Fall 2021 marked the return of full in-person operations at Harvard, more than 18 months after campus first de-densified in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s a look back — in animation form — at what the fall had in store at the University.

Students arrive in waves back on campus as Tropical Storm Henri arrives in Massachusetts.

By Peggy Y. Yin

Some members of the Class of 2025, which boasts an unusually large class size, end up moving into overflow housing.

By Margaret A. Yin

Students attend their first day of in-person classes, while adhering to new safety protocols, such as masks.

By Samantha Simpson

Persistent campus wifi outages disrupt the first week of classes.

By Isabel W. Brown

There is a rise in Covid-19 cases during the first couple weeks after students arrive, forcing some students to isolate or quarantine while taking classes.

By Meimei Xu

The College, ahead of Labor Day weekend, increases the undergraduate testing cadence from once a week to three times per week.

By Annie E. Class

The gates of Harvard Yard are closed in the evening to the public through mid-October to encourage public health, drawing some criticism from students.

By Michael Hu

Some local Harvard Square businesses which closed during the pandemic, such as Blue Bottle Cafe, reopen amid students’ return. Other local businesses are inundated by customers due to staffing shortages.

By Sophia Salamanca

With cases coming under control on campus due to student observance of public health protocols, the undergraduate testing cadence drops down to twice per week.

By Emily N. Dial

—Descriptions by Yuen Ting Chow and Meera S. Nair