exude happiness because of their yellow color. Although yellow is not my favorite color, I always get a nice feeling when I see a yellow thing.”

Seeing the different responses shows me how we interpret this bright color. You can really see how much thought goes into people’s heads with the one simple question, What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word yellow? Even Fyodor Dostoevsky, Oscar Wilde, and Mary Shelley have something to say about yellow, right, Mr. Griffin?