<p>Just wanted to send a quick thanks to the parents, I ended up getting my on-campus interview and headed down to Cambridge today. Went incredibly well, was glad that I scheduled it, and even more thankful for others’ input.</p>
<p>Hey everyone - another freshman here logging in to say that I have been eating away from Annenberg too - there are so many “artificial” ingredients and things I can’t pronounce in most of the food. I was wondering if anyone knows if the food in the upper class dorms is any better? This is my only complaint about Harvard - I love it here! And its only a small complaint, because there are so many great places to eat near campus - its just that my parents never expected me to eat out so much.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your words on the unexpected financial situation. I ended up asking my daughter if she thought I should take most of the rest of her money out of her savings and put it in a local account she doesn’t have access to. She thought that was a good idea (sigh of relief!) and even decided that if she felt a need to continue to eat out and spend so much, she’d get a job. Next semester I’ll give her the rest of the budgeted savings from her job last summer. In the meanwhile, she’ll work with the weekly pocket money I give her, which is enough for a couple of activities and a couple cups of expensive coffee or an inexpensive meal per week. I really never expected my child, very tight with a dollar as she is, would ever need this much “help” with her funds. But I was expecting the talk to be much worse. So happy all she needed was for me to point it all out- oblivious! Again, thanks.</p>
<p>ws59- Last year the ski club did an intercession trip to Stowe, VT, which was reasonably priced. They rented a house, cooked dinner together (pasta, pasta), and skiied all day. The skill levels varied widely so some groups were on all the black runs, and some on the blues and greens. Plenty of nightlife as well, of course.</p>
<p>coureur, I’m so sorry to hear about your neighbors dtr. Very sad. I guess things have changed from when I was in school. Most of the kids who live around here have heard so many horror stories that it is a deterant (mostly). Of course there are the few who do stupid things and they don’t realize the danger they can be in. Tijuana can be a very scary place if you are hanging with the wrong people there. The drug situation is huge and the Mexican gov’t have advised to limit the travel in certain areas, especially young people who can fall prey to criminals</p>
<p>sewhappy, I had to laugh when I saw your squash comment; that was the one complaint I heard about food in our S’s four years at Harvard. He told me HUDS had contracted with a local grower to put in 75 acres of squash (I have no idea if that’s an accurate number) and that they had it at every meal. I went to visit him this past weekend and when I mentioned that I’d meant to bring him some squash from my garden, he said it was not a problem; after last year he’d lost his taste for it.</p>
<p>Regarding the drinking age issue, I live in a university town where the discussion is mostly about underage college students drinking. What often happens around here is that students drink at an apartment or house party with the intention of later going to the bars where they can get in but will not be served. (I think they use wristbands.) As a result, they drink a lot of alcohol in a short amount of time, which sets up a pattern of binge drinking.</p>
<p>coureur, the a capella concerts were always my favorite entertainment when we visited Harvard. I mentioned that to a friend when I was up in Boston last weekend and learned there is an all a cappella radio show on Emerson’s radio station-- [WERS</a> 88.9 FM - All A Cappella](<a href=“http://www.wers.org/music/All-A-Cappella.cfm]WERS”>http://www.wers.org/music/All-A-Cappella.cfm)</p>
<p>Re: Squash - One of the kids in my son’s music theory class last year composed an ode to the Annenberg squash which was roundly applauded by the class.</p>
<p>Re: A cappella - I strongly recommend the ARTS First Weekend next Spring (I believe that it is the last weekend of April). All of the a cappella groups perform as well as the choirs, theater groups, musicians and artists in general. Three fabulous days of art by the Harvard community.</p>
<p>Fortunately (I think) son will eat anything…and is always hungry. (And thin, wish I had the problem!!!) No complaints about the Dining Hall, although when I was there he did want steak and seafood as it was one thing that don’t get much (or any) of at Annenberg.</p>
<p>^ That’s funny. On parents weekend when we gave D options about where to go out to eat, she jumped at the chance for surf n turf too.</p>
<p>We just spent a gloriious weekend visiting our daughter … felt more like early September than mid November. Went to a terrific breakfast spot … if you have a car and are willing to drive the few minutes to Somerville next time you’re there, try The Neighborhood Restaurant and Bakery - Portuguese and American cuisine. The French Toast on sweetbread was fantastic … there’s a bit of a wait but well worth it.</p>
<p>Also had a great dinner in the South End … had never been to that area of Boston before. Quite nice.</p>
<p>This is my favorite place for a casual breakfast-- [Deluxe</a> Town Diner](<a href=“http://www.deluxetowndiner.com/]Deluxe”>http://www.deluxetowndiner.com/)</p>
<p>I had a fun dinner here with DS and friends a couple weekends ago-- [Welcome</a> to Dali Restaurant & Tapas Bar](<a href=“http://www.dalirestaurant.com/]Welcome”>http://www.dalirestaurant.com/) It’s in Somerville, but walkable from Harvard.</p>
<p>Son and his friends are addicted to the Cambridge IHOP. We went once and were pretty unimpressed . . . In terms of a truly lucious breakfast in a beautiful setting frequented by some fairly prominent academics and politicians - Harvard Inn is hard to beat.</p>
<p>Thanks for the recommendations Twinmom. I’m planning a visit from Calif and will definately try to make it to The Neighborhood Bakery.</p>
<p>Guitars: Here’s the link: [Neighborhood</a> Restaurant & Bakery, Sommerville MA](<a href=“http://www.theneighborhoodrestaurant.com/]Neighborhood”>http://www.theneighborhoodrestaurant.com/)</p>
<p>I ordered cupcakes from Neighborhood R & B son’s freshman year for his birthday, which they delivered to his room. He was really embarrassed but I think enjoyed them. I read about the establishment in Angie’s List.</p>
<p>Just wondering if anyone else is feeling a resurgence of missing their freshman? I’d felt really sad at first, but after a few weeks I felt better and everything seemed OK. Suddenly (maybe following Parents Weekend?) I’m feeling very sad again. It feels like it’s time for my little one to come back from camp…</p>
<p>Awww . . . it is hard. Thanksgiving soon, though. Can she come home? And feel glad that the winter break schedule has changed beginning this year so that you will have a long stress-free time with her very soon.</p>
<p>I am so glad the winter break is long and that exams are done before they come home!!! Unfortunately son has final on the 21st of December so he can’t fly out till the 22nd and arrives here on the 23rd. Sophomore daughter said she was going to wait and fly home with little brother. Nice of her. On the bright side…they will be here till late January- and I know they will be ready to go back! 13mom-occasionally I get nostalgic for the good old days when my house was a bit crazier. Still have two at home so I try not to think about it much. But I think you are normal!!! Hope your child gets to come home for Thanksgiving, maybe that will help. Unfortunately my kids can’t come home for Thanksgiving-- too far but they will go to relatives for the day and then stick around the dorms with all the other kids that didn’t get to go anywhere, makes me a little sad for them but not much I can do. Luckily for us my younger two have school on Thanksgiving so I am probably just wait till the kids come home and have a Thankgiving dinner when they are here.</p>
<p>Not too sure what winter break was like before, but I am very disappointed. Did Harvard take into consideration that in addition to competing with other students to get out of Boston for the vacation, hitting it this close to Christmas also puts them into competition with Christmas travelers? And then to say we cannot book until tentative exam schedules are finalized? That means $500 airfares in September (when I wanted to book) are now well over $1000, and many flights have no seats left on them. Flights to Germany (Dec 22-24) are impossible to find at the moment, unless you pay very, very high fares, or have your student travel via Detroit, Iceland or Lisbon, with a 10 hour layover in those places? This sure is putting us in a difficult position…</p>
<p>^^The flight constraints are regrettable, but the old Christmas schedule was terrible IMO. The kids got home by a decent day, but the final exams didn’t happen until <em>after</em> the holidays, which meant they had those tests hanging over them for the entire break. And it also gave them time to forget half the material and force them to relearn it (or not) during reading period.</p>