<p>So does anyone know what the exact dates for everything in the fall are?</p>
<p>I know that August 27th is when the official move-in day is, but do we move in on only one day? Can students come early (about a week early) to buy things and move in? Can parents come and help on the 27th? (I can't possibly carry everything in by myself!!) =D</p>
<p>Thanks!!!</p>
<p>I know that August 27th is when the official move-in day is, but do we move in on only one day?
Yes :-)</p>
<p>**Can students come early (about a week early) to buy things and move in? **
In general, no. You can come early if you’re doing a pre-orientation program (dorm crew, FIP, FUP, FOP, etc). But you won’t have a lot of free time to go to Target, and you won’t have access to your actual freshman dorm until actual move in day.</p>
<p>Can parents come and help on the 27th? (I can’t possibly carry everything in by myself!!) =D
Yup! Most students move in with their parents. Your peer advisors will also be around to help you get settled.</p>
<p>Unsolicited advice
I wish I had bought/brought/moved in less stuff my freshman year. You really don’t need that much - just clothes, sheets, a computer, maybe some speakers and DVDs. It’s incredibly easy to accumulate stuff here (i.e. books), and whatever you bring you’re going to have to move at least seven times throughout your Harvard career (and most of the time without parental help). Start out as a bit of a minimalist!</p>
<p>You’ll also want furniture, a fridge, maybe a microwave and a TV for your common room. But you can get this stuff during freshman week (Habitat for Humanity has a great furniture sale, for example), or if you have a roommate who lives nearby, he/she could pick it up and then you could all split the bill.</p>
<p>So orientation starts on the 27th, move-in day, and lasts for one week, and parents have to leave on the 27th, the only day we can move-in, and then freshmen basically hang out and get to know people for a week?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>That’s a pretty good summary! There’s more to do at “Camp Harvard” than just hang out (unfortunately) - like placement tests, meetings with advisors, and so on.</p>
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<p>If you’re poor, will you be ostracized for not being able to contribute your fair share? And if you live in double, can you rent a mini-fridge from the university?</p>
<p>^ Sadly, I’m not exactly the richest person either…:(</p>
<p>But during “Camp Harvard,” can parents come and help move in? I’ve heard that it’s only one day that parents are allowed to stay.</p>
<p>If you’re poor, will you be ostracized for not being able to contribute your fair share?
I’m not sure I can really answer this… it depends on you and your roommates. If you do things cheaply, you can get a futon, a fridge, and a couple tables/chairs for less than $50 from the Habitat sale. On the other hand, I definitely know rooms that have spent well over $1k buying flat screen TVs, brand new couches, etc.</p>
<p>Harvard’s economic diversity can produce some tricky situations when it comes to things like this (as well as things like intersession/spring break trips with friends). I’m sure your roommates will be understanding - but you still might find it productive to have a chat with your financial aid officer about how other students have handled these kinds of situations. This guide might help: <a href=“http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic556953.files/ShoestringStrategies.pdf[/url]”>http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic556953.files/ShoestringStrategies.pdf</a></p>
<p>And if you live in double, can you rent a mini-fridge from the university?
DO NOT RENT A MINI FRIDGE! You can buy a new, nice fridge for less than the cost of a one year rental (or you could buy multiple used fridges).</p>
<p>In general, 98% of the stuff HSA tries to sell freshman is overpriced crap… buyer beware!</p>
<p>But during “Camp Harvard,” can parents come and help move in? I’ve heard that it’s only one day that parents are allowed to stay.
I’m not sure if there’s any hard + fast rule about how long parents can stay, but my advice is to spend a day or two in Cambridge/Boston with your parents before move in day if you want… have them help you move in on move in day, and then say goodbye that afternoon.</p>
<p>wait, wait, wait…SEVEN times? I must be completely ignorant, but I was unaware…and that number just scared the heck out of me! Why that many - you cannot stay in one room for both semesters? And do you have any idea whether that is a regular practice at the rest of colleges? </p>
<p>Btw thanks for the fin. management brochure - no mater where I end up in the end, I have a feeling that that one will follow me at least as a little reminder of Harvard for my heart :D.</p>
<p>@LadyChance</p>
<p>Sorry for scaring you - I counted move ins (four of them) and move outs (four of them). You definitely won’t switch suites in between semesters. </p>
<p>However, you may switch rooms within a suite mid-year. For example, a common arrangement for freshman + sophomore year is to have four roommates in a suite with one common room and three bedrooms. If you decide to make the bedrooms two singles and one double, you’ll probably swap places halfway through the year.</p>
<p>It’s also quite likely that you may move even more than that - your extracurricular activities may require you to stay late (for Commencement) or arrive early - and in each case you’ll have to move in/out of temporary housing.</p>
<p>Pack light!</p>
<p>What are the most necessary things to buy/bring?</p>
<p>1) Mini-Fridge</p>
<p>…?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Silversuz - Most parents stay Saturday and Sunday for move-in. There’s an official Convocation in Tercentenary Theatre (the lawn between Memorial Church and Widener Library) for new students and their parents in the late afternoon on Sunday that you’d enjoy attending. You’ll need to get a late flight out on Sunday however - last fall, I missed my flight and would up spending the night in Logan Airport (I don’t recommend Logan as a comfortable place to get any sleep).</p>
<p>FYI - If you end up coming to Harvard, you’ll end up getting an email from your Peer Advisor at some point in the summer. He or she can be a great resource for questions like this (not that there’s anything wrong with CC! I’m a former Peer Advisor, and I’ve been loving being able to answer questions again).</p>
<p>^ That may explain why you are so unbelievably helpful!</p>
<p>My parents and I were planning on coming the Tuesday of the week, so…on the 25th, I believe. gadad, by Saturday and Sunday, do you mean the days before the 27th or after?</p>
<p>This is making me sooo excited to come!! I can’t wait until Aug 27th!!!</p>
<p>just<em>forget</em>me: Hah, no harm done, I counted on the move ins and move-outs, just failed to interpret it correctly from your message. And I have to second silversuz1 - you’re definitely keeping a fantastically friendly face for Harvard :).</p>
<p>Silversuz - Good heavens, the 27th is a Thursday! OK, what I said may or may not still be relevant. I’ve been to two of the last three freshman move-ins, which occurred on Saturday-Sunday, but the academic calendar is changing for next year so that the fall semester can end before students leave for Winter holidays. So now I’m not sure what the move-in week/weekend will entail for parents.</p>
<p>gadad - thanks anyway! I appreciate the help! I’m trying to rack my brain for any other questions I may have for all of you helpful people ;D …</p>
<p>Okay, I thought of one that was nagging at me. About how many people go to pre-frosh weekend on average?</p>
<p>dumb question - but I’m curious, how hard is it for students to stay in shape? I’m really scared about freshman 15… are the gyms nice/are there any classes (spinning, yoga, aerobics) available?</p>