Why I Declared 2022 - Humanities

Yes, we know history is technically a social science. But let’s be real: you didn’t know that until you read that sentence. So bear with us, and read ahead to find out why these sophomores declared concentrations in and around the humanities!

Elizabeth K. Roosevelt: I declared History because it makes me feel more justified when sneaking into the grad-student-only Robinson Library to live out my dark academia dreams. There’s nothing like the rush of standing with your ear glued to the door at 10p.m. to see if grad students are inside. But in all seriousness, I declared History the first day that declarations opened on my.Harvard because I felt at home in the department — growing up, my dream jobs were to be an archeologist or an author, and a historian is pretty much those two professions congealed into one. Ten-year-old (and twenty-year-old) Elizabeth is happy!

Eve S. Jones: When I was eight years old, I decided I wanted to study English, and I haven’t had the energy to reconsider since. Honestly, the best thing about being an English concentrator is that your readings are works you’d want to read anyway. My Goodreads account has never been happier — I’m on track to have read 80 books this year! (PSA: Everybody stop what you’re doing and read Passing by Nella Larsen.) It can be tough to be consistently full of literary hot takes, but if it’s between this or a p-set? Yeah, I’ll do some close reading any day.

Hana Rehman: I declared History and Science (concentration name: History and Science, department: History of Science — is it confusing? Yes. ) because I’m very indecisive. Do I want to cry at office hours every week while p-setting non-stop, or do I want to rewrite the same sentence five hundred times while writing an essay? Why not both <3? In all honesty, I’m a pre-med looking for a good ~interdisciplinary~ education that divides my studies in both STEM and the humanities so that my GPA doesn’t fall to the ground I can take a variety of classes in different departments and make the most of my Harvard academic experience.