anthropology

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Wowwww, hey guys…it’s been a long time. I have TOTALLY been shirking away from my duties as a blogger, but just you wait – this post is bringin’ the HEAT, and I’ll be here allllll summer. (Also, this post keeps being unable to save and losing EVERYTHING I’ve written, so I hope it doesn’t do it again… because if it does, I am outta here.)

So. I guess it’s that time of year again. School is OUT, I’m in Pennsylvania enjoying the fresh air and the food, and June is just around the river bend. Should I choose the smoothest course, steady as the beating drum? NO!* In fact, this entire semester has been about choosing the course that I most desire; in college, you have a say, you have a great amount of choice. Going to Harvard is preparing me for when I have to make crucial decisions, ones that will change my life – or perhaps I’ve already started to make those! On second thought…I definitely have. Here goes: the top 5 choices of sophomore year!

 

5. Nostalgic for The Nostalgics… 

Me singin’ at our last gig. (SamRichmanPhoto)

I had to take off time from The Nostalgics to deal with my vocal issues…this was not a decision I wanted to make. It was, however, life-changing. I suppose, if I look at it in a warm light, it was a good method of ensuring that I didn’t become too involved with my music and ignore the other things in my life that have so much weight. I definitely got to spend quite a good bit of time with my photo ladies instead of gigging and rehearsing, giving my voice a rest while testing my eye. It also really saved my voice – as much as I love soul and Motown, it really pains me – so I will always be grateful that I am taking the time now to work through a spot of trouble. Also, being apart from the group made me realize how much it means to me, and I know that the music will always have a special place in my heart. We had our last gig the night before Commencement [graduation], right in Brattle Square, and it was fantastic. It’s something I’ll never forget, and something I wouldn’t have loved so much if I didn’t have to suffer for it. (No I am not kidding nor am I in ROTC.)

4. Arts + School = LUV

Paine Hall, location of Music 167r and my heart

First semester, I took an intensive studio course in printmaking and etching, committing eight hours of my Tuesday to the class. Although I had class straight from 10am to 8pm, followed by rehearsals until midnight, giving myself the opportunity to really devote myself to the arts was awesome. I suddenly prioritized arts in my academics, something I’d never really done before, and found myself able to synthesize the subject material I was learning in studio with what I was learning in other classes. This semester, it was even more pronounced; Music 167r, a course on sound stories and Electroacoustic music, was basically the fusion of all that I’m interested in: storytelling, music, engineering, and CREATION. Making something that I am proud of is the best experience, and I crafted and performed a seven-minute piece that I’d never expected to compose in my life. This year has been all about expanding my interests…it’s as if I’m in this malleable casing that I just keep pushing out to explore another aspect of Harvard (and myself) that I never knew existed.

 

3. The Opps: Risks and Leadership 

Grad Jam for the Opps…saying bye 🙁

Auditioning for the Opportunes was a huge risk for me. I was very unsure of whether or not I wanted to try out, mostly because I was afraid of rejection. However, I decided to suck it up and push through the audition process, surprising everyone involved – even me! I am so glad I took that step into Lowell Lecture Hall and joined my acafamily, working hard all year long to perform at my personal best. Yesterday, my mom was surprised by my voice, saying it sounded really beautiful; this year has changed it so much, and for the better, from focus and vocal discipline in the Opps and in therapy. I’m psyched to continue to craft my instrument and incorporate it into my academics, meshing all aspects of my life into a melange of strange awesomeness. (Also…my career! Now I can manage business as business manager and do music AT THE SAME TIME!)

 

2. Dropping Acid…No, Not That Kind.

I AM ONE GIANT PILL!

After being diagnosed with vocal nodules and severe acid reflux, I had to make a great deal of changes in my life. The most obnoxious alteration? My diet. I was eating really well, in the normal sense of things – mostly salad, no meat, occasional carbs, protein, and Tabasco or Shriracha to spice things up. Then, I quickly learned that my diet was the reason I couldn’t speak in the morning or sing through a set with The Nostalgics. I had to remove the tomatoes from my salad, skip the balsamic, cut the spice, avoid anything fried or fatty, and still maintain a healthy diet. Unfortunately, I found myself always hungry and eventually started adding meat to my meals. I’m still not sure how thrilled I am with this compromise, but I will do anything to preserve my voice and stop the painful acid reflux I used to experience after each meal. In addition to these changes, I had to start poppin’ pillz (Zantac and Prilosec) half an hour before I ate anything, and had to wait 3 hours after eating to go to bed – no more late night Brain Break from the d-hall! Also a lot of meals planned in advance. (Luckily for me, my blockmates in Currier always eat dinner at 6pm sharp, without fail.) Finally, I had to stop going out as much, and found myself enjoying parties even more, as I could rarely attend them! Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say ; )

 

1. Concentration! 

Fair Harvard…Our fight song, apparently.

Choosing my concentration was by far the most important decision I’ve made at Harvard. Luckily for me, my sophomore advisor was extremely helpful, talking with me for a good hour and a half three days before I had to declare! Choosing a concentration [our word for major] is important,  so having tons of help from my various advisors made the decision a little bit clearer and easier. Although I drew out of a hat in the end, I had discussed the pros and cons of each option in depth and knew with my gut that Music and Anthro was the way to go, providing me with the perfect balance of structure and freedom in my studies.

 

OKAY THAT’S ALL.
I don’t want this post to expire before I publish it. I am sorry if it isn’t up to par, but I promise to make it up to you!

Until next time,

Reid

*if you didn’t understand that blatant reference, please relive your childhood and include Disney.

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Hello everyone!

While I apologize for not updating you on my life sooner, I must admit I’ve been so busy having fun that I’ve just had no time! It’s been quite the whirlwind semester. When I last updated you, I was enjoying the amazing snowstorm that we experienced on campus. Since then, all the snow has melted, spring break has come and past, many important events were performed and attended, and summer plans were decided. Life at Harvard is always dynamic, so I’ve had to stay on my toes to make sure I can catch what’s thrown at me…or at least dodge it. Let’s take a look back and a glance forward, shall we?

March was a big month for me, as it brought my Spring Jam for a cappella and my birthday, two events that were strangely comparable. Jam is our only on-campus event that’s specifically for our peers/parents/friends, and so it takes a lot of rehearsal (think 5 hours a night for two weeks) to prepare. As some of you might recall, I was diagnosed with vocal nodules in December – they’re basically calluses on the important part of your voicebox – so I wasn’t sure how this semester would pan out for me, as far as singing went. I had to stop singing for The Nostalgics, my Motown band, but was able to sing with The Opportunes, as long as I continued taking my medications and attending vocal therapy at Mass Eye and Ear. Both treatments have been going very well for me, and so I was able to have an amazing jam with the people I love; I even got to solo on one of my favorite songs, which was far beyond my expectations for the semester! Check it out below.

Jam day brings most of my family into the area. My dad and I had a great lunch at Clover, one of my favorite restaurants in the square (and my definite recommendation for cheap eats if you come to visit) and watched the Men’s Lacrosse team beat Georgetown in an incredible game. As a photographer for The Harvard Crimson, I had the opportunity to cover the game, and although I’ve been doing it for a whole year and a half now, the thrill of snapping photos never gets old.

Sick shot. Check out that action!

My mom, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousins all came to see me as well! It was really awesome to have such deep support from my family, as well as from my friends, who came out to listen to the music and take some pics as well. The next morning we had brunch with the Opportunes alumni, which was a great way to experience the community and dedication to the group, even after you’ve graduated. I feel very lucky to have such a tight-knit group of friends on campus 🙂

Yay Opps!

 

If I didn’t get enough of the Opps from rehearsing and performing at Jam, a week later we were on our way to the Dominican Republic for our Spring Break Tour, which I had set up as tour manager. We hopped on the plane at Boston Logan and spent a week singing, swimming, and most importantly, relaxing and having fun with one another. I was surprised to find myself not sick of the Opps by the end of the week, which is quite an accomplishment; we are an overwhelming group of large personalities! It was definitely one of the most fun times I’ve had in my life, and definitely at Harvard. We even went SNORKELING and made up a song to sing to the fish, which was pretty bizarre but also hilarious. Check out a few photos below!

Opps on the Beach!

 

Me and My Friend Brian!

 

Pirate Night!

 

Once we returned to Cambridge, it was time to start working again. Three of my classes require a research project of some sort, so I had to start interviewing and taking field notes on slam poetry culture, Celtic music in Boston, and the Vermont dairy farm crisis – not too shabby a schedule if you ask me! The subjects are incredibly interesting (I mean, I chose them for myself), but they happen to require a lot of time, so I’ve been very overwhelmed with coursework for the past month, and I will continue to be until the semester wraps up. I’m studying such a wide variety of subject material and have a lot of flexibility in my coursework, which is something I really appreciate about the Anthropology and Music departments, and especially the joint concentrations! Joint concentrations are Harvard’s [dare I say, superior] version of the Double Major; basically, instead of fulfilling two disjoint majors’ requirements, I am taking a slightly reduced course load in each department (16 courses instead of 20) and will have to write a thesis that combines the two fields in a very comprehensive product. I am SUPER excited to write my thesis, but luckily I have a ways to go before I have to start thinking about that.

The summer before senior year will be full of research for my thesis, last summer was full of Parisian culture, and this summer will be oh-so-close to home: I’ll be working at Harvard’s Admissions Office as the tour and info-session Coordinator! I am really pumped to work and stay on campus (yes, I get free room and board!), as I have yet to be in Cambridge during the summer months, and I hear it is lovely. I’ll have about a week to go home between recording for the Opps and starting work, but I can take a bus ride up for a quick weekend here and there…or so I hope. It might be challenging staying on campus for a whole year without pause, but I suppose I will let you know about that once Junior year starts. (Ahh, I am getting so old!) Speaking of which, I had my birthday at the end of March! I had a cider and pancakes party in my room, and required everyone to wear flannel in the Vermont fashion. It was actually really fun and very successful, so I was pretty pleased.

Okay, I am off to lunch with my friend Ned, I will catch you all later! I promise to update about the rest of my life soon, and maybe I’ll run into you, readers, at Visitas or at an information session (this summer? this year?).

À Bientôt!

-Reid

 

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HELLOOOO EVERYONE!

Second semester has officially started! My study card is signed, I’ve already passed in a paper, and I can’t see my floor underneath all of my books and coats. I couldn’t be more excited. I was really worried about pulling together my joint concentration (similar to a double major) and having a good fit, or seeing if it was the right choice, but I am confident that Music and Social Anthropology was the way to go. (Let’s see if I feel the same after the semester is over…I sure hope so!) So now I present to you my First Impressions of the four courses I’ll be taking in the next few months.

Anthropology 1610: Ethnographic Research Methods

Ah, William James Hall. We meet again. Furthest building from the quad (or any of the upperclassman houses, for that matter). Shaped like a giant white cheese grater. Luckily, there’s the most beautiful room on the first floor, with a rounded riser system and glowing wood paneling. The acoustics must be amazing. I don’t recognize anyone in this classroom, and the professor looks like he’d be teaching something more related to psychology. There are a lot of people in here, also. Okay wrong room! Up four flights and back to the little, poorly-lit seminar room where I spent last semester in Ethnographies of Food. And now I will share a direct quotation from my notebook, “omg, I love accents.” There are more than 5 people who are Tibetan, including my TF, my professor is Jamaican and just called method courses “unsexy.” The girl to my right is Nigerian, he’s Ethiopian, Turkish, Jamaican, Thai, Dutch, Indian…all in a class of less than 20 people! Anthropology is amazing. Wait, my professor just said that he studied Cape Verdean music “many moons ago.” This was the right decision. WE GET TO WATCH AVATAR?! Sold.

 Music 97c: Ethnomusicology

Seriously, what is it with me and being in the wrong classroom? I swear that I wrote down Music 6, and nobody is here. It is 10am, however…combined with the fact that these are music concentrators and the time of day, perhaps I should stick around. Here comes the professor, I think. Yup. There are three people now, and it’s 10 past. The room is well ventilated and well lit, and the chairs are uncomfortable; even if I didn’t sleep the night before, I’ll definitely stay awake during class. Let’s see if lecture is interesting; okay, so does discussing the meaning of music after listening to a computer-created composition in the style of Vivaldi and James Kenning’s stamp cancelling recording in Uganda count as lecture? Yes. Yes, it does. I suppose comparing a reading from the Qu’ran and a call to prayer whilst discussing the concept of haram (banned) music in Somalia is an incredibly interesting way to start off my day. I can groove to this.

Anthropology 97z: Sophomore Tutorial

Back in room 105! Alright, the curved walls. They are so beautiful. My professor wants to talk about witches for a large section of this tutorial. That’s okay, too.

Music 167r: Electroacoustic Composition

Me: Is there any room left in your class? I’m obsessed with it! Hans: Fill out this form. Can you come to section from 4-6? And commit 7 hours outside of class to working on your recordings? Me: Yes. (Anything to get my hands on that amazing studio on the top floor of Paine Hall. Anything for that.)

 

 

Now that I am all settled in with my classes, I can talk a bit about my extracurriculars. Although I had a really bad doctor’s appointment about my vocal nodes, showing very little sign of improvement (the pictures are really graphic, so I won’t show them), I will be singing in my a cappella group, The Opportunes, alongside our two newest members, Madeleine and Sara! After an abridged version of our normal audition cycle, we decided on these talented ladies, and I couldn’t be more excited. I went to bed around 2 after our deliberations and set my alarm for 6:30, actually forcing myself out of bed and down to Harvard Yard to pound on our new baby Opportunes’ doors and congratulate their sleepy selves. We let them go back to sleep and/or enjoy their donuts and set off for Lowell house, where we ate breakfast together until around 8 am.

 

I marched back to the Quad underneath a blazingly blue sky, wind whipping my cheeks bright red, and settled in to my room to apply for a summer proctoring position at Harvard this summer. I’ll have to be doing vocal therapy, as I am completely unable to sing in my band (The Nostalgics), so I have to be in the Boston area, and proctoring means free room and board, plus a free class on top. You know what that means? One less class in the fall! (Or, more likely, an elective, knowing me.) Check out the courses at this link, including the one I’m super interested in (Anthro and Film).

Then I read for a bit, listened to Fleetwood Mac in preparation for a concert mid-April with my two awesome friends, Jess and Parul, and started writing a new poem for the CUPSI slam poetry competition. The competition is next week, and it determines the team who will be representing Harvard at the National Poetry Slam, which will be at Barnard College in NYC this year! Remember my post from last year? All systems, go!

I’m off to clean the mess my room’s become and have dinner with the newest Opps! Happy February everyone, and here’s to a great second semester.

Peace.

-Reid

 

 

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The Goodyear

Hello everyone!
Now that we’ve made it to 2013, I can congratulate you on surviving the apocalypse and, if you’re a prospective student, finishing your application to Harvard. I can congratulate myself on a great first semester of sophomore year (it’s helped my GPA a bit) and can now re-cap the months past, as I’ve distanced myself from them in both time and location (although Vermont isn’t that far away and a handful of weeks isn’t really that long). So fasten your seat-belts and prepare yourself for the highlights (and lowlights) of Fall 2012.
1. Going to see Joss Stone was definitely one of the best musical experiences of my entire life. She is a super talented soul singer, for those of you who are unaware; you can check her out here. (Did I mention she was beautiful?) I went with my really close friend, Leah, who shares a similar passion for music (we are in both The Opportunes and The Nostalgics together) and is a senior at the College. I’m hoping to continue performing with her next year, so I’ll let you know how that goes. Also, my awesome dad got me an Epiphone guitar with pickups, which means that I can plug into an amp and have kick-ass singer/songwriter sessions. Watch out, Boston, here I come.

Joss at the House of Blues! (Credit to Leah and her phone)

2. The two retreats, for The Nostalgics and The Opportunes, were super awesome. As much as I love Harvard, it is great to get away from the bustling feel of Cambridge and focus on my friends and music. Second semester will mean a Nostalgics tour in Vermont (actually in a few days, right before the semester begins) and a Spring Break tour with The Opps (wherever I can find…being tour manager is not a simple position and we’re jivin’ for Jamaica), not to mention a retreat for Photo (oops, Multimedia) of the Crimson. I’m so excited!! (Also my photo friend Allie came back from her semester abroad in Cuba, which means we’ll be again reunited come January 28.)

Nostalgics

 

Opps!

 

3. Watching “Sweeney Todd” and photographing various events on campus, including the women’s hockey game when they crushed Russia 4-1. I am always amazed by our theater department (yes, we have ~75 student-run productions annually and they are absolutely killer), our arts on campus (check out the OFA for some of the speakers and performers who come by), and our sports (in which I will be participating come spring…wut wut intramural crew). There’s always something happening, and it’s always more interesting than sitting in your room.

4. Twerking Working all year long! The Admissions Office is a great place to work, as a blogger and tour guide, and various other paid jobs are always available (The Crimson!). I don’t know if I can work more next semester, as I want to take more classes, which leads me to…

Secret Insider View into The Crimson Photolounge…I swear it’s work!

5. …Classes! My anthropology class was super good, and I wrote a really interesting paper on the public school lunch program, which is a field in which I could definitely focus. Next semester, I have to take at least 2 anthro classes, as it took me until midway through the semester to decide on my concentration [major]. My awesome tutor (read:advisor) helped me out a ton during the complicated time of narrowing my academic interests, although I didn’t have to try that hard, as joint concentrations are easy to apply for and aren’t too hard to complete. I’ll also be taking a lot of music classes (2 or 3?) and a Gen-Ed to fulfill my graduation requirements.  Heeeere we go!
So those were the good, and alongside the bad, they shaped me into someone who is really happy to say that she goes to Harvard. Although my next semester will be shifted away from singing, music will be taking up a lot of my academic life, and I can’t wait to spend more time with the photography board of The Harvard Crimson, our daily newspaper. I also am thinking of joining the design board to expand a little bit more, and will hopefully be doing intramural crew come spring.
In the meantime, I have a lot of interesting spring semester classes that I’m considering, the responsibility of finding a resort to host my a Cappella group, The Harvard Opportunes, and will need to focus a lot on continuing to change my diet and lifestyle to accomodate my acid reflux. Oh, and today I start a 10-day songwriting challenge, which is led by the Optional Wintersession Activities Week (otherwise known as Wintersession, similar to J-term at other schools). It’s going to be really fun, and the first prompt is our favorite Harvard memory, so I’ll keep you all posted on that one!

Time to get back to my phone calls with Jamaica before I pick up my sister this afternoon. Happy 2013, everyone.

Peace
-Reid

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Follow your dreams. That seems to be a theme of my posts, but that is because I truly believe it. There are so many opportunities to do so at Harvard too—everything from growing your own vegetables, to engaging in political discourse, to theatre troupes with a long history. Yet the wealth of resources can also make us veer of course.

 

I (perhaps unfortunately?) was not one of the students that changed my major as often as I immersed in Lamont to study. Partly because all the departmental intro meetings often have delicious, free food at them, but mostly because for my first two years I was so entrenched in pre-college major that I didn’t give myself the freedom to explore callings that arose.

It wasn’t until junior year that I explored the Mind-Brain-Behavior Track Program & Philosophy Department. In senior year I took on classes in anthropology & history, and realized my dream was at the intersection of all of these courses, departments, and teachers: food education, nutrition policy, and cultural foodways.

 

Instead of jumping into a job the day after graduation, I took on a fellowship to research the artisanal food movement (which I begin this week!), and completed a yoga teacher training (YTT) program that spoke to my interest in healthy & holistic healing (complementary to nutrition). Its scary to take the road less travelled, but in doing so, you may just realize (as I did) that its the path your meant for.

 

Indeed, if I never stayed in Boston and did the YTT, I would never have met the amazing owner of the studio in which we did our YTT (Karma Yoga), Jesse Widner. Through Jesse I became involved with helping and expanding his non-profit C.A.R.E, (the Community Animal Rescue and Education organization) into new projects I probably will update more as the summer goes on and plans become solidified. I’ve found this work an extremely satisfying way of bring together my varied passions of community, yoga, healing, and education.

My YTT Tribe & Jesse in the middle at Karma Yoga!

So, wherever you end up, follow your desire and carve the path you want. More updates on a summer in Boston—including the beginning of the fellowship and my evolving working with C.A.R.E—to come.

 

~Natalie

 

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Perhaps it is the 70-degree weather, the free (working!) espresso machine I found on the side of the road, or perhaps being in the company of friends and family, but New York City is intoxicating. While a flight to California was just out of reach, visiting my brother and his girlfriend in Brooklyn, NY was a perfect substitute, especially considering I was able to make the trip with my boyfriend and our other friend, Dan.

In case you haven’t been (or just if you’re interest to know about all the great cities you can visit easily by bus from Harvard), here’s a short whirlwind tour of NYC, Brooklyn, and beyond.

New York has great buildings…

… delicious (and beautiful) coffee…

… thiiiis many cool used book store (as does Harvard square too!)…

(PS. ^ that’s me)

… cheap thrift stores…

(as modeled by my boyfriend & legal advisor here ^)

… towering buildings…

… and towering people? (or the use of wide-angle lens cameras)…

(^ Dan & I just grew a few feet…)

One of the greatest parts about the location of Harvard (besides Boston being a fun city and Harvard Square having some of the best sandwiches around) is its closeness to other great cities to travel too—D.C., Portland Maine, and Pennsylvania have been among the ventures.

Indeed, all the time away from Harvard has given me the breath of fresh air (though being in the city, perhaps not so fresh) necessary to come back for part two of the semester. Already the Leverett House Open Email List is filled with discussions of diplomas, graduation day speakers, and job openings.

And speaking of post-grad plans, I have recently been working on my submission to the Carol K. Pfrozheimer Student Fellowship, which invites Harvard Undergraduates to take advantage of the Schlesinger Library I discussed in my last post. The Fellowship provides money for research that draws of the library’s holdings and given the amazing diversity of literature on food culture and history in Schlesinger Library, I’m putting together an application that draws together my work in political-economic anthropology and food culture, focusing on the recent artisanal movements. I believe this research would also be extremely beneficial for my final project for my American Food history course.

I’ll try to stay up to date on that process and until then, hope you guys all have a great weekend! I know I’m looking forward to this last weekend off and yet also to hanging out with my Harvard girl friends once a few of them return from their own spring break adventures in Austin, Texas as the South-By-Southwest Festival.

~Natalie

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A Presentation of the Books for my Course: “97 Orchard”

Ever wonder what McDonald’s in East Asia is like, or the type of food immigrants to America in the 1850’s cooked? Interested in doing your own research projects on local ethnic restaurants or a growing food movement?

 

If you answered yes to these questions then you’re probably like me and would find Harvard’s Anthropology Course “Food, Culture, and Society” one of the most fascinating courses. Taught by esteemed Anthropologist Ted Bestor, an expert in the global fish trade and Tsukiji fish market in Japan, Food and Culture allows you to explore the myriad forms of culture surround foodways and consumption.

 My Professors’ Book “Tsukiji”

As you probably guessed by now, I’m a bit of a foodie, so some of the material I’ve passed by before. But this was my first anthropology class and a great experience. One of the best parts about the class was the two ethnographic studies we did individually—an opportunity to document a cultural phenomenon in food as an outsider.

 

My most recent ethnographic study was on the artisanal food movement: I studied one particular artisanal site, Cambridge local When Pigs Fly bakery. Being able to engage with our class’s theoretical concepts in a way truly applicable to real world settings was helpful and fascinating.

 

On McDonald’s Gone Global: Golden Arches East

It is also the first class to be completed this semester. With our final paper turned in last night, I’m only two classes from the end of my last fall semester. Next final up is for Science and Cooking. We recently had our final science fair and my team’s project on Coffee Emulsions won “Most Business Applicable” and received a spherification kit–can’t wait to play with that over winter break.

My Lab Group with Chef Ferran Adria

And just in time, it is beginning to feel like winter: with temperature dropping, high winds, and Christmas trees about, it’s the perfect excuse to stay in with a warm cup of tea and my textbook to study.

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

 

~Natalie

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