To the Class of 2019: The Lowdown on Camp Harvard

Hi Freshmen,

Welcome to Freshman Week, a week long welcome to Harvard. Welcome.

Many call this wonderful time of year "Camp Harvard," although this first week doesn't really have nearly as many campfires or talent shows as regular summer camps. Maybe it's because Camp Harvard has a similar amount of awkward first conversations.

What can you expect from this first week of school? Lots of free time. Be prepared to learn a lot of people's names, only to forget them within three minutes. If you're really good at names (like me), you'll keep seeing them over and over, yet you feel bad asking for their names again. I have yet to ask my roommate for his name. Just kidding. Slightly.

Freshman Week is a truly unique moment during students' four year stint in good ol' Harv. Around a month after the end of Freshman Week, it *will* be awkward to sit down with complete strangers. It *will* be awkward to ask complete strangers to text you for parties.

One tip of advice, try to make actual conversation with people. Here's a simulation of most Freshman Week conversations:

Person A: Hi I'm from D.C.
Person B: Hey. I'm from Ohio.
Person A: Dope.
Person B: Back at ya. Here, have my number. I have Rubinoff.

Painful.

Oh, and don't host parties during Freshman Week. It might make you feel cool and ~spontaneous~, but you will get shut down by your proctor, and every subsequent study break with your entryway will result in awkward small talk with your proctor, who likely thinks you're a delinquent. I speak from experience (yes I tried to be that cool kid, and it totally worked).

But in all seriousness, take advantage of Freshman Week. This is really the only time during your four years here that you legitimately don't have any responsibilities at all, and your sole job is to meet people and hang out.

Best,

Sophomore Nacho

P.S. Remember the age-old advice of not hooking up with entryway mates at First Chance Dance (you'll thank us later)!