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Washed Up
Harvard’s laundry remains mildly acceptable
Harvard tosses and turns its students through the rolling cycle of school and social life. However, sometimes the most turbulent cycle is a more literal one: Harvard’s laundry services. For students who do not use third party services, such as the large network offered by Harvard Student Agencies, Harvard’s laundry machines are the only option, […]
A Paper of Belonging
Michael Kielstra’s senior reflection
Of everything I have written at the Independent, I am proudest of the longest and shortest pieces. The longest, a history of the Harvard Graduate Student Union, was probably the most “journalistic” piece I ever produced. The most “Indy” piece, though, was just five words, which I came up with during a late-night mid-pandemic brainstorming […]
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Schooled
Discussing the future of academia with Professor Laibson and students.
Every May, graduation season hits as millions of high-school seniors decide where to attend college, and many college students graduate and enter the workforce. Higher education holds a critical role in shaping America’s prosperity: an abundance of research suggests that strong higher-learning institutions greatly contribute to a country’s economic strength and social wellbeing. Harvard and […]
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For the Love of the Game
Why spend so much time with something so un-fruitful?
Harvard students’ careers are often measured and oriented toward their outcomes. Each class, club, meeting, and activity is essentially regarded as a stepping stone to the next benchmark, and is ultimately valued by the products it yields. With this outcome-oriented theory, then, why do so many students engage in activities that might not lead to […]
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Conflicts with Commencement
How seniors choose between commencement and final athletic competitions
On Thursday, May 26th, Harvard will host its first in-person Commencement since 2019. While most students will celebrate one final tradition after a pandemic-warped college experience, for some student athletes, graduation represents a final conflict between two parts of their collegiate identity: school and their sport. Both Sailing Nationals for women’s fleet racing and Track […]
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Wiley Beckett’s Final Cambridge Show
A Harvard student’s journey as a musician
On May 1st, Wiley Schubert Reed ’21-22, who performs as Wiley Beckett, stepped on stage at the Middle East Restaurant and Club in Cambridge to play his final show as a Harvard undergrad. His friends, who have been loyal supporters over the past five years, clustered in front of the speakers. His parents stood behind […]
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The Quad is the New River
Housing and the invisible traces of Covid-19
Last semester, as I was talking to a super senior about her time at Harvard, a notable void emerged where her experience and mine misaligned. Reminiscing about first-year year traditions, she recounted opening days and reveled in the nostalgia of all the classics: Berg, Love Story, the Yard, the Igloo — Wait, the Igloo? That’s where […]
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First and Last Impressions
Reflections from pre-freshmen and departing seniors
Harvard is still alphabet soup to them. Comp, Tasty Basty, Expos, Securitas, Quaded, Blockmate, Berg, Veritaffle — not to mention CBE, RVH, PAF, UC, HUA, HUCP, HUFPI, JCR, and a host of other elusive acronyms. From April 24th to 25th, Visitas commenced in-person for the first time in two years, inviting the Class of 2026 […]