<p>Harvard is placing sick student in quarantine. Many friends, who live in other dorms, are in quarantine. Harvard is probably making this step to make sure that flu does not spread. Does anyone else kids are describing similar stories? </p>
<p>Do not be alarmed, I am just asking a question.</p>
<p>This is what was sent out:
</p>
<p>No report from my student on H1N1. I am just trying to get my frosh to get in line for the seasonal flu vaccine.<br>
And now for some input from experienced parents: What was your opinion of the activities provided for Freshman Parent Weekend? Was it worth the trip or is a visit at another time a better option. Thanks.</p>
<p>collegeinusa, </p>
<p>No report from my DD regarding her or her roomies being sick.</p>
<p>curious,</p>
<p>I highly recommend Parents Weekend. Many parents go (of my DD’s four roomies, three parents came), and the activities are very interesting. Additionally, seeing how your frosh is functioning at H will give you peace of mind, and you will be able to buy any items that s/he needs. Remember, your child will only be a frosh once, and this will be your only opportunity to see her/him as such. The next time that there will be an organized activity for parents will be in the spring of his/her junior year, when s/he may be abroad.</p>
<p>^Thanks MSMDAD.</p>
<p>Are there links to the details of the freshman parents weekend? I feel like I may have already gotten info, but I am not finding it. Anyone know?</p>
<p>The web address of the Harvard Parents Association: parents.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do</p>
<p>(Sorry, I don’t know how to make the direct link.)</p>
<p>Thank you Fauve , that was exactly what I was looking for. Right now it has a general outline of the weekend but will get more detailed as it gets closer. I’ve bookmarked the site on my computer. :)</p>
<p>Is the parents weekend only for Freshman? I think there may be another year when there is a parents weekend??? Thanks</p>
<p>There’s a Junior Parents’ Weekend in March.</p>
<p>Freshman Parents’ Weekend is Oct. 23-24. It’s fun to pre-arrange a dinner out with roommates and their parents. The museums are all open and free (ask about the awesome glass flower exhibit). And in the past, at the free sack lunch event in the field house before the Saturday football game (Oct. 24 at noon vs. Princeton this year), the “sack” was a very nice, reusable fabric Harvard lunch bag. We’ve used them at home for a couple years now.</p>
<p>While the Fogg Art Museum is under a four year renovation, the masterpeices of Harvard’s art collection are housed in the Sackler Museum, just across the street. Possibly the best art collection owned by a university, it includes great Modern, Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and German Expressionist works, as well as an array of non-Western pieces. </p>
<p>Special exhibits in the Houghton Library, between Widener and Lamont Library are also wonderful.</p>
<p>We went up to school to deliver some additional clothing and some other things S needed, since he took very little for move in day based on FDO advise. It is roughly an 8 hour drive for us, so we drove in, brought the things to S’s room, took him and his roommate out for dinner, then turned around and drove back home. </p>
<p>By way of background, in the previous 3 weeks, we probably talked to S about twice a week on average on the phone (although not for long) and sporadically via email. While the best we could tell things seemed to be going well, there is always that uncertainty in the back of a parent’s mind. </p>
<p>We were delighted with what we found. S seemed well rested, healthy, calm, and confident, albeit glad to see us and the things we delivered to him. He and his roommate seemed to have bonded quite well, and you could see they have developed quite a good friendship for the short time they have known each other.</p>
<p>The basic report from both boys was similar: they been have extremely busy with their extracurriculars–S is involved in 3 activities and roommate is playing a varsity sport–and they are now just getting used to their schedule in total as last week was the first full week of classes. They liked their classes quite a bit (they have none together) and their professors as well. They have been able to study in their rooms without distraction and have not used the libraries in the evenings thus far. They like their rooms, entry way mates, and hall proctor.</p>
<p>There was little they complained about except for the food, which they said was not bad; for their tastes, however, they said there was too much chicken and not enough beef or pork on the menu. In particular, they would prefer to see roast beef, steak, or roast pork being served. I have to say at dinner, they both woofed down the ordered roasted meats to our amusement. They also said they would like more substantial food at brain break e.g. sandwiches instead of just bagels, crackers, and cheese and the like.</p>
<p>Other than these food comments which I guess are to be expected, they seemed quite happy and adjusting well thus far. From these parents point of view, we couldnt have been any happier based on what we heard and saw first hand on this very short but pleasant visit.</p>
<p>My kid always complained about the food but we’ve eaten at Annenberg and at Quincy several times and I thought the food was pretty good.</p>
<p>ws59- Your son and his roommate might find an occasional lunch at Mr. Bartley’s Burgers, right across from Wigglesworth, on Mass Ave, a welcomed red meat supplement. Huge burgers, extensive toppings, and amusing politico labels for each.</p>
<p>D’s experience is fairly similar to ws59’s S. What is different though is that we live about 30 minutes from Harvard and either H or I have swung by the campus for some purpose about 6 times since move-in day. The reports I have gotten is that she gets along well with all her roommates though she primarily goes out with one of them. Saw the room Saturday and things were clean enough (though as of this weekend dorm crew has never come to clean the bathroom though other bathrooms have been cleaned). She strikes me as very happy and has made a wide variety of friends. She has commented that what she likes most is her “independence”. ECs are keeping her busy also. She has joined 3 groups, two of which together require a minimum of 8 hours/week. Unlike, ws59’s son, D has surprised me by learning to study in a library. I think the social setting of the suite provides many happy distractions and sometimes she is just going to have to go somewhere where she cannot see what she is missing. Her proctor and peer advisors are all great while she has had little contact with her academic advisor (but this has not been a problem). Campus food has been a issue. She is not that impressed with it and says that much of it contains too much fat. But fortunately, Harvard provides a great tool where students can view the daily menu on their computer. She is using this tool to make educated decisions on what and where to eat for a given meal. I am not concerned about her starving in any way since her friends are prone to late night pizza, burger, coffee, ice cream runs into Cambridge. I am more worried that she is going to blow through all her savings. </p>
<p>All in all I am happy for her.</p>
<p>I have a question for parents, from an applying senior: Did your son/daughter have any success getting an on-campus interview during the application process?</p>
<p>Yes, DD had an on-campus interview, as well as regional adofficer, and alumni interviews. Try to arrange it a few weks in advance of your visit.</p>
<p>^^ DD did not have an on-campus interview; in fact, I do not recall this being an option when we visited H in the summer between her junior and senior year of of high school.</p>