A Fresh Look at Freshman Week

Though designed for the College class of 2013, the Crimson’s guide to Freshman Week 2009 also constitutes a fun trip down memory lane for alumni.

Some articles offer modern takes on time-honored Harvard experiences:

• Emma Lind ’09 (one of this magazine’s former Ledecky Fellows) recounts the wonder felt upon discovering the true range of books contained in Widener Library, as evidenced by the odd titles one passes during a journey deep into the stacks to retrieve a volume needed for a research paper (the title that caught Lind’s eye was Satanic Ritual Abuse: Principles of Treatment)
• A dictionary of Harvardisms by the Crimson staff introduces first-years to local terms and concepts, including blocking, comping, reading period, and the Ad Board.
• Elyssa Spitzer dishes out sound advice on choosing (and surviving) an Expos class.

Others will remind alumni of what has changed since their days as students:

•  Maxwell Child ’10 gives the lowdown on cheap eats in Harvard Square. Lingbo Li fills in with some more upscale dining options. And Julia Spiro chronicles the cocktail scene.
• Molly Strauss lets first-years know how budget cuts in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will affect them. Topics covered include exam proctors and hot breakfasts.
• And Charles Wells offers a rather depressing introduction to the undergraduate dating scene.