A Cheat Sheet for College Reminiscing

A lot has happened at Harvard during the past four years—perhaps more than some seniors can remember. However, there are some events that most seniors (and underclassmen) will remember long after college ends—some funny, some tragic, and some historic. Here are 10 of those memorable events from the past four years at Harvard.

1. The Kirkland Shooting

The Kirkland shooting of Justin Cosby was perhaps the most memorable event of the past four years, taking place in May 2009.

2. The Election of Obama

News of Obama's election in the fall of 2008 brought about celebration among most of the students at Harvard.

3. Endowment Drop and Budget Cuts

This year's seniors felt the effects of the drastic decrease in Harvard's endowment over the past four years, as spending on everything from faculty to hot breakfasts was cut.

4. Election of Drew Faust

The class of 2010's freshman year was dominated by news stories about the search for a new Harvard President following the resignation of Larry Summers in February 2006. In February 2007, Drew Gilpin Faust was unanimously confirmed as Harvard’s first female president.

5. Swine Flu Scare

Numerous students were quarantined in UHS, and hundreds scrambled for flu shots in light of the swine flu scare in the Fall of 2009.

6. Introduction of J-Term

The introduction of J-Term in the 2009-10 school year represented a drastic change from the schedule that current seniors experienced during their first three years at Harvard.

7. Introduction of Gen Ed

After much deliberation, the college announced in the fall of 2007 that the new program in General Education would replace the Core Curriculum, starting with the class of 2013.

8. Development and Construction in Allston

Between the promise of new undergraduate housing and a science center, the stop of construction, and the many development projects, this year's seniors have undoubtedly heard about Allston regularly since they stepped foot on Harvard's campus.

9. Scabies Outbreak

Although it may not have directly affected their class, most seniors will probably recall—most likely with humor—the outbreak of scabies in Pennypacker in October 2007.

10. Changes to Admissions and Financial Aid

This year's senior class was the second to last class to have early admissions and was one of the first to experience the benefits of the new financial aid initiative announced in December 2007.