News
It’s a Love Story, Boston, Just Say Yes
A conversation with the owners of Boston’s pop-up romance bookstore.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single person in possession of the ability to read, must be in want of a good love story.Romance novels have seen a huge uptick in popularity recently, with sales doubling over the past five years. In 2022, popular romance author Colleen Hoover’s novels outsold the Bible. Romance-only […]
Uncertain Futures
How the 2024 election is redefining activism and autonomy.
Nov. 5 was a pivotal day for the country. The 2024 U.S. presidential election was considered by many to be the most important national election of our lifetimes. For millions, this election was more than a political contest—it represented a pivotal moment for civil liberties, personal autonomy, and the safety of marginalized communities. Across the […]
The Top 100 Harvard Students
An anonymously published list aims to rank undergraduates.
With the great range of interests and accomplishments that come from Harvard students, considering any one student superior to another can seem like an unreasonable task. Taking on this challenge, someone has written a document that attempted to definitively list Harvard College’s supposed “Top 100 Students.” Ironically, this list only included 99 names. Clicking a […]
A Look Beyond the Books: Harvard Hidden Talents
A deep dive into Harvard students’ exceptional inner genius
They can be found everywhere on campus—filling the lecture halls, waiting in line at the dining hall, studying on the tenth floor of the Smith Campus Center. But behind the typical school routine, many Harvard students possess extraordinary talents. Concealed away in dorm rooms, rehearsal spaces, or back in their hometowns, these students have incredible […]
Harvard’s Treasure Trove
A look at some course recommendations—gems or otherwise!
At 4 p.m. on Oct. 23, an email appeared in every Harvard student’s inbox, stating: Spring 2025 Registration Opens on Nov. 6 at 9 a.m. — Begin preparing for registration now! Operating under a different timeline from past course registrations, Harvard College’s new system has met conflicted responses from students. Many students are unsure of […]
Forum
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 […]
Arts
Harvard Ballet Company’s New Dawn
Harvard Ballet Company puts its fall production on the Loeb Mainstage.
Exhibiting a dazzling combination of classical technique, graceful movements, and modern flair, the Harvard Ballet Company’s (HBC) fall production left the entire audience in complete awe. On Nov. 16 and 17, HBC ran two of their four performances of Dawn at the Loeb Drama Center, where the ballet dancers displayed the hard work and talent […]
Glam, Glitter, and Grit
Inside of Adams House’s 2024 Drag Night.
Full glam, colorful dresses, fake beards, and a unique sense of liberty: this is Adams Drag Night, the signature annual event of Adams House. Every year, Adams House transforms into a place where creativity flows everywhere, gender limits dissolve, and everyone expresses themselves freely without fear of judgment. On Nov. 15, the tradition returned. Student […]
Elements of Desire
A porn script with chemistry and about chemistry.
1.INT. ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB – NIGHT An organic chemistry lab. It is dark and empty. A GORGEOUS HOT CHEMIST in a tight lab coat that hugs her curves is conducting an experiment in one of the fume hoods. Her MALE LAB PARTNER walks in, tepidly. The two have always had a flirty vibe. This is […]
Behind the Scenes with The Army, The Navy
Touring, creating, and evolving in the indie music scene
The Army, The Navy, an indie music duo made up of childhood friends Mia Cambriello and Sasha Goldberg, recently wrapped up their tour with pop musician Dora Jar. In our interview, they shared how their journey together began, what it was like touring with their idol, and the inspiration behind their songwriting process. The following […]
One of Many or One of a Kind?
A review of Tenoch’s new location in Harvard Square.
It’s no secret: Harvard Square has a lot of Mexican eateries. From late-night classics like El Jefe’s and Felipe’s to the more recently opened Achilito’s, satisfying that craving is easy. Yet in a market oversaturated with established competitors, Tenoch Mexican’s newest location on Mount Auburn Street (right where Jefe’s was two years ago) seeks to […]
Promoting Peace Through Art
Spotlight on Ukrainian artist Nikita Ivaniuta ’28.
Art and Activism At a school historically centered around a traditional liberal arts education consisting of classic humanities and STEM curricula, more creative communities, especially those within the fine arts, can be overlooked. The Independent interviewed Nikita Ivaniuta ’28, a first-year student from Ukraine who has used his art as a vessel for activism and […]
Sports
Harvard Hockey: No Turning Back
Harvard hockey forms a new identity after a rebuilding 2023 season.
Last year, Harvard men’s varsity hockey had seven wins in 32 games played. If I were a betting man, I’d hammer the over on seven wins for the upcoming season. Why? Two reasons: First, a win percentage of 22% is really, really bad. The San Jose Sharks, the worst team in the NHL last year […]
Crimson Cash
Harvard athletes bank on NIL deals.
Open up Instagram, and you will likely see a college athlete promoting one product or another, whether it is Livvy Dunne sporting the newest Vuori set or Paige Bueckers using CeraVe face wash in her latest get-ready-with-me video. However, it is not just the most high-profile college athletes making money off of their name, image, […]
Indy Sportsbook: The Costumes You’re Sure to Encounter This Halloweekend
The hottest current lines tell you the tricksters and treaters you’re sure to run into.
Some might say that Halloweekend is the single most important and stressful weekend of the academic year. The pressure to pick costumes that are flattering, unique, and inexpensive leaves many students stumped and the Harvard mail rooms overflowing with overnighted Amazon packages. It’s not only Amazon: there are countless resources at any student’s fingertips when […]
A Successful Head of the Charles Weekend
An ecstatic blend of exceptional rowing, crowd support, and New England beauty at the world’s largest regatta.
On the penultimate weekend of October in Cambridge, the air was thick with a competitive buzz, food vendors lined the Charles River, and rowing enthusiasts decked out in Vineyard Vines cheered boisterously. These unmistakable signs mean only one thing: the annual Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) has arrived. This Sunday marked the end of […]
Sports Spotlight: Cooper Barkate
Inside the story of Harvard football’s #18.
Cooper Barkate ’26 didn’t always envision himself playing football at the collegiate level. Hailing from Southern California, he initially thought lacrosse would be his sport. “When I was growing up, I played lacrosse and liked it. Freshman year, I went into lacrosse season thinking I was gonna get recruited for it,” he shared. However, during […]
Indy Sportsbook: Election Edition
Here are a few bets to place in class while you watch the election unfold.
Election time is upon us! This year, we have one for the ages: former President Donald Trump vs. Vice President Kamala Harris. As of Oct. 20, 2024, Kamala Harris has a slight edge in the most recent 538 polling data. However, on the betting stage, Donald Trump is far ahead in the lead with implied […]