Prefrosh: Disguise Yourself During Visitas

Listen up, prefrosh! It's Visitas weekend, and while 1,285 of you are probably busy packing and writing heartfelt Facebook statuses about how this weekend will change your life, there are some things you need to know before you touch down in Cambridge. Here are a few tips to help you avoid looking like a prefrosh this weekend.

Ditch the Class Shirt
The lives of college students pretty much depend on giveaways and promotions. Whether it’s water bottles and mugs, t-shirts, or food, we will do pretty much anything for free stuff. So we understand that you were excited to get your free Class of 2018 shirt after you got in. But please leave it at home. There is no need for you to broadcast your class year across your chest. You’ll be so excited and well-rested compared to all of the other students on the Harvard campus that you’ll have no problem picking each other out in a crowd.

Don’t Reveal Yourself as a Facebook Stalker
Facebook celebs. Every class has them.  They’ve swamped your notifications for the past few months, and while you really want to hate them, sometimes you find yourself actually liking one of their posts. However, this DOES NOT give you the right to admit that you’ve spent hours Facebook stalking them. When you meet them, don’t say “Hey! I know you from Facebook!” It’s mildly creepy and suggests that you spend just as much time online as they do. Kindly ask them what their name is and where they’re from, even if you already know the answer. The same goes for Twitter, Instagram, and all other social media.

Don’t Say “Hahvahd”
This one applies to everyone, not just prefrosh. Having grown up in Boston, there is nothing worse than hearing non-locals say—or try to say—“Hahvahd Yahd.” You may think you’ve perfected your Boston accent, but you’re very wrong. The accent is an art, and even the most experienced actors have trouble with it. So please remember to pronounce your R’s, and don’t you dare call it “Bean Town.”