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{shortcode-a0ec9fcf6fee01f6edcb91a2e21cbb7d8e408a5d}Though you might not be able to become a Lamonster from all those late nights “studying” this semester in that building we all miss so much, we definitely don’t want you to become a Zoomster (see what we did there? Zoom + monster!). Check out these tips and tricks for navigating your way around the traps of the Zoomster (beware!). Good luck!

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A simple rhyme: When not on Zoom, leave your room.

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Actually. Stand up. Stretch. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Maybe walk to the kitchen to grab that snack you’ve been craving all day, or even be adventurous and go for a social-distanced walk outside. Reset. You’ll need it.

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Put screen time limits on your phone.

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This is a life and time SAVER. Have you ever been mindlessly scrolling through social media only to realize it’s been two hours and you missed section? Set a time limit on social media and other time-consuming apps to make sure you spend at least a few hours technology-free.

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Phone a friend.

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For real (aka don't just call your friend and spend the time scrolling through GroupMes and Instagram while having a half-hearted conversation). Sometimes we all just need to focus our attention on anything other than Zoom and technical difficulties (arghh — how are these STILL happening?!)

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Color.

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Buy a coloring book, or just use those colorful pens you have lying around your house, and color anything and everything. Not only is it fun, but it’s also very relaxing. And guess what? No touch-screen device required!

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Whether the academic year has started off smoothly or you’ve been frantically experiencing wifi glitches, computer screens are probably your new (maybe not “best”) friends. We spend all day with them, we talk to them, and we even eat with them on a day-to-day basis (except in those classes that impose “no eating” rules, even though we’re hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away). But honestly, sometimes giving your new best friend, Zoom University, some space — aka taking some time away from the blue light that’s giving you that pounding headache — is healthy.

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{shortcode-b6ee7c804b966a6e78da8e1957909ff03d8ded73}Just because classes are on Zoom doesn't mean you can’t listen to music in between to pretend you’re walking to class! Here’s Flyby’s roundup of our favorite songs going into September. From Megan Thee Stallion to Taylor Swift, enjoy our virtual mixtape created just for you!

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And with that, we present our Fall 2020 Zoomester Playlist.{shortcode-3e823fdd8c1e1a1659fc909c49c7cbe60b1b98cc}

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/

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/

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/

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/

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•

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Like what you hear? Follow our Spotify account, where you’ll find all our playlists. Don’t like it? Tell us about it. Shoot a message to flyby@thecrimson.com, especially if you have ideas for more songs we can include.

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{shortcode-6c4fc4196ad1b2d13cf4dc03d958b4428eeaf176}After months in quarantine, we’ve grown a little tired of seeing our friends through Netflix Party, Skribbl.io, and Houseparty. Looking for a new way to communicate with your friends that doesn’t involve a screen? Read on to discover the art of the letter.

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Who do you send it to?

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Maybe you’ve been writing secret love letters that you hide in your closet, or you haven’t written a letter since elementary school. The great thing about letters is that they never go out of style, and can be sent to everyone. Send a future note to yourself, write a fun letter to your friends, or let your family know you care about them. If you’re adventurous and want to make a new friend, you can find a pen pal here!

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How do you mail it?

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Like us, mail comes in all shapes and sizes. Buy a local postcard for a little personal flair, or browse the Target aisle for the funniest card and stick a stamp on it, which can be found at your local mail center. If you’re feeling extra nice, you can even get a box and fill it with your favorite snacks to show your letter recipient that you love them. You can also buy a gift from Etsy and add a personalized note.

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What do you write in it?

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A blank piece of paper is a lot more daunting than a blue text bubble on a phone screen. But this empty canvas also holds so much opportunity to let your mind run free. If you mess up, you can just start over with a new sheet of paper instead of agonizing over that text you accidentally sent to the wrong person. If you’re writing to your family, they really just want to know you’re okay, so let them know every detail of your day, from what you ate for breakfast to your horrible Zoom class, and make sure to note how much you miss them for extra brownie points. If you’re writing to a pen pal, add some questions at the end to spice up the conversation and learn more about the receiver.

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What else could you put in the package?

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Don’t feel like writing? Send small gifts instead. For a friend group, you could thrift a cute jean jacket and send it across the country from friend to friend, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants style. At each stop, someone can add a patch or pin to it, and by the end of the year you’ll have an adorable memory. If denim isn’t your style, share some photos for wall decor, or send non-perishable snacks to your quarantine cutie.

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As classes start and the stress follows, sending and receiving letters are the perfect way to add a little slice of joy and excitement to your day. Reconnect with old friends, spice up your Zoom call with a surprise package, or meet a new friend from around the world.

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{shortcode-0c931d1e8d5c1fe40fbb63ceab6099ad54ea279c}While Harvard is fully online this year, establishing rapport with professors is still an essential aspect of the college academic experience. But what do you do when you cannot pop in spontaneously to in-person during office hours anymore? Don’t worry, Flyby has you covered with some insightful tips on how to create meaningful connections with your instructors through a computer screen.

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Office Hours: Virtual, But Still Functional

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Sure, maybe you can’t wow them with your in-person aura anymore, but that doesn’t mean you should skip their online office hours. Try to show up every week, and don’t be afraid to talk about topics beyond the classroom. Even better, you don’t have to trudge for 15 minutes through the Cambridge streets to show up!

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Classroom Participation

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It’s never easy to speak up in front of the whole class, but the students who do will stick in the professor’s mind, especially if they do it consistently. Thanks to the Zoom format, you will feel a lot less pressure while voicing an insightful comment or a thought-provoking question during the class session.

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Unique Backgrounds

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While your thoughts and conversations will be the most enticing for your professor, there’s no reason not to bring in some visual prowess and spice up your Zoom background. A bright student with a unique sense of style? Double points.

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Send Memes in Your Emails

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This depends on your instructor’s sense of humor, but if you sense a meme spirit in them, go for it. Think about how many boring, “I hope this email finds you well” emails professors get from their students every day. Drop a customized meme that relates to a course quirk or trend, and you will definitely receive some appreciation along the way.

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So, don’t despair! Whether you’re trying to secure that solid recommendation letter or make a new friend, don’t be afraid to use the full range and potential of an online education to build a strong relationship with your professors.

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{shortcode-354db51213365b6df558bf4682c477a645387f68}Of all the things we’ll miss the most this semester, Lamont definitely makes the top of the list. Who wouldn’t miss those late night study sessions-turned-hangouts-turned-all-nighters? Do you consider yourself a Lamonster? Are you craving those delectable, one of a kind LamCaf snacks and drinks? C’mon, we know you do. But even though Lamont might be hundreds or thousands of miles away, we’ve found some ways to recreate that unique ~ambiance~ at home.

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— For the times when your taste buds are feeling a bit nostalgic, try to recreate the delicious tastes of LamCaf. We know that java chip drink isn’t actually coffee, but who cares? Make it and show off that hand-crafted drink to your Zoom section :)

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— If you’re feeling like a chef, recreate one of those delicious vending machine snacks that only seem to exist in LamCaf (for real though, why do some snacks ONLY exist in Lamont and not CGIS?). Want a salty, yet sweet snack? Try making yogurt covered pretzels, or if you’re too busy finishing up that assignment or are stuck in Zoom meetings for days, order them online (that’s probably what we’ll do).

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— Though Lamont might be a library, the noises of Lamont would say otherwise. Miss finishing up that last minute paper amid people talking (yelling?) in the nooks of Lamont? Background noise comes in many forms, so check out this background music from the mindfulness genre (hopefully this three hour clip will be enough time to finish your CS50 pset!).

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— 24/7. Save your work for the last minute just like you did when you knew you could always head over to Lamont. Just kidding.

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— Recreate your LamCaf table by setting up a virtual one! For real. Send out a Zoom invite to all of your Lamont friends, bring some snacks and drinks, and study or talk until the wee hours of the morning (or until your computer runs out of charge or the 45 minutes of Zoom expire).

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Though recreating Lamont might not be exactly the same as Lamont itself, these tips and tricks will definitely help on those nights when you really do miss it. And if you’re really missing it a bit too much, print out a picture of Lamont and paste it on top of your desk for ~inspiration~. We’ll also probably be doing that too.

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{shortcode-bcf33906b3a03e4acbff77cc4540b4d3f1bb38c4}Dear Snow Day,

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Let us start with the facts. Some online digging has shown that between November and April, it snows for about 22 days every year in Cambridge. Considering that we were on campus for most of that time, it’s reasonable to hope that Harvard would have had a big snow storm at some point. In particular, we mean big enough to get class cancelled. Spoiler alert — this didn’t happen.

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We are pretty disappointed that you never came. Yes, it’s easy to be mad when snow gets in your boots and makes your socks wet, or when it piles on trees in the Yard and flies into your eyes when you take a walk. But while some people associate snow with sniffles and shivers, I like to think about the snowflakes and hot chocolate and most importantly, you.

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You probably don’t know or realize how much we miss you, but believe me, twenty-four hours of no class and complaining about the weather is exactly what every college student needs in the middle of midterm season. I don’t know what your excuses are for not happening this year. Maybe you didn’t feel like it. Maybe you were running late. Or maybe global warming just didn’t let you (I’ll forgive you if it was this one).

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A single snow day may not sound like a big deal to Northeast natives, and it’s probably not. But believe me when I tell you, many of us who come from places where it doesn’t snow have been WAITING for you for months. Now that we’re in quarantine in California or Hawaii or Florida or anywhere else with warm weather, all of us winter-wannabes will never get to meet you.

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Before you say you’ll be back next year, I must sadly remind you that the rise of Zoom may render you obsolete. Next time we’re snowed in, will it be a day of virtual backgrounds and remote class? I hope this isn’t goodbye forever, but rather only goodbye for now. As long as the snow keeps coming, we hope you will too.

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Sincerely,

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Your friends who miss you the most

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{shortcode-8156767fc4115240e2bc2f72a643ab00c7df5432}Looking to get competitive during your next club social or call with friends? Look no further — Flyby’s rounded up some multiplayer games perfect for trying out during your next Zoom call. You and your friends may be scattered across different time zones and worried about catching coronavirus, but at least these games are here to help you catch up and stay sane.

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Skribbl.io

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2-12 players

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If you haven’t played Skribbl.io yet, you’ve been missing out! Make a private room and get a bunch of your friends to join. You’ll take turns getting a word and drawing a picture for it, guessing what your friends’ drawings are supposed to be, and laughing a lot when the drawings are, uh, bad. There’s also support for custom words, so you can build your own deck of words to draw from.

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Among Us

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4-10 players

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To play Among Us for free, everyone will need to download the app on a phone or tablet. The premise is that all players are a team completing tasks to run a spaceship. One player, however, is actually an Imposter whose goal is to ruin the mission. While everyone runs around doing tasks, the Imposter will kill crewmates, sabotage ship technology, and try to keep their identity hidden. Crew members are tasked with keeping the ship running and figuring out who the Imposter is before it’s too late.

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Set with Friends

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1+ players

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This is a beautiful web app for playing the classic card game Set, and one of its developers is Harvard’s very own Eric K. Zhang ’23. In Set, cards display groups of shapes that may come in different numbers or colors. You compete to be the quickest to find triplets of cards satisfying certain rules. This may sound vague, but once you get into it, it’s hard to stop playing!

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Enigma

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4+ players

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Players are split into two opposing spy teams. Each team has four keywords they use to send encrypted messages for their teammates to decode, but beware — the other team can see your encrypted messages, too. As the rounds go by, see if you can use the enemy team’s previous messages to crack the code and figure out what their next one might say.

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Drawphone

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4+ players

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Drawphone is like Telephone, but with pictures. The game will give you all the instructions you need, so don’t worry if you haven’t played before, but the idea is that everyone starts out by making a drawing with a caption. After that, you’ll go back and forth getting drawings with no captions (and guessing what the caption should be) and captions with no drawings (and making a new drawing for it). Drawphone isn’t competitive; the goal is to just have fun! This game is best when played with very imaginative friends.

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All games have an option to play in a private room with only people you’ve invited, but if you feel like making new friends, many have opportunities to play with strangers in public rooms, too. Online games may not be the same as hanging out in person, but they definitely make the wait for the pandemic to end more bearable. Have fun!

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{shortcode-70504380f07e56c195efc1e836468335a7ac619e}Let’s be real: even for the most well-prepared students, the coronavirus has thrown a wrench into all of our plans. Along with summer travel plans and on-campus classes, COVID-19 has even taken out in-person research — restrictions are so tough that even the most hardcore pre-meds can’t get into a physical lab. Even though you envision test tubes and beakers when you think of a lab, there are plenty of remote research opportunities available at Harvard. If you’re looking to get involved in a lab or work for a professor, check out ways you can maximize your remote research experience below!

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LinkedIn Learning

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Who knew every Harvard student’s favorite social media site could be so useful? LinkedIn Learning is a free platform that offers over 15,000 on-demand courses to learn valuable skills such as Python for data science, R, Excel, market data analysis, and more. Hopefully you learn something new, but at worst, you’ll be able to brag about it to your 300+ connections.

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BioRender

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For the artistically challenged, BioRender is the perfect tool to create beautiful figures for your research projects or when you’re just feeling bored during class. Tried and true Flyby hack: try to make your professor’s face out of the provided icons when you’re bored during lecture.

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Ask a Librarian

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Our favorite and often most underutilized resources! The Harvard librarians have set up a live chat option operating from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or just submit a question over email.

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Library Shenanigans

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No, we are not referring to the stacks. To use the libraries ~properly~, check out the research guides that are fit for a variety of disciplines, digital library collections that allow you to study over six million digital objects, and Lean Library, a browser extension that gives you access to digital content available through Hollis.

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If you’re struggling with remote research, we feel you! Even though this is a new challenge, hopefully Flyby has equipped you with the tools you need to get started. And if not, don’t worry — your Nobel will still be waiting for you.

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{shortcode-b5ee39a0f2fc9c68f26afaec48911878cc317881}With the start of the remote semester, looking at old pictures of Harvard Yard and your friend’s Instagram Stories of campus aren’t cutting it anymore. We all miss Harvard, and even for those on campus, life just isn’t the same. But who says your new life can’t look a bit more like the Harvard of the past?

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Room Makeover: Home Edition

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You can admit it… you kind of miss your old twin-sized bed and, some nights, maybe even the top bunk. Have no fear: You can buy some bed risers or even make your own so that you can fit your dresser under your bed and get that dorm chic look. While you’re at it, replace your nice comfortable desk chair with one of the many famous Harvard chairs. One option is what the COOP calls the “Original Harvard Chair,” but if you want to bring the outside in, opt for one of those Harvard Yard chairs you’ve been missing a little extra lately.

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While you’re redecorating, get yourself a John Harvard replica desk statue or a beautiful print of the iconic tourist attraction — just make sure not to spill any specific liquids on this version. If you want to add a more casual touch, why not store your shower caddy in your off-campus room to remind yourself of your freshman experience? We’ve heard this look really goes well with polaroid photos you took after a long night out with some friends. Corral all your memories together and spotlight your class (or your would-be class, if you’re taking a leave of absence) and finally hang up your class photo next to your Harvard pendant, just to remind the people in your Zoom section that you are, in fact, a Harvard student.

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Bring the Dhall Home

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Who says trays are just reserved for Annenberg and upperclassman housing? Swipe into your kitchen (or show your parents your ID card), grab a tray and load up on some HUDS recreations — this way it’s easier to bring your snacks to your room anyway. If you only have a short break in between your classes and are feeling nostalgic for the quick trips to FlyBy, go ahead and pack yourself a PB&J, some carrots, or maybe even some tomato ravioli soup.

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Harvard Conversation Starters

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It’s been a while since we’ve heard the perfunctory “Let’s grab a meal sometime” line. Recreate this feeling at home by telling your parents or roommates that you should schedule a time to hangout, and pull out your GCal only to find that you’re too busy this week… maybe next week! If you’re also missing spontaneous run-ins with your friends, FaceTime or Zoom them at random times of the day to make things feel just a bit more natural.

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Add some personal Harvard touches to your childhood bedroom, off-campus apartment, or even your dorm to bring yourself back to pre-March 2020 times. But make sure to also create new memories, routines, and habits that you can bring back with you whenever we do return to campus.

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{shortcode-56b85b27373f7a1a6a795e1e95941c6f27183dee}A core component of Harvard’s Fall reopening plan is its high-frequency viral testing for everyone returning to campus, also known as sticking a giant Q-tip up your nose every two to three days. While you know the boy standing exactly 56 feet away from you in the Yard has booger-free nostrils, what happens if your COVID tests come back indeterminate or (gasp) positive?

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Testing

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For students living in on-campus housing, testing has meant receiving a baseline COVID-19 test in the Science Center upon arrival to campus, then quarantining in two phases, each corresponding to a different level of restrictions. According to the procedure, students will have completed the second phase after their third negative test. Upon completion, they’ll proceed with switching over to unobserved, self-administered tests three times a week (I guess we’re all on the pre-med track now). Students won’t receive testing results until two days later, through the Broad Institute’s online portal system (at least this one doesn’t have Duo login).

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Testing Positive

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So what if you test positive? According to HUHS’s policies on viral testing, “a medical professional from HUHS will contact you and discuss next steps. You will be required to remain in isolation for at least 14 days.” An invalid or indeterminate test means another nose swab is looming in your future. You’ll also be contacted by a HUHS medical professional and later reached out to by an HUHS contact tracer — an exciting social interaction prospect for freshmen.

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Through a 20 to 30 minute interview, the tracer will connect you to additional resources according to your needs and barriers to self-isolation, identify your proximal and close contacts over the past several days, and perform daily check-ins throughout the isolation period. Isolation locations will vary depending on your current housing situation. However, regardless of location, the protocol remains the same: Students will have to stay in their room for around 10 t0 14 days.

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If Your Friend Tests Positive

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If you test positive, the people directly exposed to you will have to receive a daily check-in and may be referred to additional testing (see this graphic for an aesthetically pleasing and informative guide). Harvard’s coronavirus policies FAQ adds that the Department of Public Health will only contact students deemed to be at an increased risk for contracting the virus because of close contact with another student who tested positive (it seems like good ol’ Harvard is selective to the end). Since all contact tracing communications through the College fall under a policy of confidentiality, it is up to each student whether, upon receiving a positive test result, they feel comfortable doing additional outreach to individuals they’re been around.

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Students Living Off-Campus

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Students learning remotely — including those living in the Cambridge/Boston area, deluding themselves that they’re living their regular on-campus lives — likely won’t receive regular screening tests. Only remote learning students with symptoms or close contact to someone who tested positive are allowed to be tested through a HUHS clinic — which may result in asymptomatic cases going unreported. Testing options also vary for remote students who have opted out of the student health insurance plan. Harvard has recommended that these individuals discuss testing options with their personal primary care physicians, especially if they experience COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms.

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Academic Concerns

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Though Harvard has expressed that a school representative will contact on-campus students daily “regarding academic support, the specifics for supporting your isolation period, and to address any other needed supports,” common practical academic concerns go largely unaddressed in email correspondence and the fall plan. College spokesperson Rachael Dane wrote in an email to Flyby that “students should notify their professors in the ordinary way. The processes for requesting extensions are no different this year than in years past. If students require medical intervention off campus, the College will continue to support students via the academic and residential support structures that are in place.”

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Furthermore, students testing positive for COVID-19 while learning remotely are on their own in trying to get guidance on these topics, even though procedures for who students should notify and how have yet to be clearly established. In the meantime, with many academic procedures unchanged or not outlined for this fall, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your House deans and professors to clarify any concerns you have sooner rather than later.

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{shortcode-9374f325fd4fb2769365a2b6abb8c4f5b75f5887}Let’s be real, at this point Harvard feels more like a vague concept than an ~actual real place~, and we have no idea what’s going on 80 percent of the time. With students scattered all across the world, clubs left on their own to figure out what virtual programming even means, and a seemingly endless list of deadlines and Zoom calls from the College, the information is endless and our inbox (or mine at least) is already at 15,000 unread messages and counting.

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The confusion may be constant, but Flyby sat down with Samyra C. Miller ’21, our favorite go-to news source (sorry News Board), to spill the tea and tell us how she keeps us all informed and, of course, entertained.

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RR: Of course, we have to start with: how does it feel to basically be holding this entire institution on your shoulders with one Instagram story?

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SM: Have you seen Riverdale? It feels like I’m one of Archie, Jughead, Bettie, or Veronica who solve all the town’s problems, even though they have all the resources they need to solve the problem, but it seems like only these little children can do the solving. I don’t know which one though — definitely don’t want to be Archie. Kinda hate Archie.

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RR: So how did this all actually start? Did you plan to make it a regular thing or did it just happen naturally?

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SM: So, I think that I’m petty. When I first started going on rants or posting things that people would respond to that I would then post, it was around my sophomore fall. At first, I was just dragging these orgs that everyone else was afraid to drag, then other people had stuff to say, so I started posting what they had to say about these orgs too. Any of the bad “-ists” or “-isms”... shut it down. I think the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I was doing a lot of posting conversations about stuff and doing polls, and that was really when people started taking a liking to it a lot more.

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RR: Did you anticipate it becoming as well-known as it is today?

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SM: In life, in general, I don’t like to have high expectations for anything. But I definitely didn’t intend or expect anything to come out of me just either airing people out or spilling some tea or getting other people’s opinions. It was never me like, sitting down at my desk and being like “How will I plan to do this?”

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RR: Have you ever talked to admin about your Instagram? Like are they aware of how much students rely on you spreading info?

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SM: They’re very happy that students are getting this information — though sometimes they’re like “I wish students would just read their emails.” Like people think I’m the ~knower of all things Harvard~, that I just know stuff, but half the time I just read the emails they send! And then I post the info from the emails. From admin, they have been trying to find a way to centralize things, and I think that they see my Instagram being that place of centralized information, which I think they appreciate, but wish that it could have been a more University-affiliated centralized way. But I know that they see it — some of them follow me, some of them respond to my stories, some of them contribute — some are even the anonymous people that y’all are engaging with and have no clue.

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RR: Do you have a favorite discussion you’ve had on your account?

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SM: This wasn’t really an actual “discussion,” but the Corona Confessions were so funny. I’m sitting here and I see everything. But the stuff people were telling me… I know so much stuff about so many people from Corona Confessions! For more impactful discussions, I think when we had that talk about colorism, I think a lot of people learned a lot. Any time we talk about final clubs, people always go off but there’s good discourse on either side. Or when Harvard’s decision came out for the spring, that was crazy. The only reason why I went live was because my DMs were blowing up so much… that I just had to go on live and let people talk.

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{shortcode-7025ed516753f2ed42489a99cf471024f3c34227}

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RR: What do you do to de-stress, both in general and especially with social media?

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SM: I’ve been doing some singing, watching Netflix (recently I’ve been watching Selling Sunset), talking to friends… I love candles, so sometimes I’ll just light a candle and go on websites to shop for clothes that I’ll literally never buy… kinda therapeutic.

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RR: Do you have ideas on how to actually make info more accessible to students?

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SM: I think if Harvard got their socials popping, if Harvard got their Twitter popping… any very public, very modern place that students are checking into that isn’t like, “Download the Omni app.” Instead of telling students to meet you somewhere, you need to go meet the students somewhere. Get a little more on Twitter, little more on Instagram, just make it a little more fun and engaging for students instead of just “Here are the deadlines for the week.” If Dean Khurana got on TikTok... Dean Khurana, I need you to get a TikTok, or Instagram Reels. I challenge Dean Khurana, I challenge Dean O’Dair, I challenge John from Annenberg. We would pay attention! Come into our world, we’re not coming to yours. We’re not going to Omni.

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RR: Any plans for how you’ll keep this going after you graduate?

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SM: So people have DMed me asking, “How are you going to make sure this info is still available when you graduate?” I don’t know! Someone was like “You need to pass the torch” — if anybody wants to do it, be my guest! Alternatively, Harvard could just get popping on Twitter. They just have to make some engaging content, and it’d be crazy! But I’m also down to pass the torch (or the little tea cup).

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RR: Best advice you would give first years or other seniors in your year?

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SM: Never make permanent decisions for temporary feelings. That’s the first one, which goes for anybody. For first years, I would say to just do what you want. When I came to Harvard, I did whatever I wanted. I used to go scream at the top of the balcony in Annenberg, I used to blast music in the dining hall, just do what you want and be yourself unapologetically. Don’t try to come here and *sssssssss* slither. You don’t have to be one like that. Just be who you want to be and not who someone thinks you should be. That might be cliche, but everything’s cliche for a reason — because it’s correct!

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RR: Is there anything else you want other students to know about your account?

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SM: What I do isn’t able to be done without people sending me stuff. It’s one thing for me to post stuff, but most of the information I post is from other people. Sure, I am the one posting it and holding the space, but y’all are the ones who contribute to that space! It’s not all on me, everybody does their part. This is a group effort!

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*cue We’re All In This Together from High School Musical*

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{shortcode-561527178d9c91065251dd9eb2b0a26f1b1eb4a1}It’s your first class of the semester, and the professor begins to run through the course expectations: camera on, stay muted unless speaking, participate in breakout rooms. You may be thinking that maybe this whole online class thing won’t be so bad: there are plenty of positives, such as watching pre-recorded labs without having to dump your mostly-full iced coffee at the door. That is, until your professor casually adds, “and no eating in class.” Well, Flyby is here to save you from your 9 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. Mondays with some snack ideas that we think you can pull off eating in class.

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Bite-sized >> Fork and Knife

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If you’re looking for a full meal, we recommend staying away from foods that require a utensil or take multiple bites to finish. Think more along the lines of poppable treats like wontons, bagel bites, or chicken nuggies. Skip the sauce to minimize any risk of spillage, and make sure to use a napkin between bites to avoid getting oil stains on your laptop. If the Trader Joe’s freezer aisle isn’t really your thing, you can also opt for small classic snacks like trail mix, grapes, crackers spread with peanut butter, berries, or dried cereal. Load these bad boys into your hand off-screen, then disguise the action of popping them straight into your mouth as a face scratch or cough cover.

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Anything in a Cup

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Bringing a cup to class is universally accepted and thus the perfect loophole to the “no eating” rule. Whip up a hearty banana-peanut butter or kale-apple smoothie and sip the day away. If you’re really scared of your professor, you can even put those bite-sized foods in a cup and tip your head back for a long swig each time you get hungry. We’ve never truly appreciated the shielding power of this dishware until now, so be creative about what you put in that cup — although our official stance is to abide by the Code of Conduct even during a Thursday evening class.

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Full Send

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If you’re in a hundred person lecture and are willing to play the odds that your face isn’t in the first grid, we recommend a full send. We’re talking a full meal of all the things you’ve never been able to eat around other people. Crunch away on pita chips and baby carrots. Chew on ice if that’s your thing! Unwrap noisy tinfoil leftovers without your classmate’s judgey side-eye. We’ve all been momentarily stunned when someone nearby opened up their tuna fish and boiled egg combo from FlyBy — now you can try it for yourself without the fear of public shame. And hey, if garlic really is the cure for all diseases like your grandma has been telling you since you were little, it’s not like worrying you’ll run into your d-hall crush is going to get in your way anymore. With a little bit of finesse and a few well-timed ducks to pick up your pencil, you can squeeze in a whole meal without disturbing any of your classmates.

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Staying focused during Zoom school is going to be tough, but snacking is a mostly harmless way to keep your mind sharp. Just be on the lookout for any general reminders from your TF that eating in class is strongly discouraged — that’s graduate school speak for “*cough cough* you there eating, stop eating.”

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{shortcode-56b85b27373f7a1a6a795e1e95941c6f27183dee}Are COVID-themed classes just adding fuel to the fire, or do they actually have some redeemable qualities? Decide for yourself...

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Love it — Maranda Ngue

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COVID-19. Coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2. No matter how you say it, you probably feel resentful about the circumstances. However, just because you’re bitter towards the virus doesn’t mean you should avoid the classes about it. These days, it wouldn’t hurt to learn a thing or two about the coronavirus, to not only understand the science but also the social and economic impacts. Adding “COVID-19” to the course title is not merely clickbait; it’s relevant information that we’re lucky to have access to.

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Sure, professors only learned these facts over the past few months, but they are also the ones who probably dedicated their entire summers to COVID research instead of TikTok, Disney Plus, and Netflix. Before you write their COVID-themed classes off as too last-minute, consider the fact that this knowledge is essential and state-of-the-art. This is the type of cutting-edge information you came to Harvard for!

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Perhaps you’re worried about the high concentration of pre-meds in a coronavirus class, aiming to strengthen their med school applications and ultimately sucking the air out of the room. While you may assume that the people in SCRB 210: “COVID-19: Science, Medicine, and Therapeutics” will make you more stressed than the virus itself, be nice— who knows, one of these Harvard kids could make the new vaccine faster than you can say “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.” Virtual networking at its finest! Still dreading these intense pre-meds? No one will know if you flick their face on your laptop screen.

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Though we hope you test negative for COVID-19, here’s to looking at the positive sides of coronavirus-themed classes. Clickbait? More like checkmate.

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Hate it — Anna M. Peters

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Every new school year comes with the debut of new course offerings. However, this year, due to the coronavirus, we not only have remote learning, but we now also have the introduction of new coronavirus-themed classes. Having mixed feelings? Take a read for all the reasons why you should not be a fan of coronavirus-themed classes.

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No Q-guide Score Report

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I’m sure that one of the first things we all do when browsing classes is to look at the Q-guide score report. The one thing that’s arguably just as, or even more, important than the class descriptions itself are the ratings. How would we know what we’re getting ourselves into if we don’t know the average number of hours of work per week, or the reviews from students who have taken the class in the past? With these new coronavirus-themed classes, you’d be jumping in blind. Enter at your own risk.

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Hits Way Too Close to Home

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What’s worse than taking a class with no Q-guide score report? Taking a class that relates to your life a little ~too~ much. We’re all sure that 2020 is going to make it into the history books of the future, but that just means that it is something to be studied at a later time.

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Just When You Thought You Couldn’t Lose Any More Hope...

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Living through a global pandemic with seemingly no end in sight is hard enough. Taking a coronavirus-themed class with the hard realities presented in front of us by a world-renowned Harvard professor does not seem like the remedy. Just when you thought you couldn’t lose the very little hope that you do have left for life to improve, these classes will not hesitate to crush it.

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If you still have your heart set on taking the GENED 1170: “Confronting COVID-19: Science, History, and Policy,” we will not stop you. But don’t say that we didn’t warn you.

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{shortcode-97c6ce885f7bdc4b31642841fcc7f145c2037fa1}Now that classes all occur over Zoom, we no longer need those 15 minutes to walk to the location of our next class. What do you do with this seemingly great, yet awkward amount of time?

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Grab a snack.

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What better way to spend those 15 minutes between classes fixing up a snack for yourself? We’d be lying to ourselves if we said that we don’t get hungry during class. Snacking may also help make the lecture feel like it’s going faster, who knows? Either way, it certainly doesn’t hurt to use that time to make a quick trip to the fridge.

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Actually go for a walk.

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For when you’re feeling particularly nostalgic, re-enact the walking to your next class by actually going for a walk. Pack your school supplies, strap on your bag, and make a quick little loop around the neighborhood. Set up in a different room and there you have it. New location, new class.

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Take a nap.

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Feeling sleepy after two consecutive classes and have another afterwards? Recharge by taking a quick 15 minute power nap, or even just by laying down. A luxury that cannot be enjoyed if it weren’t for Zoom. Just be sure to set an alarm.

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Get some exercise.

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For those feeling particularly ambitious, get some exercise in between your classes. It’ll help you feel energized and awake. Even though there may be enough time to workout in those 15 minutes, we’re not quite sure if there is enough time to get a shower in. This means that you may have to sit through the next 75 minutes in your sweaty workout clothes.

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Zoom through your readings

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It’s okay if you forgot to do your readings, we did too. Use those 15 minutes to quickly skim through. While one may say it’s procrastination, it can actually be seen as time management.

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Although we also miss using those 15 minutes to scurry by the tourists in the Yard to get to our next class, there is actually a lot that you can do in those 900 seconds. The possibilities are endless.

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{shortcode-5b00e63e9204f1f0da8b6556cafdd5821d591133}The clock doesn’t stop for anyone at Zoom Central — but what can be done for the unlucky ones no longer accustomed to Harvard Standard Time? Whether you’re an hour or two off schedule or logging onto Canvas at 3 a.m. every week, here are some tips for you to take on this remote semester with maximum efficiency.

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Snap for Naps

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While we all enjoyed a good, indulgent post-HUDS nap on campus, consider using those less-than-desirable habits to your advantage this semester! Mid-day or even evening naps will help alleviate any feelings of sleepiness if you need to be up for class at ungodly hours. By timing your naps so you clock a few Zs before nightfall, you’ll be ready to go for that midnight Zoom Breakout session without missing a beat.

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Caf-Fiend

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Whether you opt for a steaming cup of green tea in the morning or down three espresso shots in a row, get your caffeine fix right before class for that welcome boost of energy. Remember to time it (the effects generally last a few hours) with just the right amount (not too little, not too much!). You don’t want to lose the caffeine rush too quickly or be bouncing off the walls at 4 a.m. when your synchronous suffering finally ends.

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Blue Light Blues

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While blue light glasses are all the rage in this modern era of screen time notifications and Zoom calls, consider using that hurdle to your advantage. Studies show that blue light intake just before bedtime keeps you awake longer than if you had turned off your screens earlier. Consider this a “go ahead” sign to scroll through TikTok and embrace your cottagecore-filled FYP for a while with fewer regrets...just don’t forget to join your lecture when the time comes!

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Endorphins, Baby!

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Get that heart pumping and those muscles regretting by working up a sweat before nighttime! Exercise releases endorphins that keep you energized for longer, which is just what you need to keep you up for your online classes. Embrace the Chloe Ting craze from the beginning of quarantine or try some cardio yoga to stretch your tight muscles after sitting in front of your computer for so long. Note that endorphins last for just an hour or two, so consider just a quick workout right before class so you can hit the hay once you click that red “Leave this Meeting” button.

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While we may be scattered across the world, it is still possible to use the words “remote” and “successful” in the same sentence when describing this new semester. As a final inspirational mantra: May your Wi-Fi not lag and your Zoom not crash!

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{shortcode-85d47b50796ff99f42b3962ad13799201b8713df}Alright, alright, alright! The fall semester is officially underway, and it sure is different from the good ol’ days. And, yeah, we have a long list of complaints about the pandemic and remote learning, but there are a few bright sides to having your academic life turned upside down. In attempt to practice gratitude (apparently it’s “good for you” and a “healthy coping mechanism”), here’s a list of #stressful things about the normal college experience that we don’t miss one bit.

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Feeling Like the Weekends Aren’t a Break

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Ever end a week of grinding only to feel, like, a weird amount of pressure to have fun? One upside to the virtual and geographically dispersed semester is that social scoreboarding has been effectively eliminated. It’s time to let your FOMO go, because there’s really nothing to fear missing out on. Work Hard / Play Hard is a thing of the past — in the Zoom era, it’s Work Hard / Do Whatever You Want To Do (Like Maybe Those Self-Care Things You Said You’d Do If Only You Had Time!).

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Figuring Out Meals With the New Time Schedule

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While the HUDS-Cookie-Bars-shaped void in your life may be huge, this semester’s mealtimes are a welcome change of pace. Gone are the days of fruitlessly coordinating G-cals just to have a 10-minute meal overlap with a blockmate, or feeling the pressure to whip out your laptop and look busy instead of eating alone. And for the chronically overbooked, sometimes bagged lunches eaten on the way from one lecture to the next just didn’t cut it. While quality time with friends in the dhall is irreplaceable, a semester of meals on your own schedule is definitely something to appreciate. Additional bonus: you never have to hear the perfunctory “Let’s catch a meal sometime!” (fingers crossed that the phrase will be permanently retired from the campus lexicon).

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Battling It Out For the Best Seat in Class

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Finding the optimal spot for learning in a lecture or section is a seriously underrated component of in-person learning. Trying to claim the one seat in a section where you can angle your laptop away from the TF, rushing into a massive Science Center lecture hall so that you can claim a place close enough to the professor to deter yourself from getting distracted, or snagging a spot with an optimal view of your dhall crush are just a few examples of how picking a seat in class is a task both delicate and essential to learning. Of course, even if you do manage to find the perfect spot this time, you have to do it all over again next class. One of the great pains of on-campus student life is sliding into class a little late, HUDS paper cup in hand, only to find that your niche has been taken. Luckily at Zoom University, there’s no jockeying for spots! Stay in bed, take your classes outdoors, hang out with your dog during class, etc. — the seating options are limitless, so get creative with it!

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Wearing Pants

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Self-explanatory, and a strong contender for the best silver lining of virtual classes. Bonus points if you can start a competition with your blockmates to see who can avoid wearing pants for the most consecutive lectures. Mandatory disclaimer on behalf of our TFs, profs, and classmates: make sure that you remember to cover up / turn your camera off / do something to avoid flashing your ass(ets) to your section before getting up to grab a snack mid-lecture!

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It’s going to be a long year of missing your friends and wishing for a normal campus life, but, in the meantime, try to appreciate the reduced pressure of virtual academia. Stay in bed, take care of yourself, don’t wear pants, and stay healthy!

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