Harvard’s extensive list of accomplished alumni is teeming with figures who have been a part of global controversies for decades. From politicians like Al Franken ’73 and Henry Kissinger ’50 to business magnates such as Mark Zuckerberg ’17, Harvard graduates can be counted on to change history—for better or worse. Even the infamous Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski ’62, finds himself on Harvard’s polarizing alumni list.
However, disputes on Harvard’s campus are not limited to the faculty club, boardroom, or office. Harvard students ensure their voices are heard through journalism or Sidechat, regardless of whether their contributions receive positive reactions. Consider the top 100 students that left Sidechat reeling for days or the Harvard Crimson article proclaiming that “Harvard’s too easy.” The Harvard Independent polled a random sample of students on their hottest takes—here are some of the answers we received:
- “HUDS banana bread pudding is pure fuego.” – Anonymous ’28
- “Peanut butter is gross.” – Emma ’27
- “Silver jewelry is better than gold.” – KO ’28
- “I do not think email should exist.” – Anonymous ’25
- “Pineapple belongs on pizza.” – Sandra Smith-Johnson ’28
- “Mac is better than Hem.” – Mackenzie Ainsworth ’27
- “We should have grapefruit spoons in Berg.” – Aya Shwartz ’28
- “Yale guys are nicer than Harvard guys.” – Anonymous ’27
- “Converse are ugly, IMO. Vans too.” – Anonymous ’28
- “I’d rather eat foods with Red 40 because I think they’re more visually appealing. I eat with my eyes.” – Haley Muñoz ’27
- “Domino’s is the best pizza in the Square.” – Anonymous ’27
- “I really, really miss Oatly. The new froyo tastes artificial and sad.” – Grace E. St. Laurent ’28
- “I don’t like Beyoncé. She’s overrated.” – Anonymous ’26
- “Arranged marriages are good for society.” – Anonymous ’26
- “The Quad isn’t that bad.” – Anonymous ’28
- “Babylon is one of the best movies of the 21st century.” – Anonymous ’28
- “Finance will be the first thing to be replaced by AI.” – Anonymous ’28
- “Android phones are better than iPhones.” – Anonymous ’28
- “Harvard has too many fruity straight men.” – Melanie ’26
- “Canaday is crapped on for no reason.” – Anonymous ’28
- “Most men are worse at skiing than they think they are.” – Anonymous ’27
- “I think ADHD is a scam created by capitalism.” – Anonymous ’27
- “Cereal is a soup.” – Tyler Dalton ’28
- “Pasta with ketchup is better than pasta with marinara sauce.” – Anonymous ’27
- “There is already a cure for cancer, but someone hid it.” – Anonymous ’28
- “I kind of like HUDS food.” – Michael Maines ’27
- “There shouldn’t be competitive comps at Harvard.” – Anonymous ’28
- “I would do coke before I used nic.” – Anonymous ’28
- “Let’s get sporks in Berg.” – Natalie Bernstein ’28
- “America’s problems can be primarily attributed to the fact that 95% of the country thinks they will be millionaires one day.” – Hunter ’27
From first-years to seniors, Harvard students offer a broad range of thoughts and perspectives. Many students offer views about improving HUDS, while others poke at society as a whole. However, considering Harvard draws students from countries all over the world and states throughout the U.S., such a range of opinions should be expected. These varying thoughts create a campus that enacts various schools of thought both inside and outside of the classroom.
Kalvin Frank ’28 (kfrank@college.harvard.edu) says, “Thank you, Beyoncé.”