News
Cards That Will Make You “Pop” With Joy
How Love Pop creates magical moments through unique greeting cards.
The chill of February lingers in the air, but love is already blooming in Harvard Square. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, students are scouring the internet and local shops for thoughtful gifts that impress their special someone. Among the series of Yelp reviews and promising storefronts is Love Pop, which offers customers a twist on […]
Navigating Israel: Conversations and Controversy
A look at on-campus conversations surrounding student-led trips to Israel following Oct. 7.
After a year-long hiatus, an adapted version of the Harvard College Israel Trek returned, taking 46 undergraduates to the region from Jan. 17 to Jan. 25. Unlike Treks in the past, this trip was the first one to take place during Wintersession and the first one not advertised to the entire College. The trip has […]
Coming Up at the Institute of Politics
A look into Spring 2025 and beyond at the IOP after their record-breaking application season.
The Harvard Institute of Politics brought in record-breaking application numbers for the Spring 2025 semester. As of Feb. 10, the IOP received 788 applications across its 16 programs—including nearly 200 first-time submissions. At such a critical juncture in American and global politics, this growth speaks to a rising interest in civic leadership and public service […]
Serving With Love
How first-years are making a difference with the Phillips Brooks House Association.
The Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) continues to uphold its legacy as one of Harvard’s most enduring pillars of public service. Founded in 1904 as a coalition of six student organizations, PBHA has since evolved into a dynamic, student-led nonprofit with over 1,500 volunteers who operate over 80 social service and social action programs. These […]
De Croo Addresses JFK Jr. Forum
The outgoing prime minister of Belgium gives his take on European-American relations during Trump’s second term.
On Jan. 31, outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo delivered a speech at the Harvard Institute of Politics on the future of the European economy and international security. The talk was one of two flagship events hosted as part of the student-organized European Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School. De Croo, who has served […]
Le’olam al tishkach, Le’olam lo
Reflections on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Last Tuesday, Jan. 27, marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. The United Nations proclaimed Jan. 27 as the International Holocaust Memorial Day in 2005 to mark Auschwitz’s liberation in 1945, five years after its creation. From the camp’s inception until its liberation by the Red Army, German Nazis murdered […]
Forum
I Now Pronounce You Debt Free
Why you should ditch the cheap chocolate and get married this Valentine’s Day.
Like many members of Gen Z, I’ve come to question the institution of marriage. Once seen as a lifelong commitment, it now feels more like a fragile contract—nearly 50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce. Add the traditions rooted in misogyny, the cost of throwing a wedding in this economy, and the […]
The Tragedy of the Comment
How dating apps turn desire into dependency.
In the age of social media, the mechanism of desire is caught within the machinery of repetition and addiction. Nowhere is this clearer than in online dating, where the exchange of affect is indistinguishable from mass production. The platforms that claim to liberate the subject by granting them access to infinite potential suitors only further […]
Paris Vous Aime: Feeling Loved by the City of Love
How an extrovert never feels lonely while soloing abroad.
I don’t seek out alone time. I don’t actively avoid it—though my packed G-Cal might suggest otherwise—I simply prefer company. I’m an extrovert, so being surrounded by people, any number, energizes me. At Harvard, this means countless lunches, dinners, club meetings, and working in social spaces where I can always have people around me. Applied […]
A Space for Grief
Where can we go after loss changes our communities forever?
You have one message unread. Text messages have become my new norm for receiving bad news. Fresh off the high of finishing my college applications, I was heading home when my phone buzzed. A seemingly blasé occurrence, I glanced at my iMessage notifications and froze. Your Opa has just passed away. My Opa (German for […]
to love me, to love me not
every year when valentine’s day rolls around, i find myself questioning my current understanding of love. sure, this holiday is conventionally focused on secret admirers and forever soulmates. however, my upbringing, shaped by trauma rather than tenderness, leaves me wondering if i can recognize, let alone celebrate, such a loaded emotion. a few weeks ago, […]
Tales of a Failed Situationship
The One with the Ghoster On a campus with so many students, the world often feels unexpectedly small. It raises the question: is it truly possible to ghost someone? For those who have been the unfortunate victim, you eventually reach the point where you stop waiting for the text back and instead look forward to […]
Arts
How to be Single on Valentine’s Day
An original self-help writing piece.
So, you’re disappointed about spending Valentine’s Day alone. Maybe you’re used to buying yourself chocolate, or maybe this is the first time in a long time you don’t have a Valentine. Either way, you’re dreading that inevitable pit in your stomach that will accompany seeing the countless affectionate Instagram posts and boys walking in Harvard […]
Six Poems You Shouldn’t Send To Your Brand New Situationship
These poems are semi-crowdsourced, fully vetted, and once or twice tested.
BY: SHAMELESS SHAKESPEARE ’27 It’s been too long since you’ve made me cum, It’s not your fault Zoloft’s making me numb. Still, though, a girl has needs And I don’t like to plead So I think we should have a threesome. Shakespeare’s sonnets fall short of describing The pounding in my naughty bits when I […]
Love Poems, Redefined
Three poems that stretch the definition of “love poem.”
you stir and i respond (for a puppy) you stir, and i respond… to press upon you tenderly my love, to bless life and growth like breath on fire, to wash my hands over you with so exactly the pressure of god, as i would want the hands of creation to wash over me, and […]
The Florecitas
How two Harvard juniors are spreading love and culture through floral creations.
For Lizbeth Ibarra ’26 and Kathy Villanueva ’26, flowers are more than just beautiful—they’re a way to express affection and connection. “I see it as an act of love and self-care. Flowers always signify an embrace,” Villanueva said. The Independent spoke to the duo, known as the “Florecitas,” about their decision to share their passion […]
My WOY’s Wicked Smaht
Hasty Pudding Theatricals honors actress Cynthia Erivo with their 2025 Woman of the Year award and performs their 176th show on opening night.
May Art always fill your caps. This, which the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 75th Woman of the Year, actress and vocalist Cynthia Erivo signed in the Pudding honoree guestbook, rings true to the Hasty Pudding’s motto, Concordia Discors (discordant harmony or organized chaos), christening a day full of joy, love, and laughter. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, […]
I Think I’m Lovestruck
Lovestruck Books opens shop in Harvard Square, combining a bookstore, cafe, boutique, and wine bar.
Tucked in a semi-basement unit in a retail building on Brattle Street awaits a romance book lover’s paradise. Lovestruck Books opened at the beginning of January, offering a bookstore, boutique, and cafe in one. Romance is more than a Valentine’s Day specialty here; the store captures the heart of the holiday year-round. An archway of […]
Sports
Sports Spotlight: Robert Hinton
First-year guard’s journey to Harvard Crimson men’s basketball and beyond.
On Feb. 3, standout first-year guard Robert Hinton ’28 was awarded his sixth Ivy League Rookie of the Week honor of the season. His achievement came just days after a career-high 28-point performance in a win against Columbia. An aspiring lawyer and NBA player, Hinton has been an integral addition to the Harvard Crimson men’s […]
Behind the Disc
Harvard’s men’s ultimate frisbee teams offer a unique blend of competition, camaraderie, and community.
Few sports have a reputation for being as inclusive and fun as ultimate frisbee. From elementary school gym classes to competitive leagues, the sport is loved and played worldwide. Harvard’s robust men’s ultimate frisbee program serves as a low-stress, supportive space for students to build community, stay active, and have fun. Whether players are seeking […]
Consider Me Consoled
Men’s varsity hockey roars back in the Beanpot Consolation Round.
Last week, #6 Boston University crushed the #42 Harvard Men’s Hockey team 7-1 in the first round of the Beanpot. On Monday, BU became this year’s tournament champions. It was an embarrassing performance by Harvard—no way to sugarcoat it. Walking into TD Garden Monday night, I expected a similarly catastrophic result against defending Beanpot Champion, […]
Indy Sportsbook: Cheaters n’ Chiefs
The Independent’s predictions for Super Bowl LIX.
All right, this better be the last one. Because surely the Kansas City Chiefs will not be in the Super Bowl four years in a row. Right? This Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles compete for Super Bowl LIX. The Chiefs are the defending champions and have won the past two years. They […]
Ten Things to Do Rather Than Watch the Eagles-Chiefs Game
A compilation of better ways to spend your Super Bowl Sunday.
Despite the Chiefs defeating the Bills and the Eagles storming past the Commanders, our eyes are anywhere but Sunday. Super Bowl LIX will be a quarterback rematch between the back-to-back Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes and the newly reinforced Jalen Hurts. Football fans face a tough choice: sing along to the “illustrious” lyricism of “Fly, […]
College Without Crossing the River
Why some Harvard varsity athletes quit their sport.
Playing Division I sports is an aspiration for many high school athletes, and a common narrative is using college to pursue sports rather than academics and bask in the glory of a full-ride scholarship. However, at Ivy League Schools, all registered in the NCAA Division I, athletes do not receive athletic scholarships. Harvard athletes choose […]