Junior Family Weekend 2025 was a huge success! My mom and my older sister came for the weekend, which was their first time visiting campus and the Boston/Cambridge area since they moved me in two years ago for my first year!

I was so excited to show them around now that I consider myself to be much more knowledgeable about campus and the surrounding area! We spent the weekend having meals at some of my favorite restaurants and places in Harvard Square, exploring Boston, and—the highlight of their trip—going to Salem.

My family arrived Thursday night, and we were able to have dinner together, and I gave them a mini-tour of campus. Friday was our first big day! They checked in for Family Weekend and received the weekend schedule as well as some Harvard family gear. I took them to my anatomy and physiology lecture, where they tried to follow along the best they could but mostly enjoyed seeing me in my element as I asked questions and took notes. I gave them my official tour of campus and Harvard Square, showing them the John Harvard statue and Widener Library in Harvard Yard, as well as more of the best house, Quincy House!

We had appetizers and snacks in the Quincy Faculty Deans’ Residence at their beautiful penthouse with incredible views of campus, the Charles River, and Boston. I was also able to introduce them to my roommates’ families who were visiting for Family Weekend as well. I took them on their first train (the T) ride into Boston, and we went shopping on the iconic Newbury Street and had dinner at one of my favorite spots that we can’t get at home in Wisconsin: Raising Cane’s.

On Saturday, we attended the family block party at Harvard Athletics, where they were able to see our football stadium before we took the train to spend the day in Salem! We enjoyed looking at all the historic witch trial sites and people dressed in their best Halloween costumes. Our weekend concluded with church on Sunday and cheering on the Green Bay Packers in their football game! Overall, it was an amazing weekend spent with my family, and I am so happy that I was able to show them around my favorite place that I now call my second home!