This past winter break, I had the privilege of being invited to a couple of elementary schools in my hometown to speak about my experience at Harvard so far. As a part of the Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program, I was used to speaking to high schoolers about this place, and even middle schoolers were easy to talk to. But, ten year olds?! Who knew that I would be more nervous speaking to 30 ten year olds than 300+ juniors in high school. Nevertheless, after I got into the groove of speaking, I boiled my message down to these ten things:
1. They give away lots of free things.
I got 5 free t-shirts the day I visited campus. I’ve accumulated a ton of Harvard gear with little effort. That way, everyone is decked out for Harvard-Yale like this kid:
2. Even though it’s filled with lots of smart people, they’re not scary or mean.
I was always afraid that the kind of people who go to this school were cutthroat over-achievers. I’m pleased to find that only half of that statement is true.
3. A lot of world renowned/famous people teach/visit/went here.
Everyone from John Adams, Teddy Roosevelt, JFK and Obama to Matt Damon, Natalie Portman, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are Harvard grads, and someday everyone I know will be added to that list of alumni, including….
4. Like other colleges, you’re not in class for very long, but you always seem to have something to do.
Everyone here seems like they’re always busy, running from class to job to extracurricular to food to sleep. I’m one of those people that always likes to be busy, though, so I enjoy the hustle and bustle of Harvard life, and when I want to get away for a while, Boston is right across the river with an endless supply of fun waiting for me.
5. There’s history everywhere you look, whether it’s been there for centuries or history in the making.
Sometimes, we forget where we go to school: The first college in America, built before the country itself; the heart of the American Revolution; an institution with years and years of innovation and prestige. We also forget to realize that we are among the leaders of tomorrow, a realization I make every time I’m amazed at a friend’s story.
6. Contrary to popular belief, smart people can also play sports.
I would say that half the people I’ve met at Harvard so far play a sport, either competitively or as a hobby. Athletes here take as much pride in their grades as they do their sport. And the biggest culmination of Harvard athletic pride comes with the Harvard-Yale game every year, #YuckFale.
7. It’s really cold in the winter and really hot in the summer.
No air conditioning in the buildings = no escape from the summer heat. You’d think that I’d be used to it, coming from Texas, but I’ve never had to stay outside to stay cool before arriving here. I’m lucky that I got to avoid Boston’s Snowmaggedon of 2015, but snow is still freezing.
8. You actually do need to learn how to study.
Someone mislead me by saying that the hardest part about Harvard was getting in. The classes here are harder than I was prepared for, even though they’ve been extremely rewarding so far.
9. But, you couldn’t picture yourself anywhere else.
In the beginning of the year, I had my doubts about this place. The doubt quickly subsided and I try my best to remember everyday where I go to school, even when the going gets tough. The truth is, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
And when one kid looks up at you with bright, shining eyes, raises their hand up high and asks, “Isn’t Harvard the best school in the world?” You say: