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<blockquote> <p>If you say "I'm going to Harvard," people won't shut up about it for the next five minutes.<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>The way my daughter expressed the same idea was: "I like talking to the other kids here at school, because here EVERYBODY got into Harvard, which leaves us free to talk about other things."</p>
<p>The Harvard sweatshirt I have says Harvard hockey and isnt quite so pretentious looking (not embroidery just plain old letters, and not a fancy font, and then a little hockey logo)- I don't play hockey, but I still think I feel less pretentious wearing that one than I would if I'd bought a super Harvardy sweatshirt when I visited.</p>
<p>And if anyone asks, you can just say you are a fan of the movie "Love Story".</p>
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It's the college you are going to. It's not pretenious. All of my friends wear their UVA and Virginia Tech hoodies and t-shirts, and no one would ever regard that as pretenious. Why should I feel that I can't wear mine just because it's Harvard?
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<p>Yeah, I agree. People wear UGA and Georgia Tech stuff all the time..what's the difference? </p>
<p>I got into Yale and my uncle was so excited that he went to the mall that night, couldn't find a hoodie, and so two-dayed one from ivysport. He gave it to me for Christmas and I wear it not only because I love Yale but because of its sentimental value. And, I mean, I would still wear it even if it didn't have YALE written on it at all because it's both warm and it means something to me. It seems to me that the kind of person who wouldn't wear something that was given to them as a practical gift would be the kind of person who wouldn't wear a pair of jeans or something because they weren't of a particular brand. It's a nice hoodie and I'm going to wear it.</p>
<p>I don't like how we are throwing around the word pretentious, but I do want to make the point that pretentiousness at one place isn't pretentiousness at another. For instance, only around two people a year actually apply to ivy league schools at my public high school, and the last time someone actually got in was a recruited athlete to Princeton four years ago. People shouldn't feel bad if I got in and they didn't because they simply did not apply. While perhaps at a more competitive school where many applied and were rejected, wearing a hoodie might seem as if you are rubbing it in..even though they probably would be doing exactly the same. So making the blanket statement that wearing a Yale (or Harvard) hoodie is pretentious shouldn't be done. For you, perhaps it is pretentious but for others, it isn't. For me, it isn't.</p>
<p>I do feel bad, however, when people change their opinion of me when they find out where I've been accepted. I'm the same person I was just over a month ago..treat me like it.</p>
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<p>All of my friends wear their UVA and Virginia Tech hoodies and t-shirts, and no one would ever regard that as pretenious. Why should I feel that I can't wear mine just because it's Harvard?</p>
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<p>This is a good principle; it's just tough in practice. Wearing a Harvard shirt is no big deal in Boston, but in the Midwest, people do make negative assumptions if you wear one. Yes, if someone assumes I'm arrogant or obnoxious based solely on a shirt, that is technically their problem and not mine, and I shouldn't worry if they start treating me differently...but it's a pain in the butt to deal with their attitudes. For this reason, I have lots of shirts from the Transfer Links, Legal Aid, Veritones, etc. People who realize that they are Harvard shirts are usually people who don't have issues about it.</p>
<p>My parents are so paranoid about other people thinking they are bragging that they have NOTHING that says Harvard -- only things that say "Leverett House." They had all of my sisters' college and grad school stickers on their cars -- that's six other universities -- but not Harvard.</p>
<p>That being said, when I was in Cambridge for my singing reunion this year, I saw a baby tee that said "Harvard Girls Have More Fun," and I just had to have it. I wear it to the gym, and I love it.</p>
<p>Stanford sent theirs out with the package.. a little late no?</p>
<p>I'm in a very strange situation. My classmates are always after me: "Where are you going? Harvard?" If I cut them off before "Harvard," and say "Well, I applied to Amherst and Wellesley..." they cut me off in return with "What about Harvard?" I made the mistake of wearing an Indiana University sweatshirt to school once. All day it was "Where on earth is that? You should go to Harvard!"</p>
<p>So I did a psychological experiment: I took an old t-shirt and wrote "HARVARD" across it in big, bold letters and wore it to school. Not a peep. People finally left me alone.</p>
<p>Yup. People 'round here are crazy.</p>
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<p>Awesome. :)</p>
<p>people from my school went to harvard over the summer hols for the harvard MUN, and they all came back with harvard sweatshirts and hoodies and whatnots. people dp give them the evil eye or talk behind their backs...</p>
<p>I've experienced all of what you guys have said although it's been 95% positive (small town). I notice now though the large amount of people wearing Harvard shirts and sweatshirts. I think it's all about moderation. While I wouldn't put that decal on my car (thus making it a target) I'd definitely let my mom put it on hers. Also, I have two Harvard shirts but only wear one because the other has HArvard Universit written in HUGE letters across the front. I like my winter hat with an H on it because it's the same colors as my school's and I wear Harvard socks during basketball games but only underneath another pair of long socks. If they were, say orange and black I wouldn't wear them at all. Speaking of which, I have a Princeton shirt that looks great but I haven't worn it since being accepted to Harvard due to anticipation of comments. Still, it's too good of a shirt to ignore so I'll probably wear it next week.</p>
<p>With all that said, I've got the ultimate solution to this predicament of pretentiousness: simply wear Harvard Basketball gear. Then the greatest and lack of greatness will balance one another.</p>