('

{shortcode-9db1e858453739b9db4d6a0ae78d6875bbbffd63} Dear Quad,

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I miss you. I didn’t think I would, but I do. I miss you and the million little things that make you everything that you are.

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I miss you in slumber. I miss the silence hanging heavy in the air, so absolute I could hear the crickets chirping and the stars twinkling. I miss waking late in the morning to my alarm instead of at 7 a.m., on a weekend, to the sound of a garbage truck.

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I miss coming home to you. I miss the walks back with friends or by myself, music or my parent’s voices curling into my ears. I miss the feeling of escaping the Harvard bubble, of coming home to a place that was not an extension of school. I miss feeling like a person, not a student.

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I miss the feeling of belonging to a community larger than a single House. I miss the connection with other Quadlings, the immediate solidarity and its solidification on a (not that) long walk home. I miss the happily contrarian feeling that settled in my stomach as I defended you to your detractors. I miss walking into buildings with women’s names over their entryways, of feeling a connection to a definite moment in history rather than the hefty weight of more problematic years.

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I miss studying in Currier d-hall in my pajamas, a blanket around my shoulders. I miss falling asleep on the table, waking up to speedwrite my essay just as HUDS starts cooking breakfast. Now, I visit in pants just a hair too uncomfortable to sleep in (the River’s made me self-conscious about wearing pajamas in public) and work with one eye on the clock, too concerned with shuttle schedules now that I don’t live a minute away.

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I miss you more when it’s raining. I miss the scent of the Quad Lawn, its grass greener than any of the patches of turf found by the river, the reminder that life follows the rain. In the River, rain brings with it the stench of sewage brought a little closer to the surface and cars that race through puddles, showering me with liquids of questionable composition. They were the same storms, but you had a way of making them better, somehow.

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My dreams of you are nightmares, but the nightmares themselves are peaceful. I dream of happiness and friends and normalcy, and when I wake it is with a smile on my face. A smile on my face but a hole in my heart, left when the dream dissolves with only the destabilizing sensation that, when I left, I missed out on something great. I worry, sometimes, that I’ve missed out on you and that my life is worse for it.

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I visit sometimes — all the time, actually — more in a week than I did during the entirety of my freshman year. (You used to barely exist to me, but now that I know you, I can’t stay away.) I visit to see my friends (because some of my favorite people still live in the Quad), to spend at least a few nights a week somewhere other than my room, but perhaps a few of my visits are about seeing you. We were something, and as much as I cried on Housing Day last year, I don’t know if I can ever see us as nothing. I miss you in a million little ways, and as much as I complained about the distance or the mascots or any number of silly things, I love you for everything that makes you you.

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This year, another set of freshmen will learn that they’ll spend the next three years of their lives with you. Some will probably cry. Some will probably fume. But they’ll come around. You tend to grow on people. (I love you for that, too.)

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Much Quadlove,

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SMY

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('

{shortcode-3d82fb67a7b39e127a29c3ace51b4dfa80c3dff4}Spring at Harvard comes with many joys – Housing Day, afternoons above 30 degrees, and a much-needed Spring Break.

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Spring Break is supposed to promote rest and relaxation from the college grind, a time to pretend you don’t have three midterms and two papers coming up in March. However, all too often, Spring Break brings additional stress. How should I spend my week off? Where, with whom, and with what money? For college freshmen like myself, Spring Break is often the first break we have complete control over, so we’re determined to make the most of it. After all, what’s a better way to show your high school classmates that you’re thriving in college than going on a tropical vacation with all your new besties?

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At the beginning of my second semester, pondering Spring Break options left me uninspired. When I thought of my perfect week off, all that came to mind was going home, sleeping in my own bed, and eating my parents’ home cooking. So, that’s exactly what I will be doing.

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One of my 2024 New Year’s resolutions was to reject FOMO and instead embrace JOMO – the joy of missing out. This semester, I have developed a more balanced and fulfilling life by being intentional with how I spend my time, attending events because I want to, rather than because I think I should. The JOMO mindset is highly applicable to my Spring Break dilemma.

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In my eyes, Spring Break at home is the ultimate college getaway. For one – not to be understated – the home-cooked meals. I know I don’t just speak for myself when I say that one of the things I look forward to most over break is the break from HUDS (and my coding p-sets, of course). Second, there’s nothing quite like sleeping in your bed at home. The twin XL in my cramped double will never measure up.

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But, you may say, spending break at home is just so boring. To this, I offer a solution: the complete and utter romanticization of your life. Wake up well-rested in the morning, blast “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall, and be a tourist in your own hometown. Go to your local farmers market. Check out all the books on your TBR (to be read) list from the library and actually read them. Watch your not-so-little brother’s baseball game. Catch up with your hometown friends. Do all the things you said you would do if you had the time – now you do. I can almost guarantee that you won’t regret the extra time you spend with your loved ones, fully removing yourself from the college atmosphere.

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If you’re like me and you’re spending your first college Spring Break at home, I encourage you to make the most of it and appreciate where you are, even though it may not be Punta Cana. Take Spring Break at home to reconnect with yourself and find new hobbies. Slow down and enjoy it, while welcoming the joy of missing out. Are you even really missing out?

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('

{shortcode-cc10c72e302b0d04fb66094a91f95ec4ec56034a}Yeah, the houses all have names, but they’re so formal. Why am I calling my TF who holds my entire GPA in their hands by their first name, but the building that literally just exists so 18-22 year olds can live in it by a fancy last name? Luckily, Flyby has rectified this. Here are the names we decided each house deserves.

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Lowell: Catherine, Cathy for short

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We thought the C-spelling Catherines needed some representation.

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Quincy: Terry, short for Terrence

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It just felt right.

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Adams: Adam (and Steve)

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Steve is the Inn. (Oaktel, if you’re one of those people.)

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Winthrop: Chad

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This one was unanimous.

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Eliot: Elliott

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What if we made the most pretentious house just a little more so?

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Kirkland: Brittany

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“Cause she’s so crazy, you can’t take her anywhere.”

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Cabot: Carleigh

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She’s just a little quirky like that.

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Currier: Dianne

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Classy ‘70’s vibes.

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Pfoho: Phyllis

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You can’t tell us you disagree with this one.

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Dunster: Will but it’s short for Wilhelm III

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It seems normal but is secretly very fancy.

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Mather: Dale, short for Fort Lauderdale

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Mather has a bit of a militaristic vibe, and so does Dale.

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Leverett: Kyle

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Ok, we know a Kyle in Leverett. But isn’t every person in Leverett, in a way, Kyle?

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('

{shortcode-c2588daace0d73fe5306c827db87d353097b49ae} One of the freshmen in Flyby recently informed us — much to our horror — that linking would not be an option for the Class of 2027’s sophomore housing lottery. “Linking” guaranteed two blocking groups to be placed in the same neighborhood (ex. one group in Eliot and the other group in Kirkland — both in River West). Apparently, this change in the lottery system, which has been implemented for previous classes since 2006, was announced to the freshman class and reflected on the College’s website in early November, but someone (really, several someones) neglected to tell us upperclassmen. (Maybe we should just read the rest of The Crimson more often, but I already have 200 pages of readings to do every week. Asking me to educate myself about current events on top of that is just cruel.) Perhaps part of the reason for this lapse in communication is the freshmen’s lack of emotional investment in the change — after all, you can’t miss what you never had — but, regardless of their appallingly blasé attitudes, we cannot abide by this transgression in silence. Here’s why.

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I Asked for Less Drama, Not More
\r\nBack in the day, linking provided a built-in solution for the problem of having too many friends to fit in a single blocking group. Have three contenders for the last spot in your blocking group? No worries; just split into two groups and call it a day. Now, however, you really do have to choose your (eight) friends wisely. (Let’s not even talk about what an arbitrary number eight is, especially when they apparently used to allow blocking groups of up 16.) Luckily, Flyby does have some strategies for you to select your last blockmate, but do we really need more toxicity in our lives when we’re already subsisting on HUDS? We say, no thank you.

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What About My House Away From My House?
\r\nOne of the oft-neglected benefits of having a linking group is having what I affectionately dub a “bonus house.” Whenever I’m tired of staring at the same four walls (or just really don’t want to actually concentrate on my work), I hop on over to my linkmate’s house to spend the night (read: the hours of 10p.m. to 4a.m.) relishing in a new atmosphere, my home away from my home away from home. Think of it as a low-commitment way of bursting the Harvard bubble. But alas, without linking groups, laying claim to a house other than your own lacks the same… je ne sais quoi. Now, the Class of 2027, and all the classes to follow, will have to compress their love for Winthrop basement or Currier d-hall into the paltry phrases of appreciation in the English language rather than just remarking, “Oh, it’s my linking group’s house.”

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Linkmates, My Loves
\r\nHaving a linkmate is an experience unlike any other. It’s not quite like having a blockmate, but it’s not quite like having a friend you have not ascribed odd Harvard lingo to either. My linkmates are people I sprint to hug after breaks, the first people I text with romantic updates (because, let’s face it, they take my problems much more seriously than my blockmates do), and people I must contact at least two weeks in advance to arrange a meet up. They’re beautiful and amazing and precious, and some of them have been living in my camera roll since Visitas. I quite literally cannot imagine my “transformative” Harvard experience without them, and I wouldn’t want to. We would still be friends without the label of linkmateship, but you can’t tell me that the labels don’t carry weight. DTRs mean something for friendships, too.

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The Greatest Travesty of Them All
\r\nQuite clearly, the worst consequence of this change is that, some day — perhaps a day much closer than you’d expect — some poor, unsuspecting reader will come across one of our old articles and come away confused rather amused. How would that even be possible, you ask? The answer’s simple: the phrase “sneaky link.” Now that linking groups are no longer a reality, it will not be long before any reference to linking groups, linkmates, and sneaky links is met with blank stares, as the memory of linking fades into oblivion as did the House personalities following the institution of a random lottery. An entire genre of Flyby Blog content will lose its relevance to new generations of Harvard students, excluding an uncountable number of students to come from the tradition that is spending ten hours going down a Flyby rabbit hole. Flyby’s never existed in a world without linking groups; these are uncharted waters, and we’re not sure we like them.

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Whoever thought discontinuing linking was a good idea, we’re sure you meant well, but we really do need you to know: dude, that’s rude.

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('

{shortcode-d12c267f637fd24dfaba347dc3230eee7fe1f743}There are many ways to procrastinate in Harvard Square. You could get overpriced coffee, go on a walk, buy Harvard merch for your family, heckle tourists… the list goes on. But we at Flyby are humanists, which means we enjoy the highest form of procrastination: people-watching. Ever wonder how we get so many “overheards?” We always have an eye out. And I love eavesdropping — that’s why they call me Eve. So if you want to get the most possible entertainment value out of our glorious campus, read on for the best people-watching spots on campus.

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The front of the Smith Center

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If you like getting stuff done or can’t live without lo-fi covers of Disney songs, you may tend to head straight for the student commons in Smith. But since everyone’s on task, there’s nobody to look at! So next time, try sitting in the very front of Smith, near Pavement. You’ll see groups of French-Canadian tourists, prospective pre-frosh, and people wrestling with Blue Bikes.

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The street side of Cabot Library

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If you find exactly the right spot in the center of the short end of Cabot library, you can watch the most underrated difficult intersection in Cambridge. Two crosswalks + food trucks + Annenberg + shuttles + parallel parking spots = chaos. And I’m team jaywalker any day of the week, but some of us (I’m looking at you, blue backpack who is currently standing exactly where the Penske truck needs to go) need to improve our spatial awareness. I love watching us all have our “I’m walkin’ here!” moments.

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The Mather Express shuttle

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I stumbled upon this one by accident on a day when I started feeling carsick on the shuttle. Not my proudest moment. But because I had to look up from my phone and out the window while taking slow, steady breaths, I realized that this mobile window-heavy seat was perfect for watching the pedestrians go by! It’s especially fun when the traffic is so bad that you end up going exactly the same speed as the people on the sidewalk. Plus, you’re getting somewhere!

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The Leverett d-hall during brain break

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I don’t know why, but every time I’ve stumbled my way into Lev brain break, I’ve seen both everyone I know and about 40 people I’ve never seen before in my life. I’ve had epic highs and lows at Lev brain break. But watching everyone else also have epic highs and lows always makes my night better. (I’m not even in Lev, by the way.)

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Lamcaf

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Oh, Lamcaf. A unique vibe. A humbling experience. A fuel for my increasingly problematic caffeine addiction. But at least when you sit by the window, you can watch every tourist ignore interesting things (the Alice in Wonderland-inspired gate, Houghton library, the tree that is literally growing underground) to make a beeline for Widener. Sometimes, though, they’re wearing fun outfits.

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Make sure to try all these spots to remember that you are, in fact, just one person among basically infinite people. We live in a society. WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY. (Maybe think about that as you choose your career?)

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('

{shortcode-90d5f0963d174fd153a91e59f03b4d5180a6b83f}A few weeks ago, Flyby received top secret intel alerting them to tunnels connecting the entirety of Harvard Business School, linking dorms to lecture halls. Imagine waking up five minutes before class and only having to “take the tunnel” to get to class — this was the alleged reality for HBS students. Much, much cooler than sprinting across the Yard at 9 a.m. and risking the hazard of running into a tourist, or worse, someone speeding on their scooter.

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It became apparent that validating the existence of these tunnels for the rest of the Harvard community was of the utmost importance. After a super important and super fancy (we had Papa John’s instead of Domino’s!) Friday night dinner, we departed from the Quad to explore the deep, dark depths below HBS. We were energized by the prospect of a groundbreaking scoop, but little did we know that we were about to discover something much, much more serious.

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Once we made it onto the HBS grounds, we ran into a few HBS students and begged them for details about the tunnel system, but they seemed merely bemused. They could not comprehend why the tunnels were so important to us and were perplexed by our enthusiasm. They even encouraged us to “live a little more” and return to Cambridge. Disappointed by this reaction, we made a pact to not be boring adults if/when we grow up. In hindsight, perhaps we shouldn’t have discarded their advice so easily.

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After wandering the Business School lawn for what felt like an hour (read: only 15 minutes), we finally found our way into a building connected to the tunnels. (If we had been more wary, we might have interpreted our difficulty in finding the tunnels as the warning it was.) As we traipsed through the seemingly endless hallways of the lower level, Sneha got spooked by a vacuum in a random lecture hall and phoned a friend (read: her dad).

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After seeing a sign pointing towards the tunnels, we rushed to explore our surroundings. Truthfully, we didn’t know where we were going, but we were willing to go wherever the tunnels took us. Immediately upon entering, we were transported back in time to a 1980’s diner. Checkerboard floor tiles, slightly suspicious yellowed lighting, and the strange slowing of time all added to the aesthetic. Several signs and displays adorned the walls of the tunnels, detailing the Business School’s history. We took photos of basically everything (we’ll spare you the details for now, but feel free to ask us for the 316 photos of the tunnel walls living in our camera rolls). At this point, we were around 15 minutes into our expedition, but it felt like we had been in the tunnels for hours. Mirika’s and Sneha’s phone battery percentages lingered at six and four percent, respectively.

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Wandering past a fake entrance to Baker Library, we found ourselves in a corridor lined with newspaper front pages that towered over us, hanging at odd angles. Political cartoons studded each front page, spanning the 1950s to the early 2000s, with inscriptions highlighting significant moments in economic history. After the 2000s display, the tunnel’s path forked, one arm featuring a similar art installment and a set of heavy double doors, and the other curling around a turn, its end out of sight. We raced towards the double doors in the first arm, excited to infiltrate the HBS dorms, but they wouldn’t budge, even when we repeatedly slapped our HUIDs against the scanner.

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We were stuck with the newspapers of decades past. We followed the other path, watching as the tunnels transformed from clean tile to something more industrial, with exposed pipes and wiring. At the sound of water running through the pipes, Sneha speed-dialed her dad and forced him to stay on the line until Mirika finished exploring the rest of the tunnel system’s (available) forks, successfully making it into two more buildings.

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Having explored as much of the tunnel system as possible, it was nearly midnight, and we were anxious to emerge from the tunnel’s depths (...so Sneha’s dad could go back to sleep). Perhaps it would have been most logical to just go back the way we came, but that would have been the boring choice. Instead, as true journalists, we used all the tools at our disposal to find a more innovative escape, leveraging our natural charisma (the art of “please” and “thank you”) and ten collective years of Spanish education (“gracias, gracias, gracias,” plus “somos estudiantes”) to convince a very nice employee to let us out through a swipe access-only exit.

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This left us on the level directly below the Baker Library, which we tried to enter to no avail. To our dismay, the library apparently closed at 5 p.m., a discovery which made us seriously question the work schedules of HBS students. Do they somehow have work-life balance? Do they even have work to do if they have no 24/7 libraries? Are they really partying all the time, as the stereotype suggests? It really put the Business School students we saw socializing into perspective. Eventually, after an impromptu photoshoot outside Baker Library (and another round of photos in front of the infamous HBS sign), we called it a night and trekked back to Cambridge.

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As we left the business school campus, we (to our horror) found our attitude towards the tunnels mirroring that of the HBS students. Sure, the tunnels are there, but what’s the point? It felt like we had spent hours in the HBS basement, traveling a distance that would have taken us less than two minutes to walk aboveground. Maybe they weren’t the time-saving godsend we had thought they were.

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But, as we sit in Lamont Library, revising our notes, we see that we could not have been further from the truth. While we felt lifetimes pass as we wandered through the tunnels, our meticulous records show that we spent less than 30 minutes underground. It took us three times longer to make it from HBS back to our dorms as it did to explore the accessible portion of the tunnels. The tunnels are not just a mundane feature of the HBS campus; they are pivotal to understanding the true nature of the Business School campus itself.

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We’ll speak in circles no longer. It is time to reveal the truth we discovered in the tunnels’ depths. The tunnels are part of a parallel universe with a time warp; this peculiarity is probably why Harvard chose to build the Business School in Allston. Once we realized this, all the pieces started falling into place. The Business School students’ seemingly infinite span of free time, the lack of 24/7 libraries, the ‘80s diner aesthetic, the relative quality of the facilities, and the surprising lack of tourists all suddenly started to make sense. And the tilted hallway with its timeline from the 1950s to the 2000s, a reminder (or a map, for those in the know) of the tunnel system’s time travel capacities.

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We were lucky enough to escape the tunnel’s clutches before it was too late. Four hours in the tunnels equated to half an hour in our world — we tremble to think of the consequences of a longer stay. We wrote this article against our better judgment, disregarding our own safety and wellbeing, to warn the Harvard community of the dangers that lurk beneath the business school and Allston. We believe that the SEC is next; it’s only a matter of time before the top floor’s construction is complete.

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If you don’t hear from us again…we’re probably in the Barker Center’s witness protection program.

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Signing off,

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MJJ and SMY

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{shortcode-c7bf5c63730ab1a5b225510fa4a9581dbdf562fe}

', [ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-90d5f0963d174fd153a91e59f03b4d5180a6b83f}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/002205_1368900.png.1500x1052_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption=None, hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-e40fa78780281173d37a44d376b53c1b223acff8}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/001902_1368899.gif.1125x1500_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='Mirika standing at the entrance to the tunnels, smiling in blissful ignorance.', hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-bb92e61ef70fed532ac2b6a8f5aeb70bf8e1fbc8}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/002205_1368900.png.1500x1052_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='Parts of the display, including blueprints of the business school and the intentional placement of the tunnels. ', hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-74c394d6635620748e477dbca24486610e72670c}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/061028_1368901.png', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='The 1950s section of the newspaper-inspired art installation.', hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-cf12e096436e423e5429d4ca95c13f6ee9477b9d}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/002755_1368902.png.1201x1500_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='An undecorated expanse of tunnel we found past the fork in the path.', hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-ee225db9aece6817a6c744b0bd650ce821e67509}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/003041_1368903.gif.1125x1500_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption="Our view of Baker Library after climbing three stories from the tunnels' depths.", hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-b9133ac70ef5a9f3b708c07c6e739c973a2b7c92}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/003330_1368904.png.1202x1500_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='Blurring our faces to prevent detection, standing at the intersection of the 2000s and the future. ', hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-419454f78cb4e5e195abdf93b7ca445775adbfda}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/003432_1368905.png.1355x1500_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption="Imagery of a clock at the center of this bronze seal, perhaps alluding to the inner workings of the tunnel's time warp. Out of caution, we decided not to approach the seal closer. ", hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-d9da5cde823395bf1d2c3cd5519f8e1c3a1054b3}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/26/003931_1368906.png.1500x1041_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='medium', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption="A photo snapped in our haste to leave the tunnels once we realized Baker Library is the nexus of the tunnel's time travel abilities. All tunnels lead to Baker and its clocktower. 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', hovertext=None, contributors=, ]>)])

('

{shortcode-a4b39737012f868b95047660614ada6798aa4dc2} No criticism allowed! And before you ask, my qualifications are: yard resident, Leo sun.

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CRIMSON YARD

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GREENOUGH / HURLBUT: CAPRICORN

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Residents of these two dorms have to put in so much more effort to go to classes or walk literally anywhere on the yard. For that, Greenough and Hurlbut get the hardest-working earth sign!

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PENNYPACKER: VIRGO

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En-suite bathrooms. Practical! There’s not much else to say about Pennypacker, or Virgos for that matter.

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WIGGLESWORTH: PISCES

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Unstable, sensitive, and easily shaken; Wigg’s unfortunate placement directly above the rattling T makes it a perfect example of piscean traits.

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ELM YARD

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GRAYS: SCORPIO

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Grays’ architecture is strong, independent and a little intense. Traits that mirror those of everyone’s favorite sign to hate on!

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MATTHEWS: SAGITTARIUS

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Sagittarians are said to draw admiration from anyone who interacts with them, just like how Matthews draws in photo ops for every tourist who passes by. Sagittarians are also known to take risks, and whoever designed Matthews certainly did that with its unique and confusing layout.

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WELD: CANCER

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Cancers, like Weld’s huge rooms, have a lot of space inside to keep their emotions. Their many windows are perfect for gazing out of as you partake in some inner reflection. So water sign of them!

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IVY YARD

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APLEY COURT / HOLWORTHY : LEO

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Like a Leo’s natural tendency to be drawn toward luxury, Apley Court is known for having the most lavish first year rooms. It’s only fitting to sort the best sign with the best dorm!

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Holworthy definitely has a social and celebrity-like reputation, as residents can claim past alumni such as Conan O’Brien. They also have nice windows and big common rooms, perfect for entertaining guests, like the most slayful fire sign tends to do!

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Xoxo, a Leo <3

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HOLLIS / MASS HALL : GEMINI

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Hollis has huge doubles, so obviously it has to be matched with the sign represented by the twin symbol. Alternatively, the juxtaposition between Mass Hall’s heated, beautifully furnished office space and Mass Hall’s cold, ugly living space is so Gemini personality crisis.

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LIONEL: CANCER

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Like a Cancer crab retreating inside its own shell, Lionel hides behind Harvard Hall. Lionel residents are cool, I guess, but you never hear much about them.

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MOWER / STOUGHTON: AQUARIUS

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An irrelevant sign for irrelevant dorms. Sorry, Stoughton and Mower. (Aquarian editor’s note: rude, but we at Flyby support authorial freedom… And we Aquarians support freedom of intellect… supposedly…)

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STRAUS: LIBRA

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Libras are known for great communication, and Straus is known for the fact that you can hear everything, even at a whisper, in the halls, rooms and around the entryways.

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OAK YARD

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CANADAY: ARIES

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Here at Flyby, we hate Aries AND Canaday Hall. (Editor’s note: not ALL Aries’. Don’t come for us.) Not only is Canaday possibly the ugliest part of the yard, deeply infested with rats, vermin, insects, and other undesirables, but it is also riot proof (aw man!). What’s more Aries, the sign closely associated with aggression, than anti-riot architecture?

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Xoxo, a Canaday Resident <3

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THAYER: TAURUS

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Green and practical, Thayerites claim ownership of an objectively perfect spot in the yard. Thayer is characterized by its stability (unlike Wigglesworth) and lack of drama, similar to the Taurean tendencies to avoid conflict and stick to their own path.

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\r\nBe sure to really attach your identity to your first-year dorm before Housing Day comes and you can finally introduce yourself with a real dorm! Then you can check this one out…

', [ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-a4b39737012f868b95047660614ada6798aa4dc2}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.thecrimson.com/photos/2018/09/05/215111_1331893.png', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption=None, hovertext=None, contributors=]>)])

('

{shortcode-3e04f6eeb596184f258559807e1ae2fa592d1862} As I come into my second semester at our small liberal arts college just outside of Boston, I feel as though I’m taking part in a modern-day renaissance. With concentrations ranging from the more established field of Folklore and Mythology to the rather-rare Econ concentrator, Harvard seems to really embrace a holistic approach to higher education. However, after hours of skimming my.Harvard, I’ve come to understand that our administration has failed. Harvard doesn’t teach a necessary life skill — bush jumping.

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John Harvard’s Dictionary defines this action, a verb, as the ancient, and simple, art of running full speed towards a bush and just jumping into it. On his deathbed, John Harvard gave a share of his estate to the mission of founding a new university in Cambridge; however, I think history has lost the second part of his oral will, which was his desire for all students to appreciate (really appreciate) the nature of the area. It’s also believed to be one of the greatest things to happen to students since grapes on pizza (a breakthrough for Harvard’s culinary history). While you all may be thinking that this is 202-4-the plot, I’m a firm believer that it is 202-4-the bush jump.

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Now, you all might think I’m crazy based on everything I’ve said so far, but I think bush jumping just may be the answer to your problems. Side quests are in in 2024, and bush jumping is 1) a way of connecting with nature (be thankful, ESPP Majors, I’m helping you out), 2) it takes your stress away (a primal scream adjacent feeling), and 3) it is a caffeine alternative (Cabot Cafe is stealing all my money, and my tolerance is scary high). Are you stressed because you’re Pre-Med? Jump! Mad about wasting time on a situationship? Jump! Are you really happy about your teacher canceling class? Jump! What’s to lose?!

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When I hopefully enter the workforce one day (consulting like every other person, obviously), I will undoubtedly still have a crippling caffeine addiction, be expected to know how to color code in Excel, and how to add an animation on a PowerPoint slide. But, I will have something that the average Yalie doesn’t have — my bush jumping skills. It has brought me to unimaginable heights thus far, and it continues to make me who I am, and if you want to make the most of your college experience, experimentation with the limits of nature are essential.

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Now that I’ve filled you in on my latest craze, let me tell you where to bush jump on campus (make sure to BUNDLE UP to avoid any injury, please):

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1. Cabot House

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{shortcode-02572b3f9636f05b07b59beb1cec13a9c784c336}

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Now listen, folks, I'm not usually one to sing praises about the Quad, BUT there's a hidden gem tucked far away from the prying eyes of tourists – the bushes! While Currier may flaunt its tree mascot, the best bush on campus is right in front of Cabot Entryway E — it's something of legend. With the perfect stick-to-leaf ratio, it offers a little bounce upon impact, and it is large enough for you to jump into it with friends. I mean COME ON, it doesn’t get better.

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2. Eliot

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{shortcode-26d1f048f5e7e4183f07b2cdbd0c8ba2d62bfc5c}

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On the corner of JFK and Memorial, Eliot doesn’t just have a great green dome, they have a top two bush to jump into on campus. Nestled right on the corner of the intersection (just outside their backdoor access), this bush clearly hasn’t received enough attention in its lifetime. Though this area is heavily trafficked, this jump isn’t for the faint of heart, and a “can do” attitude is necessary. I believe that if the Quad hadn’t come into the picture, this would be the number one pick.

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3. The Freshman Quad

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{shortcode-d42d91912c28d39bc31a8cabfbad59667cc5a350}

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While some people may have never seen this mythical area that contains Greenough, Hurlbut, and Pennypacker, they have some serious hedges. They are lower to the ground than the average bush on campus, and the stick-to-leaf ratio of the bushes isn’t to be questioned. This is the only time I’d recommend possibly switching up jumping form due to the level of the bushes — face-first might not be the move. The first-years may be in the trenches work-wise, but they definitely have ample potential due to the bushes they have on their side.

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4. The Kennedy School

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I’m going to put the bushes in the HKS Courtyard on the list because they were very impressive, and as someone who never really ventured to explore the space, I was really impressed. The bush, located towards the center of the park, really gave a graduate school aesthetic — it had gusto and a good stick-to-leaf ratio, which really cemented itself on this list. A friend described this bush, which was her first jump ever, as “enlightening.”

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5. Honorable Mention: Leverett

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{shortcode-db89a8089b1f8839167ecc3a7c19a6afb4f050ea}

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I’m going to be honest, this is a pity add for those down by the river. Behind the G-Hutch of the towers, there are some wispy bushes that were the best thing I could find, which was the best reflection of the bush jumping culture of the nine river Houses — disappointing to say the least. I recommend channeling your inner football player and running full speed to tackle the bush, which hardly counts as a jump. Freshmen, take some time to seriously consider if you want the river lifestyle — the access to jumpable bushes is limited.

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I highly recommend that you find the time to try this enlightening practice out around campus and make the most of your second semester, and nature — jump into the bush for truth.

', [ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-3e04f6eeb596184f258559807e1ae2fa592d1862}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/22/001841_1368815.jpg.1500x1015_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption=None, hovertext=None, contributors=]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-02572b3f9636f05b07b59beb1cec13a9c784c336}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/22/002028_1368816.jpg.1500x999_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='The impressive Cabot jump.', hovertext=None, contributors=]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-26d1f048f5e7e4183f07b2cdbd0c8ba2d62bfc5c}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/22/002255_1368817.jpg.1500x999_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption="Eliot's bush jump is not for the faint of heart.", hovertext=None, contributors=]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-d42d91912c28d39bc31a8cabfbad59667cc5a350}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/22/002449_1368818.jpg.1500x999_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='Face-first might not be the move.', hovertext=None, contributors=]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-db89a8089b1f8839167ecc3a7c19a6afb4f050ea}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/22/002559_1368819.jpg.1500x999_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='River bushes are pretty disappointing.', hovertext=None, contributors=]>)])

('

{shortcode-4dbc14357c6a1eb251791656c1a9f05c9c1b3095} Mid-semester blues are hitting everyone hard. Whether it’s burnout, never-ending midterms, or an excessive amount of 9 a.m. classes, there is always something that will make you forget what day it is. When did the week start and when did it end? Is this even worth it? This flowchart might not fix most of those problems, but at least you will know what day it is.

', [ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-4dbc14357c6a1eb251791656c1a9f05c9c1b3095}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/20/222354_1368773.png', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption=None, hovertext=None, contributors=]>)])

('

{shortcode-60c8f665ec2731f981da1636d4cad85e3b7730ad} Lunchtime is a sacred ritual for many Harvard students (if it fits into your schedule, at least). It’s the only time of the day when you can enjoy the wonders of the sandwich station and the panini press, the most advanced piece of technology on campus. You can create your own masterpiece with endless combinations of bread, cheese, meat, veggies, and sauces. The world is your oyster, and you are the master of your fate (for the next three minutes while you wait for your sandwich to be grilled to perfection).

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Classic Grilled Cheese

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You can never go wrong with a classic grilled cheese sandwich. It’s the ultimate comfort food for when you’re feeling stressed, homesick, or just hungry. All you need is two slices of bread (whole wheat if you’re feeling healthy) and some cheddar cheese (or whatever cheese slices you manage to find). That’s it. Pop it in the panini press, and watch the magic happen. Bonus: If you’re lucky enough to find some tomato or minestrone soup at lunch, grab a bowl and dip your sandwich in it. Note: do not try to make grilled cheese in the toaster! It will really mess up the toaster!

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A Fancy Caprese

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If you want to impress your friends or your crush with your culinary skills, try making a caprese sandwich. It sounds fancy, but it’s actually pretty easy. Just get some tomato, pesto, and mozzarella cheese, and layer them on your bread of choice. Put it in the panini press, and wait for the cheese to melt and the flavors to blend. Trust me, this one is a winner.

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Hummus and Cucumbers

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If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try something different and make a hummus and cucumber sandwich. It might sound weird, but it’s actually delicious. I discovered this combo in third grade, and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s also super quick and easy to make, which is perfect when you’re running late for class. Just spread some hummus on your slice of bread, and add some cucumber slices. Panini press it if you desire. That’s it. You’re done.

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Disclaimer: you don’t actually need to panini press this one, but this is just a life hack from someone who has a schedule with no time for lunch.

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Veggie Overload

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If you’re feeling guilty for not having touched a vegetable or fruit in weeks, you can make up for it by making a veggie overload sandwich. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a sandwich with as many vegetables as you can fit. You can add cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pickle, onion, and anything else you can find at the sandwich station. Adding a protein like turkey or ham to your sandwich can top things off. For the finishing touches — you can sauce up your sandwich however you want — mayo and ketchup are always great options. It’s super healthy and nutritious, and it will make you feel good about yourself. Especially when you are running on four hours of sleep and sheer willpower to make it through two back-to-back lab sections (#premed).

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Panini Pressing Questions (haha get it?)

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But does any of this matter when half the time my sandwich gets fused to the paper? Never fear, Flyby can help you solve that problem too, sparing you from any paper-in-your-mouth-related travesties. Here are a few of our suggestions:

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1. You can steal butter from the bagel/toaster area and spread it on the outside of the bread before adding the panini paper. (I believe this is the most efficient method.)

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2. Alternatively, you can place your sandwich in the panini press with only dry ingredients (protein, cheeses, most vegetables) first and then add the rest of your toppings afterward.

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3. Another method that has been suggested to me is toasting the bread first and then using the panini press, but frankly, I lack the time and patience to do that.

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There are so many different ways to make your own sandwich and thus avoid the main lunch offerings (like grape pizza or Beef ForTaco). The possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. Just make sure you don’t go to Berg between 11:45 to 12:00 p.m. because that’s when I’ll be using the panini press.

', [ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-60c8f665ec2731f981da1636d4cad85e3b7730ad}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/02/19/230431_1368753.jpg.1500x1125_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption=None, hovertext=None, contributors=]>)])

('

{shortcode-75a8d8f9cfedb21277d7b69036ad47721e25ff7a}Let’s cut to the chase — we are going to end your essay-writing imposter syndrome right here and now. I’m an English concentrator, and I am NOT going to mess around with telling you to use words like “ergo” and “audacious.” Child’s play. No, I’m going to give you words that would send a 16-year-old studying for their SAT into a coma. I’ve spent years combing through Victorian novels, overwritten biographies and obscure theory to bring you, yes you, a cheat code for making your Histories, Societies, Individuals Gened TF somehow give YOU an “Excellent” on the Q guide.

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All definitions are quoted from the Oxford English Dictionary. All example sentences were composed by yours truly.

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Rebarbative: Repellent; unattractive; objectionable.

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The first lecture was so rebarbative that I logged into my.harvard within the first ten minutes to drop the class.

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Quiddity: The inherent nature or essence of a person or thing; what makes a thing what it is.

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The quiddity of the Science Center is that its population is, at any given time, at least 75 percent freshmen.

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Truculent: Characterized by or exhibiting ferocity or cruelty; fierce, cruel, savage, barbarous.

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I rapidly become truculent when there are no seats in the d-hall. No, your backpack does not need its own chair.

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Anodyne: Unlikely to provoke a strong response; innocuous, inoffensive; vapid, bland.

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HUDS three bean chili is anodyne. HUDS quinoa and sweet potato chili, however, is rebarbative.

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Opprobrium: An occasion, object, or cause of reproach, criticism, shame, or disgrace; shameful or disgraceful conduct.

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Constant construction is the opprobrium of Harvard’s campus. Can’t a person use a sidewalk in peace?

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Panoply: A splendid or impressive array; fine or magnificent display; splendor; pomp.

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Each semester I wonder at the panoply of intriguing classes offered; then I realize that they’re all MW 1:30-2:45 p.m.

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Soporific: Inducing or tending to induce sleep; causing a person to sleep or slumber.

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I sometimes find lectures more soporific than my dorm bed. (Not yours, if you’re my professor and reading this.)

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Labile: Prone to undergo change in position, nature, form, etc.; unstable; variable.

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We were told Cambridge weather would be labile. We did not take this to mean 40 degrees and cloudy every day from October to April.

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Risible: Capable of provoking laughter; laughable, ludicrous, comical.

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Flyby is extremely risible. Wait, not like that. We’re risible on purpose. As in comical, not as in ludicrous. Maybe I should have done a different example for this one. But I simply can’t think of another campus publication that anyone ever laughs at… Well, maybe one that’s risible in the ludicrous sense…

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Include this panoply of vocabulary words in your next paper and watch your GPA prosper. Chat GPT could never. And it shouldn’t. Stay academically honest out there.

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('

{shortcode-66a59b3c74c0c93c4f2a555c765c367b1cd8b42f}Here at Harvard, we are extremely emotionally isolated and depressed 90 percent of the time, which makes actual productive relationships very difficult. But we have to get our emotional fix where we can. Here are the small romantic things at Harvard that make our hearts beat just a little faster, so we can all feel more loved this Valentine’s Day <3

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HUDS Heart-warmers

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“My friend doesn’t like FlyBy so he gets extra chips and oreos to give me.”

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“The guy working the house grille remembered my name because I go there so often.”

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“Someone left me the top piece of french toast — with all the powdered sugar! — at brunch.”

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“Someone let me have the last PB&J at FlyBy.” (“FlyBy is such a vulnerable moment.”)

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“Laura at Berg going, ‘enjoy your dinner, have a good day!’”

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Harvard Square Sentimentality

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“Getting very specifically catcalled outside of CVS.”

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“My roommate brought a flower-shaped gelato from Amorino back for me.”

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Love Around Campus

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“Sharing scooters with my friends just for the hugs.” “Do you ever ‘Titanic’ on the scooters?” “Yeah, all the time.”

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“The other day someone held the door open for me and asked for my name, and then I walked into a column.”

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“Sharing a section of the revolving door in the Science Center.”

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“The CA walking you through the p-set… that’s actually my love language.”

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“In Lamont, I was getting on all fours to plug my charger into the outlet, when someone else got on all fours to do it for me. It was like I was a damsel in distress.”

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Friendship is the Best Ship

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“Cuddling in my roommate’s bed :)”

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“My friends walk me from Wigg to Straus at night, even though I could go on my own.”

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“Sometimes my roommate leaves me post-it notes with candy!”

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Maybe we can all take some tips from these experiences to be a little more romantic to everyone on campus. Happy Valentine’s Week!

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('

{shortcode-d51521d2884b098c30cc1b9907b6ca6330048f79}If choosing the perfect Galentines (or Palentines) hangout has you stressed, fret not! I'm here to sprinkle some inspiration for those of you who love planning get-togethers but don’t have time to scroll through Pinterest.

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Unleash Your Inner Picasso

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Gather empty wine bottles (for legal purposes, Flyby does not condone excessive or underage drinking) and paint cute designs on them. We believe in sustainability, and what better way is there to reuse empty wine bottles than hosting paint night and using them as dorm decor or flower vases? Other options include painting on wine glasses, tote bags, or the classic canvas.

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Redefining ‘You Belong In the Kitchen’

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Who says the kitchen is just for those who know how to cook? You can buy premade cookie dough, throw it in the oven, and have a cookie decorating session. An alternative is melting chocolate and making chocolate-covered strawberries.

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And for those who secretly channel Gordon Ramsay in their dreams (minus the colorful language, perhaps), heart-shaped pizzas are perfect for you. Show off your dough-tossing skills with all the confidence of someone who's watched one too many TikTok tutorials.

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If you’re not much of a cook, worry not; you can just stuff your face as your friends cook.

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Glitz, Glam, and Gals

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Embrace the spirit of celebration without the hassle of cooking by opting for a night out. Gather your friends for an evening at a restaurant, dressing in your finest to match the occasion. Or, if you are on a budget, bring the fine dining to your common room (or rent a room in your House!) with your favorite takeout. Pizza (a couple of chains offer heart-shaped pizzas), sushi, or whatever you prefer — transform your living space into a dining haven. The essence of this gathering? It's all about enjoying each other's company, eating good food, and making memories draped in glitz, glam, and the undeniable warmth of friendship.

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Compliments and Giggles

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If you want something more wholesome, consider having a ‘Secret Cupid Exchange’ similar to Secret Santa; pick a name, and shop for your person. The gift could consist of anything from snacks, a bouquet of flowers, or a cute letter. You decide the budget. Another idea is a compliment circle; gather and eat snacks while you shower each other with genuine compliments.

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If you want a night full of laughter, craft dating profiles for each other and make these as funny as possible. You can also fill out ~the not-to-be-mentioned Harvard-specific friend/love survey~ and laugh at each other's red flags. If you're understandably afraid of matching with your opps on campus, you can find compatibility quizzes online and take them (though the survey does allow you to block specific people).

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Cinema Sweethearts

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Last but not least, it's an all-time classic. Host a movie night for your friends to watch romcoms and fantasize about one another’s love lives. You can also watch cheesy rom-coms and make fun of the characters. Don't forget the popcorn and snacks!

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Whatever you decide to do, no matter how planned out or last minute, I know you will have a great time! So here's to the memories you'll make, the laughs you'll share, and the friendship that turns Harvard into more than just a place of learning. Have a Galentines full of love, laughter, and snacks <3

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('

{shortcode-1ca53a16028440be3c733aad65cd841559f48683}For those of us who are unlucky enough (or lucky enough, you choose) to be single, approaching Feb. 14 can be a dreaded thing, another day where we have to scroll through 10,000 Instagram stories with sappy quotes like “my person” or “light of my life”. The light of my life is when HUDS puts out ice cream in Berg on a day that’s not Sunday. That being said, we are here to make Feb. 14 better! Take this quiz to find some fun/cool/quirky things to do to make this day almost as MORE fun than if you were spending it with your ~soulmate~.

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Why do you think you’re single?

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A. I don’t have time to find someone with my 5 p-sets a week

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B. Deep down, I fear that I’m unlovable

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C. I’m too cool for anyone at this school

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D. Still just looking for the right person

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What is your favorite stereotypical Harvard class?

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A. Math 55

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B. EC10 (I can hide in the huge lecture)

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C. HAA Seminar

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D. LS1B

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What are you doing for Spring Break?

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A. Staying on campus to catch up on all my readings/p-sets/papers

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B. Going home <3

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C. None of your business

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D. Friends trip to [insert tropical destination]

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What is your favorite dining hall drink?

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A. A black cup of Fogbuster coffee

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B. Blue Powerade (you’re probably an athlete)

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C. Mixed juice concoction

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D. Chocolate milk

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What does your ideal Friday night look like?

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A. Staying in and getting ahead on my homework… maybe venturing to Cabot if I feel social

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B. Checking out the party scene (or lack thereof) with my friends

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C. Movie night with friends (Clueless, anyone?)

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D. 10 p.m. bedtime for me… It’s time to catch up on my sleep

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Where is your favorite place to study?

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A. Lamont

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B. Widener

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C. Cabot

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D. A coffee shop in the square, like Faro (before they banned laptops) or Flour

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Results

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Mostly A’s: Go to MQC (you seem too stressed about school to be concerned about love)

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Mostly B’s: Look up the Harvard's acceptance rate (boost your ego)

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Mostly C’s: Watch Saltburn five times (deep down we’re all in a parasocial relationship with Barry)

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Mostly D’s: Take yourself on a solo date to Trader Joe’s and buy yourself some flowers and chocolate!

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('

{shortcode-a47299783c79ab417868f184ec1309ef645505e6}Since my freshman year, I have found my true love in a New York Times podcast called “Modern Love.” Hosted by Anna Martin, the series follows the stories of love-lost, parental bonds, and delicate first loves as they are written in the NYT’s column of the same name. Of the episodes I listened to, ranging from old family secrets to redefined definitions of companionship, I found myself pressing play again and again on an episode called “First Love Mixtape.” Readers wrote about lyrics that evoked youth, love, and partnership, all while jazzy classics and 80’s pop hits played gently in the background. As Valentine’s Day approaches on our campus, I wanted to explore how a first love mix-tape for crimson hearts would play out. Here is what I found:

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“Everybody Loves Somebody” - Dean Martin

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Alexandra P. Oikonomou ‘26, a Crimson editor, found that her first memory of Dean Martin traces back to her sixth year around the sun. As she sat in her grandmother’s living room going through photo albums, she landed on a picture of people she “barely recognized.”

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When she asked her grandmother who they were, “she just covered her face in embarrassment, which is something she typically never does…She was like, oh, that's me and your grandfather on one of our first dates. It was taken by your great grandmother.”

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Oikonomou’s grandfather went behind the counter and picked up an old record player.

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“The song started playing and my grandma blushed even more, if that's even possible.”

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As Oikonomou watched on, her more-than-50-year-old grandparents joked back and forth before beginning to slow dance in the living room.

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“I just looked at them and I was hoping that one day I would be lucky enough to experience a love that withstands more than three decades of marriage,” Oikonomou said.

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“Put Your Records On” - Corinne Bailey Rae

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For Jack R. Trapanick ‘26, a Crimson News editor, love and music reminded him of his sister.

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“The song reminds me of my childhood, of when we were very little and still shared a bedroom, and life was very simple,” Trapanick said.

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Now that they’re adults, the song is more than a simple reminder of the past.

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“We're twins, so we've always been very close… it’s a song that not only reminds me of my childhood but reminds me of love because it's something we both have the same association with.”

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“Can I Call You Rose?” - Thee Sacred Souls

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Nahla C. Owens ‘25 drew a connection between love and the summer.

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“When I think about love, I think about feeling joyful and happy, like I would feel in the summer on a vacation or ‘looking at a flower in June,’” Owens said, quoting a lyric from the song.

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Nahla’s love of the summer also comes from her personal experience.

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“When I think of love, I think of the beach because I met my current boyfriend in Mallorca. We were studying abroad together and just so happened to stumble upon this terrace that overlooked the coast of Mallorca and the mountains, and it was really gorgeous… That view reminds me of how I think about love,” Owens said.

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“Silly Love Songs” - Paul McCartney

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When asked about love and music, Emily R. Willrich ‘25, a Crimson editor, immediately thought of the Beatles.

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“[Silly Love Songs is] one that my mom liked when I was little, and I just always really enjoyed it… I also really enjoyed the Glee version of it that Blaine sang on the Valentine's Day episode.”

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Willrich remembered listening to the song with her mom in the car, saying, “She was annoyed that I like the Glee version better than the Paul McCartney version, but it’s ok!”

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“1000” - Vank

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Daria T. Harabor ‘26’s song-association was a throwback to a song her father used to sing to her and her brother when they were younger.

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“I kept it close and whenever I hear it, like, it fills my heart with love,” Harabor said.

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There you have it, five stories of Harvard love captured by love songs, ranging from the 60’s to Romanian pop rock. As you trudge on with Valentine’s (or Galentine’s) day plans of your own this year, I hope you take a second to think about the music that reminds you of a love in your own life.

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('

{shortcode-e5a157b86addfeb4d1bec855ce45c21a5aebdded} As I walk through the Yard every day, I can’t help but stop and take a second to be grateful for the fact that I get to be a student here for the next four years. But as I take in the grandeur of Widener Library or admire how the sun peeks through the trees, signaling that spring is finally near, my happy-go-lucky bubble bursts. The reason is simple: tourists.

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You know, the ones who unknowingly snap photos of you looking at your worst as you sprint to the section you’re even more late for because of their slow gait, or the ones who peek into your windows to take a picture of the dorms. Whether we like it or not, tourists are here to stay, so what better way to get to know them than cosplay as one for a day! Yup, you read that correctly — I voluntarily subjected myself to doing all the things you may make fun of tourists for. I hope you all can finish reading this article without feeling too much secondhand embarrassment <3.

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STEP ONE: The Costume

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The first step to successfully cosplaying as a tourist is the attire, so you just know that I had to break out the Harvard sweatshirt I bought at the COOP during Visitas. I have, surprisingly, not worn it since, so I really had to dig through the bins of clothes under my bed to commit to the bit.

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Once I had finally found the crimson treasure, I decided to pair it with jeans and my black sambas to make it a more casual outfit. While some of you readers may be mad at me for not dressing in crimson from head to toe, just understand that unless you wanted me to borrow my 5’ 2” friend’s Harvard Athletics trousers (I’m 5’ 8”) and force my shins to freeze or buy overpriced pants at the COOP, this was the best I could do.

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STEP TWO: The Yard Photoshoot

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As a Pennypacker resident, I can fortunately say that I have never seen a tourist visit any of the off-Yard dorms. I find joy in knowing that they don’t know Pennypacker, Greenough, or Hurlbut exist because once I leave the Yard, I can let my guard down.

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However, for this social experiment, I knew I had to spend all of my day in the Yard to fully understand the quintessential tourist experience. This meant that I had to take a picture in front of Widener (see below) and then go inside and ask the security guard if he could let me inside the building because I had “forgotten my ID” and was “definitely a student” (wink wink). Unfortunately, this tactic that I’ve seen employed by many tourists did not work, and I was forced to retreat back into the cold feeling as defeated as the tourists who try to sneak in feel.

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{shortcode-3a1ccfcc906142ecc3bfd443559cf0478b0dad2e}

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To make myself feel better, I did what any tourist would do and took some pictures in front of Memorial Church (see below, also). This helped a little until a friend of mine spotted me and gave me the side-eye, mouthing “What are you doing?” at me. That was when I decided to call it a night and leave the Yard.

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{shortcode-413a6d4774f772f2b5909845a5659c1904218336}

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STEP THREE: The Tour

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After going on a self-guided tour of the Yard, I decided to walk around Harvard Square until I spotted a tour group and could sneakily join at the back. I thought this would be a bit challenging, but I kid you not, all I had to do was exit the gates to spot a group next to Clover Food Lab (see below).

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{shortcode-5677ec0e2fb47bf2c2d069f48e5c7ba15ca25d5a}

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As I walked over to the back of the group, I returned some awkward smiles to the overly happy tourists, who seemed excited that another tourist was joining to get the low down on the importance of Harvard Square. But after walking with the group for a few minutes, I realized that we were going directly to the person I least wanted to see that day: John Harvard. In a panicked frenzy, I phoned a friend at Cabot and begged (and bribed her with Trader Joe’s snacks) to meet me at the statue for moral and emotional support, which leads us to the next section…

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STEP FOUR: John Harvard’s Foot.

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To keep this section as concise as possible, all you need to know is that because of my love for Flyby and its lovely readers, I touched the foot. And before you ask, yes, my friend forced me to get a picture with good ol’ Johnnie boy (see below), and yes, I washed my hands in Cabot immediately after.

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Let’s not talk about this ever again, please, and thank you.

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{shortcode-8b13cc458ba6ef9cef62eb27e6a70138c2afcd43}

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STEP FIVE: Food

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As every tourist does, I snuck into Annenberg through the back entrance and tried infiltrating the food lines before a HUDS worker politely asked me to leave. After yet another defeat, I decided to go to Joe’s to pay for an overpriced slice of pizza that I could take a picture of so that all of my Instagram followers would know that I am cool, eating pizza in Harvard Square, in my Harvard merch. (Before you ask, no, I didn’t actually post a picture of my slice to Instagram because if I had, I would have perished right then and there.) #2024protectingmypeace.

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So there you have it! The five essential steps to cosplay as a tourist for a day and experience Harvard through a new perspective. Although this experience was a tad embarrassing at times, I have to say that it brought my friend and me closer together as we bonded over my touching John’s foot, so this is an experience that I definitely will never forget. Ever.

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