Nico Fidalgo from Bentonville, Arkansas, had just grabbed his room key and Harvard ID from a large tent in front of Weld Hall. He was texting his mom that he was heading back to his dorm room so they could unpack.
That was when Jang Choe approached. “Hey, Nico, it’s me!” he said.
The roommates immediately recognized each other from their Instagram photos as they laughed and embraced Thursday in the middle of Harvard Yard, surrounded by the sounds and bustle of move-in day for the third and final group of first-year students to arrive.
Everywhere students and families hustled and strained in the damp, summery heat to unload cars stuffed with clothing, furniture, supplies. Suitcase wheels rolled along the gravel. From several speakers around the Quad issued an upbeat playlist of hits by Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Imagine Dragons. Always in the background bursts of nervous laughter, excited introductions, bittersweet partings.