We Solved the Class of 2025 Housing Problem

The incoming Class of 2025 might have conquered the lowest admission rate in the history of Harvard College, but thanks to quarantine leaving more than 57,000 high school seniors just bored enough to apply — 15,000 more than in previous years — the low rate still translates into a whole lot of first years. Add to that the 349 students in the Class of 2024 who escaped a year of Zoom by deferring their admission last year, and the College now faces the challenge of accommodating way too many wide-eyed first years in potentially way too little campus housing.

Unless Harvard plans to move from socially-distanced pandemic-era singles to packing first years into Greenough like sardines, it’s going to need to rework its housing situation fast. Luckily, Flyby is here to help. Dean Khurana, here are a few suggestions to consider as you plan for the fall:

The New Science and Engineering Complex

Yeah, the trek to Allston won’t be ideal for first years on their way to Annenberg, but the STEM kids will be right at home. Besides being the newest building on campus, the SEC offers dozens of state-of-the-art lab spaces — what could sound more cozy than that? Like in most dorms in the Yard and the River Houses (Quad pride), first years in the SEC will still have to sleep side-by-side with rodents, but at least the lab mice can be classically conditioned to stop scampering across the room all night.

Cabot Library Second Floor

Let’s not act like people didn’t already pull all-nighters here. Truly ideal for all of the incoming STEM babies: Annenberg is 20 steps away, the stairs serve as a built-in gym, and the floor to ceiling windows give an unbeatable view of the sunrise over the Yard. Everything serves a double purpose, including the pset buddies who double as snuggle buddies on those chilly Boston winter nights. All the amenities you need within a 20-step radius makes Cabot Library prime real estate.

The “Totally Not Haunted” Rooms Above Annenberg

We’re still not entirely sure what these rooms are used for, but living in a 19th century High Victorian Gothic tower sounds like step one of being in a horror movie. With a creaky elevator and countless dusty stained glass windows, even the smell of Red’s very, very, very Best Catch from downstairs might not be enough to ward away the ghosts. Still, first years living up here will be first in line for breakfast every morning and get the most spacey, historic rooms on campus. And after all, what is a ghost but a bonus roommate?

Houseboats (Dormboats?) on the Charles

Row, row, row your dorm gently down the stream! Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, why’s the water green? 🤢

Observatories On Top of The Science Center

A step away from Cabot Library, the Loomis-Michael Observatory dorms would epitomize the home/work divide. Surrounded by metal, first-years will feel right at home in the warm ambiance. The views are out of this world (literally) — just mind the giant telescope as you toss and turn. The only downside here is the influx of Insta pics of the observatory sky views.

Quad Lawn

Remember those giant white tents that started popping up at college campuses at the beginning of the pandemic? Hear us out, Harvard’s 18th first-year dorm: Quad Lawn. All it takes is a large tent and some inflatable beds, and we’ll have the new 10-man (heating not included). It will fit right in with the rest of the not-on-the-Yard Union dorms, so the UC won’t have to worry about extra council representation. FOP-pers will, of course, get first-dibs on this year-long outdoor adventure.