It’s 7 PM and the crowd at Annenberg is quickly growing. With their plates piled high with food, first-years stand by the door of the dining hall looking across a sea of faces as they decide which table they dare to join.
Dining at Annenberg is a central part of the Harvard first-year experience. As the largest dining hall on campus, “Berg” hosts the 1,600 students from class of 2026 for meals, brain breaks, and studying. For first-years, not only does sharing a meal with our new peers give rise to unique conversations and relationships, but the preceding act of choosing a table shapes your Harvard community, especially during the beginning of the year.
Kennedy Leehealey ’26 credits the dining hall for starting many of her relationships. “I met all of my friends here, and this guy from my entryway even met his current love interest here,” she said.
Beyond meeting your new classmates, Annenberg facilitates many unplanned run-ins with old friends. “I found out that I went to the same elementary school as this guy in Egypt,” shared Zoe Clark ’26.
Most first-years agree that the social aspect of the dining hall defines the experience at least as much as the food. “I think of Annenberg as more of a social place than a nutritional place. It’s just fun to be here,” said Isabella Schaubel ’26.
The dining hall is bordered with marble sculpture and paintings depicting Civil War soldiers. The walls and multi-story ceiling are adorned with large stained glass windows from the 19th century. While the vast dining hall may feel intimidating, the large tables foster an inclusive environment where many best friends will meet. Through communal social and academic anxiety, eager first-years are less nervous to introduce themselves to new people than in other spaces on campus.
Out of all the places that first-year students frequent, Annenberg is perhaps the place that most demonstrates Harvard’s diverse student body. “I don’t think it’s like this at many other schools,” commented Mukta Dharmapurikar ’26, referencing the mingling between student-athletes and the rest of the student body.
As classes ramp up, however, the norm of sitting next to new people will subside. “The opportunity to meet people dies down for sure and then you need to find new ways—whether that’s through sports, clubs, or small seminar classes—which aren’t always easy to take,” explained Katherine Jackson ’25. Even so, most students agree that as friendships solidify, the ‘Berg Mentality’—shamelessly joining strangers for a meal—should persist.
“Once you are entering the world of upperclassmen circles, you can no longer guarantee that everybody wants to make friends as much as you do. And that can make it feel scary sometimes,” said Honor Pimentel ’25. As a member of the Quincy House committee, Pimental hopes to implement new systems that encourage spontaneous meals with strangers.
“You come for your classes, but you’re here to learn from your peers also,” she said of the Harvard experience. “Continuing to acquire new friends throughout all four years is the only way to guarantee that you’ll get as close as possible to meeting all the cool people here.”
Whether you are a first-year or a senior, next time you have an opportunity to channel Berg mentality, introduce yourself to someone new. You never know who you might meet.
Eliza Goler ’26 (elizagoler@college.harvard.edu) writes Forum for the Independent.