Mirika J. Jambudi ’27

My Visitas weekend started with me walking to the Science Center in the pouring rain, carrying my suitcase and sleeping bag, to find my host, who told me to find my way to her dorm in Canaday. I ended up stashing my stuff in a corner of the Science Center, hoping no one would steal it. Visitas was definitely off to a great start. I walked around campus in the pouring rain, collecting free stickers and random pens that I most definitely didn’t need. At one point, I am pretty sure I called my mom on the phone because I felt so lonely and lost. However, things took a turn after this teary phone call, and I won a Patagonia quarter zip at Felipe’s for a consulting club. I later found myself at the observatory at night, gazing at the expansive Boston skyline and taking in the view. However, what I remember most about Visitas was an interaction at the academic fair the next day. A girl I had met remembered my name and told me that she hoped I would come to Harvard — which is how I ended up meeting one of my best friends here. Reflecting on Visitas three years out, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and overstimulated — this weekend is not at all reflective of what college will actually be like. Come into this weekend with an open mind — explore all the activities available, talk to everyone you meet, and definitely visit the observatory.

Ava H. Rem ’27

My Visitas weekend began swimmingly at Clover Food Lab in the Science Center. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, good. I wouldn’t suggest paying Clover a visit, but that’s because I’m still salty about being abandoned there for FOUR HOURS. By the same host who walked me to her dorm in Pfoho once and told me I’d “figure out” my way back. Right. So I ended up getting lost on my way back to Quad after singing my heart out at the silent disco (which all you pre-frosh should highkey attend). But just when I thought that I was a goner, the girls I had met at check-in that morning serendipitously spawned behind me, also lost. Together, we ended up taking an even more roundabout detour and found ourselves in a nearby park yapping for hours. Moments like these are what I remember most now, three years out from my pre-frosh days. So instead of focusing too much on what goes wrong, find the silver linings and let yourself get lost (within reason—please don’t end up at MIT). You never know what conversations this may lead you to!

Wyatt G. Croog ’27

As the perfect poster child for this small liberal arts school in Cambridge, my Visitas experience was, naturally, flawless. The whole weekend was basically one long montage of me wandering around campus insisting to strangers that I was going to triple major (Folklore and Mythology, ESPP, and Social Studies of course), while being spiritually assaulted by private school kids with frighteningly strong handshake technique, IOP enthusiasts who somehow wanted to discuss politics once I said I was from DC, and my host, who lived on the top floor of Lev Tower (the elevator was broken). However, in a beautiful testament to how incredibly not bad Visitas was, I somehow ran into my Visitas friend group while hiding from a sudden downpour in the Widener lobby. So to the prefrosh: talk yo sh*t. If Visitas feels overwhelming, that just means it’s working. Cry, get lost, lose contact with your host, seek shelter in a random building, threaten to attend a rival institution, and keep going. You may just stumble, emotionally exhausted and rain-soaked, straight into your forever home.

Emerson L. Giese ’27

Let me set the scene: It’s a rainy day in April of 2023. The sun is hidden behind dark, ominous clouds. I’ve just dropped my bags off with my lovely Class of ’26 host in Straus Hall, which would, interestingly enough, become my own freshman hall (I hear there’s a direct correlation between Visitas housing to actual housing… sorry Quad pre-frosh). I walk into the Science Center, which is flooded with people all wearing bright red lanyards, buzzing excitedly. I find the line for people with the last name G. I don’t know anyone, but everyone is so friendly, and I easily fall into conversation with the two girls standing in front of me and the guy behind me.

These are the only friends I have ever made at Harvard. These are my blockmates, suitemates, and, generally, the only people I have had positive interactions with during my three years at school. The moral of the story is, if you don’t lock in while getting your key and lanyard, you’re screwed. Good luck!

Christiana L. Zembrowski ’28

My experience at Visitas was spent running away from my host, who lived all the way in the towers in Leverett that I couldn’t locate, from private school kids I just didn’t vibe with, and from crazy government-concentrator-IOP fanatics (no, I don’t have LinkedIn, and no, I don’t want to talk about my SAT score with you). All alone on a campus I never toured because I never thought I would get in, I found myself hiding from the sudden onslaught of hard rain in the sanctity of Widener stacks, calling my mom, crying that I would just go to Y*** instead (LOL). I eventually pulled myself together and marched myself all the way to the Quad to try my hand at one last Visitas event before throwing in the towel and sleeping in my parents’ hotel room. In some stroke of luck, I met my soon-to-be best friend and future blockmate in front of our soon-to-be home (shoutout Pfoho!). So to all the pre-fosh—hang in there! Don’t be afraid to freak out, cry, and run away sometimes, because you might just run right to your forever home.

Grace E. St. Laurent ’28

During my first three hours of Visitas, I was convinced I was absolutely not going to Harvard. I ended up in a group of pre-frosh who were all from the same group of private schools, who were comparing their SAT scores and Ivy League acceptances. Don’t take this to heart, though. Know that everyone is just a little insecure, and everyone feels a little out of place. Try to find people you genuinely like (I met one of my blockmates at Visitas!), but know that, however “on the outs” you feel, there is a place for you at Harvard. It’s also totally okay to break from the group you met in the first hour; everyone is searching for friends and free food/merch. My top Visitas recommendation: go to the observatory open house. It’s super cool not only to see the telescopes but to overlook Harvard’s campus at night. Core memory.

Cristian D. Dominguez ’28

After managing to have the least stressful Visitas possible two years ago–oh wow, I’m old–I have a fool-proof plan on doing Visitas right for you pre-frosh babies. Book that hotel room: I was NOT about to sleep on the floor of some random student’s Kirkland dorm, so I decided to get a hotel room with my cousin, who came with me to explore Boston. After the stress of running around Harvard all day, it was the perfect way to relax. Ignore everyone for a day and take Instagram pictures: So I actually only participated in Visitas on one day, because the other I spent exploring campus and making my cousin take pictures of me for my Instagram decision post. Yes, it is that serious. Yes, the San Antonio girls were living. No, I don’t regret one thing. That’s it. That’s the plan. I know what you’re probably thinking: “How can a full-proof plan have only two steps?” Well, it probably can’t, but sometimes the best plan is no plan. Visitas is truly such a fun time and a core memory of mine, and it’s something everyone does in their own way. So have fun, don’t get scammed out of $20 for a fake party, and make good decisions–like committing to Harvard, obviously.

Aerin Chen ’29

Let’s just say that nothing has traumatized me more than the IOP ice cream event at Visitas 2025. Something about spending an hour waiting in line for no ice cream sums up that weekend. Add on being yelled at by a professor, questionable food, and being freezing half of the time. You know what? On the bright side, my actual Harvard experience has been slightly better, so don’t fret. Instead of wasting an hour in line to catch IOP celebs, I can do that without any lines #celebstatus. Just make sure to stop by The Crimson to learn all about Flyby <3 That’s what I wish I did….

Olivia R. Nelson ’29

In an effort to stress you out, I did meet my best friend at visitas. Unfortunately, this is less of a horror story and more a threat to get yourself out there. I know you might be asking: “omg Olivia, how, amidst the most overstimulating weekend you will ever experience, did you eke out a successful friendship?” I walked up to her at the Harvard COOP and complimented her outfit. Call me a girls girl (or maybe a freak) pulling the “i love your ___” card out so fast, but the basic line was clearly worth it. Now, I am not a bold person whatsoever. BUT, the female intuition just knew we needed some introduction. Even though we didn’t speak again until, like… a week before move-in, one text from the contact “Visitas friend” and suddenly I’ve got another best friend.

Won-Gyeom Yang ’29

For someone who had a track meet the same week and lived a bit too far away (in South Korea) to attend Visitas, the following advice is based only on what I’ve heard. But, as it turns out, most of them happen to be true! Don’t worry about making all your college friends at Visitas, and especially don’t worry about mastering campus geography (trust me, no one really knows where they’re going before they graduate). Enjoy being a pre-frosh and remember that once those semesters begin, you will find a new home and new friends that hopefully will say, “I met you at Visitas right? I’m so happy to see you again!” In all seriousness, congratulations to everyone who made it here! I hope you join Harvard and Flyby :) Oh, and the weather? What you are probably seeing this weekend isn’t even the worst version…

Charlotte R. Feigin ’29

I might have prioritized the weekend before prom over Visitas, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have thoughts. I’m personally excited for Annenberg’s generational lock-in, Flyby’s riveting coverage of the event, and Harvard students’ performative (read: merited) hostility toward Y*le. (Oh, and I guess I’ll be hosting some pre-frosh, too. So excited to meet you all!)

Seriously, take this weekend with a grain of salt. Cryptically speaking, one weekend isn’t representative of the four years you’ll spend here. Then again, who am I to speak? Maybe it is. (To modify a quote from Mean Girls’ legendary Damian Leigh, “She didn’t even go to Visitas!”) From what little I do know, Visitas is unlikely to make or break your college experience. (Unless you choose another school. Then it’ll haunt you for the rest of your days.) Have fun this weekend!

Ally Hwang ’29

My Visitas experience, you may ask? One, the weather was way too gloomy and cold for me to be cheerful and constantly socialize, and I later learned that this was completely okay. And two, I learned from experience that you do not have to worry about already making friends this weekend, because I guarantee that not every person you meet will end up attending Harvard. Pro tip: don’t just explore everything on campus and the Square, but also check out Boston on the T! It’s normal to also be overstimulated and overwhelmed, but it all works out in the end to your favor. Talk to everyone (including upperclassmen) and don’t hesitate to make the most out of your short weekend. Wishing everyone the best of luck!

Grace Huang ’29

“HI SAN FRANCISCO” was the first thing I heard when I exited the Uber I took with a bunch of strangers/fellow Visitasers (the work of my lovely but quite paranoid mother). I’m not a NorCal girlie, but I had come straight from St**ford’s admit event and dropped 60 bucks on a San Francisco zip-up at the airport after checking Cambridge’s weather. (I don’t care that you packed a sleeping bag. BRING THY JACKET.) Anyways, with that giddy pre-frosh smile, San Francisco confusedly dragged her luggage toward the voice and shuffled over to join the huddle outside Annenberg. As with many things, I only remember the beginning of Visitas like the pre-frosh I met at check-in, whom I occasionally see and wave to in the Yard. My tip is to just sit back and let this fever dream happen to you. Don’t compare it to other schools’ admit events, because those are propaganda. This school has grown on me since all the chaos of Visitas, and I think it will on you too <3

Gabi C. Tien ’29

If you are coming to Visitas more scared than excited, I too was once in your shoes. I had never been to the campus before, nor did I know anyone who was attending. So, needless to say, I had some low expectations. Looking back, it was a joyful, chaotic time, but I certainly have regrets and advice for the youngins. First off, take advantage of the free stuff! Now is the time to get your free tote bags, stickers, Red Bulls, and literally anything else that is thrown your way. Second, ask for directions to the Quad! I got really lost and couldn’t figure out the shuttle system, and somehow ended up at the law school. Also, be sure to make that Veritaffle! Almost four years later, I have only made one Veritaffle to this day because the brunch line is always too long. I so wish I had my Harvard-stamped waffle to flaunt off to my family when they asked what I did during Visitas. Finally, expect the unexpected. The unknown is scary, but it is so exciting. Who knows, that one girl you were scared of at the Academic Fair could end up being one of your closest friends…