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Swathi Srinivasan, Sydney McDonald, and Matt Thomas.
Photos by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Campus & Community
So how to make the best of ‘senior spring’ in COVID times?
Members of the Class of 2021 detail hopes and expectations
“Senior spring” is a term loaded with meaning for Harvard students. In the last few months of their time on campus, seniors wrap up theses and final projects, take part in campus traditions, and spend as much time as they can with friends before going their separate ways. But this last semester for the Class of 2021 looks vastly different given the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gazette spoke to some returning seniors to learn their expectations and hopes going forward.
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Swathi Srinivasan
Beachwood, Ohio
Eliot House
When I moved back to campus after winter break, I sat in the car from the airport and watched the Boston skyline and got very emotional because I realized it was the last time I was going to [do that]. A lot of the joy that I get from campus has usually been outdoors, but I will miss sitting in the Lamont café working on that last essay and going into Widener [Library] and perusing through the books, and walking into the Science Center for a giant lecture that I might have taken for granted at one time. [Harvard] is a very tangible experience. This semester, I want to make sure that I tie up loose ends so that when I leave I’ve said my “see you laters” as opposed to my goodbyes.”
Sydney McDonald
Bangor, Maine
Lowell House
There are a lot of things that I wanted to do this semester in terms of my classes, having fun with my block-mates, and with my extracurriculars that won’t necessarily go quite the same way [as I imagined]. But I’m on Class Committee so we’re trying to pull some things together to make [the semester] good for seniors, and I’m enjoying getting to know other members of the class through the committee. The Houses are also doing a great job. When we moved into our suite, it felt homey and like we were being welcomed back, which made me happy.
Matt Thomas
Los Angeles
Kirkland House
This semester definitely feels different. I’m a baseball player, and I don’t know if I’ll get to go into our locker room again. I also love Widener Library, and I’ll miss going there. The Kirkland dining hall is one of my favorite places on campus because it’s so social, so it’s a little hard to see it with people spread apart — but I am looking forward to the chicken parm. [In general] my friends and I are trying to find joy in the mundane. We’ve organized walks to Trader Joe’s and bike rides along the river. Not all of my friends are here this semester, so this situation has forced me to get to know other people and be open to make new friends in Kirkland. That’s not something that always happens during senior spring, but this is a unique situation, and it’s been pretty nice.
Ibtihal Aboussad
Morocco
Adams House
I want to enjoy one last good semester. I was on campus last semester, but most of my senior friends were not on campus at all, so I did a lot of FaceTiming all day and seeing my first-year friends outside. But this semester, even with the restrictions, it feels more like the Harvard I knew before. We [used to have] the privilege of common rooms and gathering indoors, but one of the benefits of not having that space was I [had] to spend more time outdoors. I biked around with friends, which I had never done before, and have had a lot of fun doing.
Vanessa Roser
Philadelphia
Kirkland House
It’s been a bit of a mad dash to get everything in order and move back to campus in the winter. I think this semester everyone is making an effort to make our senior spring special, even if it will be a little different than years past. I’m just trying to roll with the punches and spend time with my friends. The pandemic has taught me to value my social interactions and friendships, and staying close to those people has been really important.
Jasmine Hyppolite
Providence, R.I.
Dunster House
I’m trying to take advantage of being in these spaces for the last time. We can’t necessarily go into our favorite buildings, but being in the square and bumping into people is always nice. I also [want to] take advantage of those classes that you can’t really get anywhere else. There are some awesome ones this semester. My advice to other seniors is just to stay focused on the silver lining, focus on what’s the same, and enjoy what’s different. It’ll be a senior year that nobody else will have, and that’s cool in itself.
