Five Things More Stressful Than Declaring Your Concentration

Midterm season makes October one of the most stressful months for Harvard students. Sophomores are, arguably, hit hardest during this time with the pressure of having to declare a concentration. This year the deadline for sophomores to declare their concentration is Oct. 25. That said, even if you’re in the trenches and hastily scheduling a last-minute meeting with your concentration advisor, remember that things could be worse! From a fellow stressed sophomore, here’s a rundown of five things more stressful than declaring your concentration.

Trying to Use Passio GO!

Passio GO! is more unreliable than that one classmate that says they’ll send you the Poll Everywhere. With a system that takes forever to load, showing shuttles that come earlier than expected or that never come, Passio GO! takes the cake for one of the worst-designed apps and one of the most stressful aspects of Harvard.

Figuring Out Your Halloween Costume

Will you be a Playboy bunny, Barbie, or Oppenheimer? The options are endless and the crippling fear of being too basic or too niche is real. The clock is ticking and your Amazon order can only wait for so long!

Getting Lost During Visitas

Each year, a few prefrosh get lost during Visitas. Didn’t one prefrosh end up in lower Allston when their destination was the SOCH?! Well, at least this experience prepares these poor unfortunate souls for the panic they’ll experience during reading period!

Zayn Leaving One Direction

I hate to bring up this traumatic event, but I think we can all agree this was the lowest point of middle school. Even if you were not a Directioner, I believe everyone witnessed at least one classmate crying after learning that Zayn left the band. I, myself, encountered several middle school girls crying on the bathroom floor. Relatable.

The Downfall of Your Blocking Group

Speaking of disbandment, no one warns you about the drama that comes with blocking. Blocking is possibly even more stressful than breaking things off with your first Harvard situationship. Some blocking groups broke up a few weeks after housing day while others stayed strong up until the summer, when truths were revealed with the receipts to back them up.

In the end, declaring a concentration is not THE be-all and end-all decision. You can switch your concentration as many times as you need to until you find the right fit. I hope this has given you some motivation and peace of mind about declaring. This is a tough time of the semester, but we will get through it!