Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-442-6062

Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-925-2803

It's rumored that the day freshmen move into  

Harvard

  Yard is always a gorgeous one. Well, I don't know if that's a fact, but it was certainly true of my first day at Harvard. As my parents and I drove through the main gate and entered the Yard, the sun was filtering through the trees, softly illuminating the historic, brick buildings and causing the green grass to sparkle in the early morning dew. I gazed out the window at this beautiful scene and thought to myself, "No freshman should be so lucky!"

And then we got to my dorm. It's not that I initially thought my dorm, Canaday, was ugly, it's just that it was built in 1974, so it lacks some of the charm of other freshman housing. Instead of hardwood floors and fireplaces, Canaday's rooms have white cinderblock walls and sketchy carpeting. However, my initial disappointment quickly wore off as I came to realize all the advantages Canaday has to offer. I'm sharing a suite with four other girls that has four singles off of a large common room. Thus, only two of us have to share a bedroom. Furthermore, we live on the top floor, which means that although we have to walk up three flights of stairs every day, we have really high ceilings and skylights. To top it all off, Canaday is literally a two-minute walk from the dining hall and most of my classes. (I've already found out how convenient a centrally located dorm is when you wake up five minutes before your first class!) In other words, I've slowly but surely grown to love fair Canaday.

I adore my roommates. They've definitely helped make this place feel more like home. Sure, we're completely different in terms of background, ethnicity, religion, and interests, but we actually reflect quite well the diversity that Harvard is so proud to offer. During this first week, it's such a relief to automatically have four girls I can call friends and count on to help me through this adjustment process. And, believe me--it's quite difficult at times. There are a lot of important decisions I have to make, and I'm finding it tough to do without the aid of my parents or best friends.

Deciding what classes to take is just the beginning. At Harvard, the only mandatory class for freshmen is an expository writing class. There are certain other requirements for graduation, but there are four long years during which I can get those out of the way. In other words, I'm actually able to take any classes I desire this year. The class variety here is amazing! Flipping through the course catalog to try to fill those schedule slots is like walking into a candy store with only $1 in my pocket. Everything looks so good, and I'd like to try it all, but I've only got a buck to spend. How do I decide? Thankfully, Harvard allows me the opportunity to sample all the candy (or at least a reasonable portion of it) before deciding which ones I really want.

At Harvard, we get to sample classes during "Shopping Week." Classes meet at their regular times, and we're able to attend as many (or as few) as we want. The way it works is if I ultimately decide to take a course, I'll be held responsible for any work that was done during Shopping Week. On the other hand, if I visit a class that sounded great in the catalog only to find that the professor is Ben Stein's long-lost twin, I can run away and never look back! That's the beauty of Shopping Week.

It would be great if Harvard also had an extracurricular Shopping Week, because deciding what to get involved with outside of my classes is proving to be equally challenging. There are an incredible number of teams, publications, musical groups, theater productions, and service opportunities in which to get involved. What I'm finding most difficult is deciding whether I want to stick with the activities I loved in high school, try totally new things, or attempt to do a little of both. I think I'll take that last choice. I'm definitely going to play JV soccer--I've played for as long as I can remember and I'd miss it if I didn't have it in my life. Then again, I'm also going to try writing for a student-run magazine--something I've never done before. And, if time permits, I'd like to get more involved in both politics and community service. Lots to do!

All of this planning and scheming can make a girl hungry, which is fortunate because eating is definitely one of the highlights of being a freshman at Harvard. It's not so much the food, though, that makes the meal. Don't get me wrong--the cuisine, though far from mom's home cooking--is actually edible and usually pretty tasty, but it's where we eat that's truly remarkable. In fact, although I've been here a short while, I still scratch my head at every meal and ponder what I did to deserve a freshman dining hall that looks more like a church than a cafeteria. Annenberg's tables, chairs, floors, walls, and lofty ceilings are all made of a gorgeous, dark wood that is so impeccably polished it shines. Moreover, the hall is lined with chandeliers, vibrantly colored stained glass windows, and statues and portraits of famous figures from Harvard's past. Can you say "spoiled"?!

The special perks of being a Harvard student just don't stop! Today--only my fourth day here--I went with a bunch of other students to a political rally in Boston. Now, I'm not one with extremely strong political views, but I thought it would at least be an interesting experience. As it turned out, because of the fact that we were college students, we were given special tickets that allowed us to stand fairly close to the platform. The rally itself was a lot more exciting than I had anticipated, and I was even able to get close enough to shake an important politician's hand as he made his way down the line of people that led to his limo. I probably shouldn't have gotten such a big kick out of it, but it was the most exhilarating handshake I've ever experienced.

I can tell that all of these first-week opportunities will make for great memories. I'm slowly realizing, though, that the best assets Harvard has offered me thus far have been the other students I've met. Almost everyone I've encountered here has been so down-to-earth that every time I see those same people either singing an incredibly moving song at an a capella concert, performing an amazing violin solo at a talent show, or saying something extremely profound in one of my classes, I'm shocked. There are so many gifted people here, it's easy to feel insecure. But once I realize that, no, I'm not "the freshman the admissions office accidentally let in," and learn to be comfortable with who I am, I can begin to appreciate all the talent that surrounds me. I think that's what will make my Harvard experience truly priceless.

One week down, three-plus more years to go. I can't wait!

Sound Off! Post Your Comments