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#auldlangsyne

December 30, 2011 by Kemie | 2 comments

Greetings from the endless haze of naping, reading, and snacking that is otherwise known as my life during J-term (winter break)!

Since New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to share some of my Harvard/Cambridge related resolutions with you all.  I’m usually not very good about sticking to my resolutions past the first week of the New Year, but maybe sharing this list in a public forum will help hold me accountable.

Happy New Year!

1. Stop buying food in Harvard Square during dining hall hours.

I made a nasty habit of eating non-HUDS (Harvard University Dining Services) meals last semester, and it really took a toll on my bank account balance.  In the beginning it was harmless.  I started off with a mini cup of frozen yogurt from Pinkberry (coconut yogurt with granola and honey, if you please) here and there, but the next thing I knew it had escalated to a regular sized burrito (buffalo chicken!) from Boloco’s with a nutella milkshake multiple times a week.

I love the food in the Square, and I’m not willing to sacrifice all of my little indulgences.  As a compromise, I think that I could stand to stay away from these treats when the dining halls are open.  Especially since eating in the dining hall is free, so it’s a money-saving alternative.

2. Spend more time in Widener.

I love a good study space.  Freshman year I lived in Canaday, so I was all about getting my work done in the Canaday basement, Cabot Science Library in the Science Center, and Lamont Library.

This year (my sophomore year) I decided to switch things up.  Since I live in Pforzheimer House (Pfoho) in the Quad, it doesn’t really make sense for me to study in the Canaday basement or Cabot Library anymore.  Last semester I went to Lamont whenever I wanted to get work done on the River, and I would go to the Pfoho Library (Pflibrary) when I wanted to be productive in the Quad.

However, towards the middle of the semester I stumbled into the Loker Reading Room (and the Atkins Reference Room) in Widener Library, and it was a total game changer.  Widener is a striking building from the outside, but the interior is absolutely stunning.   Plus, people that go to Widener generally mean business so there’s this peer pressure to be productive.

The Loker Reading Room and the Atkins Reference Room

3. Take the time to explore Boston.

Whenever I am home and catching up with my friends and family, people always ask me, “How’s Boston?” and I am never able to give them a legitimate answer.  I tell them that Cambridge is amazing, but I can’t tell them anything about Boston-proper because I rarely venture out of the Harvard bubble.  In fact, the only time that I step outside of Cambridge is when I feel the need to hit the shops on Newbury Street.

It’s a shame that I haven’t taken the leap, because there are some things that I am dying to do in the city.  Here are a few:

a. Have a picnic in the Common, the city’s oldest public park, on a sunny afternoon.

b. Spend an afternoon in the Museum of Fine Arts (especially to view van Gogh’s Houses at Auvers).  I’m not actually that much of a visual arts enthusiast, but after I spent last summer in Barcelona I came to appreciate the calm of a good museum visit.  I especially want to take a look at Houses at Auvers because I visited the Museum of Modern Art in New York last year and saw The Starry Night. I just thought the texture of the painting in person was the coolest thing, and so I want to take a look at another van Gogh.

The Starry Night

The Starry Night

House at Auvers

House at Auvers

c. Visit the Massachusetts State House.  My favorite part about the tours that I give (as a member of the Crimson Key Society) is learning about the architecture and the history of the buildings on campus.  I really want to get a good look at the Massachusetts State House because Charles Bulfinch designed it.  He’s the same architect responsible for University Hall in Harvard Yard.  He’s also a Harvard graduate!

 

Massachusetts State House

Massachusetts State House

University Hall

University Hall

d. Take the time to visit the New England Aquarium.  I don’t have any pets or anything, but for some reason I love zoos and aquariums.  Since I’m from Northern Virginia, I visit the National Zoo in D.C. and the National Aquarium in Baltimore a lot.  I’m ready for something new!

Honestly, the list could just go on, and on, and on.  The point is that there are a million and one things to do around campus, but I need to make a conscious effort to see what Boston has to offer as well.

4. Go to office hours.  Undergraduate professors and teaching fellows hold regular “office hours”, during which students are welcome to stop by and get to know their professors.  The idea is to make the faculty accessible so that students and faculty members can build strong relationships outside of lecture and section.  I’ve never really taken advantage of office hours.

Every semester, I tell myself that I will go, but the second that I get busy I use my schoolwork and other commitments as an excuse to opt out.  It’s really a shame and a waste of a great opportunity.  This spring I intend on attending at least one office hour session for each of my classes.

5. Take a class pass/fail.  This is probably the trickiest resolution, and I’ll most likely put it off until next fall. There’s no sound reasoning behind this one.  I’m really just curious to see how it would effect the way I learn and treat my assignment.

I think that’s just about it.  Those are my Harvard-related resolutions for 2012! Hopefully posting them to this blog will keep me honest in the coming year.  Wish me luck and discipline!  Hopefully you’ve had the opportunity to reflect on 2011 and come up with some resolutions of your own.  Here’s to an exciting new year!

 

#timeflies

December 5, 2011 by Kemie | 4 comments

Sorry that I’ve been missing in action the past few weeks!  I’ve been all over the place mentally (Physically I’ve pretty much just been here in Cambridge…).  Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.

Time flies when you're having fun

Time flies! Get it?!

Here’s a brief overview off what’s been going on in my life since my last post.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19th: Harvard-Yale

As always, Harvard-Yale (H-Y) was an unforgettable experience.  Just to be clear, H-Y is the annual football game against Yale.  It’s cryptically referred to as “The Game” here on campus.  This year, H-Y was at Yale so there was a huge exodus from Cambridge.  Most people made their way down to New Haven to take part in the festivities.

I look forward to H-Y without fail because it is one day a year when school spirit reigns supreme.  H-Y is evidence of the thriving Harvard community.  Students, Alumni, friends, family, and football enthusiasts all come together to share in the experience.  This year was no different.

I’m not much of a sports fan, so I prefer to shift my attention to the student tailgates.  I dressed up in my best Harvard apparel, ate hot dogs and hamburgers, and kicked back with some of my closest friends and fellow classmates.

Me and my friends at the H-Y tailgate

Me and my friends at the H-Y tailgate

Oh, and Harvard won the game 45-7. Go Crimson!

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd: Home Sweet Home!

After Harvard-Yale, I went back to campus and powered through the last few days of class before Thanksgiving break.  By Tuesday evening I was sitting at the Starbucks in Logan Airport, waiting to board my flight home.

I love traveling to and from school.  As I mentioned in my Blogger Bio, I’m from Virginia, so I usually fly into one of the Washington, D.C. airports.  Travel from Boston to D.C. is a breeze!  Tickets are almost always available, and the flight only lasts about one hour.  Plus I can take the T (Boston public transportation) to the airport, instead of spending a ton of money on a cab.

The best part about coming home for breaks is the warm welcome!  My mom treats me like a soldier returning from war.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24th: Turkey Day

Thanksgiving is one of my top three favorite holidays (the other two are Halloween and the Fourth of July).  I look forward to it each and every year, and this year did not disappoint!  The spread at my house included everything from honey baked ham to corn soufflé.  I especially love Thanksgiving now that I’m in college, because I don’t have to ration the leftovers.  I’m only around to enjoy the food for a few days, so I don’t worry about saving anything for the next week, so I just enjoy the food recklessly.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27th: Back to School

I flew back to school on Sunday morning.  I decided to get to Cambridge early in the day so that I could get ready for the LAST WEEK OF CLASS of the semester.  The light at the end of the tunnel had never been brighter.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2nd: School’s Out! (But not really…) 

Last day of class!  Actually, I don’t even have class on Friday, so Thursday was technically my last day but we won’t worry about that silly little detail.  Regardless, I decided to reward my hard work this semester with an evening of appreciating the arts.

First, I stopped by Memorial Church (Mem Church or MemChu) in the Yard to see the Kuumba Christmas Concert.  The Kuumba Singers of Harvard College are just one of the many amazing choirs here on campus.  I went to support a few friends and hear some great music.  The energy at the concert was fantastic.  People were on their feet, clapping to the beat, and swaying back on forth.  One highlight of the concert, at least for me, was when the group sang the Boyz II Men arrangement of “Silent Night”.

My ticket from the Kuumba Christmas Concert

My ticket from the Kuumba Christmas Concert

After Kuumba, I made the short walk of to Sanders Theatre to catch the second half of “Twas the Jam Before Christmas”, which was a joint-effort a capella concert featuring the Harvard Krokodiloes (Kroks) and the Harvard Opportunes (Opps).  Unfortunately, I missed the Opps because I was at the Kuumba concert, but the Kroks were out of this world.  They must practice in their sleep, because they seemed so comfortable on stage.  The jokes between songs genuinely made me laugh, and the soloists were incredible.  There was even tap-dancing involved in the show!  I think the best word to describe the performance is “cheeky”.  They do a great job of making sure their bits are fun and carefree, with just the right amount of sass.

My ticket from the Kroks and Opps performance

Okay, I think that just about catches us up.  You’ll have to excuse me now, as a hide away in my “Reading Period Cave”.*  Also known as the Harvard Library System (especially Widener, Lamont, and Houghton).

 

Widener

Widener

 

Lamont

Lamont

Houghton

Houghton

*Reading Period is the week or so before final exams.  Most students spend the time writing final papers and studying for exams.

#novemberstateofmind

November 11, 2011 by Kemie | Permalink

You know how people say that Wednesday is the hump day of the week? You know, that point in the middle of the week that is particularly excruciating?  Well November has proven itself to be the proverbial hill month of the first academic semester of the year.  The middle of the month (as in right about now) is especially rough.

Here’s a general breakdown of the progression of the school year up until this point:

August: Students generally don’t arrive on campus until the last week or so of the month.  August is all play, and no work!  Everyone is excited to be back on campus, and classes have yet to begin.  It’s a blur of summer summaries, meals in Harvard Square, and exciting reunions with friends and roomies.

September: September isn’t quite as laid back as August, but the start of a new semester is always refreshing.  I love checking out different courses during Shopping Period and getting to know my new professors and TFs (teaching fellows).  Also, it’s a great time to make friends because a new class schedule means new classmates!  Also, the weather in September, especially towards the end, is fantastic.  The sun shines and a light breeze is usually there to cool you off just when you need it.

October: The first wave of midterms usually takes its toll on me at this point, but Columbus Day (no class!) and Halloween (costumes and fun!) help ensure that October is still an overall enjoyable month.

November: Now we reach the “hump”.  Things start to get a little too real in November.  The second wave of midterm exams and papers comes crashing down.  Also, as a sophomore, I officially declare my concentration (major) next week.  In and of itself, declaration is a really exhilarating occurrence.  However, the paperwork that accompanies it is no fun…at all. At this point in the year New England living rears its ugly head.  It is legitimately cold outside, and it starts getting dark by 5pm.  More than anything, by the time you reach November you are so close to Reading Period (the week or so preceding exams when class does not meet) and exams that you just want to fast-forward to the end and go home for J-term (our month-long winter break).  I might sound like a Negative Nancy, but that’s probably just the midterm stress coming through.

Full disclosure: there is a select list of November-related things that really help me power up and over the hill.

  • The Changing of the Leaves.  Cambridge in the fall is enchanting.  The leaves on the trees in The Old Yard and Tercentenary Theatre change from green to captivating hues of gold, brown, red, orange, and yellow.  I like to think that being surrounded by all of the warm fall colors helps keep me warm, despite the cold.  This has yet to be scientifically proven.
A glimpse of the leaves changing color in Cambridge.

I'm no professional, but I snapped this on my phone on a walk home from the Yard.

  • Veteran’s Day.* It’s a national holiday, so no class!  Enough said.
  • Harvard-Yale. Harvard-Yale is the sporting event of the season–Nay, the year.  My excitement cannot be contained.  The game is next Saturday at Yale, and the wait is going to be the death of me.  It is a REALLY big deal.  Students and Alums alike make the trek to the game.  I can’t wait to take a bus down to New Haven with all of my friends, tailgate with great food and great people, and watch Harvard domination extend to the field.
  • Thanksgiving Break.  Thanksgiving is the first time that I get to go home during the school year!  To be fair, I could probably sneak home for the weekend before this point but it never seems worth the hassle.  Also, it will be the first time that all of my family members will be in the same place since the summer, and I cannot wait for the family bonding to commence.  Most importantly, the Thanksgiving feast at my house would leave any glutton delighted and satisfied.
My family's Thanksgiving feast from last year.

Believe it or not, but this is just a portion of our Thanksgiving set up form last year.

  • Pumpkin Flavored Treats. Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks, pumpkin milkshakes from Boloco, and pumpkin pie and pumpkin cupcakes from Sweet!  All of these delicious treats are available in celebration of the fall season, and the best part is that they are all conveniently located in Harvard Square.  It’s like I’ve died and gone to heaven.
Pumpkin cupcakes

Pumpkin cupcakes!

  • The End of Daylight Savings Time.  Falling back to gain one hour of sleep?  YES PLEASE!

Fret not.  The mid-November hump will pass.  Right now, Harvard-Yard is the light at the end of the tunnel that I am focusing on.  I can’t wait to share it with you in a future post!

*Happy Veteran’s day to all of the men and women of the United States military! Your contributions are much appreciated (past and present alike).

#lazysunday

November 4, 2011 by Kemie | 6 comments

If you’ve taken a look at my short biography on the “Meet Your Bloggers” page, you’ll know that I’m a member of the Crimson Key Society.  The Crimson Key Society (Key for short) serves the Harvard Community by leading tours, helping with large events, and by through a service program called TEACH.   Adding to the tradition of service, I volunteered to spend the day working on a Habitat for Humanity house in Boston with a group from Key.  Here’s the general deal: Harvard has its own Habitat for Humanity house that a bunch of different student groups have been contributing to over time, and the Crimson Key Society decided to get in on the action.  It was such a great experience, and I can’t help but share it with all of you.

It was a really refreshing change from my typical Lazy Sunday.   Key is full of outgoing and exciting individuals, so I knew that I was in for a good time.  We all decided ahead of time that if we were working with power tools, we needed to look the part.  With that in mind, we assigned a “lumberjack” theme to the outing.  It was a fun little spin on the day.  We all came out in flannel and jeans, ready to get some serious construction done.

After a brief orientation, and a few words of caution, we were let loose on the house.  Even though I had signed up to participate in the build, I hadn’t really given much thought to the fact that I would be expected to perform manual labor.  The experience taught me that I have absolutely no future in construction work.  In fact, I can confidently cross it off my list of potential careers.  Regardless of my inability to properly wield a hammer, it was a FANTASTIC day.

Everyone having fun during a work break.

The obligatory post-build photo shoot.

My team worked on placing the siding onto the house, so we were up on rafters most of the time.  It was so scary! There were a couple of moments that really had me frightened, but it at the same time it was kind of great to overcome my minor fear of heights.  We were responsible for measuring, cutting, and placing the panels on the house.  Like I said, I am no handy-woman, but there is something to be said about getting to see the physical results of your labor.  Each time I successfully hammered a nail into a panel this ridiculous feeling of pride came over me.

Separate from the service part of the trip, it was really nice to be able to spend more time with the people I love from Key.  It felt more like a social event, than work.  When it was time to hand up our tool belts, I didn’t want to leave.  Working on the Habitat house was a nice change of pace for me, because I don’t usually take the time to venture into Boston.  It’s too easy to get caught inside the Harvard Bubble, so I know that I would love to do something like this again in the future.  Hopefully Key will do it again, and I can update everyone on the status of the house!

The group of volunteers from Crimson Key Society, as well as volunteers from Habitat for Humanity.

The crew after at the end of the day. All smiles!

 

#quadgirlproblems

October 26, 2011 by Kemie | Permalink

Let me start off by saying that my freshman year dorm, Canaday, gets an unnecessarily bad rap.  Built in 1974, Canaday is the newest Yard dorm (as well as the ugliest).  The architecture lacks the romance and history of Weld or Matthews, but it was amazing housing nonetheless.  Suite style living meant that my roommates and I could have social space in our common space, and private space in our bedrooms.  Carpet floors helped ensure that we never had to enter into battle with dust bunnies, and made for easy vacuuming when we had guests to entertain.  Most importantly, Canaday has arguably the best location out of all of the freshman dorms (my apologies to the Union Dorms and Apley.   You guys aren’t even in the running).  Annenberg and Memorial Hall, the Science Center, and the classrooms and libraries surrounding Tercentenary Theater could all be reached in less than 5 minutes when walking at a leisurely pace.  Sounds like a dream, right?  It really was.  In fact, in retrospect, the worst thing about Canaday-living was defending my dorm to non-Canaday citizens who just couldn’t get past their preconceptions.

 

Canaday Hall

So, when Housing Day came around last April and my blockmates and I were assigned to Pforzheimer, a house in the Radcliffe Quadrangle, I wanted to cry out loud in frustration.  Not because I was upset about my future home, but because I didn’t want to defend the place that I knew that I would come to love to people that simply just didn’t understand my good fortune.

Pforzheimer House

 

However, now that I am a couple months into my sophomore year, I can breathe my sigh of relief because I have learned that my house is my “light” and “I’m going to let it shine”.  When my friends that live in one of the nine river houses try to console me over my status as a quadling, I stand up loud and proud and defend my home.  Here’s a loose interpretation of how a River-Quad interaction might play out:

River Frenemy: The Quad is about half a mile a way from the Yard. That sucks.

Me: Not really.  A white chariot, that some like to call the Quad Shuttle, comes to pick me up at a convenient location, and whisks me away to my destination.  I probably end up walking less than you do!

River Frenemy: Oh, well don’t you feel left out?

Me: Not at all.  Pforzheimer (affectionately known as Pfoho), Cabot, and Currier actually form a really tight community.  It’s nice to see familiar faces around the Quad Lawn and on the shuttle.

River Frenemy: Yeah, but don’t you feel like you got the short end of the housing-lottery-stick?

Me: Nope. Quad housing is spacious, and full of natural lighting that does wonders for me aesthetically.  Also, I get to go home to a peaceful suburban environment and escape the urban buzz of the Square.

River Frenemy: You’re right! I’m going to transfer from the River to the Quad as soon as I get the chance! *

 

*To be fair, I took some liberties with the last line of this little script.

 

The truth is that each one of the twelve upperclassmen houses has something to brag about.  The upperclassman housing system fosters spirit and pride in your respective dwelling, so we will never really know which house is objectively the “best”.  What’s important is that at the end of the day, more often than not, people are genuinely happy with the hand that they are dealt.

Me with the Pfoho polar bear mascot on Housing Day!

 

Haters gonna hate.  QUADLYFE!

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