Virtual Reading Period: Ideas for On and Off Campus

Another semester has Zoomed by, and it’s now Reading Period! After so many months of online lectures and eyestrain, the end is near. Now that you’ve deleted all your classes from your G-Cal (the satisfaction!), here are a few suggestions on how to spend the next seven days before final exams take over your life.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Take an afternoon off and visit one of the most beloved art museums in Boston, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. If you’re living on campus, you can take the M2 for free, and there is no admission fee for those carrying a Harvard ID. If you’re still not convinced, the museum is a prime spot to take your next Instagram picture, or at least post on your story to let your acquaintances know that you are indeed #cultured.

Arnold Arboretum

The Arnold Arboretum is a free public park in Boston and is a wonderful place to get away from your laptop screen for a while. Plus, being surrounded by nature is known to reduce unpleasant feelings such as stress and fear, and with so many deadlines around the corner, who doesn’t need that? For the poor souls with an organic chemistry final coming up, the greenery is definitely more aesthetically pleasing than the carbon ring structures you’ve been staring at defeatedly all semester.

Spa and Movie Night

Maybe you’re not living in Cambridge, or you simply don’t have the motivation to change out of your pajamas. If you fall within these categories, you can spend a night indoors spoiling yourself with face masks, mani-pedis, and several hours of Ginny & Georgia (which is officially renewed for a second season!!!). Although this activity can be fun with friends, both over Zoom and in person, it’s also a great opportunity to have some alone time and unwind before due dates hit you like a truck.

Virtual Dance Workouts

It’s been so long since you’ve put on a cute dress and your favorite heels for a fancy formal, but a global pandemic can’t stop you from moving to the beat. Follow along to one of the many energetic YouTube dance workout videos and release those endorphins! However, if dancing (or working out) isn’t really your thing, you can alternatively complete a quiet yoga session.

Study!

Of course, during a regular year, Reading Period is beloved for the lavish formals and off-campus excursions, but hence the name, it’s also time to hit the books. If you want to escape a bit at the same time, you can bring all your class materials to a park and work under the warm sun. You’ll thank yourself next week if you get a jump start on your final projects and practice exams.

Luckily, this week will most likely be the last virtual Reading Period you’ll experience. As you spend the next few days studying, remember to take breaks frequently and to get enough sleep — you got this, queen.