Dear Administration: You’re Wrong About the Tailgates
Why a free-market approach is the proper response to student tailgates.
During the fall of my sophomore year, I took what was the most transformative course in my college career, Lib Ec. Formally known as Econ 1017: A Libertarian Perspective on Economic and Social Policy, Lib Ec is a semester-long, empirically driven introduction to modern libertarianism taught by Professor Jeffrey Miron. The course lays out the […]
Discovering Boston During The Game
Boston has many attractions in November and December for you to visit before and after The Game.
It’s that time of the year. Final exams are looming, the sun is setting at four in the afternoon, and the temperature is dropping by the day. But even though Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened, Boston is transforming for the holidays. If you can carve out a few hours between your p-sets and essays, you will […]
Dating Apps: Hook-up or Hang-up?
A chaste sophomore downloads Tinder to conduct interviews about dating apps and hookup culture at Harvard.
On Monday night, two hours after Indy storyboard ended, I downloaded Tinder. I chose my favorite photos that I felt depicted my best features: my silly personality and cheeky smile, obviously. Having heard the Tinder horror stories from my girl friends, I opted to make it clear in my bio that I was on the […]
A Guide to DFMO-ing
A slutted out sophomore breaks down executing the perfect dance floor makeout.
The dance floor makeout, or DFMO, is an art form. Whether you’re at a club, house party, concert, or even an outdoor festival rave, a successful DFMO requires extreme precision and immense skill. I, a DFMO enthusiast and self-proclaimed expert, am here to teach you how to perfect the act for your next night out. […]
Keeping it Casual
How much should you be thinking about your hookup buddy?
It’s 11 p.m. on a Thursday and your hookup buddy is on their way to your dorm. You’ve showered, cleaned your room (stuffed all the clutter in the closet), filled in your roommates, made sure the lighting is absolutely perfect, and put on an effortless outfit. After all, this is a random, meaningless hookup—you’ve both […]
Staying the Safest
A ranking of Harvard’s free contraception locations.
During the summer of 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States made the historic choice to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973). The landmark decision of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) held that the Constitution does not confer a right to an abortion; instead, the decision to permit abortion would be decided by […]
What (Wo)Men Want
The sexual pressure women feel in the face of male desire.
He leads when dancing. She should follow. He is the one who asks her out. She should accept. He makes the first move. She should consent. The gendered standards between men and women inevitably place sexual power in his hands, and she is taught to be all too eager to comply. As women, we are […]
Losing it All
A reflection on the meaning of losing my virginity.
The first time I had sex, I started crying. It was delicately messy and awkwardly chaotic and uncomfortable, even with my loving boyfriend at the time. And it was undeniably painful, exacerbated by the all-encompassing stress I felt in the moment. In giving my body to someone else, it seemed like I had lost all […]
Let’s Talk About Sex
The healthiest thing you can do is talk about sex with your friends.
Aren’t you embarrassed? TMI. I didn’t need to hear that. Wow, you’re brave. Talking about sex is bound to elicit one or many of these reactions. But there’s nothing unpleasant about discussing sex, and in fact, we should be discussing it more. Women are made to feel like talking about sex is awkward and inappropriate. […]
Beyond the Body Count
Slut shaming and sexual hierarchies.
She slept with 1000 men! Peggy Guggenheim was an extremely influential art collector and socialite, who participated in the salvation of thousands of works of art during World War II. She also was widely known for her sexual promiscuity. Guggenheim’s open embrace of her sexuality greatly defied the norms of her time, which tended to […]
Cocoa Kisses and Maca Makeouts
My experience testing the powers of aphrodisiacs.
The link between chocolate and sex long predates the invention of the Hershey Kiss. The Aztecs, famous for inventing chocolate and hot chocolate, might have been interested in the delight for more than just its delicious cocoa aromas. The Aztec emperor Moctezuma drank copious amounts of chocolate before rendezvousing with his lovers because of its […]
Freedoms Restricted
How growing up in a red state shaped my sex education.
I grew up in one of the 13 states that had a trigger law enacted after the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade was announced, affirming that abortions were no longer a constitutionally protected right. I immediately lost my ability to have a legal abortion. This is nothing but reflective of the ways that […]
Old Branches, New Leaves
The Fourth Treetise, six years later.
“Treetises” is a column where I discuss the best trees to climb around Harvard’s campus. I wrote three Treetises—“The Best Tree in Harvard Yard,” “The Tree Trials,” and “Perchin”—during my junior fall, six years ago, in 2018. I left school after that year because I wanted to hitchhike and write. I didn’t plan on taking […]
The Classroom Conundrum
A look at how gender influences participation and confidence in the classroom
Debates surrounding gender inequality and women’s rights have taken center stage across the nation and on Harvard’s campus, especially in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022. As these issues have intensified, they have cast a spotlight on how institutions like Harvard address—or fail to address—gender equity […]
Rest as Resistance
Defending our right to rest in a capitalist society.
In a society that celebrates overworking and rewards all-nighters, the pressure to always be productive has become inescapable. From calendars packed with back-to-back meetings to libraries thriving at 2 a.m., the push to do more is always there. Especially at Harvard, where boasting how much you overwork and how little sleep you are getting is […]
Ten Features Instagram Should Implement
A fool-proof way to make social media even more toxic.
Each social media platform simultaneously plays imitator and innovator to keep the position of people’s favorite app. Improvements to Instagram’s algorithm make my reel feed more entertaining, but Meta’s data has so much untapped potential. Instagram can track and share more data than users could ever possibly need. Imagine if Meta capitalized on it. Yet, […]
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 […]
Finance Fever
A look at the undergraduate fixation on finance at Harvard.
Getting into Harvard is no small feat, with just over 3.6% of the 54,008 applicants admitted into the College in the most recent class. However, incredibly low acceptance rates, intense applications, and extreme competitiveness don’t end with the College’s acceptance letter, especially if you want to join a pre-professional finance club. In the first two […]
The Overcommitment Illusion
How my habit of stretching myself too thin has hampered my learning.
The psychological concept of illusory correlations, or perceived relations between two things, intrigues researchers across the field of psychology. The catch is, there is no actual relationship between the two variables. Some external thinking process—perhaps a social phenomenon, highly available stereotype, or rampant bias—creates this relationship out of thin air. This falsified relationship then causes […]
What Harvard Could Learn from Yale
Reflections on a weekend spent in New Haven.
Is Yale better than Harvard? (The last two football games would say so.) This past weekend, I visited one of my friends at Yale to compete in a club squash round-robin on Saturday. However, I also got to experience New Haven, talk to students, take a walk around campus, and go out at night. Before […]
Harvard Admissions, It’s Time to Turn to Class-Based Affirmative Action
Class-based affirmative action should have been implemented decades ago. With race-based affirmative action banned, it is now the best way forward to maintaining and increasing diversity.
Last month, Harvard’s Class of 2028—the first to enroll since the ban on race-based affirmative action—began their freshman year. The past few weeks on campus have been marked by discussions following Harvard’s release of the Class of 2028’s racial demographics, which showed that the share of Black and brown students remained relatively stable compared to […]
Censorship: The Refuge of the Weak
Book bans deny us the freedom and education we deserve.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum. This mock-Latin aphorism, translated as “Don’t let the bastards grind you down,” plays a central role in Margaret Atwood’s feminist novel The Handmaid’s Tale, a commonly banned novel in several U.S. states including Virginia, Texas, Florida, and Oregon. As in many totalitarian societies, Atwood’s fictionalized state of Gilead forbids females from […]
The Sidechat Enigma
Harvard’s love-hate relationship with Sidechat might have more to it than what meets the eye.
It starts with boredom—it always does. I’m walking from Boylston to Cabot, scanning for updates on Instagram, Snapchat, and iMessage, but I have run out of content to consume. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpse the magenta icon tucked away in the Recently Added section of my App Library. Ignoring my better […]
Boys, Booze, and Bonding: An MIT Frat Experience
A boy and a girl spend their Saturday night frat-hopping at MIT and learn why MIT might just be the perfect girls’ night out.
By the time we arrived at MIT, the frats were closing down. “Fratlantis,” a juvenile play on the words “Frat” and “Atlantis,” hosted by Phi Beta Epsilon (PBE) on Sept. 14, publicized a rather early start time of 10 p.m. In our attempt to be fashionably late, we completely missed the main function of the […]
Boys will be Boys, and Girls will be…Tidy?
My messiness makes me feel like less of a woman.
It was almost 9 in the morning when my roommate paused in front of my open bedroom door on her way to class. She was ready for the day: coffee in hand, hair done, and backpack squarely on her shoulders. She blinked bewilderedly, looking past me to examine my spotless, sparkling bedroom: freshly made bed, […]
In Traveling Solo, I Discovered Myself
Traveling is often seen as something that must be done with others, but what if you did it alone?
Instagram and travel magazines have sold us a picture-perfect image of what travel should be: lounging with your family in the Caribbean, hiking mountains with friends, or hanging out with your lover in Mykonos. But what if your friends never seem to have free time? And what if that dream lover is literally a dream? […]
The Fun Scale of FOP
Why being wet, tired, and muddy on a 4,000 f.t. mountain can enrich your life.
It was approaching dusk on Aug. 22. On the Zeacliff Trail in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, daylight slipped away as my FOP Trip 19 trudged deeper into the canopy of Hardwoods and Conifers with wobbling rocks and slippery roots threatening to trip us at every step. Songs about “Da Moose” and “The Princess […]
A Bandaid on a Bullet Hole
Rethinking voting for the “lesser evil” in American elections.
Every August, my family spends a week at the Jersey Shore, down the southernmost tip of Cape May. Politics tend to work their way into our conversations, and even the smallest differences in our views play out in full force. This year, with the presidential election right around the corner, we spent hours speculating Harris’s […]
Stay Well, ’28!
Tips from two new sophomores.
Dear Class of 2028, Welcome to Harvard! This will be quite an exciting year. Take it from two girls who just experienced it—in the end, you will look back and think, woah. But amidst brand-new friendships, rigorous coursework, varying degrees of nightlife, and intense seasonal changes, it can be challenging to find time to take […]
Atom and Eve
Using faked self importance to combat mansplainers in physics.
“The more you know, the less your ego is. The less you know, the greater your ego,” said Albert Einstein. While I would never dare go against anything said by the god of all physics, I must admit, as a woman in this field, there are times I have found faking self importance as the […]
Summer Culture: From brat to Demure
brat and demure as case studies for parsing the difference between cultural movements and TikTok trends.
It’s no news that the trend cycle moves fast. Yet the whiplash somehow never fails to surprise me, as the internet somehow moved on from being “brat” to being “demure,” and left me behind. As I kept scrolling, the word demure was everywhere—undeniably the new hottest trend that everyone seemingly had to be a part […]
Ready, Set, Registration
The Harvard Independent’s first-year course recommendations.
Summer may have flown by, but it isn’t truly over until Sept. 10, the end of the Add/Drop period. For first-years, finalizing a schedule before even locating the SEC is a daunting task. – In hopes of helping the lost souls out there—perhaps those preoccupied with whether or not their roommate hates them or is […]
Is “Brat” Green the New Blue?
Harris’ “brat summer” might just be enough to sustain her momentum for another four years of Democratic leadership in America.
The terms “brat summer,” “Kamalanomenon,” and “coconut tree” haven’t exactly been the easiest election jargon to explain to older family members, colleagues, and friends. Today, young people across the U.S. and around the world have embraced these terms as they’ve been bestowed upon the current U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. In today’s political landscape, social […]
A Veritas Summer
Rising sophomores embracing campus and avoiding burnout.
After overcoming the burden of finals in early May, students face the next few months with mixed emotions. At first, we are near-sighted, with a romantic view of the approaching summer. Updates from LinkedIn about what our ambitious friends are doing shake us out of this honeymoon phase, reminding us to enhance our résumés. The […]
Dear New Harvard Parent: Best, An Indy Mom
The mom of a current Independent writer and a former Independent president imparts advice to incoming 2028 parents and explains why she subscribes to the Indy.
Most of us returning students are experiencing the routine first-week-back jitters, but for incoming first-years, the sensation is unfamiliar. They might be feeling trepidation about the onslaught of new people, new information, and a new bedroom (coupled with new roommates and perhaps not-so-new-ish twin beds) in that new building on this new campus that they’ve […]
May Matters
The importance of Mental Health Awareness Month on college campuses.
Brownies or cookies? We’re fifteen, and it’s the biggest argument we’ve ever had, but it resolves itself in a delicious half-brownie-half-chocolate-chip-cookie. We have to mix together two different recipes just to make it work, and they come out looking half burnt, but it’s the best dessert either of us has ever had. She’s my best […]
Senior Year Bucket List
Eight goals for my last year at Harvard.
People say that time flies, but you never believe them until it does. Now, at the tail end of my third year, in disbelief that next year will be my last at Harvard, I can confirm that college does indeed fly by. As I wrap up my last week here before heading home, I wanted […]
An International’s Moral Tax Headache
The ethical implications and logistical nightmares of deliberately opting into the U.S. taxation system.
There is a certain absolution of shame that comes from watching others share in your sin. Filing taxes an hour before the post office’s closure on the final day of the tax deadline is perhaps the most cardinal sin of all. I found a party of ten Harvard internationals in the USPS building on Mount […]
Navigating Harvard’s Political Storm
A first-year student’s reflection on being introduced to Harvard during a year of global conflict, protest, and administrative challenges.
Each time I have left Harvard’s campus and returned home this school year, I have been met with some iteration of the following questions: How is it over there? Is it as crazy as the media makes it out to be? Do you feel safe with all of the turmoil? Whether at a family dinner […]
More Than a Number
The hidden implications of Harvard regressing back to mandatory standardized testing scores.
My heart hurts thinking of my sixteen-year-old self who placed her entire worth into a two-digit ACT score. I recall the silence in my household that followed my first test score, which was below my parents’ expectations, and the world of opportunities I was told to believe would only open up when I tested higher. […]
It’s High Time for Change
Examining the stigma around marijuana.
I smoked my first joint the day after I got into Harvard. My friends had all been massive stoners for nearly two years, but considering my strict parents and highly studious nature, I was afraid that weed would stunt my academic progress. It would hurt my grades, meaning I wouldn’t get into a good college, […]
Stuck Riding the High
The dangers of regular marijuana use, and what schools can do to prevent addiction.
Think of some addictive drugs. Cocaine may come to mind, along with maybe methamphetamine, alcohol, or nicotine. But if I had to guess, marijuana did not make your cut. It is easy to understand why marijuana isn’t generally thought of as a particularly dangerous drug. Its recreational usage has been legalized in most states, including […]
On the Size Question
A promiscuous exploration of ass, grass, and glass.
In the realm of both bongs and boners, the perennial question remains: does size truly matter? The classic rejoinders often boil down to the idea that it’s not the size of the piece but the way you wield it that makes the difference. Nonetheless, we’ve laid our fair share of pipes and wanted to share […]
Puff Puff No Pass
A discourse on ethical drug dealing.
Any avid smoker knows that shit adds up. No matter how much of the tab your job at the MAC or Cafe Gato Rojo covers, your blunts end up burning into your savings. Between the two of us, we’ve racked up a $1200 tab with our dealer this year alone. And after we broke three […]
Ramadan Reflection
Ramadan felt different this year, in more ways than one.
One of the most rewarding experiences of my time at Harvard thus far has been taking advantage of the opportunity to grow closer to and understand my faith. Growing up in a mixed-religion household, my parents have always been completely supportive and helpful in understanding my beliefs. Islam was a choice I made on my […]
In Defense of Bed Rotting
Harvard students often feel pressure to always be at work. What if we took a break?
At Harvard, it often seems like every second must be accounted for. The Google Calendar squares often touch from morning to night, encompassing everything from social events to classes to networking. If you are not filling out a spreadsheet, attending a networking event, or going out, you may feel like you are doing something wrong. […]
A Love Letter to the Thaw
The unexpected awe of winter’s metamorphosis to spring.
As a Chicago native and temporary Bostonian, I am well acquainted with cold, windy winters where my hands turn white, my cheeks turn red, and my nighttime tea becomes ritual. I often remark that you never get fully used to the cold, but you learn to accept it. Still, I love living in cold weather […]
Wanna Compare Vaginas?
Looking at my friends’ vulvas was the solution to my genital shame.
The first time I looked at my vagina, I was repulsed. Legs spread in a frog-like fashion, right hand equipped with a handheld mirror patterned with Disney Princess stickers and fingers poking at my labia in the most unsexual manner possible, I had never felt more concentrated in my 12 years of life. And, simultaneously, […]
Letter from the Editors
Dear Reader, The staff of the Harvard Independent is proud to present the 2024 Sex Issue. This issue is a tradition which has been cherished and highly-anticipated annually for over 25 years. Each year’s Sex Issue explores the joys and the complexities of sex and sexuality, and aims to promote sex-positivity in many forms on […]
Benefits Beneath the Sheets
The medical advantages of a healthy sex life.
Imagine walking into your therapist’s office and leaving with instructions to go have sex. While it may seem odd, the science behind this prescription exists. Within the medical community, it is becoming increasingly clearer that having sex regularly (more than once a week) has long-term health benefits. Along with the physical pleasure of sexual encounters, […]
More Hair Down There
Shaving your vagina is NOT a big deal. At least, it shouldn’t be.
When I entered the “talking stage” with my now boyfriend, I must have doubled the water bill. Absolutely terrified of what he might think when he inevitably felt or saw my figure, I spent hours contorting my body in the shower to reach every nook, cranny, flap, and crack I could find. Feeling around to […]
Dear Daddy…
The next great American media mogul is a woman who sometimes just gives sex advice.
Do you call him daddy? Do I call her daddy? Call. Her. Daddy. I can still remember the illicit feelings of shame that consumed the thirteen-year-old version of myself who secretly listened to “Call Her Daddy.” Holding my phone up to my ear so that no one could hear, I listened as Alex Cooper bellowed […]
The Long Game
Waiting for marriage can be sex-positive.
“Tell us about your first time.” It always happens when we’re playing Hot Seat or Truth or Dare. Everyone buckles up for a good story—bonus points if it happened somewhere crazy. I smile softly to myself, knowing they’re going to be surprised, or maybe even disappointed, by my response that I’m a virgin and waiting […]
I U Don’t Even Know
A reflection on getting an IUD at 16.
Note: The author recognizes that there are many women who do not have vaginas or uteruses. This is a personal exploration of a transformation into adulthood, and the author wants to express her love for women of all shapes, sizes, races, gender expressions, and sexual identities as they battle what can be a very scary […]
For the Bodies the Pill Left Bleeding
Despite what experts from the Washington Post say, the birth control pill made me incredibly sick.
On March 22, I opened my email over breakfast to The Post Most and clicked on the headliner: “Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion.” Written by two female health reporters, Lauren Weber and Sabrina Malhi, the article criticized women who share negative experiences with hormonal contraceptives online. Weber and Malhi called the […]
Bisexual “Virgin”
What sex means to a girl who bats for both teams—and is saving herself for marriage.
Whenever I’ve let it slip to a friend that I’m saving myself for marriage, they ask me what that looks like. They aren’t questioning my religious beliefs or suggesting a possible far-right indoctrination in my childhood that led to deep sexual repression. Instead, they wonder how I could possibly reconcile my “commitment to purity” and […]
Broken Crimson Hearts
Exploring the unspoken rules of dating and the pursuit of romance on campus.
While many self-help books and advice columns claim to have “expert knowledge” on dating, none seem to include vignettes from the lives of Harvard’s hopeless and hopeful romantics. Since personal stories resonate more than advice alone, we’ve collected stories from our friends with invaluable lessons (and given each of them pseudonyms). Sometimes it feels like […]
Counterpoint: Silence is a Stance
Universities should not remain neutral on endemic social issues.
In the hallowed halls of academia, there exists an impossible dichotomy. On the one hand, universities are being told not to speak out against pressing political issues, and if they do, their comments are heavily critiqued. On the other hand, if they do nothing, then their ability to retain a diverse student body and maintain […]
Point: Major Decisions Take Time
Waiting until sophomore fall to choose your concentration will change your life for the better.
“What’s your concentration?” is a question all of us have heard one too many times. Even freshmen are faced with the infamous question, despite having months before they need to make their decision. The expectation is clear—we all need to have a defined path from the moment we step on campus. With course registration opening […]
A Joyous Spring Break in Pakistan
My ode to Harvard Pakistan Trek and other political musings.
Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister, Shahid Abbasi, turned towards me. “What’s your 9/11 theory?” I threw out my question to him from behind my cup of tea, perched in his living room post-dinner buffet at his home in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Al Jazeera journalist had left a short while ago. Her departure lent casualness and intimacy to […]
Lent Update!
Almost 40 days in review: the highlights of Lent 2024 and looking forward to Easter.
Prayer, fasting, almsgiving—the phrase Christians repeat over and over during the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. In the Christian tradition, across denominations, Lent is a time of “solemnity and self-reflection,” as described by the United Kingdom’s Christian Enquiry Agency. Christians use this time to repent for their wrongdoings and turn towards a more […]
Point: The Case for Institutional Neutrality
Nurturing critical thinking and open dialogue in higher education.
The role of universities in shaping public discourse has been widely contested, especially in recent months. In the wake of rampant debate on issues such as the Israel–Hamas war and President Claudine Gay’s resignation from her post, universities have been criticized for both partisan and neutral responses. Some institutions have released formal statements on these […]
The Case for the Communal Bathroom
Why ensuite bathrooms should be phased out.
Picture this: It’s the end of July, 5 p.m., and you just received your dorm assignment. After the typical 30-minute stalk that leads you to your new roommate’s 5th-grade chorus concert video, you parcel through dorm facts to find out what kind of room and bathroom set-up you will have. A communal bathroom, though shared […]
Counterpoint: Ready for Registration?
Do yourself a favor by deciding on a concentration before sophomore fall.
I vividly remember my first time enrolling in college courses. It was the week before classes started—the week before my first semester of college—and I had no idea what I wanted to concentrate in. Dreams of Psychology, English, History, and Government all danced around in my head as I excitedly clicked through course reports and […]
Liberté, Egalité, Sororité
In a global first, France enshrines women’s constitutional right to an abortion.
Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls)” bellowed throughout Trocadéro Square in Paris, France on Monday, March 4th, as hundreds of Parisians celebrated France becoming the first country to explicitly inscribe access to abortion in its Constitution. France’s historic enshrinement stands as a rebuke to the U.S.’s rollback of reproductive rights and a beacon of hope for […]
50 Shades of Green
The verdict is in: Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is overhyped.
Chicago dyes its river green; New London, Wisconsin, changes all its signage to New Dublin for the day; Portland, Maine, takes a Paddy’s Day Plunge into the freezing cold Atlantic Ocean; even a Commander at the International Space Station sings “Danny Boy.” No city, however, celebrates St. Patrick’s (Paddy’s) Day quite like Boston, Massachusetts—at least […]
Beyond the Book
The future belongs to the humanities.
My mother’s dream was to be a writer. Yet, in an immigrant household, her acceptance to NYU for English was eclipsed by the glaring pressure to pursue the medical field. She went to the University of Akron for a seven-year medical program instead. I imagine that my mother always wondered what her life could have […]
Saved By the Bell
The classic Harvard-to-public-school-teacher pipeline.
There’s this idea that it is “‘beneath the dignity of an Ivy League school to train teachers,’” points out Walter Isaacson ’74, former CEO of CNN and graduate of Harvard College, quoted in an article by The Atlantic. It’s pretty normal to ask someone what their plans are after college. Most commonly, when I eavesdrop […]
You Can’t Help but Laugh
You Can’t Help but Laugh Babylon Bee CEO’s HRC monologue insists that nothing is above ridicule.
Deep in the bowels of political social media, there is an ongoing debate about humor’s role in our society. Some believe that satire and ridicule are a necessary component to ensure our society has a healthy relationship with politics. If we take everything seriously and lose the ability to laugh, we are just pushing our […]
Time and Place
The First-Year Formal falls flat after awkward scheduling.
Picture this: You are a Harvard student sitting in your dorm, post-everything shower, in formal attire and dress shoes. This time, to your surprise, you actually do have plans, albeit arranged by the First-Year Social Committee (FYSC)—the First-Year Formal. A Great Gatsby themed endeavor, the Committee transported students back a century as they draped Annenberg […]
The Spotlight On Us
How a Harvard student’s sense of community has been affected by persistent national media attention.
Let’s set the scene. You’re home for break and are sitting at the dinner table, ready to enjoy a nice, non-HUDS meal when your second uncle thrice removed throws a pointed question your way. “What do YOU think about Claudine Gay’s resignation? Does Harvard HATE Jews? And what about affirmative action? What do YOU have […]
Point: The SAT, A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing
The hidden advantages of standardized testing for economic diversity.
In the wake of the overturning of affirmative action by the Supreme Court, all aspects of the college admissions process were placed under greater scrutiny. The Supreme Court’s decision blocks colleges from consciously building a racially diverse class, and, as a result, it is more important than ever that Harvard examine its metrics for admission […]
Counterpoint: Stay Optional, SAT
By continuing to not require standardized test scores, Harvard can stay inclusive to students of all backgrounds.
In light of the recurring discussions about college admissions after the Supreme Court decision to ban Affirmative Action, there is a repeated query related to test-optional policies directed toward top universities. Many voices criticize the “holistic” college admissions call for re-introducing the mandatory testing policy, arguing that this is a fair and (as suggested by […]
The Love of Doing Nothing
Reconciling our relationship with mundanity.
Around this time last February, my eyes sprung open as the morning light flooded my 10 ft. x 10 ft. dorm room. Icy wind chilled the side of my body through the window I intentionally placed next to the head of my bed and cracked open as far as dorm regulations would allow. I hated […]
A Troubling Love Affair
A culture of hyperproductivity on college campuses has normalized caffeine addictions.
There’s a rainbow Starbucks tumbler that sits on the corner of my bookshelf in my dorm. In high school, I brought this cup to school every day, disguising the can of Celsisus inside. The notion of parading the exposed can used to induce a peculiar embarrassment within me. But within the hallowed halls of Harvard, […]
It’s Okay To Be SAD
Navigating seasonal mood changes on a New England campus.
Feeling unmotivated? Having trouble finishing your work? Experiencing difficulty getting out of bed or making plans with friends? Not able to enjoy reading Indy articles the way you did in the fall? You’re not alone. It’s that time of year again. Hands-too-frozen-to-send-a-text, leggings-under-jeans, gets-dark-before-class-ends time. Winter has descended upon Boston, and the weather has plunged […]
Just Say You Go To Harvard
Stop letting the age-old stigma around the H-bomb stop you from living your truth.
In a 2022 interview with The Harvard Crimson, Dean Rakesh Khurana was asked to share a piece of advice with graduating seniors. His words of wisdom? “Don’t gratuitously drop the H-Bomb.” Upon acceptance to Harvard, most pre-college students are given that same advice. Do not tell people you go to Harvard or risk looking like […]
An Ode to the Freshman Rooming God
Harvard, you might be onto something.
Can we watch “Glee” on the projector tonight? You guys, you’ll neverrrr guess who I saw today. Rania, can I borrow that sweater again? Who’s playing the “Funny Girl” soundtrack, and can you queue “Don’t Rain on My Parade?” Come home quick, we’re debriefing. Olga Khazan, a staff writer at The Atlantic, writes, “if the […]
2024 Letter From the Editor
Andrew Spielmann ’25 on lessons learned and lessons in progress.
The Harvard Independent is proud to present our first issue of 2024, “Renewal.” When I first walked into the Indy offices, I was simply looking for something interesting to keep me busy. I wanted to use my writing skills and find a creative outlet while I focused my academics on Applied Mathematics. I also wanted […]
A Lost Art
Why we should care about Harvard’s waning interest in the visual arts.
Although Harvard’s community is forever in flux, she herself endures. Like the centuries of those who came before us and have passed on, soon we will not be here. Only she will be. Yet, despite our transience, it is we who now must define her to the watching world. There was a burden the media […]
The Centre Held/Holds/Will Hold
Just Barely.
A good journalist knows when to use a quote. Joan Didion, Harvard class of nineteen ninety-never, wrote, “The impulse to write things down is a peculiarly compulsive one, inexplicable to those who do not share it, useful only accidentally, only secondarily, in the way that any compulsion tries to justify itself.” 1. The Newsies “Ummm, […]
Reflection
Dear Indy Readers, My name is Piper Tingleaf and I have been the Design Editor for the Independent since Arsh Dhillon ’23 passed it on to me in Spring 2022. The aesthetic and unique design of the Independent originally spurred me to join the paper, and I strived to emulate that aesthetic throughout my time […]
The Loaded Gun
My Last Editor’s Letter
Last year, Elon Musk experimented with our sacred trust in social media authenticity. He took the blue check, which has monopolized our faith in abstract virtual spaces over the past decade, and made it available for purchase. For only $8. With the departure of a streamlined authentication process came the arrival of numerous impersonated celebrities, […]
An Ode to the Snow Day
How our sacred snow days have been sacrificed.
Growing up in Philadelphia, many snow days were scheduled all throughout elementary and middle school. My day consisted of hot chocolate, snowmen, and sleeping in, giving me some of my fondest childhood memories. The death of the “snow day” is another one of the many long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The once-beloved snow days […]
Harvard’s Quest for Fulfillment
A Call to Rediscover the Joy of Learning Amidst Prestige and Pressures.
The purpose of a Harvard education is supposedly the joy of discovery, the thrill of intellectual curiosity, and the personal satisfaction of mastering a challenging concept. However, the prevailing vision of many Harvard students is that college is simply a pathway to a universally desired outcome—a prestigious, high-salary career. This vision is hard to escape. […]
Welcome (Back) to the Excelsior Podcast
A madhouse of personalities makes up the newest Independent podcast.
BY JORDAN WASSERBERGER ’27 Hello Indy reader! For those of you who have listened to the Excelsior podcast, it’s nice to see you again—in writing this time—and please enjoy this deep dive into your favorite podcast. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, now’s your chance to rectify that. Let’s […]
How to Beat Burnout
Why having it together will (hopefully) change your life.
Toxic productivity culture defines the way we interact with nearly every component of our lives on Harvard’s campus. Though it can feel insurmountable to tackle the vast and varied tasks that accumulate in light of our inattention to them, we owe it to ourselves to seize a free moment when it does arise. Though the […]
How to Build A Minimalist Class Schedule
Shed your academic masochism. It’s self-care.
“Harvard is hard.” At one point or another, we’ve all come to the unfortunate realization that the phrase is actually true. But does Harvard have to be so academically rigorous? There’s no need to buy into the Harvard academic overachiever stereotype (I’m looking at you, LS50 and Math 55 first-years) when you can minimize your […]
I’m (Not So) OCD
Why using “OCD” as an adjective should no longer be in your vocabulary.
“I’m so organized! I’m so OCD.” You’ve heard it, I’ve heard it. You’ve probably said it. I’ve said it, too. Except I’m not exaggerating, because I have a mild and clinically diagnosed case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It’s never been life-threatening, nor has it caused me any sort of extremely disruptive pain (though it can […]
Point: Good For the Soul
How minimalism can improve our lives.
Purge. Oust. Eradicate. Dispose. You’ve heard the stress-inducing rhetoric of professed minimalists, arguing that non-essential items are wasteful and should be removed. You’ve heard the crazy stories of libertarian minimalists who own exactly one hundred things and live in remote locations. Minimalism might bring to mind a modest lifestyle, a beige interior, and an empty […]
Counterpoint: More is More is More
How maximalism can improve our lives.
I’ve barely made it past the entrance of Cabot Library when a friend studies my outfit and asks, “Is someone making you wear those pants for hazing?” “No,” I laugh, bowing my head towards my silver, denim, distressed pants. I get the biggest adrenaline rush when people’s eyes dance around my outfit, they smile, and […]
Point/Counterpoint: Simplicity in Our Studies
The pros and cons of that long Harvard intro you’ve been practicing.
Sachi: “Hi, I’m a sophomore in Winthrop House concentrating in art history.” Students at Harvard should minimize the number of qualifications (such as double concentrations, secondaries, and citations) they choose to get in favor of diversifying the classes they take in college. Choosing a majority of classes based on requirements limits students intellectually and narrows […]
Shelf Reflections
Lessons learned from a life in a library.
I grew up in a library. The first floor is the reference section: dozens of encyclopedias, the complete Harvard Classics, and the 20 volumes comprising the Oxford English Dictionary line the walls of my living room; two bookcases with titles ranging from Consider the Fork to The Oxford Companion to Food are housed by the […]
“Lizzie McGuire, You’re An Outfit Repeater”
The challenge of being a college minimalist.
At the end of each school year, a mass influx of sales pervades email chains and social media of items that college students want to get rid of. Basement trash rooms overflow with shelving, carpets, clothes, and other objects students either do not want or do not have the ability to store. Purchasing cheap room […]
Harvard vs Yale: The Game’s Weekend Experience
Do the Bulldogs do it better?
On November 17, 2023, thousands of Harvard students and alumni will trek to New Haven, Connecticut for a weekend of school spirit, tomfoolery, and camaraderie. This Harvard-Yale football game marks the 139th game between the famous Ivy rivals. The game starts at 12pm this Saturday, but most students kick off their H-Y weekend on Friday […]