Being in Cambridge for 3 years now I know the area (at least around Harvard’s Campus) pretty well! 

From restaurants to stores to libraries I have seen and grown to love a few places during my time here at Harvard! Here are my top five favorite places on campus!
 

1. Quincy House Dining Hall

Quincy House is the very best house, in my completely unbiased biased opinion, for many reasons. One of the main reasons that makes Quincy so great, other than the people, is the dining hall! From hot breakfast to a vibrant atmosphere at all times of the day, it is a perfect spot to hang out with your friends, eat a meal, or study! I am also on the Quincy House Committee (HoCo) and help organize and lead community dinners on Thursday nights which occur in all 12 of Harvard’s upperclassmen houses. 

Quincy has a few of its community dinner traditions including trivia, what’s in the box, cake boss, and a gingerbread house decorating competition. My personal favorite is Quincy Cake Boss which occurs once a year in the spring and I have been competing since my first year when I got assigned to Quincy House after housing day with my best friends! 

2. Cabot Science Library

I spent a lot of my first year and most mornings over my three years at Harvard studying in Cabot. It is proximally located to Harvard Yard and Annenberg Hall where first year students live and eat which was very convenient for me as a first year student also taking a few STEM classes and spending time in the science center studying by myself and with friends! 

I still enjoy my morning walks to Cabot as an upperclassman and studying with my friends there! To this day I still spend a majority of my time in the semester in the science center. 

3. Hicks House (Kirkland House Library)

I have always referred to Hicks House as a “choose your own vibe” library! It is an old house or part of Kirkland House that they have turned into a library so there are a ton of different sized study rooms that you can use to either study by yourself or with friends! 

Since it is technically a private space, you can have more of a relaxed study setting with your friends while chatting or you can have a really quiet study block. That is part of why I love Hicks House, it is exactly what you want and need all in one place!

4. The Chem Lounge

The newly renovated common area and offices for chemistry faculty includes whiteboard walls with markers, plenty of tables and chairs to study in with your friends! There is also a renovated classroom in the lounge where many chemistry classes will hold their office hours or discussion sections, but when the room is not booked or in use, it is another great space for studying and hanging out with friends. I love going to the chem lounge in the mornings or in-between or after classes when I am in the Science Center (which is a lot of the time as a chemistry concentrator). 

5. Harvard Law School Grille Area 

In my opinion, there is no better place, other than the Quincy House Grille, to spend your Board Plus than the Harvard Law School Grille! Board Plus is money that Harvard gives undergraduate students on their ID cards to use at the many grilles and cafes around campus and is great especially for midterm and final exam season. At the Harvard Law School Grille they also have a variety of options from full meals to snacks, candy, and drinks so there is something for everyone. I typically go there to study when my friends and I want something different from the dining hall food and a slightly new study setting. There are tons of great couches and restaurant booth style seating in the student center that are close to the grille and perfect for studying, eating, or hanging out with friends!

These are just some of the many amazing places on Harvard’s campus! There are so many more that I enjoy going to with my friends or by myself to eat great food, study or just hangout!