Popping in to PopUp
It’s 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, and the Square is bustling with people proudly holding distinctive brown bags and sporting hats that read, “Not Famous, But Known.” Music pulses from speakers, mixing with the chatter of Harvard students and curious passersby who turn their heads to get a glimpse of the unfamiliar storefront. A […]
The Charles Knows Too Much
Late at night, I get the urge to ponder. It’s like my version of the munchies, but rather than drug-induced, it’s born from a degree of sobriety that’s almost painful. Instead of my mouth watering for a $2 smashburger or a slice from Joe’s Pizza, I crave meaning—hot, fresh, and preferably delivered in under 30 […]
Gold Coast, Re-Gilded: A Look into the Renewed Adams House
After a more than five-year renewal process, Adams House reopened this August, marking a major milestone in the University’s sweeping House Renewal Program. Adams House, one of Harvard College’s 12 residential dormitories, is known for its distinctive architecture and vibrant arts culture. Now, the House blends modernized facilities with historic features that have long defined […]
Head of the Charles: A Preview of the 60th Anniversary of the Regatta
This weekend, Oct. 17-19, marks the 60th anniversary of the Head of the Charles Regatta. Founded in 1965 by the Cambridge Boat Club, the event has grown from a local experiment into a global showcase of athleticism, tradition, and community. Each fall, the regatta draws thousands of athletes and spectators to the Charles River. Harvard […]
When Empires Decline: Singapore’s Former Minister George Yeo Reflects on U.S. Power and China’s Rise to Global Influence
On Oct. 8, Harvard Kennedy School’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum hosted the 2025 S.T. Lee Lecture featuring George Yeo—Singapore’s former Minister for Information and the Arts, Health, Trade and Industry, and Foreign Affairs—in conversation with moderator Anthony Saich. Drawing on his experience steering Singapore’s foreign policy, Yeo explored the prospect of a U.S. decline […]
Fantasy Roundup: Week 6
With a third of the NFL regular season complete, the standings look nothing like preseason predictions. The Colts—led by Daniel Jones— have emerged as a dominant force alongside the Bills and Buccaneers. Meanwhile, several presumed playoffs contenders have already lost hope. The Ravens and Bengals are 1-5 and 2-4, respectively, plagued by injured quarterbacks and […]
Every Name Represents a Universe: Harvard Affiliates Gather to Honor Gaza’s Victims
On the morning of Oct. 8, Harvard University affiliates gathered with markers in hand and heavy hearts at the Science Center Plaza to fill blank canvases with the names of Palestinian casualties in Gaza from the past two years. The Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee organized this event for the second year in a row, […]
2025-2026 NHL Season Preview
Cue the music, it’s hockey season again. The puck dropped Oct. 7, so here are my predictions for the 2025-26 NHL season, division by division, followed by some way too early awards. PACIFIC DIVISION 8. Seattle KrakenSince the Kraken’s playoff splash in 2023, there’s been no spark, no leader, and no clear direction. Veteran goaltender […]
When Being Present Is Not Enough: Harvard Students and the Struggle to Engage
Across Harvard classrooms this fall, a shift is underway. Professors report fewer faces in lecture hall seats, fewer questions being asked, and fewer sparks of intellectual presence, as the nation’s top students navigate Harvard’s campus teeming with opportunity. The trend mirrors national reports: the New York Times recently highlighted a surge in chronic absences among […]
Counterpoint: Defending Mandatory Attendance
At 10:30 a.m. last Wednesday, I turned to my friend and noticed that nearly half the usual students were missing from our linguistics lecture. “Where did everyone go?” I asked. As I later learned, most had gone home for the long weekend—it was, after all, ‘no big deal’ to skip an optional-attendance class. Since starting […]
Point: Against Mandatory Attendance
The classroom has evolved throughout the years. Handwritten notes and chalkboards have slowly changed to Google Doc tabs and PowerPoint slides. Lengthy textbooks are now available online and in condensed formats. And technologies like AI allow students to rapidly consume information. With the add/drop period behind us, most students have already learned which of their […]
Midterms Misery
At Harvard, midterm season sees students celebrating a 48% because it’s above the class average. Yes, Stat 110, I’m looking at you. Every semester, these midterm scores bring about an onslaught of headlines from news outlets that haven’t written about Gen Z’s “academic decline” in a while. It’s nothing new. But the question remains: is […]
We Do Not Need to Generate a New Reality
Michael Jackson moonwalking away after pilfering your KFC order. SpongeBob SquarePants getting pulled over by highway patrol. Peter Griffin duking it out with anime characters. These absurd scenarios, once confined to dreams or fanfiction, can now be conjured in seconds through OpenAI’s new video-generation model, Sora 2. All it takes is a few keystrokes and […]
Thoughts from New Quincy: Two-Headed Boy
The beach stretches endlessly into the dark. It’s the early season, still too cold to go in the water. I can see boats with their lights on far in the distance. I scan across the water’s edge, catching glimpses of buoys bobbing up and down. The air pulls tight against my skin, cold enough that […]
“I Think”
“I think Confucius would critique Menzi’s emphasis on rewards and punishments.” “I think men have a higher social dominance orientation than women.” “I think the limbic system and prefrontal cortex are in a tug of war.” At Harvard, no class statement seems complete without an “I think.” It slips out unconsciously, often going unnoticed by […]
Ponderings on Pace
One of my closest friends recently experienced a Harvard student’s worst nightmare: a mid-semester concussion. What shocked me more than her text sharing the news was how it happened: a walking accident. My dear friend was speed-walking to class when she collided with another student, leaving her encounter with a new head injury. While this […]
Riverside Row-Mance
While the Square has a variety of traditional dinner-date spots, there are also ways to get creative with more unconventional spots, including my personal favorite: the Charles River. Having grown up in the Cambridge area, some of my favorite memories were made along the Charles River and I’ve made it a goal of mine to […]
Ode to a Dying Art: In Defense of Hazing
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, much of Europe fell into a period of cultural and intellectual stagnation named the “Dark Ages.” For hundreds of years, European nations saw a decline in the production of literature and science—a production that had once been customary. This intellectual catastrophe in history has robbed modern generations […]
How to Experience the Head of the Charles Regatta
The Head of the Charles Regatta is the world’s largest three-day rowing competition, held annually on the Charles River. This year, the regatta celebrates its 60th anniversary. Though centered on commemorating the sport of rowing, the HOCR weekend has evolved into a lively festival that blends spectating a traditional competition with enjoying many other perks […]