Arts
Harvard Coffee Recs from a Gas Station Brew Connoisseur
I am a coffee lover. Most people who say this go on to tell you the aromatic reasons why coffee is amazing, what beans they prefer, the specific grinding method, the brewing technique—yeah, sorry, that’s not me. Let me restart. I love coffee, but honestly it all tastes the same. For most coffee lovers, Harvard […]
A History of Comics
To probably no one’s surprise, I was a massive bookworm growing up. I credit my parents with taking me to the library every weekend and patiently listening when I read books aloud to them. They also gave me a love for comics. Alongside traditional novels, I read the pre-teen series “Percy Jackson,” “The Adventures of […]
A Song You Didn’t Ask For
On Thursday, Sept. 10, a WHRB 95.3 FM DJ played a song that fellow radio member Shahmeer Baqir ’29 had never heard before. By the next day, he had listened to it twenty times. For most modern listeners, finding a new song means opening Spotify and letting the platform’s algorithm do the work. Tools like […]
Glazed with Love
Since the Ceramics Program’s founding over 55 years ago, it has served as Harvard University’s dedicated ceramics center, giving Harvard’s community pottery enthusiasts a space to explore their passions. As its popularity has grown, the University has expanded its offerings by building ceramics studios across campus, developing curricula for students, and bringing in experts such […]
My Neighbor, Dolly
Driving around my hometown of Brentwood, Tennessee, I would always crane my neck to see if butterflies were affixed to the gate of 9510 Crockett Road. Only seven minutes away from my childhood home, the red-and-white mansion was barely visible from the street. But when the butterflies were there, we knew something important: Dolly Parton […]
The Art of the Dorm Layout
Are you a freshman who just got assigned a dorm of dubious legal status (multiple-occupancy rooms in Massachusetts are required to contain at least 50 square feet per resident), or a senior in the Quad who has to take an Uber to the other side of your single? Either way, everyone has school-provided, bulky furniture […]
2026 Fall Arts Events Round Up
The Harvard-to-finance pipeline is strong, but we shouldn’t let that stereotype keep us from enjoying our expansive arts scene. As the Arts Editor of the “Harvard Independent,” I have had a front-row seat to the wonderful theater productions, art collections, and special events across campus. For incoming first-year students, the clubs, classes, and people on […]
The Ruins of the Old Summer Palace
The Old Summer Palace in China is known by many names, most famously as “Yuanmingyuan,” meaning “Garden of Perfect Brightness.” Located in northwest Beijing, about five miles from the political center, it was a beautiful, quiet place for emperors of the 17th and 18th centuries to enjoy nature, raise their children, and pursue their hobbies. […]