College Life
University Temporarily Restricts Access to Harvard Yard
The University is closing Harvard Yard to the public every evening through mid-October, requiring affiliates entering the Yard to show their Harvard ID to security guards between 5 p.m. and 3 a.m., during which only Johnston, Thayer, Widener, and Solomon Gates are open.
After Undergrads Rally for Shopping Week, Teaching Fellows Reiterate Job Uncertainty Concerns
Earlier this month, a petition gained more than 1,300 signatures in support of shopping week, the system in which students browse courses the first week of class prior to registering. Students rallied to preserve shopping week last Tuesday, marking the first day of voting in the referendum.
Yard Closure
Harvard security guards stop those passing through the North Gate of Harvard Yard to ask for Harvard identification in order to enter.
Classroom Protocols Effective at Preventing Covid-19 Transmission, HUHS Says
The positivity rate for Covid-19 on Harvard’s campus dropped to 0.16 percent over the past week, and the University said it has yet to identify a positive case caused by transmission in the classroom.
Harvard Musicians Report Challenges with Covid-19 Restrictions
Musicians at Harvard, who returned to in-person classes, rehearsals, and performances this month following a long hiatus, are encountering new challenges complying with the University’s Covid-19 guidelines.
Students Weigh Return to Campus Social Life As Pandemic Rages On
While some students said they are eager to have the social life they envisioned before the pandemic’s onset, others are treading carefully, according to interviews with more than a dozen undergraduates.
John W. Weeks Bridge
A student reads while others bike and admire the sunset on the John W. Weeks Bridge near Dunster House this past Monday evening.
‘Exactly What I Needed’: Gap Year Students Reflect on Year Away from Harvard
With the return of all undergraduates this semester, many students who took a gap year said they are returning to campus with new life perspectives and updated goals for their time at Harvard.
With Return to Campus, Low-Income Students Navigate Finding Jobs
As students return to somewhat normal life on campus, many must search for employment — a task that students interviewed said has proven especially challenging this fall.
New Cultural Organization Creates Home on Campus for Bengali Students
Students from Bangladesh and West Bengal joined together during the Covid-19 pandemic and founded the Bengali Association of Students at Harvard — a new space for Bengali students to connect with their cultural roots.
Harvard Tour Groups Continue Modified Operations Under Covid
The Harvard Visitor Center will continue to suspend official in-person tours due to ongoing concerns about Covid-19, though in-person classes have resumed.
Students Report Concerns With Harvard’s Contact Tracing, Isolation Housing
When Harvard brought a limited number of undergraduate students back to campus in fall 2020, it promised a robust, in-house contact tracing system would limit exposures to the coronavirus and that comfortable accommodations would be provided for those who needed to isolate after testing positive.
Freshmen Report Social Isolation, Declining Mental Health Amid Pandemic
This final installment of The Crimson’s survey of the Class of 2025 examines how freshmen have experienced the coronavirus pandemic, their vaccination trends, and views on coronavirus policy.
Twenty Years Later, Faculty, Alums Recall Experiencing 9/11 at Harvard
Twenty years after the attacks of Sept. 11, Harvard affiliates recall what campus was like following the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the U.S. Pentagon and the hijacking of four planes.
Freshmen Split on Defunding Police, Other Hot-Button Political Issues
This third installment of The Crimson’s four-part survey of the Class of 2025 examines their beliefs on politics, religion, and Harvard issues, as well as aspects of their lifestyle, such as sex, drugs, mental health counseling, and technology.
After Months Apart, Performing Art Groups Tackle In-Person Programming
Performing arts groups are reimagining ways to safely perform during the pandemic and attract audiences who have not attended in-person student performances in 18 months.
College Postpones Crimson Jam Concert Indefinitely Amid Covid-19 Surge
Crimson Jam — an annual concert and block party organized by the College Events Board — would have featured performances in Harvard Yard Friday night by student bands and headliner B.o.B.
Survey Finds Class of 2025 Disproportionately Wealthy
Though they are starting their college careers amid a pandemic that shows no sign of abating, in other ways the Class of 2025 is similar to classes that came before it.
WiFi Outages Resolved After HUIT Software Fix
The WiFi issues — which began on Tuesday and continued through Thursday — coincided with the start of classes on Wednesday, forcing some students to rely on wireless hotspots to attend virtual courses and submit online assignments.
‘A Turning Point’: Harvard Hikes Testing Requirements Amid Campus Covid-19 Surge
Harvard increased the frequency of coronavirus testing for affiliates living in undergraduate housing Thursday, citing a surge of new cases less than two weeks since students returned to campus and on the third day of classes.
Students Complain of Crowded Shuttles, Long Wait Times
As students traversed Harvard's campus during the first week of in-person classes, some reported negative experiences on University shuttles, citing long wait times and crowded rides.
‘It’s Just So Different’: Harvard Students Return to the Classroom After 18 Months
After more than a year of Zooming into classes from across the world, Harvard undergraduates walked into classrooms Wednesday to start their fall courses.
College Returns to In-Person Convocation, Invites Freshmen and Sophomores
Sporting dresses, suits, and class pins, hundreds of students processed into Tercentenary Theatre for the College’s annual Convocation Tuesday. A few hours later, hundreds more did the same.
Athletes to Submit Additional Covid Tests Under Policy Allowing Maskless Competition
Harvard will require its student athletes to undergo additional Covid-19 testing as the College resumes athletics competition this fall.