Freshman Parents Weekend reminds many Harvard students of the challenges that we had while we attempted to acclimate to our new environment. Apparently there are some who ease into the nonstop academic and extracurricular thrill ride that is otherwise known as Harvard. The rest of us go through what others politely call the adjustment period. Last

years Freshman Parents Weekend found me at the low point of this adjustment.

The Friday that my parents arrived will always be remembered because that

day I took my first Ec 10 midterm and received my first graded Expository

Writing essay. I walked into the midterm expecting that the test would be challenging but still confident that my preparation had been sound. Little

did I know. I had done poorly on tests before, but I had never experienced

the level of helplessness that encompassed the last few minutes as I

watched the clock wind down. I walked out feeling as if I had just gotten a lobotomy. I added up the points that I knew I had missed, and realized I was generously--very generously--looking at a 38.