Looking Back, Looking Forward

It is Saturday, May 26, just before 10 p.m., and the Class of 2001’s last set of undergraduate finals are finally over. In Quincy 628, a group of seniors are excitedly preparing for the party they will host later that night.

Mark E. Lee `01 is painting the theme of their party, “The Dump,” with a mixture of Tide and Wisk on the wall to reflect the black lights they have set up.

“This is going to be the best-smelling party you’ll ever find,” Adam B. Scheuer `01 says.

Lee, Scheuer, and Frederick H. Turner `01 have been friends since freshman year and blockmates for the past three years.

“The word I’ve been telling everyone [about graduation] is bittersweet,” Turner says. “There’s a feeling of sadness and overwhelming nostalgia--that’s the bitter part, of course. The sweet part is the excitement, the feeling that you’re so ready for the world.”

Scheuer agrees, putting in his two cents about the excitement of finally graduating and moving beyond the University’s gates.

“I’ll certainly miss Harvard later, but for now it’s time to move on,” he says. “Each year I feel like I’ve been rising--each year has been better and better.”

The three of them agree--four years is a perfect length.

But before going their separate ways, seniors are cherishing their last two weeks together as carefree college students without the burden of studies or work. After four years, the seemingly neverending rush of classes, jobs, extracurriculars and applications that is Harvard life is finally over, leaving seniors precious little time, in between class events like the Booze Cruise and the Last Chance Dance, to take it all in.

“For these past few weeks, we’ve been trying to make every second count, making an effort to go out together more,” Lee says.

On Sunday May 27, the guys and a group of their senior friends headed to Lee’s house in Guilford, Conn.

“We’re each going to be doing our own thing in the future, and [going to my house] is an effort to create an annual event, so this is the first installment of a regular reunion,” Lee explains.

Scheuer has been trying to capture their last few days together literally, on film.

“I’m trying to make a home video of all our memories,” he says. “I have a camcorder and I’ve been videotaping stuff, a cheesy sort of thing that will be set to the popular songs in the past four years.”

Reflecting over their Harvard experience, Scheuer and Lee wax nostalgic.

“I’m going to miss the people the most. You can get an education anywhere, but the best thing here is the people,” Scheuer says.

“I’d say I learned to become more outgoing, more excited to meet new people,” Lee says. “I never thought I’d be so close to such a small group of people. We’re like a family.”

Nearby in room 629, Elizabeth D. Wilcox `01 and Jane J. Zhu `01, friends of the three guys across the hall, are trying to mix the perfect punch for the party the two rooms are throwing.

“How have we changed since freshman year?” Wilcox asks.

“We drink now--a lot more,” laughs Zhu in reply.

In a more serious, reflective tone, Zhu reminisces about her four years at Harvard.

“We’ve found our boundaries, and we’ve gotten to know each other a lot more. We’ve taken four more years of classes, we’ve had four more years of roommate issues to deal with, we can get around the school now--you just know what’s up,” she says. “You know the booklet you get freshman year called “Everything I would do over if I could do it again”? Well, it’s all true, but you don’t know that as a freshman.”

Their blockmate, Abraham J. Wu `01, says Harvard has shaped his character.

“You know the ‘broadening your horizons’ cliché--well, that actually happened to me,” he says. “Friendships and experiences have forced me to define myself a lot more.”

Wilcox turns a little more somber when she thinks of all of her friends moving on.

“We’re all going very separate ways, some of us are even going to different countries,” she says. “How are we going to keep in touch? I prefer not to think about it.”

“We’ll be there to be each other’s bridesmaids. Rebecca is going to get married first,” Zhu says with a smile as their roommate, Rebecca A. Rakow `01, walks in the room.

“I’m going to get married first? That’s a lie,” she disagrees emphatically. “Actually, there’s a bet between Amy, Eunice, and I about who’s going to get married first. It’s going to be Eunice.”

They all laugh for a few seconds, and then get back to the preparations for their party.

“We have no money left, but we’re having fun throwing parties anyway,” Wilcox says. “We figure the seniors need to party more.”

And the group has been savoring every last moment together.

“We’ve all made a point of having more group outings together,” Wilcox says. “It’s so much fun now, I just want to meet everyone.”

Looking back on her time at Harvard, Rakow says firmly, “I have no regrets. There’s not one thing I would change.”

--Staff writer Sumi A. Kim can be reached at sakim@fas.harvard.edu.