As the second semester advances and midterms approach, approximately 6400 of us drag ourselves to classes with looks of chagrin, determination, or genuine interest--depending on the time of day. Winter reading period fades away, vacation never existed. The piquant awareness of our hometown mailman and the next door neighbor's child subsides as we decide which course to take for a fifth course and which to take pass/fail.

Except for the few who live off-campus or have grown up near the square, we all return to the 02138 zip code. Yet we rarely allow ourselves time to react to the Square as we react to our hometowns.

Because of the snow, because of the sometimes ominous thoughts of the future--and because of our real hometowns--it is essential to realize children grow up, traffic cops continue to preserve order, subway workers sweat so that Harvard can continue to expand its Horizons, and yes, people still play harmonicas.