The Harvard Crimson's guide to Freshman Week

The Harvard Crimson's guide for the class of 2013

Though designed for the College class of 2013, the Crimson’s guide to Freshman Week 2009 also constitutes a fun trip down memory lane for alumni.

Some articles offer modern takes on time-honored Harvard experiences:

  • Emma Lind ’09 (one of this magazine’s former Ledecky Fellows) recounts the wonder felt upon discovering the true range of books contained in Widener Library, as evidenced by the odd titles one passes during a journey deep into the stacks to retrieve a volume needed for a research paper (the title that caught Lind’s eye was Satanic Ritual Abuse: Principles of Treatment)
  • A dictionary of Harvardisms by the Crimson staff introduces first-years to local terms and concepts, including blocking, comping, reading period, and the Ad Board.
  • Elyssa Spitzer dishes out sound advice on choosing (and surviving) an Expos class.

Others will remind alumni of what has changed since their days as students:

 

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard President Alan Garber Helps First-Years Move In

As a potential settlement with the Trump administration looms, Garber gets students settled. 

Harvard’s New Online Orientation Emphasizes Intellectual Paths

A summer course for first-years focuses on academic success, diverse viewpoints.

Motherhood and Ambition in a Pronatalist World

Gen Z is confronting the age-old question of balance—with a new twist.

Most popular

Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival

Without Christopher Marlowe, there might not have been a Bard.

How MAGA Went Mainstream at Harvard

Trump, TikTok, and the pandemic are reshaping Gen Z politics.

Harvard art historian Jennifer Roberts teaches the value of immersive attention

Teaching students the value of deceleration and immersive attention

Explore More From Current Issue

Illustration of college students running under a large red "MAGA" hat while others look on with some skeptisim.

How MAGA Went Mainstream at Harvard

Trump, TikTok, and the pandemic are reshaping Gen Z politics.

Student walking under bright stage lights shaped like smartphones displaying social media apps.

Two Years of Doxxing at Harvard

What happens when students are publicly named and shamed for their views?