The blog of The Harvard Crimson

Cabot House

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Quirks and Perks

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When asked about the overall vibe and spirit of Cabot House, House Committee Co-Chair Patrick J. Clark ’23 didn’t miss a beat: “The vibes are immaculate.”

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There are plenty of contributors to Cabot’s vibes. Cabot Cafe (Cabot’s recently-reopened coffee shop), for instance, is set to reopen this spring. Cabot also has a party space called the Aquarium (in keeping with its fish theme), and an art space in the Cabot basement called Third Space. “Our gym has a lot of weights,” added House Committee Co-Chair Amy L. Nichols ’23. “It’s not particularly the newest, but it has the most character.” Another notable hangout and study space is “Under the Sea,” the space just under Entryway C. “Cabot’s all around the Quad lawn,” said Clark. “So [the Quad] is kind of ours.”

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Cabot’s creative traditions definitely boost those immaculate vibes, too. This past Halloween, Cabot celebrated with Semper Corpse, a spooky play on their House motto “semper cor,” which is Latin for “always heart.” It was an event complete with inflatables, food trucks, musicians, and a costume contest. At the annual winter celebration, Festivus, there are push-up competitions, talent shows, free food and trinkets. “Our Deans and our tutors did a performance for us,” Nichols said.

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That’s just one of the events that Deans and tutors participate in to help make Cabot a fun and inviting space for all. The House tutors also sang at a karaoke night. “[Our faculty deans] are the cutest couple I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Clark. “They did a puppet show thing on Zoom.” According to Nichols, “They don’t care about possibly looking silly if they’ll make someone laugh. They’re super sweet.”

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For more laughs, Cabot has a weekly publication on display in the Dhall tables called Fish Tales. “If somebody says something funny in Cabot,” explained Clark, “they can submit it to a Google form.”

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The vibes, as you can tell, are truly immaculate.

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All About Housing

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Current first-years, if you get assigned to Cabot, you lucked out with your rooming situation. Sophomores who want singles are extremely likely to get them. Even within a suite, most of the time, there’s one double bedroom at most, meaning most students sleep in singles. There’s no designated area of Cabot for sophomores, so you might end up neighbors with juniors or seniors.

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“Amanda Pepper is the one who puts everyone in their rooms,” said Nichols. “She did such an amazing job of making sure everyone is happy. She lets people put in wish letters, so if they aren’t super happy with where they’re housed, they can tell her and she can take it into account and possibly move things around.”

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In terms of the most coveted housing, the Dojo came up as one of Cabot’s most popular party suites. Traditionally, HoCo chairs also throw parties in their suites.

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Your Questions, Answered

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What’s changed about Cabot from the pre-Covid to “post-Covid” era?

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AN: We were not in Cabot [during the] pre-COVID era. A lot of our efforts have been from seniors who were here. Like what traditions they had, and passing that knowledge down to us, because we’re still learning.

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PC: We’re trying to keep that institutional knowledge. We have this thing called Senior Scheming, which is like seniors trying to bring back traditions that only they remember from before COVID.

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Examples of traditions that may be making a comeback include Fish Tank and Cabot Formal Hall (which involves a three course meal).

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What can you say to first-years worried about the walking distance?

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AN: The walk isn’t that bad. Mather’s basically equidistant from the yard. One thing that I’ve heard other people say, and I think it’s really true, is that it’s really, really nice to have classes in the yard and then have the walk back to clear your mind and decompress. It’s just really nice to have a separation between all your school stuff.

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PC: It makes it feel like coming home.

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AN: Sometimes I’ll be like, “Oh, I should call my mom.”

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PJ: It’s perfect call-with-your-mom timing.

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What’s your number-one favorite thing about Cabot?

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PJ: [The people] really [are] awesome. Even our building manager, Mike, is so nice. I honestly really like everyone.

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AN: I’m trying to think if I’ve ever had, like a negative experience [with anyone in Cabot] . . . I literally have not.

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If Cabot House was an Avenger, which Avenger would it be and why?

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PJ: Yes. Star Lord-slash-the Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s true.

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Anything else you want to share about Cabot?

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PC: I just want first-years to know, don’t be scared of getting Cabot. We truly love this house so much, and there’s so much love and family in this house and it genuinely feels like a home here.

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AN: Don’t knock it ’til you try it. I understand there’s like a stigma about being in the Quad, but again . . .

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PC: . . . Highest satisfaction rates of all the houses. So yeah. Cabot’s a great house, and we love it.

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And that’s our introduction to Cabot House, its immaculate vibes and its wonderful community! We hope this helped you to get hyped for Housing Day, and maybe even to set straight the rumors about “getting Quadded.” Walking a little extra to get to the House with one of the highest senior satisfaction rates on campus doesn’t sound so bad after all.

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Read more about the other Houses here!

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Currier House

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All About Housing

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Currier’s layout is designed to foster a welcoming community. There is one entrance to the House and it leads to Lower Main, the central hub that hosts the dining hall and the Fishbowl (a common room with a large screen where you can join impromptu anime or “The Bachelor” watch parties). Because there’s only one entrance, all House residents pass by the Dhall or the Fishbowl on their way in and out, making it easy for them to see friends and stop and chat along the way to their destinations, a feature unique to Currier that House Committee chairs Nina K. Chung ’23 and Ruhi Nayak ’23 really appreciate. “It’s a very welcoming space [and] very comfortable. The whole house is connected so everyone will come down to the Dhall in their pajamas, for example,” said Chung.

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Currier is also an amazing space for hobbyists of all kinds, whether you’re a seasoned pro or are just looking to pick up a new skill. You can cook in one of the 52 (!!) kitchens, dance in the dance studio, sew something in the Makerspace, or just play foosball in the common room with friends. If you’re looking to pick up a new instrument, Currier even once sent out ukuleles for free and held lessons.

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But what about the actual dorms themselves? Well, Currier is known for its spacious (and plentiful!) singles, so while your friends may be stuck in doubles or triples their sophomore year, you get to live it up in your own personal room. The dorms in Currier are split between four towers, and they come in two main formats: two singles connected by a bathroom, and a more typical suite layout that occasionally includes a kitchen and private balcony access (!!) from the bedrooms.

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As a sophomore, you’ll likely be placed in the former setup, so while you won’t have a dorm common room, you will still have access to the common rooms on each floor of the towers where you can cook and hang with friends. Currier also has the “Ten Man,” which, as the name suggests, houses ten people and boasts the largest private common room on campus and even its own elevator.

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Quirks and Perks

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Currier hosts two main events throughout the year: Heaven and Hell, and Currioke. Heaven and Hell is a massive Halloween party with a “very storied history,” according to Chung. Currioke is, as the name suggests, a huge karaoke night where you can sing all your anxieties away. Aside from these two large events, Currier also hosts smaller events including ski trips, s’mores nights, Currier-exclusive fancy dinner nights (“where I had the best bacon mac and cheese in my life,” said Nayak), and even a Shrek-themed stein once.

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The faculty-student relationship is also at the heart of Currier’s amazing community. The current Faculty Deans Latanya Sweeney ’95 and Sylvia Barrett ’94 are known to ride around on segways and pass out cider to students walking by, for example. “A lot of times the tutors will come to you, so you get to know them. I feel like in college, sometimes, you can be very disconnected from adults who can give you really good advice, and they’re really there for that,” Nayak explained.

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Currier has also been ranked as the most sustainable house for multiple years in a row now, and that may be in part influenced by their mascot: a tree. Felix B. Bulwa ’23 is the person under the suit this year, and he believes the mascot is essential in inspiring “a little bit of reorientation towards focusing on the here and now and the community and the [school] spirit.” While a tree might seem a little silly, the mascot is actually based off of an apple tree in Radcliffe College, symbolizing Currier’s status as the most inclusive house (especially since Currier is the only house named solely after a woman).

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Your Questions, Answered

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Still curious about Currier and want to learn more? Well lucky for you, I interviewed the HoCo chairs to really get a feel for the ~vibe~ of the house.

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If you had to introduce your house in just five words, what would those words be?

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RN: Welcoming is one of them for sure. Home — that’s the first thing that comes to mind.

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NKC: I’m gonna say welcoming, inclusive, community, spirited.

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If Currier won the lottery, what would it do with it?

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NKC: So many nice outings. Ski trips would happen instantly.

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RN: Food. Food is so huge. I love that this house likes food as much as we do. Fancy dinner is the norm. Increase the HUDS staff pay.

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If Currier was in a horror movie, (when) would it die?

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RN: I feel like we’d survive to be honest. This place is so calming. You hear the fountain in the background. The killer would be like, “Ah, too calming to kill. Too relaxing.”

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NKC: Bringing in our tree mascot, our roots go deep, so even if we were to be cut off, we’d grow back.

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Read more about the other Houses here!

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Hacks for Free Coffee on Campus

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{shortcode-80141e933e91e49b3e26471915c4f4d729836f14} You know why you clicked this article. You know what you’re here for. And yes, you read correctly: this is Flyby’s ultimate, comprehensive guide to where you can get *free* coffee on-campus— no strings attached!

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The SEC

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Humanities concentrators, keep scrolling. Sorry. (We promise it gets better for you on this list!) For the engineers in the crowd, though, get to the SEC from 8 am to 10:30 am to snag some free coffee in the cafe— Peet’s, no less! Fuel up before your 434,819+ hour long work days doing integrals and coding stuff. You’ll need it. <3

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Museum of Comparative Zoology

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If you’re in the mood to explore, check out the 2nd and 4th floors of the MCZ for some real hidden gems! The Ernst Mayr library on the 2nd floor provides not only free coffee, but also candy and cozy couches for your studying needs. The Center for the Environment on the 4th floor is a similar situation with free coffee and good vibes. They get mad if you only come to grab coffee and leave, though (rightfully so), so be sure to actually stay a while. You’ll want to anyway!

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Law School Library

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Not only is it Widener’s sexier twin, it’s also home to a very generous offering of free capsule coffee all day on the weekends. Tucked into the north end of the Reading Room, this coffee spot only requires that you bring your own mug. It makes for a very lovely work environment if you need some new scenery to cry over your midterm papers. Sometimes it’s so easy to forget the literal Harvard Law School is just chilling next to the Science Center… but we bet you won’t forget now.

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Mather Coffee Bar

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You either already know about this and always forget to go, or have zero clue it exists. Whatever the case may be, I’m here to spell it out in no uncertain terms: Mather hosts a FREE student-run coffee bar every Sunday afternoon! We’re talking actual lattes, matcha, and even an assortment of study snacks to fuel your weekend work sessions. Tatte will always be there, trust us— but walking the few extra paces down DeWolfe Street for this will be worth it.

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BoardPlus: LISE, Northwest, & SEC Cafes

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I’m truly, actually, genuinely SHOCKED whenever people tell me they still haven’t used any of their Boardplus. Harvard literally gave you free money, and you’re just letting it sit there? Dude. Head over to one of a few cafes in the Laboratory for Integrated Sciences and Engineering (LISE), Northwest, or the SEC to grab not only free coffee, but baked goods, snacks, and full-blown meals (PSA: there is ramen at the SEC cafe.)

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Peet’s Capital One Cafe (ish)

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Okay, so listen— no, this is technically not on campus and no, it’s technically not free. But there is no denying that this is an insane deal whenever it pops up for whatever reason. Every once in a while, courtesy of the caffeine deities, Capital One cafe will offer $1 coffee for any drink, any size. We’re talking monstrously large, elaborate lattes with tons of extra shots and add-ons costing just a dollar. Keep your eyes peeled; we can never tell when it’ll happen next.

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The Dining Halls

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Yeah, I know. This is very much a “we have coffee at home” kind of deal. But. Have you ever really considered all the possibilities for leveling up your d-hall coffee experience? Add a splash of the dark chocolate oat milk to your iced coffee for a homemade oat mocha latte. Grab a spoonful of vanilla ice cream at Sunday Sundae bar and some trusty Fogbuster for a makeshift affogato treat. When life hands you lemons, stick with HUDS.

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With great power comes great responsibility— but we hope this newfound knowledge serves you well as midterms start cranking up! Go forth and be caffeinated.

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Can You Make It Through River Run?

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Me, Myself, and the MBTA: A Flyby Writer’s Guide to the T

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{shortcode-4d82e73580e157ee1ef048cf85cc36a3a28dbd06} As a student at Harvard you’ve definitely heard that you need to burst the bubble, and the easiest way to do that is by taking the T into Boston. Still, it’s possible to get through your four years at Harvard without ever setting foot on anything but the Red Line. But there is a whole rainbow of trains operated by the MBTA, each with their own character and unique metallic screeching noise. So to save you the energy (and the transit fare), we decided to embark on an adventure to find out what each line of the T is really about.

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The Red Line

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If you’re a Harvard student and you’ve taken the T before, you’ve almost definitely been on the Red Line. It’s our gateway into Boston and beyond, and it creates a nice little ground shake under Wigglesworth. The Red Line is convenient and tends to serve its purpose, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t throw a few surprises your way. On any given weekend, it’s bound to only be running half the time. Sometimes it just stops for a few minutes, and you’ll never find out why. Bonus points because we saw a man going to town on a pint of Ben and Jerry’s while the train crossed over the Charles.

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The Green Line

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The first time we ever got on the Green Line we were confused: is it a train? A trolley? Both? When you get on at Park Street (having taken the Red Line into the city) things seem vaguely normal, but a few stops later you’re above ground and nothing makes sense anymore. There are cars driving right next to you and pedestrians crossing the tracks. And sometimes when you get on you don’t even have to pay. If we had to put a label on it, we’d say the Green Line is a little ~chaotic~.

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The Orange Line

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If you think the Red Line looks like it’s been around for far too long, then you clearly haven’t been on the Orange Line. The Orange Line looks like it never left the 1950s and goes about as fast as you would expect for something over 70 years old. In addition to the retro energy (seats with wood paneling??), there’s also a massive turn after Downtown Crossing that had us wondering if the whole train was about to flip over.

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The Blue Line

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The Blue Line just kind of exists. It’s like that new mall in your city that’s been “opening soon” for years — it looks cool, but that’s about it. The Blue Line will take you to the beach, but given that most of the time, the thought of going swimming in Boston is a nonstarter, we’ve decided that the Blue Line doesn’t serve much of a purpose.

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The Silver Line

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Can someone please explain to us why the Silver Line is part of the train system?????? It’s fully a bus. The first time we ever got on the Silver Line we had to triple check that it wasn’t actually a normal bus. Sure, it’s helpful if you’re trying to get to the airport or…the airport, but it’s just not a train and we’re never getting over that. However, bonus points for being partially electric.

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Sure, the T is a little ~quirky~. But it’s here, and it’s convenient. We’re pretty lucky to have (mostly) reliable public transportation, and that’s on that.

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An Open Letter to Boston’s Winter Weather

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Dear Boston and your terrible winter weather (and to the airline that caused my misery which I would totally namedrop if I could),

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All I needed from my weekend trip to New York was to make it to my silly little orthodontist appointment to fix my silly little crossbite that resulted from my silly little retainer that didn’t fit my silly little teeth. I promised I was going to come right back, but I guess you just couldn’t bear to see me leave because you made me stay at the airport for ten horrendous hours until you eventually canceled my flight. And I totally get it, you might say, “Annette, you should have known better! Harvard Today told you that it was going to snow the day you were supposed to leave.” That’s a really great point, but what was I supposed to do?? My airline didn’t cancel my flight and I’m a broke college student who didn’t buy insurance for her tickets and didn’t want to pay a fee to move them to another day, okay??

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So, I braved your snow and took the T and the airport shuttle (alone for the first time), made it to the Boston Logan International Airport, and got through TSA. I was waiting patiently for my flight to take off when the nice flight attendant announced that there were small delays but that we would be taking off shortly. That was a BIG FAT LIE but I didn’t know it at the time. Naively, I went about my life FaceTiming friends and trying to get through some lecture slides.

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After about an hour of waiting, the announcement came that changed the course of my evening, night, and early morning. Apparently, there had been a small little detail that the airline had failed to mention before which was the fact that WE DIDN’T HAVE A PILOT. So, you might be wondering, “What’s that gotta do with me?” Well, you see, the pilot was supposed to have flown from New York to Boston, but since it wouldn’t stop snow storming, the poor man was stuck in New York. I hope by now, you feel just a tiny bit of sympathy. Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of my struggle.

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At this point, I’m panicking a little bit but trying to keep calm. I’m sitting by myself not knowing what to do when I see a group of people go up to the flight attendant to ask if they could change their flight. Normally, this is something that I would never, ever do because advocating for myself gives me ~anxiety~ but I figured it was time to put on my big girl pants. I went up to the flight attendant and she told me that I needed to go to the “Just Ask” desk if I wanted to change my flight. I did as I was told and waited half an hour on a line (which was a recurring theme of the night). When it was finally my turn to speak with a customer service worker, I was faced with my worst nightmare: making decisions.

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TL;DR: there were two flights that were going to New York around the same time. One flight had no pilot and the other flight’s plane was frozen. Since I am indecisive, I let the nice worker (who was avoiding giving me definitive advice, probably so she wouldn't get sued or something) to choose for me. She hesitantly suggested that I go with the frozen plane because they said they could fix it soon. In hindsight, this was a HUGE MISTAKE.

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At the time though, I was so proud of myself for taking initiative and ~adulting~ to the max! Again, I was totally wrong. It took hours for the maintenance trucks to come and start spraying steam at the plane. At this point, everyone at the airport was getting pissed, but the airline kept insisting that we would be taking off at some point that night. You would think we would all give up and leave at this point but I guess everyone, myself included, passionately wanted to leave Boston (because why wouldn’t we).

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The next thing we knew, the airline was telling us that the flight had been canceled due to the maintenance issue that they said they would fix. So what did they do? They moved us back to the flight with no captain because apparently, now there is a captain! Crazy right? Well it gets even crazier.

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I ended up boarding the plan. We were told the plane just needed to be defrosted for 15 minutes and then we would be taking off (neither of which ended up happening, FYI). Nonetheless, we all sat there in the musty plane for a good two hours until the captain hit us with the devastating news that the flight had not been canceled yet (what does that even mean???) but it will be (again, what does that even mean????). Our only “options” were to either go get refunds or stay on the plane until the flight was canceled. What really was the cherry on top of the whole fiasco was overhearing some guy proudly telling his girlfriend,“Babe, they just want us to refund our tickets so we can’t sue. We have to stay on the plane” (cue the eye roll).

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At this point, it was well past 2 a.m. and I was so sick and tired of the airport that I ran up to the front desk and waited another half hour to ask for a refund. I gave up ever leaving Boston at this point. With whatever sanity I had left, I hailed an Uber and went back to my dorm. So, Boston: abcdefu and your airport and the airline and your snow and your broken down planes that I wish I could never see again but had to because the first thing I did the following morning was booked another ticket to New York (through another airline) and left.

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Sincerely,

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Annette Kim

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BINGO! Harvard Square is Kinda Quirky

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{shortcode-a357da1c3507e9ee018c02d55ecb2fc4c135ecb9}With my very healthy five hours of sleep a night, I’m a little out of it at times. So hearing that an electric shuttle bus crashed into Tasty Burger the same day as a bank robbery made me do a double take. This is Harvard — we should not even be approaching the level of drama of Euphoria. But the future is a mystery, so take this bingo as a present and predict the next shocking occurrence to happen in and around Harvard Square.

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An Ode to the New HUDS Salad Bar

('

{shortcode-6fd5ef9988bf4a5477f94b6f51eb69462c07c30d}After two weeks (but what felt like a month) of grab ‘n’ go dining, we walked back into the dhalls, hearts full and stomachs empty, ready to enjoy some good ole Vegan Cassoulet or Emerald Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry. Our routine used to be simple: get admonished by the swipe person for not having our HUID ready, grab a silly little tray and a silly little fork and a silly little knife, and pace the dhall much like an overexcited David Malan, looking for whatever seems good that day. But lo and behold, we were met with a glorious sight: the New Salad Bar — and yes, it does merit capitalization, it’s that life changing.

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Gone are the days of trying to mix your salad in one of those not-quite-plate-but-it’s-also-not-a-bowl plates and spilling half of it onto the try. No more of trying and failing to create your favorite Sweetgreen salad with only the Mesclun Greens, Cherry Tomatoes, and the “Mediterranean Tuna Salad.” Beyond a brand new look, the Salad Bar of Your Dreams now boasts special toppings such as pickled red onions, flaked parmesan, salmon, fresh olives, green and red peppers, edamame, AND SO MUCH MORE. It’s called flavor.

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We’ll overlook the fact that we almost broke our teeth on the frozen (??) avocado, and the chicken has varied throughout the semester. Progress is progress is progress is progress. As applied to the single Harvard men, I’ll take what I can get. If that means consistent proteins, hummus, someone who treats me with respect, feta cheese, and oh, did we mention the pickled red onions, I’ll be happy.

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Beyond the pickled red onions <3, what tops off the New Salad Bar are the beautiful, shiny, white bowls. There’s nothing I love seeing more than walking into the dhall and seeing them freshly dishwashed, stacked in all of their glory. It’s a shock that this taken-for-granted piece of kitchenware took so long to debut in our dhalls, but we’re focusing on the present. I can stuff so much salad in them, I’m actually full when I leave lunch!

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Salads You Can Try That Aren’t the “North End Chopped”

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Try at your own risk.

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The “50 Degrees Is So Cold!” A.K.A. The “Californian”

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Mesclun greens + Romaine

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Avocado (bought at Trader Joe’s)

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Tricolor quinoa

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Cucumber

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Carrots

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Edamame

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Corn

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Sweet potato

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Tofu (because you’re a vegan)

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Chickpeas

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Dressing of choice

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The “Crimson Cruiser”

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Mesclun greens + Romaine

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Tricolor Quinoa

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Cherry tomatoes

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Pickled red onions

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Cranberries
\r\nSalmon

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Red wine vinegar

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Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

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The “Department of Harvard Athletics 22 Sweater”

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5 chicken breasts

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Low fat Italian dressing

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2 hard boiled eggs

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The “This is my meal twice a day”

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Romaine

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Salmon

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Green + Red Peppers

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Chickpeas

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Feta

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Edamame

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Corn

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Pickled Onions

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Balsamic Vinaigrette

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The “River Run”

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9 oz. vodka sauce (sauce optional)

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HUDS, we can’t thank you enough for this life-changing gift. Please never revert to the weird half-bowl half-plate contraption we lived with for so long. The day I walk into the dhall and don’t see pickled onions is the day I drop out.

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Flyby’s Housing Day Horoscope

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It seems all too convenient that there are just as many houses as there are zodiac signs, especially because they’re both admittedly random categories that still somehow have unique vibes. We’re not sure if people will be more upset at the zodiac sign their house is assigned, or the house that their sign is associated with. But what are we here for if not to sow Housing Day discord? So, without further ado…

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River West: Fire Signs

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Who but River West can house the passionate energy that fire signs spend so much time trying to pass off as “leadership skills” rather than “too much for section” and “really loud at 7 a.m.”?

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Kirkland: Aries

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Both Aries and Kirkland will get really mad if you forget about them, so they get to be first. Only the impulsive Aries can handle a new week every week. And rams and boars are basically the same thing if you ignore everything but the horns.

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Eliot: Leo

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Dominant, creative, bougie: traits of Eliot, and also traits of Leos. A Leo is the perfect person to actually enjoy Fête without getting embarrassed by the sheer opulence of the ice sculptures. Also: E-LEO-t. Enough said.

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Winthrop: Sagittarius

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With all its common spaces recently renovated to perfection, Winthrop is the perfect house for Sagittariuses to gather and use their famed open-heartedness to gossip about how every other house sucks at IMs. They’ll also use their boundless cleverness to point out that we should have put Leo and Winthrop together because they’re both lions, to which we say, use some of that creativity to open your mind.

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River East: Water Signs

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Besides the obvious river/water comparison, these two groups have the same creative, friendly but mysterious vibe… what is even going on over there? Are their smiles just a facade? Are they okay?

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Dunster: Cancer

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Cancers can say they never leave Dunster because of its ~pristine facilities~, not because they’re scared of other people. And they can use the courtyard to gaze at the river, thinking about their feelings…

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Mather: Scorpio

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Introverted Scorpios will rejoice in the guaranteed singles that Mather promises them. Then they can literally judge the rest of us from above in their ivory concrete tower.

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Leverett: Pisces

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The biggest house is the perfect support system for the hyper-sympathetic Pisces. So many people to care too much about! So many nooks and crannies where they can space out for hours uninterrupted!

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The Square: Air Signs

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The intelligent, unemotional air signs don’t need river views or quiet streets to be happy. All they need is convenience. And that’s what the Square provides.

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Adams: Aquarius

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*Quirky* Aquarians will meet Adams’ artsy, lowkey, our-tunnels-are-cooler-than-yours vibe. “Drag Night is my favorite holiday. Also I wake up at 8:57 for my 9 a.m. classes.” — An Aquarius, probably.

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Lowell: Libra

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Lowell and Libras are both all about balance. They can have a squash court AND a maker space. A newly renovated building AND super nice overflow housing. TWO courtyards. Why choose?

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Quincy: Gemini

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As “The People’s House,” Quincy has to be as flexible and outgoing as a Gemini when every other house comes crawling for a hot breakfast. Just think of Stone Hall and New Quincy as its two faces.

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The Quad: Earth Signs

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Earth signs are loyal and down-to-earth, and if you’re placed in the Quad, you better learn to be those things too. Gotta stay grounded to escape the nine diss tracks that come your way each March.

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Currier: Taurus

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Currierites and Taureans are both stubborn — they will defend the Quad to the grave. But, they’re also dependable, just like the S-tier food at their dhall. And the constant Treehouse and Ten-Man parties will fulfill their *need for social stability* by making the instability extremely stable.

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Cabot: Virgo

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Perfectionist yet practical Virgos will not be disappointed in Cabot House, which is a first because Virgos are disappointed in everything. The rooms are big enough for obsessive pacing, and when they want to micromanage House Events, they can simply apply for a grant to fund them.

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Pforzheimer: Capricorn

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Capfricorns (pretend that works) like to keep a tight-knit circle, and Pfoho’s unrelenting house pride will match their energy! They’ll enjoy the impromptu communal study sessions in the dhall every night almost as much as they’ll like speed-walking to and from the Quad, just to prove that they can.

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Basically, we’re not saying that the stars can tell you what house you’ll be placed in on that fateful day, but we’re not not saying that. Check your sun, moon, and rising, then pray to the Housing Gods

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Five Brain Break Ideas That Are Actually Brain Breaks

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Let’s be real: taking brain breaks at Harvard can be hard. With our non-stop, everything-seemed-to-be-due-yesterday, no-seriously-my-pset-was-due-yesterday schedules, it can be difficult to take a true break where we don’t feel guilty for avoiding a pset or stressing over an essay deadline. Here’s some good-for-the-soul brain break ideas (instead of scrolling through TikTok) that will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of your day!

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Taking the T to explore a new coffee shop

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Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE Peet’s, Blue Bottle, Flour, and Tatte. But after a while, we all need some new excitement in our life (and to break out of the Harvard bubble). Believe it or not, hopping on the T and getting off at the next stop is almost as quick as the walk from the Yard to the Starbucks by the Prescotts! Just one stop inbound to Central Square, you can find Andala Coffee House and 1369 Coffee House. In the opposite direction, you have Revival Cafe + Kitchen and 3 Little Figs in Porter Square. Bring a book or a friend and cozy up with a new drink to disconnect from the busyness of Harvard.

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Journaling

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Journaling is an underrated brain break. It allows you to reset by dumping all of your thoughts and feelings on the page. Kinda like an overdue cry! It always leaves me feeling exceptionally refreshed.

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Seeing a Harvard Theater Production

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You see the flyers posted all over the bulletin board in your dorm and swipe through so many Instagram stories, but never go. Now is your time! Harvard brims with talent, so instead of spending the evening in Lamont, spend it with some showtunes! There is no better way to dissociate than getting lost in the plot of a heartfelt or tear-jerking production, and it’s way better on your eyes than binging season two of Euphoria.

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Attending a workout class at the MAC or Hemenway

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Working out is a known stress reliever, and you’ll be way too busy trying to figure out zumba moves that your pset due tomorrow will seem miles away. And, the classes are free! I recommend inviting a friend to cry sweat with you. After hunching over your laptop in Lamont with the posture of your gamer-boy ex for hours, your body will thank you.

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Charcuterie Snack Break

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Who doesn’t love an aesthetic, Instagram-worthy charcuterie board? Block out an hour of your day, invite some friends, and have everyone bring something to contribute to the board (Trader Joe's cheese, anyone?). It’s a great midday (or midnight) pick-me-up and an awesome way to socialize while munching on some good food (Sorry, Berg).

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In our world of constant late night Lamont-ing, taking an hour for yourself will make a world of difference and help eliminate burn out. Go ahead and block out weekly brain breaks on your Gcal (maybe send a Gcal invite to some friends?) Your brain and soul will thank you!

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Burst The Bubble: President's Day 2022

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{shortcode-3113d0694ba47ab340601f89903735c576083a50} I’m no psychic, but I’m willing to bet my BoardPlus that since the start of the semester, “ugh, I never leave the Square” and “how has it gotten to the point that the my main source of joy is scrolling on Tik Tok for 30 minutes before I go to bed” are thoughts that have crossed your mind. If you’re saying no to this, I’m willing to bet that “I’m lying” is a thought that is crossing your mind right now instead.

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Look, this isn’t to call you out. It’s more to point out that there are too many of us who get caught up with life at Harvard and think the entire world lies between Mather and the Quad (which, I’ll admit, at 1.2 miles is an impressive distance, but very clearly, not the whole world). So it would be pretty not-cool of us to let another long weekend pass without bringing you another list of ways to burst the so-called “Harvard Bubble.” Keep reading, because before ~midterm season~ begins, this may be your only chance to ride the redline into freedom.

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Boston Bruins vs. Colorado Avalanche – TD Garden, Monday

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As a California gal, the words “ice” and “hockey” were never really in my vocabulary before college. But I’ll admit it — it’s entertaining and second-hand cathartic to watch people skrrt like angels on ice while viciously attacking a puck (and each other) with sticks.

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Immersive Frida at Lighthouse ArtSpace at the Castle – The Castle (130 Columbus Ave)

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First the Immersive Van Gogh Experience, and now the Immersive Frida Experience? What does it really mean to be immersive? Does the quality of being immersive make art that much more interesting? How much are they spending on advertising this stuff because it’s everywhere. Are the differences between the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit and the Immersive Frida Exhibit enough to satisfy the Harvard College Honor Code? All very important questions. Check out this event and let us know.

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Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever, The World Tour — TD Garden, Sunday

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Gen Z’s favorite artist is in town this weekend, performing in TD Garden on Sunday evening. It’s probably difficult to buy tickets online since this is very last minute, but we figured we’d put this on your radar for when that poor soul emails your entire house mailing list tomorrow with tickets that need snatching up.

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Open Studios at SoWa — SoWa Market, Sunday

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If you’ve recently been conscious of the fact that your common room isn’t decorated to the extent possible, this Sunday (February 20th) and next Sunday (February 27th) you can check out work from local artists in the South End, whether you end up just browsing or deciding to buy a one-of-a-kind piece that’s on sale!

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Hava Saturdays — Hava Nightclub, Saturday

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Have FOMO about missing the Quincy X Winthrop House Formal in the fall? Hoping for a party where you don’t run the risk of being recognized by the Datamatch you ghosted (or the Datamatch that ghosted you)? Fear not, because Hava Nightclub promises an exciting night of music and good vibes — not just during formal season, but every weekend from now until March.

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This list is far from comprehensive, but hopefully, at the very least, is inspiration to venture out beyond the red brick road of Harvard Square at some point during this long weekend. A night out, in my opinion, seems like a pretty good way to celebrate The Presidents. Would George Washington really want you to be psetting on a Saturday night? We live close to a cool city. So let’s make use of it.

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Flyby Tries: The New Harvard Square Ben & Jerry’s

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In hindsight, getting ice cream in the middle of a frigid Boston winter may not have been a great idea, but in the name of journalism, we decided to make the trek to the new Ben & Jerry’s located at 35 John F. Kennedy St. We had to dodge street puddles and trudge through black sludge (socks unfortunately not spared), but we eventually made it to our destination.

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Customer Service

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Annette: Honestly, the customer service was enough reason to visit the store. The person behind the counter was like an ice cream genie pulling out flavors we had never even heard of left and right. When we asked for recommendations, she didn’t even have to glance at the menu to know exactly what we were looking for. I wanted flavors overflowing with sugar (chocolate, caramel, and cookie dough) and without hesitation, the lovely worker suggested Phish Food and The Tonight Dough. Raymond wanted something a little more vanilla, and the worker recommended Half Baked and Milk and Cookies.

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I ended up getting a small sugar cone with a scoop of Tonight Dough and a scoop of Cherry Garcia (I was stepping outside my comfort zone and incorporating fruit into my diet) for a total of $6.75. Raymond, on the other hand, stuck with the worker’s recommendation and got a small sugar cone with a scoop of Half Baked and a scoop of Milk Cookies with sprinkles for a total of $7.50.

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{shortcode-788d76c669ebd2b0b7de61a1d648f8447a69829c}

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Flavor

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Annette: If an ice cream is not loaded with chocolate syrup, chocolate chunks, caramel, and cookie dough, I don’t want it… usually. One thing I was not expecting was how much I enjoyed the Cherry Garcia. It was the perfect level of sweetness to keep you wanting more (like the Fuze Raspberry Iced Tea from the dhalls) AND it had chunks of chocolate to satisfy your chocolatey needs. Overall, the flavor was a 10/10, would-recommend experience. The Tonight Dough was obviously good, but how could it not be good with all the sugar!

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My only large disappointment was the fact that they didn’t have any cake cones. Gorgeous gorgeous girls are cake cone girls, and this store just did not deliver. If I’m loading up on calories in my ice cream, I need my cone to be less sweet to keep my conscious guilt free. It was unfortunate that I had to settle for a sugar cone, but I’m pretty sure the freezing cold walk to and from the shop made up for all the extra calories.

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Raymond: This was my first time trying Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and honestly, it was pretty damn good. Did it live up to the hype? Not necessarily, but it was a solid cookie dough ice cream experience. The rainbow sprinkles did overpower the flavor of the actual ice cream, however, so do be aware of that when deciding whether or not to get extra toppings.

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Ice cream aside, the cone (an often overlooked component of the ice cream experience, in my opinion) left a lot to be desired. We both got the classic sugar cone, but it tasted more like a mix of cardboard and the bran part of (off-brand) Raisin Bran. I was definitely disappointed, especially since I love the feeling of finally being able to take that first bite of a crunchy cone.

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~Vibes~

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Annette: There were no chairs! No chairs! I don’t know if this was a COVID-19 precaution (which is very understandable, of course) or just a stylistic choice, but having at least a small window booth with some stools would’ve really elevated the ~vibes~. Lack of indoor dining aside, the decor was giving middle-class house kitchen. There were those Ikea ceiling lights and wood touches that gave the store a nice clean look, but honestly the ice cream was good enough to make you forget about the interior design.

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Raymond: I agree with Annette about the decor (and the chairs!), but what I really want to talk about is the marvel of engineering that is the rotating ice cream cone stand right next to the cash register. Instead of having to juggle both an ice cream cone and your wallet as you struggle to pay, your ice cream cone can safely rest itself on the stand. When you’re done paying and you’ve put away your wallet, you can then rotate the stand, pick up your ice cream, and be on your way. Life changing. Literally life changing. My jaw dropped when I saw it. I took photographs. This must have been the transformative experience I was promised when I came here.

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{shortcode-e57e597b4b3ebe5e06a4467d9e018bd4bf380205}

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This is it. It’s great.

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Is It Worth It?

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Harvard Square has a lot of ice cream shops. Like, a lot. There’s J.P. Licks, Lizzy’s, Milk Bar, BerryLine, and now (once again) Ben & Jerry’s. Did we really need another ice cream shop? No, not really, but a wider selection never hurts. While it may not be a new Curious George merch store, the Ben & Jerry’s shop does have a solid selection of the quintessential and quirky flavors they’re known for. If you’re a big fan of the flavors, this is definitely the shop for you, but otherwise, you’re probably not missing out on much by choosing one of the many alternatives to satisfy your ice cream cravings.

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Flyby Tries: Asking Someone Out For Valentine's Day

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{shortcode-26f265f85d20d51602514d194f598cf6aae2da3f} Asking someone out is daunting. Real life is not like the movies, and I’m wimpy and don’t like “putting myself out there.” However, I overcame my mental block and committed to asking someone out, only to realize that figuring out who to ask would be, in fact, the more daunting task.

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Boy did I go to extreme lengths to find someone. I asked all my friends if they knew anyone smart, cute, funny, kind, cool, and *not a section kid type* (I hate that I had to specify that, but I did). Apparently this was a tall order. And, everyone that did fit my criteria was already in a relationship or maybe possibly had something sort of going on that I “totally would not want to interfere with.”

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The most demoralizing part: one of my said prospects reported back that he flat out did not want to go out with me. Then, I hurled myself into the giant snow pile in front of Annenberg.

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After having no luck and restarting therapy, I determined there was only one logical solution — I should transfer. Realizing that I was being a tad too dramatic, I settled for the next best option: to ask out my friend who was helping me find people to ask out.

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So, I staged a romantic Valentine’s date proposal. I brought a half-eaten chocolate box and CVS flowers to Cabot, where my friend was pset-ing. When I asked him if he would go out with me for Valentine’s Day, he seemed really confused and hesitated with his answer. Of course, I then had to answer ‘yes’ for him, seeing as we had generated quite the crowd, and I would hate to have to hurl myself into a snow pile twice.

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I also decided to invite my best friend on our “date,” since she didn’t have enthralling V-day plans like me (tough). What did our date consist of? The three of us got dressed up, pregammed, and headed to iHop (temporarily called iHob *please tell me someone remembers that fiasco*) for dinner. The waiter seemed confused by the throuple-ness of our situation, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the blueberry pancakes.

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While asking someone out did not go at all as planned and required much more mental energy than expected, I couldn’t have asked for a better and more exhilarating Valentine’s Day <3. 10/10 would recommend.

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An Open Letter to Singles On Campus

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{shortcode-96a9a575835e128d74cd9699935f801c254ae7cf}

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Dear Fellow Singles of Harvard Who Are Choosing Self Care Over a Relationship Because That’s What I’m Telling Myself,

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Okay, I’m not gonna lie.

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Do I wish I had a Valentine?

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…Yes.

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As in, do I wish I had someone to cuddle with in the warm haven that is my dorm at The Inn while we sip our Amorino’s milkshakes and watch the rollercoaster that is Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky’s love life in a six-hour “To All the Boys” movie marathon?

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…Yes.

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Not to expose myself too much here, but as someone who has enjoyed the privilege of a Valentine for the past couple of years and now finds themselves newly lacking one, I must admit that it is quite nice to have a personal shoulder to lean on and a hand to hold on this day of love. I am — and please don’t kill me for this — a hopeless and genuine romantic. I believe in the beauty of grand gestures and posting a cute couple selfie on your Instagram story with Taylor Swift’s “Lover” as background music. Unless you’re one of the people who takes Disneyland couple pictures and captions them with the incredibly creative “at the happiest place on Earth with the person who makes me the happiest,” I genuinely wish nothing but the best for you and your relationship. (Seriously, never do this.)

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And why shouldn’t I? Love — “when with the right person”— can be a beautiful thing. If your relationship is healthy, I think it’s safe to assume that you and your significant other regularly spend time together, share your happy moments and worries, and bring joy to one another’s life with your existence. Overall, a relationship is — or, at least, should be — a POSITIVE thing. Unless you’re a walking Grinch (or the person who comments “aww, I hope you find out you’re related!” on relationship TikToks pretending to be a bitter, rageful, and soulless monster) all year long, I know you’re hit with at least a little joy and internal “aww” when you pass a happy couple on the street.

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It’s understandable that we would all like to experience some quality human emotional connection in our lifetime. So maybe you experienced a pandemic before your first relationship? Join the club! Just think of the stories you’ll tell your kids one day in the future. But until then, heed my roommate’s wise words: for every Valentine's day that you spend alone, you’re one year closer to finding the Valentine that you’ll keep for years.

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She makes a good point. I like to consider myself an optimist, and as someone who tries to find the silver lining in everything, let's consider the following: before we find our person, we only have a limited number of Valentine’s Days as single people, which means there are a limited number of times that we will be able to belt out Megan Thee Stallion and really mean it. There are a limited number of times that we’ll be able to come back from a party convinced that no hotter creature than ourselves has ever walked the Earth. Soon, this will all be replaced by a nice dinner and movie with one of McKinsey’s future junior consultants. Yes, as a hopeless romantic, the “Mrs.” degree sounds real good when my CS pset seems hell-bent on giving me scoliosis. But you know what else is beautiful? The solidarity that only exists in a bathroom full of random girls yelling “NO” when a wayward soul who’s had one too many shots asks, “Should I text him?”

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So, as this year’s annual festivities approach, remember that one day YOU will be the half of the couple that makes others wish their next breath is their last. But until then, (and as a hardcore Swiftie, trust me, this is hard to say) blast the Olivia Rodrigo, put your readings aside, and gift yourself a solo Instagram photoshoot and a box of chocolate.

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The right people exist in all corners of the world. Everyone’s time will come, and we’ll soon find ourselves cheering on our street-headed friends from the sidewalk, remembering when we, too, were embarking on a hot girl summer. But then again, the world is round — we may be waiting a long time.

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In Single Solidarity,

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Salaidh Perez

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Flyby Tries: Giving Everyone in Your Class Valentine’s Day Cards

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{shortcode-83caacec601681cfeadf6c7ae5534e997b4d64f7}My friends will tell you that one of my main three personality traits is making handmade cards for other people. So when I brought 20 rolls of washi tape and a whole stack of colored and patterned paper to college, I worried that it might be overkill. But by the time winter break came around, my stash of supplies was almost depleted. My trip home was a much-needed opportunity to stock up again, just in time for this year’s holiday of love.

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For context, the last time I mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards was in 3rd grade. However, since my card-making skills were quite lacking back in elementary school, I decided that Valentine’s Day 2022 would be my chance to redeem myself.

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So last Saturday, I grabbed a friend, made a quick stop at the Holworthy First Year Arts Room, and proceeded to turn her common room upside down as I pooled supplies on the floor. (See the picture above if you don’t believe me). In retrospect, this article should have been titled “How I Spent Three Hours on A Saturday Afternoon Making Cards to Procrastinate My Psets,” because that’s exactly what happened. I came up with an impressive number of dollie, washi tape, sticker, and stamp combinations.With a few dozen cards made, I decided that I had enough to give one to every single person in my Expos 20 class.

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But on the big day, somewhere along my 12-minute walk to Expos 20, I had my third existential crisis of the week. What if my classmates thought I was weird for giving them a Valentine’s Day card and refused to partner with me for the peer review on Wednesday? What if one of their significant others put me — the random girl who gave the love of their life a pink construction paper heart with “XOXO” washi tape all over it — on their hit list? What if my hard work was left in the recycling bin at 11:46 a.m. on the way out of the classroom?

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Suddenly, I could no longer work up the courage to hand my hearts out to the bros in my Expos 20. What value would they assign to my love? I tried, I really tried. But sometimes Flyby tries and fails. Still, with 30 cards left, I started brainstorming other people I could give cards to and soon, I had a whole new list of card recipients: my entire entryway (they’re basically my college homeroom, right?), the wonderful HUDS staff at Annenberg, and, of course, some close friends sprinkled in.

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I roamed the Yard, knocking on doors, dropping off cards, and getting bested by the lack of elevators in the freshman dorms. Perhaps my favorite encounter of the day was when one of my friends beat me and gave me a card before I could give her mine. Hers was even complete with a heart eraser that smelled like berries. (Wow, the joy when love isn’t one-sided?!)

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Overall, this experience warmed my heart and made my Valentine’s Day. There’s something special about expressing your love through cursive and construction paper for everyone from the guys who live two floors below you to your Datamatches (true story!) to your college best friends.

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Maybe just handing out KitKats would have generated as much enthusiasm. But still, I hope that my carefully cut-out paper hearts have found a place in the hearts of their recipients.

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