<p>Of, “how can Harvard get followers if everybody’s also a leader?” Just logistically, most of the followers in Harvard clubs are therefore either freshmen, sophomores, or leaders in other clubs. I run a tiny club, for example. I myself am a member-not-leader of two others. (Well, I got guilted into being the person in charge of making freshmen members hand out posters in one of them. That doesn’t seem to count.) Of the juniors and senior “followers” in my own club, only one doesn’t seem to have a position of responsibility elsewhere. Positions of responsibility vary widely. Just within my club, for example, one person helps with social life for her Harvard house, with her big responsibility being organizing and (yes) decorating for her house formal each semester. One’s big into progressive politics and helps with any campaign he can find. One’s involved with theater, tending to assistant direct. Other positions that might be “leadership” in a very broad definition might include having a science research job or being lead dancer in a show, where you are indeed taking direction from someone else, but have other people counting on your participation and effort.</p>
<p>Now, I do know some quieter, more introverted souls here who work, study, think, make art, and hang out with me, but they tend not to be joiners in any capacity. So they don’t usually up the “follower” count; they’re off writing or working or, for one friend, being really excellent at art, rather than being members of any clubs at all. I’m afraid I haven’t talked with any of the friends of mine who might fit this description about what might have gotten them into Harvard, so I can’t tell you how they walked the line between being their quieter selves and fulfilling the requirement that their teachers notice them as prospectively excellent members of a college community. They did it; it’s possible; they’re welcome here. Unfortunately, I just can’t offer much insight into how.</p>