Congratulations! You've made it to move-in day and you're thinking "now what?" How do I ensure I have a great first-year? While our experience will most certainly be different, I wanted to share the best three things I did my first year at the College.
- Got a Job
Getting a job on campus not only ensured I had pocket money to spend, but also allowed me to meet some great individuals on campus, particularly upperclassmen as well as fellow first-years. My first job was working for The Harvard Shop, a branch of Harvard Student Agencies. Here, not only did I help keep stores in stock, but also learned more about specific concentrations, life, and opportunities on campus thanks to the great community I found! The upperclassmen I met walked me through housing day, gave me course recommendations, and were valuable mentors throughout my first-year. Shout out to Mariela, Abby, Ellie, Blake, Ciara, and Zoe!
- Tried Activities I've Never Done Before
Once on campus, a student activities fair is held to provide first-years an overview of the various extracurricular organizations offered at the College. Through this event, I learned about the Harvard Crimson - the nation's oldest college newspaper. I knew immediately that I wanted to try journalism. My high school did not offer anything related to the sort but once on campus, I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone. And now, I even have a few blogs published! The best part about this particular tip is that it's not only for first-year, but for all years.
- Explore A Variety of Courses
As a first-year, you don't have a declared concentration just yet. So, it is encouraged to explore any and all concentrations you're curious about. And that's exactly what I did. I took courses pertaining to Anthropology, EMR (Ethnicity, Migrations, and Rights), and Linguistics. For reference, I applied to the college as a Sociology concentrator. So, my first semester, I did take a sociology course, but took the remaining course space to explore topics that sounded interesting to me. Overall, I'm extremely glad I did because it reinforced the fact that I truly loved Sociology and that I wanted to declare a secondary in Linguistics.
Just remember that these three tips are what worked for me. Even if you are inspired by my journey, make sure to also make it your own!
