This is a joke. For legal and social-distancing reasons, of course we didn’t get literal beer with a first-year. But so much of what we’ve lost from the pandemic is the chance for spontaneous conversations, wherein we would catch the pulse on campus life. “Beer with a First-Year” strives to do just that. In a casual interview style, much like chats in the Queens Head, we are hoping to find out what first-years think about campus life in the midst of the pandemic. For those sophomores, juniors, seniors, and alum living off-campus like myself, I figured this was a good way to educate those of us off-campus.
This interview is with first-year Iris Machetta, a Houston, Texan living in Wigglesworth. The Independent got the inside scoop of who gets to eat in the Berg, COVID-19 testing experience and more. Below is the transcription of our conversation. The bold questions are my words.
So, how have the first few weeks been? Did you enjoy your opening days of Harvard?
So, the first few weeks have been amazing. Initially, through the emails [Harvard had] been sending out to students, they sounded like they were going to be very strict about social distancing, but to me they have felt more lenient. Apparently, the word on the street is that Harvard expected 50 people to come to campus with COVID, but only, like, 2 people did. So, they are being a lot more lenient than they were saying in the email.
Has the College really been encouraging people to meet up more? And how so?
I feel that they are encouraging students to meet up with other students outside. Obviously, abiding by social distancing rules, but in terms of virtual gatherings, I haven’t seen anything outside of entryway meetings. So, I am not quite sure what people are doing if they are staying at home or they are international countries.
Do you know a lot of people in that boat? Or anyone on campus who is a bit more apprehensive to socialize?
So about half of the people in my entryway are off campus right now. Some are literally in Brazil and others are in Taunton, Massachusetts like 20 minutes away.
And how have they adjusted?
I was talking to my friend Justin who is staying at home right now, and he was saying he really likes the small breakout rooms on Zoom because that’s the only place he can interact with people one-on-one. Versus many here who meet people in larger groups which is probably the main way to meet others. Another one of my friends, Emmy, is running for UC at home right now and can really only connect with people through Facebook or GroupMe, or in one of the thousands of Discord chats I have had.
So you mentioned to me before the interview that you had joined a pretty sizable number of clubs. How did you hear about them?
So, most of the clubs are getting pretty popular solely through word of mouth. It’s pretty much the bandwagon effect, so like, comping the Cr*mson is pretty popular at the moment. But, in terms of other clubs, they had the activities fair which was pretty disorganized. Once you joined, you were popped into a random club and you felt bad for leaving since it was pretty obvious they didn’t get many visitors. So you’d be there for ten minutes nodding your head before you could move on.
Did you find any clubs or were you surprised by any at the activities fair, or just from friends?
So, the clubs I’m comping right now my friends are also comping. I was quite surprised at how many clubs there are, though. From Jiu-Jitsu to clubs that went to Jefe’s every night, they pretty much had everything. Hopefully, they have it next year in-person.
What’s your day to day kind of like?
My morning starts super early, like at 9 a.m, and because I have a ton of international students in the classes, they go late as well. So, today, I went from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. so I have sections spread out through the day. I try to wake up around 8 a.m. and get to Annenberg. It is a little weird because at the Berg they have a schedule when each Yard is supposed to be there, but half the people don’t follow it. Like they email us that we do, but you really don’t.
Can people living in the quad or Houses eat at the Berg?
Actually, they aren’t even allowed there. I tried to eat with one of my friends Will who lives in Cabot, but the card reader said that his access was denied and they wouldn’t let us through.
How has the testing gone? How long does it take and do you mind?
So, testing is kind of unequal. A lot of freshmen are under 18, so they are stuck waiting in line from, I think, 12-4 p.m. while faculty, staff, and other students over 18 wait in line every other day. It takes my friend 20 minutes before she can get the test. Whereas those who are 18 can just pick up a test and it takes 10 minutes to walk it over to the nearest house to drop it off.
So the taste is non-invasive, correct?
Yeah, the test is super easy, and it only takes ten seconds. There is another aspect of testing through Crimson Clear which is an app you have to report to every day. Everyone forgets though, but I don’t think Harvard does anything.
So what would happen if you didn’t test?
So, my friend actually got tested twice, not three times, one week and she got an email that basically read, “If you forget to test one more time, then you will be unfit to live in the Harvard facilities.” So, I think that is a bit more strict.
And are proctors being pretty intense about who can come in?
So, in terms of proctors, it depends on who you get and how chill they are. One of my friends has a proctor that will call them out if they are in a group larger than five—which kind of sucks, to be honest. I have also heard of proctors who are a little more chill, and they’ll let people in their dorms spend the night at others’ or let someone who isn’t supposed to be in the dorm stay over. I have seen a proctor watch a group of students leave an entryway and not say anything. There have definitely been parties in dorms for the entryway, but as long as you have a chill proctor, you should be good.
So what’s your opinion of the river parties? Have you been to one?
So, I have not been to a river party yet. I do hear a lot about them since one of my friends lives in Mather, and they have a lot of those parties. Apparently, during the first week of school, a group of football players threw a party, and they got reprimanded and had to talk to the Honor Council or something, so that was a big issue. I am pretty sure now they happen every other day and are a bit smaller and nothing happens. Maybe some are just unlucky, but I heard most parties are pretty chill and when they do get caught you just talk to the Honor Council. Yeah, I guess most river parties are pretty hidden.
So what do you think the general consensus is about the river parties for people who don’t go?
I think that most people are pretty fearful that a proctor will take their ID. I have had a few friends who showed up and got their ID taken. The other aspect is that some students will call out other students by taking pictures of you and plastering your face all over social media saying, “Oh my gosh, it is a privilege to be on campus. You should be more safe.”
Are you referencing anyone specific or are there many different people taking these pictures?
It is kind of a subtle group of enforcers, but I think that now that you know who they are, since you can tell from the angle of their camera or just students recognizing each other. So, now that we know who they are, you kind of stop inviting them.
So what is your opinion of the social media-COVID vigilante work?
I get that you want to be safe, but I heard this from one of my friends: basically if you have Lupus or a compromised immune system, you are probably not going to a college campus where kids are going to be stupid and expose some portion of the student body to COVID eventually.
I also don’t think it’s that right to call people out on social media for going out. Like, if they get coronavirus, then they kind of deserve it and they consciously risked getting it by interacting with others. But the exposure to anyone outside Harvard is pretty limited, and since Harvard tests you every other day and there is a pretty small gap between when you get COVID and when you can spread it.
Do you feel safe from coronavirus?
I feel extremely safe from coronavirus since I know other college students taking greater COVID exposure risks than at Harvard.
Graham Walter ‘21 (grahamwalter@collegeharvard.edu) writes News for the Independent.
Drawing by Alaya Ayala ’21.