Recapping the Government Shutdown

After 43 days (Oct. 1 to Nov. 12), the House finally passed a bill to end the nation’s longest shutdown. While Congress and the government may have been in a standstill, our lives most certainly were not. Here are a few things that you may have missed that happened during the government shutdown.

1. The BerryLine Line is still berry long (from Day 1 until… who knows, really)

After blowing up on social media over the summer, the line for BerryLine has extended into the street. Reportedly, on some nights, students and passersby have waited more than an hour for their froyo.

2. Housing Day Moved to be After Spring Break (Day 6)

The verdict is still out on if this is a good thing or not. This was, potentially, Harvard’s way of soft-launching “recentering academics.”

3. PopUp Bagels Opened (Day 10)

It’s already such a staple in our lives, we can’t even imagine the world before PopUp.

4. Your ex-section crush got a girlfriend (Day 14)

We unfortunately had to hear about it in excruciating detail.

5. Collectively, we’ve probably taken thousands of midterms (and there are still more to come) (literally the entire shutdown was midterm season)

As the name suggests, midterm exams should be mid-term. As in, singular. Not six to seven weeks of midterms back-to-back.

6. The Louvre Robbery (Day 19)

Heist, heist, baby. The world was left shocked after the Louvre was robbed in broad daylight.

7. Canvas Shut Down (Day 20)

The world ceased to function and my assignments piled up as Canvas shut down, thanks to the AWS outage. It was all super chill.

8. Family Weekend (Day 22)

There’s nothing better than having your family accompany you to Lamont so that they can watch you while you do your psets (sorry mom and dad <3).

9. Recentering Academics (Day 26)

They always talk about recentering academics, but what about recentering joy, whimsy, and love?? :(

10. Two Halloweekends Have Flown By (Day 28)

Candy wrappers lie discarded in my trash can, and my Halloween costumes are buried in my closet.

11.Everyone Ran the Cambridge Half (Day 33)

Suddenly, everyone and their mother showed up to run the Cambridge Half. Maybe this is a sign that Harvard students can run better than our government.

12. Spring Course Registration Started (Day 36)

We were faced with demands to register for courses while still in the midst of our current courses. And our midterms. Can’t forget about those.

13. Student Activities Fee Increased, but… Free Laundry We Suppose? (Day 36)

Still not convinced this is actually saving anyone money. But, thanks… I guess.

14. Kyoyo Haus Opened Up in the Square (Day 41)

Because there aren’t enough ice cream options already available. Maybe this will fix the BerryLine line.

15. IOP elects student leadership in an uncontested election (Day 41)

We do think this is a bit ironic.

16. First Flurries of the Year; the Northern Lights Showed Up (Day 42)

The Northern Lights put on a stunning show over Cambridge. Could you not already tell from the hundreds of Instagram story posts?

17. THE PENNY DIED after 232 years :( (Day 43)

Penny for your thoughts?? Oh wait… never mind. Guess I’ll have to pay you a dime.