Trying Texts

The Old Yard, which is collection of undergrad dorms, is one of the most tourist-infested areas on campus. The focal point within the Yard is the statue of John Harvard, a minister who donated money and books to the college back in the 1600s. Every time I pass by, a clump of tourists are there taking pictures. Undergrads at Harvard allegedly rub the statue’s foot for good luck before exams, and so the tourists like to pose with a hand on the foot. Just this morning, I saw a man rubbing on the statue’s foot for over a minute while someone snapped his picture.

If you ever visit Harvard, I highly recommend not doing this.

The tourists are apparently unaware of the real tradition of John Harvard’s foot, a tradition that I witnessed firsthand on Friday night. Yes, I am ashamed to say, as I walked through the Old Yard on my way from Harvard Square back to the law school, I saw a young man perched atop the statue surrounded by a large group of kids with cameras. And yes–as the cameras snapped, this young man deposited a stream of golden liquid directly onto John Harvard’s foot.