Somewhere Between Performance and Reality: A Review of “be cozy”
An original play that successfully subverts reality.
The real world is never as stable as we think—especially when a story dares to break it right before our eyes. From March 6-9, Harvard students sold out the original play “be cozy,” which distilled a whole world into a living room—a living room where the lines between performance and reality blurred with unsettling ease. […]
Women’s Water Polo Makes Waves
Harvard women’s water polo is on an exciting winning streak as they strive for the conference championship.
The Harvard women’s water polo team is riding high, showing no signs of slowing down. This past weekend’s dominant 16-9 win over Brown pushed their streak to an impressive 14 games while also marking a significant milestone for head coach Ted Minnis—his 250th career victory. This remarkable run is record-breaking. Ranked No. 8 in the […]
River Run Rampage
A look into the longstanding Housing Day Eve tradition.
At long last, Harvard College Housing Day is here again. This annual event—sometimes touted as one of the most important days of a student’s years at the College—decides which of 12 Houses will become a first-year’s home for the next three years. First-years spend the months after winter break navigating blocking group formation—an often dramatic […]
Sports Spotlight: Harvard Men’s Tennis
The Harvard men’s tennis team is a dominant force on the court.
Game. Set. Match. Harvard men’s tennis is no stranger to these words as their legacy of excellence and ambition has led them to 33 Ivy League Championships and 29 NCAA Appearances. This year’s team embodies a similar penchant for greatness, demonstrating standout performances heading into the 2025 spring season. The Crimson currently holds an overall […]
Hogwarts at Harvard
A look at what makes each of Harvard’s Houses truly magical.
Every year, on the final Thursday before spring recess, Harvard first-years symbolically don the College’s “Sorting Hat” as they are randomly assigned to one of the 12 undergraduate Houses, where they will live for the rest of their time at Harvard. Appropriately named Housing Day, the tradition will take place this year on March 13. […]
Indy Sportsbook: Bracket Busters & Title Chasers
A list of the key teams to know for The Big Dance.
Though it feels like the semester started yesterday, March has arrived, bringing with it erratic weather, grueling midterms, and madness. The NCAA Division I single-elimination basketball tournament, or March Madness, pits 68 college teams across the country against each other. Held annually for the past 86 years, March Madness hosts teams of different skill levels […]
Engaging With The HGHI
A profile of the Harvard Global Health Institute and how to get involved in its global movement.
The Harvard Global Health Institute considers itself a hub for connecting students with international global health and policy internships, fellowships, speaker events, and research showcases. As U.S. healthcare policies shift under the new presidential administration, Harvard students are turning to the HGHI for opportunities to not only educate themselves but also gain real-world experience in […]
Not So Unlucky: In Defense of the Quad
A few reasons why the dreaded phrase “You got quadded?” might actually be a good thing.
We’ve all seen the videos of Housing Day—the chaos, the revelry, and most of all, the excitement for the future. Housing Day is one of the most iconic Harvard experiences, no matter whether you’re a freshman or a senior. It’s the culmination of weeks of speculation, strategizing, the chaos of blocking, and the Housing Lottery. […]
Fractured Faith
Grappling with the prospects of luck in the face of loss.
August 2022: My mother is smiling to herself while old Bollywood music quietly plays off my Baba’s new computer. As my Nannos hum Hindi lyrics, I scratch away at a lottery ticket with a dulling quarter. “I won five dollars,” I say. My aunt calls from across the dining table, “Hey, I knew today would […]
House of Cards: How Harvard’s Housing System Was Rebuilt
How Harvard’s housing system evolved from social stratification to a randomized tradition.
As Housing Day approaches, anticipation, excitement, and fear of the Quad fills the air in Harvard Yard. Freshmen across campus grapple with the intricacies of blocking groups, house culture, 8-minute-long housing videos, and the annual River Run tradition, where Harvard freshmen visit each River House the night before Housing Day to avoid being placed in […]
The Universal Law of Luck
The elevator ride I’ll never forget.
If you think you can escape the infamous “Harvard Bubble,” take it from me—you can’t. Growing up in Cambridge, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with Harvard affiliates. From crossing paths with undergraduates as they oscillated between Harvard’s libraries on a typical Tuesday to finding myself behind Michael Sandel in line for coffee last […]
A Broad, Abroad: Turning 21 in Europe
How I found meaning in America’s biggest birthday in a place where it held no significance.
If you had asked me four years ago to envision my ideal 21st birthday party, I would have described a glamorous soiree like the one Rory’s grandparents threw for her in Gilmore Girls—my favorite show at the time. Two years ago, I might have dreamed of a birthday bash at Bar Enza. Two months ago, […]
Abreast on Abroad: Letter Two, “Scarebnb”
The Red Light and an upstairs rager: Sadie Kargman’s unsettling Amsterdam accommodation.
Hey Shitstains, How’s the weather in Cambridge? “Spring,” am I right? Anyway, welcome to this week’s edition of “Abreast on Abroad.” In my last letter, I discussed how my decision to “cross the pond” ultimately hinged on the ability to wander the world. What can I say? I dreamed of becoming the next insta-travel-baddie and […]
Lucky Charms: More than Just a Cereal
The key to passing all your midterms could be one charm away.
When most people hear “Lucky Charms,” they probably picture the cereal in the dining hall—a favorite between-class snack, a nostalgic breakfast, and a last-minute meal before a late-night study session in Lamont. But lucky charms—beyond the colorful marshmallows—have existed in cultures worldwide for centuries. From four-leaf clovers to rabbit’s feet, people have long sought symbols […]
Point/Counterpoint: Is a College Degree Worth It?
A discussion on whether attending college is truly essential for advancing career opportunities.
As tuition fees soar and the job market evolves, the true value of a college degree has sparked intense debate. Proponents argue that a degree offers a necessary ticket to entry for many high-paying jobs and that college serves as a period for exploration and personal growth. On the other hand, critics point to the […]
The Story of a Symphony
A review of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra’s third concert of the season.
At Sanders Theatre, performers dressed in concert black are ordered in rows upon the stage, their bows moving in unison. As the strings swell into a racing melody, conductor Federico Cortese’s audible and emotional breaths guide the orchestra forward, cueing the dramatic crash of the cymbals, the militaristic drum of the timpani, and the brass […]
River Runnin’
Complete the river run and I’ll tell you what upperclassmen house you actually belong in.
After what seems to be a never ending first half of the spring semester, it is finally the long awaited week before spring break here at Harvard. If you’re a first-year student, you have likely already come to face many battles this far in your Harvard journey. After claiming that you were going to stage […]
Thoughts from New Quincy: A New Home
A story of finding my way back to belonging.
I wandered too long,a stranger in my own life,watching laughter through glass,close enough to see, too far to touch. I lived at the edge of things, where streets stretched into silence, where each step away felt like exile, where the night ended not in sleep, but in the long breath before loneliness. It was waiting—always […]