From honest attempts to impress to the hidingbad behaviors, some students have been thinkinglong and hard about just what activities theweekend should entail. These include the committeeof volunteers (at least two from each house) thathave been planning the weekend since November.
"The great thing about Junior Parents Weekendis that they know the place," said Julia G. Fox,Parents' Association director. "They know whatthey like and what they don't like. They want tohighlight what Harvard means to them."
Despite eagerness to witness student lives inaction, most juniors suggest that parents waituntil after noon to show up unannounced in orderto avoid the trauma of seeing their offspringsleep the day away. One junior added that midnightis a good time for parents to leave because"people start coming over then."
And if they wish to attend Friday morningclasses, students suggested that their parents doso--then meet them for lunch.
For a real slice of Harvard life, parent'smight try large Sanders Theatre classes likeSocial Analysis (Ec) 10 and Literature and ArtsC-37, "The Bible and Its Interpreters," whichboast enrollments of between 900 and 1,000students--exactly the number of family membersexpected to visit juniors over the course of theweekend, according to Fox.
Due to a last minute schedule change, however,these visitors will already be able to experiencethe joys of Sanders--one of the only campus spaceswhich can accomodate such large crowds.
"We have moved Robert Coles' welcoming talk toSanders Theatre at 1 [p.m.] on Friday," Fox said."It was originally scheduled for the ScienceCenter but we didn't have enough space for all thepeople who wanted to attend."
But if being with the kids prompts parents tolong for the good old days, house intramuralsoffer a chance for further regression. Shulmanextends an invitation to his and any parentsinterested to attend this weekend's intramuralbasketball games (it's semifinal season).
"Parents will come relive the Little Leaguegames," Shulman said by way of invitation.
With so many social obligations, parentaletiquette is key. For most, questions aboutrelationships such as "Do you have a boyfriend?"are understandably taboo, just as asking a child'sroommates about living situations is off-limits.However, some have little faith in their parents'ability to anticipate problematic lines ofquestioning.
One member of the class of '99 gave severalexamples of perilous questions his parents mightpose to his roommates.
"What do you do on weekend nights? Has myson ever stumbled into the room not knowing wherehe was? What's that bruise on my son's neck? Thosewould all be bad questions," he says.
Many questionable weekend routines--from 1 a.m.trips to the Hong Kong to repeated cigarettebreaks--will remain hidden from visiting parents,although most stop short of saying they willactually put on a show of utter responsibility.The majority of juniors will stay sober--andrelatively honest this weekend.
"[My mother will not see me doing myhome-work," Earp said.
But Lee H. Green '99 said he wants to impresshis parents with his erudite lifestyle.