News
HESMA Results Released
Results from Harvard’s Student Survey on Sexual Misconduct and Awareness (HEMSA) demonstrate University progress alongside room for improvement.
“We have more work to do,” President Alan Garber ’76 wrote, describing the results of the 2024 Higher Education Sexual Misconduct and Awareness (HESMA) survey in an Oct. 21 message to the Harvard community. Conducted in April, the survey polled 10 universities and gathered responses from 8,439 Harvard undergraduates and graduates, representing 35.1% of the […]
Cambridge’s Spooky Secrets
The ghostly figures lurking right outside your dorm.
Cambridge may seem like it’s just a residential town with students. Coffee shops, merchandise stores, and restaurants decorate every corner. However, Cambridge’s history extends far beyond its current bustling tourism and vibrant street life. If you’re looking for a haunted Halloween this year, look no further than the city bounds. Founded in 1630, Cambridge has […]
The Harvard Students who Vote Socialist
Harvard undergraduates have organized a new student group to promote the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s platform and Claudia De la Cruz’s presidential candidacy.
Harvard Vote Socialist, a political organization founded on campus this September, has quickly mobilized a portion of Harvard undergraduate students to campaign for Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia, the 2024 presidential and vice-presidential candidates running on the Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSL) ticket. The PSL, a left-wing anti-capitalist political party founded in […]
Where Does Harvard Swing?
Polls from Harvard’s swing state voters reflect the political diversity on campus compared to the rest of the country.
Election night is less than two weeks away. With seven swing states on track to decide November’s results, students from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin will play a significant role in determining the nation’s president for the next four years. While Harvard consciously tries to have geographic diversity in each admitted […]
“We’re Not Going Back”
A profile on Harvard Students for Harris and their promotion of Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign.
“Personal freedoms.” “Access to education.” “Affordable healthcare.” Three Harvard students voiced reasons for supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming 2024 presidential election in a reel on the Harvard Students for Harris Instagram. Originally known as Harvard for Biden in 2020 and again in 2024, Harvard Students for Harris was officially rebranded by co-presidents […]
In The News: The Independent’s 2024 Political Survey
Results from the Independent’s political survey of 391 undergraduates.
For our 2024 Political Issue, the Independent surveyed Harvard College undergraduates on their political beliefs and feelings towards the upcoming presidential election. Over a two-day period, we received 391 varying responses. Note that all questions were anonymous and optional, so not all 391 respondents answered every question. Demographics The survey received an almost even split […]
Forum
Bring Back the Trick
Revisiting a childhood tradition at the start of adulthood.
Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat! Some readers may read this little jingle with a bit of confusion or even disgust, but for me, this jingle takes me back to elementary school, to the gummy smiles of chocolate-stained faces and the crinkle of cheap polyester costumes. Trick or treat. […]
From Watching The News To Living In It
The international student experience of living in the U.S. during an election period.
Tensions run high every four years in every corner of the U.S. during election season. In the months leading up to the presidential election, it seems like it’s all anyone talks about. But it’s not just the Americans tuning in to watch. Around the world, people are tuning in to find out who will lead […]
Point/Counterpoint: Should Gun Control be Made Stricter?
A discussion on gun control in the United States.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. In an age where firearms are widespread across the nation, the Second Amendment and the conversation around gun rights remain major talking points in national debates. Proponents of […]
So You Want to Work?
A guide to the professional world’s best kept secrets and job interviews.
So you’re looking for a job? Well then, you’re in the right place. Here at the Harvard Independent, we know that navigating the job market is like trying to date someone in this day and age. Confusing. Miserable. And just when you think you’re on the up, you’re hit with yet another blow. But there’s […]
Discovering Harvard’s Jewish Spaces
Reconnecting with my Jewish heritage through a reflection on Harvard’s offerings.
The past few weeks have been a very important time for the Jewish community, both at Harvard and around the world. The coinciding of the high holiday season—in which the community celebrates Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur among others—and the first anniversary of Oct. 7 provides a prime time to reflect on our campus community. […]
Don’t Give Up on Your Dream Job, Just Wait on It.
Take some time before making your dreams come true.
Sitting in an airport diner, my blockmate and I talk about our hopes and dreams. Over Caesar salads and Diet Cokes, we ask each other the question: “What did you want to be when you grew up?” We laughed about the silly answers we’d once thought we could be, like movie stars and astronauts. As […]
Arts
Turning Death Into Art and Joy
Celebrating Día de Muertos with art, humor, and Calaveritas.
“Quien quiera gozar de verasy divertirse un ratón, venga con las calaverasa gozar en el panteón.” – José Guadalupe Posada “Whoever wants to truly enjoy and have a bit of fun, come with the skeletons to delight in the graveyard.” – José Guadalupe Posada Imagine a poem that jokes about your death, turning the inevitable […]
Take It Off: A Night of EDM, Pashminas, and Vomit
An amateur EDM groupie attends the Fisher concert at Roadrunner.
I arrived at Roadrunner, a mid-sized music venue in Allston, at 9:30 p.m. for the Friday night Fisher show that advertised a 9 p.m. start time. Two lines snaked around the long blocks in opposite directions from the main entrance. Our foursome was told that one line was for regular GA tickets while the other […]
Haunted Houses of Cambridge
A collection of outdoor decorations.
As the crisp air settles in and the days grow shorter, the spirit of Halloween awakens, covering the streets with an array of ghosts and goblins. If you want to get in your autumn feels and into the Halloween spirit, stroll down Appleton St., Cambridge, where the leaves are falling and the decorations are out. […]
Lighting Up the Stage: “Raunak” Takes the Spotlight
Harvard Bhangra brings tradition, energy, and a celebration of culture to the campus stage.
On Oct. 26, Harvard’s Undergraduate Bhangra cast and team buzzed with vibrant energy as “Raunak 2024,” a much-anticipated showcase, drew in spectators and performers to celebrate Punjabi culture through one of its most dynamic dance forms—bhangra. The event welcomed not only Harvard Bhangra’s own dancers, but also groups from Boston University, Tufts, and Yale, making […]
Halloween Haikus
Trick-or-treat yourself to some hilariously hearty Halloween haikus.
Cold Fall The air holds a chill. A cold dampness hits my face. The cold fall is here. Candy Sweet sugary yum, I take a bite happily, Chocolate goodness! Pumpkin This is for the porch; I carve the Jack-O-Lantern, Light it with candles. Early Night Darkness is around, Stars twinkle the sky above, Night comes […]
Casted
A short story about the shadows that follow us.
In the city where shadows came to life, we were overjoyed (after the initial shock). That day, it was an immemorable rainy Saturday morning, with that kind of constant downpour that makes you forget how a clear sky looks. But when the clouds parted, the shadows suddenly came to life. It started slow. We noticed […]
Sports
Harvard Hockey: No Turning Back
Harvard hockey forms a new identity after a rebuilding 2023 season.
Last year, Harvard men’s varsity hockey had seven wins in 32 games played. If I were a betting man, I’d hammer the over on seven wins for the upcoming season. Why? Two reasons: First, a win percentage of 22% is really, really bad. The San Jose Sharks, the worst team in the NHL last year […]
Crimson Cash
Harvard athletes bank on NIL deals.
Open up Instagram, and you will likely see a college athlete promoting one product or another, whether it is Livvy Dunne sporting the newest Vuori set or Paige Bueckers using CeraVe face wash in her latest get-ready-with-me video. However, it is not just the most high-profile college athletes making money off of their name, image, […]
Indy Sportsbook: The Costumes You’re Sure to Encounter This Halloweekend
The hottest current lines tell you the tricksters and treaters you’re sure to run into.
Some might say that Halloweekend is the single most important and stressful weekend of the academic year. The pressure to pick costumes that are flattering, unique, and inexpensive leaves many students stumped and the Harvard mail rooms overflowing with overnighted Amazon packages. It’s not only Amazon: there are countless resources at any student’s fingertips when […]
A Successful Head of the Charles Weekend
An ecstatic blend of exceptional rowing, crowd support, and New England beauty at the world’s largest regatta.
On the penultimate weekend of October in Cambridge, the air was thick with a competitive buzz, food vendors lined the Charles River, and rowing enthusiasts decked out in Vineyard Vines cheered boisterously. These unmistakable signs mean only one thing: the annual Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) has arrived. This Sunday marked the end of […]
Sports Spotlight: Cooper Barkate
Inside the story of Harvard football’s #18.
Cooper Barkate ’26 didn’t always envision himself playing football at the collegiate level. Hailing from Southern California, he initially thought lacrosse would be his sport. “When I was growing up, I played lacrosse and liked it. Freshman year, I went into lacrosse season thinking I was gonna get recruited for it,” he shared. However, during […]
Indy Sportsbook: Election Edition
Here are a few bets to place in class while you watch the election unfold.
Election time is upon us! This year, we have one for the ages: former President Donald Trump vs. Vice President Kamala Harris. As of Oct. 20, 2024, Kamala Harris has a slight edge in the most recent 538 polling data. However, on the betting stage, Donald Trump is far ahead in the lead with implied […]