Keeping it Real: J-term Plans that are Actually Happening

Paper, reading, midterm, paper, rinse, repeat–after a semester of arduous and sometimes tedious work, for many students, J-term is a welcome break from the frenetic pace of Harvard life. But it’s definitely not a reason to go into hibernation. While many J-term activities may not be officially organized by the University–students and student groups alike are taking the time to focus on what they really enjoy.

“We work so hard in the first semester and so hard in the second semester it’s kind of ridiculous to think of doing work for another for weeks. I understand that there are some people who would want to do work but I’m not one of them,’ said Matthew J. DaSilva ’12, who plans to participate in the A.R.T program.

This J-term, DaSilva plans to participate in the American Repertory Theater’s (A.R.T.) Institute for Advanced Theater Training, which will be giving undergraduates the opportunity to experience three weeks of the instruction it offers to graduate students throughout the year.

For students interested in community service, the Philips Brooks House Association is offering a range of activities for students looking to get involved over J-Term.

A number of the programs operating under PBHA’s purview, including the Small Claims Advisory Service, Boston Refugee Youth Enrichment, and the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, will continue to serve the community during the school recess.

“We’re basically keeping programs that need to be running during January in operation. As far as the programs changing in structure, I think the only real change is that students will have flexibility in what days they choose to volunteer, and be able to devote a little more time than they might be able to do in the semester to each project,” said PBHA President Richard S. Kelley ’10.

PBHA’s Habitat for Humanity is also sending two groups of 12 students to Izabal, Guatemala and New Orleans, LA from January 10-24.

Outside of PBHA, Tracy T. Han ’11 and Matthew C. Mulroy ’12 have initiated their own community service J-term project. They are currently organizing a group to travel to the Dominican Republic to work in a small community on water sustainability in partnership with DR Water and the Harvard Project for Sustainable Development.

“Maybe there would have been more established grants that we could have applied to, but I think the inspiration for this project comes from our own individual experiences and the way that we networked and designed the project comes from our own experiences,” Han said.

Harvard Hillel will also be taking students abroad, offering a Taglit Birthright trip to Israel.