Looking Back, Looking Forward

                I’m sorry I’m posting this so late; things have been pretty busy recently. Between finals, packing, and heading home, my schedule has been pretty full. I am happy to say, though, that I am curled up on the couch in my very own living room, with the tree a few yards away and Christmas decorations galore surrounding me.

            Finals, I will say, I think went well, though I won’t know until later. My physics project presentation went well, I finished my Hebrew essay, and the philosophy final was a lot of writing, but nothing unexpected. Because Harvard classes don’t post grades throughout the semester, I’m very in the dark about some of my scores, but hopefully no major surprises are in order.

            I also went to quite a few holiday parties last week. My a cappella group had our Christmas party, complete with food and Secret Santa gifts. This also included elections and switching over of responsibilities, so I’ve passed down my position as treasurer. I’m glad I was able to take the position, but it will be nice not having to worry about that through the coming year.

            My entryway also held, as our tutor* put it, a “wintertime festival of nondenominational joy,” which much like a Christmas party included a lot of unhealthy food, pictures, and an optional gift exchange. It also gave me a chance to say goodbye to all my floor-mates, whom I won’t see for quite a while, since I’ll be gone next semester.

            My parents arrived on Saturday night, and we met up before church on Sunday. We spent most of the rest of the day packing. Once the hassle of packing and paperwork was over, we were able to go see the Boston Pops in concert and visit a few of the Harvard museums. And then, last night, I hugged my blockmate* goodbye, grabbed my bags, and headed off with my parents to their hotel. We set out early this morning for Texas, and after several hours of flying and several hours of driving reached home.

            It was a rather unceremonious departure – I didn't feel like I said a proper goodbye to Harvard, and I won’t see her until next September – but all the same, I’m glad to be home, and looking forward to spending Christmas with my family before heading out for the adventure that is study abroad. Before I go, though, one more factoid about Harvard.

            What do people scribble on the back of bathroom stall doors at Harvard? People list the Harry Potter books, quote CS Lewis, and theorize on what makes the greats great. Then there are the people who helpfully comment that with this sort of scribbling on the back of stall doors, they can understand why people want to kill themselves. And then there are people who scribble their numbers and offer anonymous support for anyone who really does feel tempted by suicide. People do care here.

            One of the most wonderful things about Harvard, one of the things I’ll miss the most, is the conversation. You can walk through a dining hall and people will be discussing the political situation in South Africa or Nietzsche’s conception of morality or the newest Nobel-prize-winning discovery in physics or a bunch of other things in languages you don’t even recognize. However, if you get on a shuttle back to your dorm at one in the morning, conversations are a little different. We’re no supermen. Or as we like to put it, we’re people too.

            We cover the spectrum here at Harvard. On my floor alone, people have engaged in passionate discussion on the ethicality of government surveillance or the impact of racism in academia. There have also been zealous debates on the efficacy of dish soap in unclogging toilets (there was an entire think-tank discussion on this). Everything is open to improvement, after all.

            I’ve spent a year-and-a-half at Harvard now, and it really has started to feel like home. I’ve made good friends, found my favorite places, put down roots. This was a hard semester, but I’m coming out of it with more than I started with. And now it’s time to rest, relax, and look toward the future – study abroad, here I come!

*tutor - the adult overseeing each floor in upperclassmen dorms (in freshman dorms they're called proctors, and they're for each entryway)

*blockmate - someone with whom you arrange your housing; in this case something between a roommate and a suite-mate. I explain more in previous posts.