"The truth is, I remember from being an undergraduate that there is so much to do," he says. "Now I have the time to do what interests me."

For example, last semester Feldman took a Korean class. His undergraduate classmates were taken aback at first by his age, but Feldman says he was glad to have the opportunity he never had when in the College .

Another fellow took a year off to teach at a local public school.

Feldman lives in Lowell House with his wife, who is a resident tutor there, and says he often interacts with undergraduates. His spring has been busy with reading Lowell House senior thesis chapters.

"All junior fellows strike a balance between doing their research and contributing to the life of the University," Feldman says. "That's kind of the point."

Interactions within the community are also crucial. Besides the individual research, fellows says learning from each other has been the biggest benefit of being a part of the society.

"I've forged really close friendships with junior fellows while I've been here," Hacker says. "There's a combination of people who share your interest in scholarships, the nerds you knew in college, but who represent a diversity of view points."