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{shortcode-19dca709ed92b2f35dce3aef0556e7e29b230c66}Why in the world does Harvard have seven concentrations related to biology? Does anyone outside of Harvard care if you studied Chemical and Physical Biology or Molecular and Cellular Biology? What does Integrative Biology even mean? Did you randomly take LS1A your freshman year and now you have no clue what to study? With the concentration declaration deadline upon us, we’ve created a procrastinator's guide to understanding obscure biology concentration abbreviations before November 19.

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MCB: Molecular and Cellular Biology

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What it’s about: We start with the smallest units of life: cells. If you really enjoy classes full of premeds, you’re bound to love this concentration. Most sophomore concentrators take MCB 60 to get a taste of the MCB concentrator’s life.

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Who do I talk to?: Fill out the CPB-MCB plan of study and talk with Dominic Mao, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies for CPB/MCB.

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Fun Fact: Other abbreviations that would work well for MCB include: My Cell Bae, Mitochondria is a Cool Box, and Many Cool Biologists.

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CPB: Chemical and Physical Biology

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What it’s about: This is great if you care about more than molecules, but not a whole lot more. Also, you have to be hardcore to want to study chemistry, physics, and biology all at once. Everything you do is eerily similar to MCB, and you have some of the coolest open houses and study breaks with every imaginable food under the sun.

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Who do I talk to?: Same as MCB! Complete CPB-MCB plan of study and meet with Dominic.

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Fun Fact: They have a ~biochemically-inspired~ right-handed helical staircase at their offices in Sherman-Fairchild.

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Neuroscience

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What it’s about: This one’s for the nerds who like the body’s most complex organ: the brain. You have to have a big brain to think about thousands of neurons that make up big brains. Plus, it’s one of two concentrations that doesn’t mandate independent research, if you don’t want to be stuck in a lab through college.

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Who do I talk to?: Ryan Draft, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies for Neuroscience

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Fun Fact: Lots of bonus points in the Flyby book because this is the only concentration without an obscure abbreviation.

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HDRB: Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology

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What it’s about: If you actually like fully developed people and not just cells and brains, this might be the concentration for you. This is a great choice if you’re committed to doing some form of research in an up-and-coming area and like lots of photoshopped pubs.

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Who do I talk to?: Have a four-year plan of study and meet with Amie Holmes, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies for HDRB.

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Fun Fact: Some of the coolest upper-level courses you can take include “The Scientific Search for the Fountain of Youth” and “Glucose: From Molecule to Society.”

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HEB: Human Evolutionary Biology

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What it’s about: You like humans, but you also like how they’ve changed over hundreds of years and how they form little groups and give themselves creative names like Flyby, Editorial, and News. If you’re interested in arguing with anti-evolutionists, this might also be the move.

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Who do I talk to?: Carole Hooven or Neil Roach, Co-Directors of Undergraduate Studies

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Fun Fact: You’ll be surrounded by some of the wackiest people on campus — Professor Joe Henrich from the department even wrote a book called “The WEIRDest People in the World”!

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IB: Integrative Biology (formerly OEB)

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What it’s about: Does everything above sound like one amazing puzzle you want to fit together? Do you have trouble making decisions and tend to sample a bit of everything? IB will help you integrate your interest in cells, organs, people, animals, and evolution in the past and present.

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Who do I talk to?: Andrew Berry, Undergraduate Advisor

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Fun Fact: Party concentration? Through its connection with the Harvard Museum of Natural History, IB gets to throw the coolest parties — after hours, in the dinosaur hall.

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BME: Biomedical Engineering

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What it’s about: This one is for all the math people masquerading as biologists. If you enjoy creating, visualizing, and spatial thinking and want to take advantage of SEAS resources, this might be the best choice for you.

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Who do I talk to?: You’ll need an eight-semester plan of study to meet with either Linsey Moyer, the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies or Professor Demba Ba, the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

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Fun Fact: You can take a HUGE variety of courses, ranging from tissue engineering to studying food fermentation.

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I’m honestly not certain I’ve covered them all, but seven’s a lucky number at least? Perhaps your calling will be some of the other biology-adjacent concentrations, like Cognitive Neuroscience or Evolutionary Psychology or Chemistry. Still unsure? Considering the incredible degree of overlap across these concentrations, you can comfortably take some common requirements and postpone making a commitment, too! All in all, whether you’re an aspiring physician, researcher, or just someone who loves life, you’re bound to satisfy your cravings with Harvard’s buffet of life science concentrations.

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{shortcode-beddee91917dbb05979412ddcedcef2e89bedb3f}Being a freshman is tough. Being an international freshman is tougher. Being a remote international freshman starting your college experience online in the middle of a pandemic in an election year is possibly the worst combination. And although we appreciate the looks of awe and well-meaning pity when other students find out that we do, in fact, stay up for 12 a.m. classes and 3 a.m. club meetings, try out these better conversation starters than, “Woah, what time is it over there?” to chat up the international freshmen in your Zoom class or club.

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Anything food related

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“What’s your favorite food?” is a safe question to start the conversation. Everyone loves good food, and it's a pretty universal topic to kick off a spicy (or salty) conversation. International students take great pride in having amazing cuisines in their home countries and love talking about them! From Korean barbeque to Anjera (sour flatbread) to Murg Makhani (butter chicken) to Wali wa nazi (coconut rice), international students have a wealth of cuisines they’re willing and happy to share.

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Best places to visit in their country

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We can only speak for African tourism, but in case you’re wondering: We have, in fact, seen a lion — multiple times, sometimes outside on the street right next to our acacia tree. We’re joking. Talking about all the cool underrated things to do in your country outside popular tourist activities is a breath of fresh air from the clichés we always hear about. From white water rafting, to cave diving, to waterfall bungee jumping, to snake taming, international students have some pretty cool stories to tell if only you ask. We could tell you about the time we kissed a giraffe, but instead let's talk about that one time your neighbor's uncle’s cousin's girlfriend went on a safari in the Savannah (another joke). As much as we appreciate the tourism revenue, we know you know.

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Music

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“What's your favourite song/album/artist?” is a nice, mildly interesting question. Talking about music can go many different ways — either you’ll bond over the musical genius that is Dua Lipa’s “Nostalgia” or disagree over Beyoncé’s latest album. Music is a great way to get people talking and connect through Spotify playlists. Another bonus is you never know what new cool genre you could discover!

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Hobbies

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Hobbies are a great way to find similarities and common interests to start a budding friendship. International students are pretty impressive, so don’t be surprised if you find out someone is a nationally acclaimed athlete, artist, musician, or Math Olympiad gold medalist. Hobbies are a nice way to bridge the gap between you and the other person; despite differences in culture, you’re both teenagers finding your way through college and life.

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Weather

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If you’re really struggling to find a topic, and the breakout room doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon, you can always rely on good ol’ weather to save the day. A simple, “So how is the weather where you are?” could be a good start. Weather is a universally boring topic, so hopefully someone saves you from that awkward conversation. With autumn in full swing, feel free to drop in a few anecdotes about your favorite seasonal activities or drinks. Snow stories are another crowd pleaser, especially among us tropical and equatorial weather people.

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Languages

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Chances are, if you are speaking to an international student, English isn’t their first language, so you can always ask them to teach you a few words or phrases in their home language. While this won’t get you a pass out of your language requirement, you can at least learn something that you can use to flex on your friends. However, we can’t guarantee that you won’t meet a cheeky international student who will trick you into thinking that you are saying, “Hi, my name is ___,” in their home language when you are actually saying some sort of profanity. While that is something we would be tempted to do, we generally avoid it.

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Traditions and customs

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A great way to learn more about an international student and their background is to ask them about traditions and customs from their home countries. International students would love to share the best parts of their home culture — you might find something you have in common or learn something new about a different country.

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Americanisms

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Most international students grew up watching American media, so we know quite a lot about American culture. Americans can sometimes seem like strange creatures to us internationals, so we might find some of your “Americanisms” a bit weird. Feel free to ask us what we find confusing about Americans, you’ll probably get some interesting responses. Like, what is with your obsession with seasons? Why do you hang American flags everywhere? What is so special about pumpkin spice? Why do you write your dates wrong? What’s up with daylight savings? Chances are you might find yourselves a bit weird too.

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In our completely unbiased opinion, international students are the best part of Harvard. You will probably have many interesting and fruitful conversations with any international student you meet. We love it when other students show an interest in our cultures and backgrounds, and we love learning more about our American peers. Feel free to distract us from our time difference and remote learning struggles by using these conversation starters to get some good conversations going!

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{shortcode-06886186a1e9077b07c05a54790760e5b18c580b}If you’re living on campus this semester and recently learned that good old Harvard wants to yeet you out of your room in two weeks, we feel your pain. We really do. But fear not, because Flyby’s got you covered with these elite tips to improve your packing game. So forget about your stress and consider your life: hacked.

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Does it bring you joy?

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We seem to be quoting Marie Kondo a lot recently, but only because she’s right — if it doesn’t bring you joy, forget about it. Don’t waste precious storage space on things you’ll barely use. It’s okay if you don’t need all the free swag you accumulated over the semester. Donate what you don’t need and give yourself less to think about!

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Don’t double up!

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There’s no shame in admitting you went on a massive Bed Bath and Beyond haul this summer. Your room looks that much better for it. But chances are, a lot of the stuff you bought for your dorm, you already have at home. And there’s really no good reason to end up with two shoe organizers (unless you’re into this type of thing). So TLDR: if you already have it, put it in storage.

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Roll with it.

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Even if you’re not a STEM concentrator, you know your closet is defying all the laws of science: you brought your stuff to campus in one box, but now it refuses to fit back in there. The solution? Roll your clothes. Truly the most underestimated packing tip, tightly rolling your clothes before packing is a magical way to make space inside your boxes. Before you say you don’t believe us, just try!

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Other thoughts.

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Some people may consider these ~common sense~, but it never hurts to hear a reminder. Avoid storing things that might leak (tide pods, shampoo, etc.) and if you must, don’t store these with pillows, sheets, or anything else you don’t want ruined (yes, we’re looking at you, Canada Goose). Also avoid storing perishables. If you put peanut butter in storage, we cannot guarantee it will be peanut butter when you get it back.

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If you’re still reading at this point, we love you, but please get packing. Here’s a playlist to boost your productivity as you get started. Let’s empty out your drawers, pull out that suitcase from under your bed, and get to work. Good luck!

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{shortcode-8b0972c00c92174d3d40e2f8a5dfc1cef7904a63}Missing Harvard? Binge-watching every movie ever that references your beloved university? Bored out of your mind and in need of a personality quiz that tangentially relates to both Harvard and your Netflix obsession? Find out what movie you should star in when you finally get back to campus!

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1. What’s your go-to place in the Square?

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A) Tasty Burger — keep it simple!

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B) Noch’s — close to River West and will fuel your next all-nighter

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C) Veggie Grill — eating clean and cruelty free :)

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D) CVS — I need all the snacks ever for our next movie night

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2. Time to blow off steam, what will you be doing?

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A) Playing basketball with the homies

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B) Finger exercises to train for the next hackathon

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C) You can find me on the treadmill (in my room, can’t let anyone see me sweat)

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D) Sports aren’t really for me, but does traipsing around campus to get a quote for my next story count?

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3. You got into Harvard?

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A) “You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for $1.50 in late fees at the public library.”

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B) “I need to do something substantial in order to get the attention of the clubs.”

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C) “What, like it’s hard?

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D) “I love college! I love Harvard. I love fatalism!”

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4. What color represents your soul?

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A) Anything but crimson (ugh)

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B) Blue — I’m red-green colorblind, so this seems like a good compromise

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C) Pink! Cute, mood-boosting, and makes you stand out!

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D) CRIMSON because I’m going to go to Harvard.

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5. What’s your course load like?

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A) I’m cross-enrolled at MIT and solving impossible math problems in my sleep

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B) Lol I already dropped out, but I loved those CS psets, piece of cake

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C) Essays, case analyses, and policy proposals (plus studying for the LSAT)

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D) Journalism, foreign affairs, english, and writing for the school paper on the side

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6. Which quote about love speaks to you?

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A) "I gotta go see about a girl."

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B) “I need to do something to take my mind off her.”

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C) “Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.”

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D) "This thing we're doing here — me, you — I just want you to know I'm in. I'm all in."

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Results

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Mostly A’s: Good Will Hunting

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So maybe you don’t really go to Harvard, but why bother if you have a photographic memory? You are capable of incredible things, but you need to find the motivation to apply yourself. You’re smart and cynical and have Robin Williams’ support, what more could you ever need?

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Mostly B’s: The Social Network

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Let’s be real, Bill Gates looked at you when he said one of you could be the next Bill Gates. (Yes, he looked at everyone, but there was prolonged eye contact with you.) You’re constantly trying to develop the next big thing and can't wait to be the next famous Harvard drop-out. That CS secondary is really gonna pay off in this golden age of oNlInE lEaRnInG.

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Mostly C’s: Legally Blonde

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People may underestimate you, but you are a badass who can conquer the world. You are kind to all, love your furry friend, and always put a smile on the face of those around you. People will try to tear you down but your positive energy can overcome anything! You bring your own special ~flare~ to everything you do and your creative thinking is sure to save the day.

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Mostly D’s: Gilmore Girls

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You are a fun, witty, and highly-caffeinated creator of your own destiny. You are exceptionally hard working and you will not stop until you achieve your goal of making a real difference in the world. You might make some poor choices (*cough cough*), like choosing an inferior Ivy League school instead of the one you’d set your eyes on since forever, but we’ll call that a youthful transgression and ignore it.

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{shortcode-3b8de7d7e4ada072c3cc8d9c6b17fd978a1edb1b}Dear Lowell House Dish Return,

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The other day, someone in our apartment building broke a glass dish, and a strong feeling rose up inside of me. It was for you, and I felt so full of love and affection that I just had to express my emotions. You have been one of the most infuriating aspects of my college life, but also one that has brought me immense joy. Even on days when I ate my meals alone, it didn’t feel that way, because you were there with me. Amidst all the chaos of Harvard, you were a constant in my life.

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I have to admit, I didn’t like you much at first. The sound of glassware smashing reminds me of my childhood, when I was the clumsy one who got in trouble for breaking things. Of course this wasn’t your fault — students didn’t understand how you functioned or were too distracted to place their dishes on a tray. The dhall employees got anxious, and one employee always stood, watching over you to make sure students handled you properly. Students feared you too — why else would they stack plates underneath their beds?

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However, as the fall semester progressed, as I got more exhausted, it was no longer an option to breakfast early and avoid hearing you. Slowly, I got used to you, and as more Lowellians learned about your needs, there were fewer shattering sounds. It was always pretty obvious when someone from outside of Lowell came to dine here — they were unfamiliar with your ways. While I don’t condone violence, the less frequent sounds of breaking glass started making me laugh. When I shared meals with friends in other houses, I would always rearrange my silverware appropriately even when there was no need. What can I say? You grew on me.

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You were all the most beautiful aspect of Lowell dhall (those fancy chandeliers have got nothing on you). You were so sensitive (to silverware not removed from plates and bowls) and were perhaps too good for the world of coronavirus, which has silenced you. Sometimes when I wash dishes in my sister’s apartment, I still hear your gentle whir and the chinks of the glass dishes being carried underground to the dish room, and I know that you live on, inside of me. I wonder if I shall ever see you again, but I dream of the day, because it will be the same day it will be safe for students to be back on campus, eating off of dhall glassware, when they will break dishes and blame it on you.

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With (probably unreciprocated) love,

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A fellow Lowellian

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{shortcode-d5dadccf634ae4945499a3911841eb6aa9da9108}Figuring out whether taking a leave of absence is the best choice for you can be tough. As the time to make your decision about next semester arrives, we’ve created this flowchart to help you think about what’s best for you this spring. We know there are a ton of factors to consider: when you want to graduate, your mental health, opportunities, housing availability, personal fulfillment, and more. This chart is a major oversimplification of the decision making process, but for those of you on the fence about taking the spring semester off, we hope it helps!{shortcode-a9dc9a185b74ab319966e33803a1a6493ba94cd0}

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{shortcode-59cc9a1c612d695617b4e07ab7f03897725631da}In the age of Zoom, it is common to have your total screen time values skyrocket. I mean, sure, your phone told you that your usage went down 29 percent, but little does it know that you also had a Zoom study session all evening, and we can’t forget your endless class lectures. Here are a few ways to save your vision.

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Get an Anti-Glare Filter

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Your laptop is probably feeling sorry for you when you use it for the tenth hour of the day, so try purchasing an anti-glare filter to reduce the amount of light reflecting off your screen. This is especially useful if you usually work by a window or outside. A 2-pack is available on Amazon for around $20.

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Keep Your Phone Away from Your Bed

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Every Saturday, your first two hours are probably spent in bed, scrolling through your phone mindlessly. You delete the ten thousand emails cluttering your inbox, watch Snapchat stories of students on campus, and like Instagram pictures of a burnt crème brûlée. Why is this a habit? It’s because your phone is right next to you when you wake up. Before you go to sleep, place your phone (and other addictive devices) all the way across the room so that you’re forced to get up when you reach for it later. With this tip, you might actually eat breakfast before noon (since you will also have to get out of bed to shut off an alarm).

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Delete Your Most Time-consuming Apps

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Whether it’s YouTube, Facebook, Netflix, or all of the above, now is the time for a semi-digital detox. Promise yourself that you won’t give in to the urge to re-download these apps or use them from another device because no, you don’t need to binge-watch your favorite show or cyber-stalk your Zoom crush. If they’re not following you back, then they’re not following you back.

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Find a New Technology-free Pastime

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Each day blends in with the next, so why not break the monotony with a different hobby? Whether it’s doing cardio workouts between classes, trying out meditation as midterm season destroys your life, or making smoothies to surprise your organs with vitamins, this is a great way to distract yourself from technology for a while. Even if your fruit drink ends up making you gag, at least you saved your eyes for twenty minutes.

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Call Someone on the Phone

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Can’t remember when you last simply called a friend rather than texting, FaceTime-ing, or Zoom-ing? We can’t either. But this old-fashioned way of conversing means that neither of you have to worry about how you look, nor are you jeopardizing your vision — it’s a win-win situation. If you want to go wild on historical methods of communication, write a letter to your friends (yes, with a pen and paper). Extra points if you use a messenger pigeon.

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It’s a beautiful day to save eyes (“Grey’s Anatomy,” anyone?). Try these suggestions not only because your eye strain has never been worse, but also to change things up in your life. And who knows, after a whole day of classes on Zoom, you may be able to still see the facial features of your family members instead of recognizing them by their blurry outline.

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{shortcode-8a03d5a999655e0d4279fbabfc68c8f0693290f4}You’re probably running into the TikTok trends and Among Us memes all over your timeline these days. We felt similarly and decided to review this multiplayer game, available as a phone app.

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Pre-game thoughts:

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Sakshi: I had heard about Among Us constantly for a couple weeks before I actually played my first game. Curious about all the hype, I got my (more experienced) friends to organize a game. I remember wondering, what exactly are these creatures? Are they astronauts? Aliens? Whatever they are, after seeing everyone ignore their p-sets due at midnight just to run around a spaceship, I knew I had to check it out for myself.

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Akila: I remember being unwittingly roped into my first game of Among Us, confused why everyone was talking about imposters: was this a Harvard simulation, but people actually wanted to have imposter syndrome? Why were people so eager to do chores? I wish my roommates wanted to empty the garbage this much in the middle of midterm season.

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Games 1-2:

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Sakshi: I started off my first game getting killed within the first minute, learning that you should never be alone in a room with a stranger (an applicable life lesson!). As a ghost, I discovered that not only could no one communicate with you, you could also just float around in space beyond the ship — very existential. I did, however, find joy in haunting my murderer, and even though I didn’t get much practical experience as a ghost, it definitely fueled my desire to seek vengeance on the other players in the next game.

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Akila: My favorite part of the game was still picking cute outfits: if we can’t have a real Halloween I will settle for a knife hat or strangely career-specific accessories: goggles and sailor caps are the closest student researchers and the sailing team are going to get to having a real semester. I’m still frightened by the graphic kills — why were the innocent beings suddenly stabbing others with unusually long tongues and literally tearing your flesh apart? What happened to everyone sketching the same five words on skribbl.io at the beginning of quarantine?

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Games 3 - 6:

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Sakshi: I finally became an imposter! It was eerily similar to how my first couple months in college have gone: faking tasks while my peers complete them all for me and venting out of breakout rooms as soon as they open. But I quickly discovered it did not live up to all the hype—when the other players inevitably found out I was creepily following them around the spaceship and just standing there awkwardly, I opened the chat to find several messages saying the same two words: “red sus.” While this was disappointing, I was pleasantly surprised by everyone’s enthusiasm to exercise their democratic right to vote (no Harvard Votes Challenge needed)!

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Akila: At this point, I seriously contemplated dropping some serious bucks to have an Among Us child. I started to enjoy the imposter power trip: I could do things that would never fly in real life: I locked myself into rooms with one other person and sabotaged every part of the ship just to see who was a *real* team player I can pick for my next group project. Of course, I dreaded being a crewmate myself, running around desperately finishing a checklist until my inevitable demise reminds me of school a little too much.

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Games 7+:

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Sakshi: By this point, I was fully committed to the universe of strange aliens either dutifully doing chores or violently stabbing one another (there’s no in between!). I convinced myself that even if my essays weren’t writing themselves while I played Among Us, at least I would be on track to be the next AOC! And we don’t even get 15 second cooldowns between Zoom calls, so I’m not sure why the imposter has to rest between kills? Between making my crewmates recite tasks to test their authenticity and randomly calling emergency meetings to frame other people with no evidence, you could throw me into a game with no vision and I’d still come out on top.

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Akila: I’m officially indoctrinating new players to the game and perusing strategy guides. My professors should be proud of me for solving the most complex application of the Traveling Salesman problem: how can I find the shortest path to complete all my tasks? I still get lost between Sherman-Fairchild and Northwest, but I know each of the Among Us maps like the back of my hand. I have my next Among Us themed start-up: a Cams station at Harvard-Yale to spot your friends when your Find My Friends app is failing you.

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All in all, we recommend you immediately start playing Among Us. The longer you play, the more you’ll realize the game is eerily similar to life at Harvard. Also, we’ve long passed the banana bread and Tiger King phases of quarantine: if we’re descending into a spiral of murdering one another right now, what does this mean for the rest of quarantine?

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{shortcode-aa5322ed94f1f65e336f72d6e8ad7123d8734d7b}Do you get tired of seeing the same old backgrounds every class? Don’t worry, you aren’t the only one. To spice up your Zoom calls, explore some new locations to Zoom from.

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Widener Steps

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Since the Widener Library steps seem to be the new hangout spot for those on campus, why not Zoom from there instead of your dorm room? Though it is starting to get a little chilly as winter approaches, its beauty makes up for the cold. And as an iconic campus location, it’ll give people who aren’t around a bit of a nostalgic glance at Harvard. So, zip up your jacket and haul yourself over to those steps.

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Playground

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Bring Zoom to the nearest playground near you. Maybe even bring your family, pets, or friends and play some socially distanced tag during those awkward 15 minutes in between classes. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to relive your childhood memories, especially if you’re Zooming from home.

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El Jefe's vs. Felipe’s

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Settle (or spark up) the El Jefe’s vs. Felipe’s debate by showing everyone in your Ec10 class where you stand on this important question. And, no, this is definitely not a means of justification for eating out again. But, yes do get a burrito or quesadilla while you’re at it. (Use a Zoom background if you can’t access these sacred locations.)

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John Harvard Statue

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Forget about sitting on one of those colorful $700 chairs in the yard when you can sit on John Harvard himself. Get a nice panoramic view of the entire yard while also feeling like a true intellectual. It’ll also serve as great practice for when you decide to complete one of the Harvard traditions. (For those on campus, please do not actually try this.)

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Under the Table

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You swear that it’s not lecture that you dread going to; it's having to sit at the same desk and chair every. single. day. And, don’t worry, we believe you. Even the chair is starting to look a little worn out. Time to bring Zoom to, drum roll please, under the table! Repurpose your desk as a fort, and suddenly, there's a new, fresh feel to it. The best part: being at your desk, but also not really being there.

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Bathtub

\r\n\r\n

Unable to go outside? Not a problem. Bring Zoom (and your blankets) to the bathtub. It’ll not only be a good change in scenery, but will also keep everyone guessing where you are. Do not underestimate the power of bathtubs; it may even be just as comfortable as your bed.

\r\n\r\n

The Zoom burnout is real. We all want to change up our normal backgrounds and get off of the office chairs that have been giving us back problems. Let us know if you do decide to try one of these locations, and more importantly, be sure to wear a mask and socially distance!

', [])

('

{shortcode-695457b391c0748b81efb792be201618281c98bc}

\r\n\r\n

To whom it may concern:

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I hope you’re staying positive and testing negative.

\r\n\r\n

It’s the middle of the semester, and the mountains upon mountains of Harvard email spam are almost out of control. “When did I subscribe to this email list”, you wonder, “and why can’t I find that email my TF sent this morning?” Not to worry — you may not achieve inbox zero in one night (although this is a great project for long weekends or winter break), but these inbox cleaning tips could make your life way easier this digital semester.

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Daily Housekeeping

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Hint: Learn how to snooze.

\r\n\r\n

--> Check your email twice a day (perhaps once in the morning and once in the evening) so that you’re not a slave to your email notifications.

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--> If you see an email that you can reply to quickly, send the email immediately instead of putting it off. Signing up for mandatory office hours? Pull out your timetable and fill it out right now. For other emails, aim for a 48-hour response time to prevent build-up. Chances are, you need a break from Zoom anyway...

\r\n\r\n

--> Label and archive emails that you’ll need once you’ve read them.

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--> When you schedule a meeting, transfer them to your planner/Gcal ASAP.

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--> Snooze emails if you really want meeting reminders. Snoozing = temporarily removing emails from your inbox and scheduling when they will come back in. For instance, if on Monday you schedule a meeting for Friday, click the clock symbol so it resurfaces in your inbox Friday morning! You’re. Welcome.)

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--> Use these buttons on the side to speed up this process! (And subscribe to Harvard Today).

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{shortcode-ef758edb43f92ad6528939929dbd276c7e88c7b4}

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Handling Those Dreaded Email Lists

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Three words: Filter, label, and archive.

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--> House lists can be very overwhelming and may not always have relevant information; you can filter them into a separate label.

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--> Unsubscribe from lists you don’t ever read emails from so you don’t have to delete things for eternity (and adjust Canvas notifications if you don’t want the daily summaries).

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--> Don’t care about who’s selling MCAT textbooks? Couldn’t pay you to comp that org? Delete emails that you have read once and will never look at again.

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--> Make labels for each of your courses so you can find the *few* relevant emails!

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The Real Marie Kondo-ing (Even More Thorough Cleaning)

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The key to inbox zero: Pace yourself, because it can be very time consuming.

\r\n\r\n

--> Keep emails with research or internship opportunities you would consider, OCS emails (if you find them useful) under a label, and archive them away.

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--> Keep newsletters, such as the IOP newsletters or Dean Khurana’s communications, separately (under a filter).

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--> Mark the most important emails first.

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--> To change things up while organizing, you could sort your emails from Oldest to Newest (and deal with those freshman year emails).

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{shortcode-3d42a5f4eb9e6f6ae2e5bebefa38a1e587ccf612}

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--> Delete things you don’t need, which can include those rejection letters which lack constructive feedback (trust me, it’s cathartic).

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--> Don’t delete everything, though! Some of those memes you got sent in the middle of the semester will always make you smile when you revisit them.

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--> Remember to change your email background (Settings > Themes) to something that makes you happy! It looks great once you have cleared out your inbox, and looking at something fresh can offer you a lot of joy, satisfaction, and motivation.

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Don’t let this post stress you out if you have a messy inbox and are thriving with it; go with whatever system helps you find emails and communicate properly. These are just some suggestions to help you out in case you’re interested in cleaning your emails up. While some weeks will be crazy and emails may pile up at times, taking steps to overhaul your organization system in a realistic way will mean that it will never take that long to deal with an overflowing inbox again. Good luck!

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Best,

\r\n\r\n

Maya S. Bhagat

', [, , ])

('

{shortcode-f9f5e9364898d3f12f56f66fde25ded886a4edfc}Stressed about the election? Me too. It’s both sad and funny how amid all the madness of 2020, the wildest stories are still about the 2020 presidential election. While I’m sure we all can’t wait to get this over with, unfortunately, we probably won’t find out who’s gonna be America’s Next Top Mod — I mean, America’s Next President on Tuesday night. So instead of going out of our minds stressing out about the fate of this country, here’s a list of relaxing-ish things that Harvard students can do while waiting for the election result.

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Listen to Samyra’s Podcasts

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With the virtual semester and everything else happening in 2020, it’s so easy to forget that Harvard still exists. No better time to catch up than now. Let me introduce you to the go-to news source for all of Harvard’s hottest tea: the amazing Samyra C. Miller ’21 and her awesome podcast series, The Harvard Communitea. Since reading the news nowadays makes us all want to cry, at least listening to The Harvard Communitea will make you feel like you’re ~connected~ to what’s going on without feeling sad. And if you’re craving even more podcasts to fill the void, the Crimson’s got you covered.

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Rewatch Housing Day Videos

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For first years, previous years’ Housing Day videos might be our only glimpse into the various upperclassmen communities at Harvard. Why obsessively check the news every 30 seconds when you can get lost in the beautiful views of Lowell House or the iconic “We Didn’t Start The Kirkland” tune from Kirkland House’s 2014 video? We have no idea what Housing Day will look like this year, but it’s never too early to start falling in love with the river houses only to get quadded in the spring! Check out these playlists from 2020 and 2017 for some of the best to get you started.

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Finally Work On Those Math Psets

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What better way to get your mind off a frustrating and depressing presidential election than to be stressed out by a frustrating and depressing math pset? Just half an hour with derivatives and linear algebra can make all your anxiety about the election disappear. Sure, there will be tears — but hey, at least they won’t be because of politics.

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*Mom Voice* Clean Your Room

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Midterm season recently ended, and if you’re like me, your room has really fallen into a state of messiness. With only a month until move-out for folks on campus, it’s wise to pick up a broom and start sweeping away. While you’re contemplating how on earth you let yourself stay in such a messy place, you won’t have time to worry for the millionth time about who’s gonna win your home state.

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Binge Your Comfort Show

\r\n\r\n

Sometimes all you need is a warm blanket, tea, and the joy of rewatching your favorite show for the 17th time. Usually, ignoring your approaching deadlines for essays and psets is probably frowned upon, but given the hecticness of the upcoming days, I think you’re allowed some exceptions. Why stress about the fact that it might take days, even weeks, to get the result back when you can laugh at the ridiculous plot twists in “Riverdale” and wonder how drunk the writers were when they wrote this scene?

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{shortcode-196f49fadbeca3f7693eff7f87e61904ec33fb82}

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Take Naps

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Do you know what you’re not going to think about when you’re off to dreamland? The election! Since we’re all perpetually sleep-deprived anyway, we might as well take advantage of election night and sleep our troubles away, at least for a short while.

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No matter what happens on Tuesday night, or however long it takes for the 2020 Presidential Election to be over, remember to prioritize your mental wellbeing and do things that make you happy :)

', [, ])

('

{shortcode-343378d06ff628751156536d73f34c5b0474e3b0}1. How do you open a conversation with friends?

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A. “Hi, it’s so great to see you!”

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B. “I missed you!”

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C. A tasteful meme

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D. I don’t talk to anyone

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2. You need to fulfill your Science and Engineering and Applied Science requirement. What class do you take?

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A. Life Sciences 1A

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B. Chemistry 20: Organic Chemistry

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C. Earth & Planetary Science 10

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D. Wait, what requirement?

\r\n\r\n

3. Where do you get coffee on campus?

\r\n\r\n

A. Peet’s

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B. Capital One Café

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C. Dunks

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D. Annenberg

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4. How would you break up with a significant other?

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A. In a public forum

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B. Go into the conversation intending to break up but change your mind

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C. Send them your break-up song of choice

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D. Just stop replying to their messages

\r\n\r\n

5. What best describes your behaviour when a group project is assigned?

\r\n\r\n

A. Creating a GroupMe and delegating tasks

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B. Frantically messaging people the night before it’s due

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C. Picking a part of the project and do it without discussing beforehand

\r\n\r\n

D. Not opening the group chat

\r\n\r\n

6. What is your favorite HUDS dish?

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A.Cookie Cake

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B. Red’s Best Catch

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C. French fries from the grill

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D. The softies

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If you got…

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Mostly As: Social Butterfly

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You’re the type to schedule Among Us games and make PowerPoints for your friend’s birthday. On campus, you’d be running from coffee dates to class and then back to coffee dates. Online, you still haven’t given up on your social life despite the fact that only one person opened your messages in the group chat. But hey, we admire your grit and commitment to your friendships!

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Mostly Bs: Ok, Zoomer

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Perhaps your friends and acquaintances are scattered throughout the globe or have wildly incompatible schedules; regardless, you schedule individual Zoom calls to keep in touch, which is so caring, but it must get exhausting to explain the story of your hell week over and over again. You may be running on exclusively black iced coffee and a healthy dose of midterm-induced anxiety, but you’re living the life. Hopefully.

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Mostly Cs: Visual Processor

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In your eyes, sending memes conveys more feeling than daily texts or an elaborate love letter — it involves paying attention to what people like, and reminds them that you think about them even when you’re scrolling through Instagram. What higher love exists than sending someone a TikTok that will make them laugh, or a meme you know that they specifically will appreciate?

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Mostly Ds: The Ghost on Among Us

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You have vanished into the unknown, and your friends wonder whether they will ever see you again! You might not mean to ghost people, but maybe you are having the time of your life (or are at rock bottom. Either works).

', [])

('

{shortcode-7cfecca4526f54240dde8430994dd22ca2b8026a}With everything that's already happened in 2020, it's hard to believe it's only October. Don't let the Halloween candy fool you, Spooky Season isn't just getting started...it's been here for a while now. Which (hopefully) means it's almost over. Even the scariest horror movies have nothing on the things we've seen this year. Take a walk through this maze to see if you can make it out!

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{shortcode-2804a39ae2ba70f11ebc5fbd9008201f7a31f71f}

', [, ])

('

{shortcode-4deedd56027ce351c21cf5c360602132ee24fa62}Isn't it wild that Halloween is here already? Whether you’re on campus or off, this is probably not how you imagined spending your spooky season this year — worry not! Use this fun bingo to pass the time and see if your COVID-inspired Halloween experience is Bingo-worthy!

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{shortcode-ea926c24f319fbaebdb5df40bd0abaeb4347365e}

', [, ])

('

{shortcode-bc13587ee82a8208f2ef59f280711f811889a091}This Halloween is feeling pretty weird, and let's be honest — we definitely feel like doing the bare minimum. Work smarter, not harder! Just update your Zoom and take this quiz to figure out which Zoom filter you should use as your de facto costume this Halloween.

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1. How excited are you for Spooky season?

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A. I live for Halloween! *insert dancing pumpkin head*

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B. Eh, October is whatev~

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C. When is Christmas?

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D. Yeah it’s cool, but tbh I am tired of pumpkin spiced things

\r\n\r\n

2. What’s your worst nightmare?

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A.The ghost of a young child haunting you

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B. A creepy clown chasing you around Harvard Square

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C. The Climate Crisis

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D. “Please turn on your camera and mics”

\r\n\r\n

3. What fall Starbucks drink are you most craving?

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A. Pumpkin Spice *(｡◕‿◕｡)

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B. Hot Chocolate ~ I can’t handle caffeine ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

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C. Black Coffee ಠ_ಠ

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D. Tea ~ I’m not like the others ~(˘▾˘~)

\r\n\r\n

4. What Disney Halloween movie do you resonate the most with?

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A. Hocus Pocus: true classics only

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B. Twitches: twins fighting evil #loveit

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C. Halloweentown: my hometown makes me stir crazy

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D. Girl vs. Monsters: midterm season me battling all my chaotic habits

\r\n\r\n

5. Which fall activity do you love?

\r\n\r\n

A. Apple and Pumpkin picking ~ yes I may have posted a pic about it

\r\n\r\n

B. Going hardcore at the Trader Joes pumpkin section: I’m talking cookies, bread, pie, waffles, and basically everything fall related that they have

\r\n\r\n

C. Uh, I don’t have one — I have like 20 things due, ask me again during J-term :(

\r\n\r\n

D. Watching the fall foliage

\r\n\r\n

6. What’s your favorite Halloweekend activity?

\r\n\r\n

A. Dressing up! ~ i have been planning this since last year

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B. Trick or Treating, but I may be too old now

\r\n\r\n

C. Snuggling up and doing a Horror movie marathon

\r\n\r\n

D. Not remembering Halloweekend

\r\n\r\n

The Results:

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Mostly A’s: “The Sweet One” — Angel Halo/Crown/Flower Filters

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Even over Zoom, your positive energy is infectious. Spread the spooky szn joy love by choosing a positive and radiant filter to represent your overall joyous aura.

\r\n\r\n

Mostly B’s: “The Basic AF” — Animal Filters

\r\n\r\n

You love the Halloween theme that’s going on, but you’re not a die hard Scream Queen Halloween isn’t that big of a deal to you, even less so online. So instead of going to your nearby Halloween store and buying that set of black cat years you always get, save yourself some money and use one of the free filters instead.

\r\n\r\n

Mostly C’s: “The Burnout” — Try the Hat Options/Cool Glasses/Pirate

\r\n\r\n

You're the definition of “hanging in there.” Sure Halloween is great, but your four psets and two essays are what’s really giving you nightmares. Try using one of the hat and face covering filters — it‘s low effort, incognito, and one less thing to worry about right now.

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Mostly D’s: “The Graduate” — Graduation Cap Filter

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You're probably an upperclassmen who’s done with Zoom Uni, or maybe just a freshman who knows what's up. This filter is the only option for you because tbh, you seem mentally done with school and most definitely done with 2020, and you’ve probably watched The Social Dilemma too many times. Use the graduation cap because you just want conv(a)cation.

', [])

('

{shortcode-036d3ccbd8498d51447d11edbf203affd692f513}The leaves are turning orange, the air is brisker, and Canada Goose jackets are emerging from the closets. It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year: Spooky Season. This year, like many, you may find yourself procrastinating your Halloween costume once again. Fret not, worried one. With these ideas, you can get a jump on the perfect Halloween costume and get back to procrastinating your work like usual.

\r\n\r\n

Hazmat Suit

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Remember the good old days in March when people would show up to class in a hazmat suit to make fun of the “pandemic?” Bring back those good old days by shielding yourself from all the negativity 2020 has brought (and it’ll also actually protect you from COVID-19, so that’s a plus). If you play it right, you could also pass off as an Among Us character, symbolizing how you’ve used the game to drown out all the stress this year has brought.

\r\n\r\n

NBA Bubble

\r\n\r\n

Wear a jersey and bring some blowing bubbles, and you can be the NBA Bubble! Bring some humor into everyone’s lives, at a time when we so desperately need it. Bonus points if you wear a Suns jersey and gripe about how they should’ve made the playoffs.

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Zoom Meeting

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Wear sweatpants and a collared shirt, and you could be everyone in 2020 during their Zoom Meetings! In my personal opinion, we should keep this dress code even after the pandemic ends. Business up top, party down below. Alternatively, just stay at home and say that your camera is turned off.

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Doomsday Survivor

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Remember when everyone was joking about 2020 being the end of the world during the wildfires? And then COVID-19 came? And then murder hornets came? After that rocky start, it could only get better from there, right? Right??

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Presidential Impeachment

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Remember the whole drama about the presidential impeachment? Yep, that happened this year, believe it or not. Get a huge peach costume and a wig, and you could be what we used to think was going to be the wildest part of 2020.

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Pandemic Graduation

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For this one, just wear a cap, mask, and pajamas. Be reminded of all the high school and college graduates that paraded through their living room with their dog, while Pomp and Circumstance played on someone’s JBL speaker.

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Stressed Out Online Student

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Can’t lie, this one seems pretty easy and effortless. If not, I’ll be happy to come and give you some pointers.

\r\n\r\n

You’ll be sure to impress with these creative costume ideas. Additionally, you’ll also be a helpful reminder to everyone about how much of a dumpster fire 2020 has been. Whatever you end up dressing up as for Halloween though, remember to stay safe wherever you are!

', [])