This past week has been very surreal, with the end of my first year of classes at Harvard. I honestly cannot tell you where the time has gone, especially the spring term, which seems to have evaporated into thin air. We are now into reading period, the week between the end of classes and the start of final exams, and its safe to say that campus has quietened down a bit compared to the rest of term. With many project and paper deadlines due around now, so as to be done before finals, the libraries have become increasingly busier. This is incidentally the reason why I’m slightly late in posting this week: I had a history paper and a stat project due today, so have been pretty pre-occupied getting those finished off.

I now have a week until my first of three exams, which may sound nice, but it’s a bit annoying to have everything clustered at the ends of the exam period. But I will at least get plenty of time to prepare for my finals, and I would have had to stay until the 19^th (the last day of exams is the 18^th) as we have Eastern Sprints Regatta, the eastern rowing championships on that Sunday. After that it’s then straight to Logan the next day to head back home to the UK, and although I’m really looking forward to getting home and seeing family and friends, it’s going to be hard not seeing the people I have become so close with over the past year for three whole months. It’s the inevitability of circumstances that no matter where you are, you will always end up missing one person or another.

A lot of my friends will be coming over to Europe for everything from study-abroad programs to backpacking adventures though, so I’m definitely going to try and meet up with a few of them to break the time up; I believe a quick trip to Brussels at the beginning of August is currently in order, which is particularly convenient for me, being only 1 hour 40minutes on a train away. I was hoping to be working in Paris over the summer, but unfortunately haven’t been able to get anything off of the ground and it’s not going to be happening. I can’t be too sad though as I may potentially be working in London, my hometown and favourite city of them all, so fingers-crossed things will work out!

The blocking group (minus Ji Seop)

Things haven’t been completely silent around campus however. The past week has also seen the series of end of year house formals, and having now been sorted for next year, many of us freshman ventured out to our respectful residences for next year. My own house, Currier, held theirs on Saturday night and my blocking group and I had a great time mixing with our future housemates, although I was slightly disappointed that out of our whole group I was the only one to step up to the plate and put a tuxedo on!

Quick photo at the formal

This weekend is likely to be packed with studying as everyone prepares for finals, but they’re a necessary evil and everyone is looking forward to having them out of the way and done. My group of friends and I are planning to venture out into Boston Saturday to see the new Gatsby film, something I’ve been waiting a long time to be released, so I’m getting pretty excited about that. I’m thinking of trying to head into Boston sometime during the day before I leave though, as at the moment the city is alive with the colour of blossom and the fresh greens of leaves on the trees, and really looks a picture. I was walking out of the library a few days ago and as I inhaled I got a beautiful whiff of pollen, which after a particularly harsh winter was a very welcomed smell indeed. Spring is doing her job well, and summer is only just around the corner!

I must lastly say a huge congratulations to all those of you who have accepted your place at Harvard for next year, you defied the unfortunate timing of last months events to record the highest yield, 88%, for over 40 years. You guys are amazing, and we cannot wait to meet and get to know you next term!

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