![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/collegeadmissionsstudentblog\/files\/2012\/08\/DSCN0399.jpg\")
<\/a>I spy…tourists in between Memorial Church and Widener Library.<\/p><\/div>\n
The statistics get more complicated within the context of optional
\npsets. Yes, these little optional gremlins do exist with the apparent
\npurpose of guilting us. In my experience, optional psets at the
\nbeginning of the semester exist to remind you of how forgetful and
\nrusty you are, whereas the (typically) nongraded optional psets
\nsprinkled in the midst of the hectic semester exist as exam
\nstyle\/format hints. But what about the optional psets during the
\nsummer??<\/p>\n
I hope I didn’t scare anyone with the thought of “summer assignments.”
\nIn my high school, a handful of classes required students intending to
\nenroll in the specific class to complete reading, writing, etc.
\nassignments during the summer which was the leading cause of
\nall-nighters before the first day of class. Thankfully, Harvard
\nCollege holds a Shopping Week – the first week of each semester where
\nstudents can drop by and even walk out of classes as they see fit.
\nSince our schedules aren’t finalized until Shopping Week is over and
\nour Study Cards (the list of normally 4 classes we’ve chosen to take
\nfor the semester) are submitted to the registrar, it’s difficult to
\nassign “summer assignments.” (Note that there is also a grace period
\nof a few weeks after Study Card submission when you can add\/drop
\nclasses!) However, some outlier courses may require something along
\nthe lines of a letter of intention – this is something I’ll have to
\nsubmit by August 21 for a Spanish class I’m SUPER interested in taking
\nthis upcoming fall semester. Class policies vary widely but Harvard’s
\nbeen pretty good to me about providing me with the freedom to
\npersonally design my own summer…independent of the presence of
\npsets!<\/p>\n
I’m participating in a program called DRCLAS SIP<\/a> (David Rockefeller But I find comfort in the fact that everyone hates optional psets more.<\/p>\n There definitely wasn’t an optional pset scheduled on the DRCLAS SIP<\/a> Girls pic near the entrance of Machu Picchu!<\/p><\/div>\n And in the shopping center’s cafeteria we sat with laptops out, shared <\/p>\n
\nCenter for Latin American Studies, Summer Internship Program). For 8
\nweeks, I’ll be living with a homestay family in Peru while I shadow at
\na private clinic<\/a>. Ever since I converted into a premed<\/a> student
\nfreshman spring semester, a trillion and a half decisions came before
\nme i.e. when to take certain prerequisites like physics and organic
\nchemistry, or if I want to pursue one or perhaps more gap years.
\nShadowing and eventually becoming good friends with these doctors
\nduring my summer internship has given me not only valuable, but also
\nrealistic insight to what the journey to becoming a doctor is like. I
\nalready feel more confident in my personal timeline of when and how to
\napproach my medical goals, although I’m still nervous about expressing
\nthis openly in fear that if I change my mind, everyone will hate me.<\/p>\n
\n calendar<\/a>. But the 13 participants rallied together and added a pset
\nsession…at least this is what it felt like even though we were
\nmeeting in a mall. We needed a secure public area to meet with free
\nwifi to plan a trip to Machu Picchu<\/a>!<\/p>\n<\/a>
\n“Machu Picchu” titled Google Doc<\/a> open, listening to each other
\nintently but also not afraid to cut each other off, compromising,
\nbudgeting, and typing fleeting questions on our desktop’s Post-It app.
\nPassionate opinions were expressed and heated debates transpired, but
\nno personal feelings were affected. Planning an economically feasible
\nweekend trip to one of the few wonders of the modern world was exactly
\nlike a pset – we were all there to do business and come out as a
\nbetter person in the end. Almost 3 hours later, we felt on top of the
\nworld…or at least Machu Picchu!<\/p>\n