How To: Survive (and Enjoy) this Semester Amidst the Chaos

After a long year of online learning, Harvard’s campus is finally back in full swing. But while this past week of orientation (and reorientation) has reminded us of all the best college has to offer, a new semester looms ahead. Just because we’re offline doesn’t mean we’re off the hook, so here’s Flyby’s guide to navigating the stress and chaos of our collective return to reality.

Find your study spots early

In case the addition of a new first-year yard and the gaggles of lanyard-clad students didn’t make it clear, Harvard’s campus is more full than ever before. Unless you’re ready to fight for a place in the Smith Center or stake out a desk in Lamont, we suggest you take the time to explore the less crowded spots across the campus and the Square before midterm season rolls around. Check out the Barker Center, invade the grad schools, and stake your territory while you can.

Make friends in class

Let’s be real: embracing collaboration over Zoom was often a nightmare and near impossible. With the age of breakout rooms seemingly (hopefully) behind us, now is your chance to find new friends and pset buddies in real, actual classrooms. Make even your toughest classes more bearable by getting to know those brave souls suffering along with you.

Step offline when you can

Even before our lives centered around Zoom, we tended to spend long hours gazing into our laptops and phones — whether for CS50 psets or Netflix. Now that we’re back in Cambridge, make sure to block out time to enjoy the in-person campus experience... actually in-person. Try visiting one of Harvard’s museums — the Harvard Art Museums are reopening this weekend! — or going for a walk or bike ride along the river, especially before the notorious Boston winter rolls around. Alternatively, just keep off your phone in the dhall. Unplug and unwind.

Go. To. Office. Hours.

This advice isn’t super specific to being back in person, and you have doubtlessly heard this a million times. But I’ll say it again. GO. It may feel daunting to stay motivated after taking classes from your bedroom or in pajamas all last year, but it’s always worth the extra effort to get to know your professors and get your questions answered.

Explore Cambridge and Boston

Last year, Harvard students logged into class from all around the world, and now we’re all packed together into a few square miles. Though there’s always so much to do on campus, don’t let yourself get stuck in the Harvard bubble. Remember the real world? She’s still out there, and only a T ride away.

Be open to new experiences

Whether this is your first time on campus or your last hurrah, go into this semester ready to try new foods, clubs, classes, etc. The Harvard we’ve come back to isn’t the same exact Harvard we left in March 2020, and we’re not the same people who left it. No two school years are ever the same, actually. The whole point is to use whatever time you have on campus to learn and grow as much as you can — and we all now know how fast that time can disappear.