April 2009 by Alisha Ramos

the voice

an official harvard college student publication.

ISSUE 16, April 2009

student DJs ON A MISSION TO SAVE HARVARD’S SOCIAL SCENE

prefrosh:

MEET EIGHT MEMBERS OF 2013

gap year in the himalayas TWO PREFROSH SHARE THEIR STORIES

ELEGANZA THE 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

interviews, photos, and more

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jacob benson ABOUT THAT

waterboarding... A DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR A LIBERAL STATE.

protective measures can, and should, be taken. Now, of course criticism and skepticism should be leveled toward any administration that finds itself in a situation that calls for harsh interrogation techniques. Open and free critique of the government is one of the beauties of free societies. And especially with this issue, checks on the government’s procedures are of utmost importance. The problem with many of those leveling these critiques now is that they act as if administrations should absolutely never engage in such techniques. Even to contemplate them is terrible, and to enlist them is always a crime. However, those of us who love and wish to keep the liberal state and the freedom that it offers must recognize that the existence of those very freedoms that we love and cherish are dependent on some form of protection. Egregious torture techniques certainly are intolerable and would delegitimize any liberal state using them. But I would not say the same holds for waterboarding and stress positions when used in cases of extreme urgency to extract extremely vital information.

difficult and inevitable problem for a liberal state is to what extent it can violate some of its own principles in order to survive or protect its citizens. This issue is manifested currently in the debate over the use of certain interrogation techniques during the Bush administration’s tenure. Some, including prominent blogger Andrew Sullivan, insist that even techniques such as stress positions and waterboarding constitute torture, and hence should be considered intolerable. Others disagree, and think that said techniques should be used in an attempt to extract vital information from prisoners. Sullivan and many others around the country are currently promoting a large-scale investigation of those responsible for approving waterboarding and other techniques used by the United States in its various global conflicts. But for Sullivan and his cohorts, the case is already closed. The Bush administration was a “torture regime” and Bush, Cheney, and Yoo should all be in jail. In argu These critics, ing this, I however, seem to be “The am not leliving in a dream world is not gitimizing world. Moral ambiblack and white the use guity and complex enough to dismiss all of harsh decisions seem to considerations of using torture, or said techniques.” be absent in their even argurigid conception of ing that wastrict right and wrong. terboarding The idea that it is unand stress posiconscionable to subject tions work. I am simply prisoners to some forms of noting that the world is discomfort, and even pain, is not black and white enough simply naïve and ridiculous. to dismiss all considerations In a world with nuclear weapons, where a small few can in- of using said techniques. flict unprecedented damage People cheer on Jack Bauer on the world, preventive and when he beats the crap out

Those of us who love and wish to keep the liberal state and the freedom that it offers must recognize that the existence of those very freedoms that we love and cherish are dependent on some form of protection.

of prisoners on 24. But when these situations happen in real life—which is stranger, as we know, than fiction—many people immediately turn to holier-than-thou moralizing. (It is also worth noting that the public is not privy to all the information in these situations, only adding another layer of ambiguity to the issue.) So, if one accepts the precarious nature of this issue, and the possibility that sometimes, in service of a vastly greater good, severe actions sometimes need to be taken, the question arises: Is the United States something worth protecting? Or for those of you who prefer to focus on the mistakes and faults of the United States, I have a different question: Would you waterboard to save your family? Would you subject stress positions to people if you thought it would help you protect the lives of loved ones? If not, fine. (Although I’d prefer you be absent at my family reunion.) But most people would. And then the objection to the use of such techniques by the United States would not be a moral one. The underlying motive of the objection would be exposed for what it really is: an excuse to criticize the United States. (After all, take a look at other countries’ records on torture. The United States compares extremely well.) But Sullivan, and Joe Klein, and Glenn Greenwald, will continue to ignore reality in their pursuit of “justice.” I, however, feel that a country that gives a person the freedom to work as a professional blogger deserves better. And so does the administration that responded to 9-11 by preventing another attack from occurring on American soil for the rest of its tenure.

So who knows how this was accomplished? Not me. Not any of you. Not Andrew Sullivan either. But who would take it back if the safety of our shores over the last seven years depended on interrogation using waterboarding and stress positions? I wouldn’t. Sullivan, it seems, would. Would you?

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allison baum DEAR ALLISON, IS MY GIRLFRIEND A gold digger? Dear Allison, This past weekend, my little sister came to visit me here at Harvard. She is only sixteen, but she is pretty mature for her age (both physically and mentally). She is destined for great things, I’m sure, but for now she is primarily recognized for her looks. This entire weekend every single one of my friends proceeded to hit on her hardcore. What the hell? I try to tell them to back off but everyone says they’re “just joking”. Plus, I think my sister really likes all the attention. How can I intervene without upsetting her or damaging my friendships with the guys? Sincerely, Victim of a Hot Sister Dear Victim, You’re absolutely right, what the hell? Your friends kind of sound like assholes—and they must not be very smart if they think the “just joking” excuse will get them off the hook for being totally creepy. I am absolutely an advocate of female independence—we usually (contrary to popular male opinion) do know how to take care of ourselves. But in this case, even the law says your sister can’t do that quite yet. Next time she visits, I would suggest sitting down with your friends and bringing up the topic in a serious tone. It might be worthwhile to emphasize the whole underage thing, saying that you appreciate them being nice but they seriously need to be respectful. Don’t mention anything to your sister, you might make the prospect of older college guys even more enticing

“I am starting to worry that she only likes me because I have a lot of money.”

than it already is if you emphasize that it’s off limits. She sounds like a smart cookie, I’m sure she won’t be upset

I have been dating this sweet, nice girl for awhile now. We have fun together and she doesn’t seem like a

by the lack of inappropriate attention. Dear Allison,

gold digger, but I am starting to worry that she only likes me because I have a lot of money. Obviously, I have manners, so I pay for our dates and drinks when we go out together. It’s not a big deal to me but she never wants to hang out unless we are going out to a nice place for dinner or to a club with some of her friends. How can I tell if she is into me for me or if she’s only using me for nice meals and expensive alcohol? Sincerely, Sugar Daddy? Dear Sugar Daddy?, Given the current economy, it’s hard to blame a girl for taking advantage of some nice meals outside of the dining halls. I’m not sure how long you guys have been doing this whole dating dance, but if it goes on for too long

without any one-on-one hangout time, it might not be a genuine attraction. However, you can’t really blame the girl for being attracted to your wealth—it’s biological, really. A UK University study recently found that women are indeed more attracted to men in expensive cars. Or, more precisely, “Women select their mates primarily based upon wealth and status.” While this may seem superficial, it doesn’t seem so bad when you consider that, “Men select their mates primarily based upon a woman’s face and figure.” If that’s how you selected this girl, you can’t blame her for using the same type of criteria for keeping you around. Dear Allison, I am graduating in six weeks and I am totally freaking out. I know that everyone gets nervous about entering the “real world” but I am not sure I can

handle it. I even have a job lined up for next year, which is a rare phenomenon this year—but I don’t understand how I am going to deal with not being constantly surrounded by my friends and being able to sleep in until noon every day. I’m too embarrassed to discuss my fear of being a “real adult” with any of my friends because I’m worried they’ll think I’m crazy. What should I do? Sincerely, Cold Feet about Commencement Dear Cold Feet, You may think it’s dumb to talk about this with your friends (which leads to me wonder what type of friends you’ve made here, but whatever), but if you actually did bring it up with pretty much any other Senior in the entire world, you would quickly discover that what you are

“I’m too embarrassed to discuss my fear of being a ‘real adult’ with any of my friends because I’m worried they’ll think I’m crazy.” feeling is completely normal. College is pretty freaking awesome, and it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by the possibility of true adulthood. If you really don’t think you can handle it, then maybe you should think about grad school. It’s totally possible to delay all this “real world” stuff almost indefinitely. But if that doesn’t appeal to you, then you’re just going to have to learn to deal and move on. Everybody does!

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THE VOICE SITS DOWN FOR A QUICK q&a WITH jon page, ONE OF HARVARD’S MANY freshman proctors.

by henry woodward-fisher ‘12 photos by sophia w. chesrow ‘12 Q: You are the freshman proctor of Canaday A, and you were also an undergraduate here I understand. Can you tell us a bit about your role on campus? A: I get the chance to look after the undergraduate chaplaincy at Memorial Church, at the center of the Yard, and as an added bonus get to live with thirty-five freshmen and share a bathroom.I get to advise a bunch of people in my entryway and I try to be a resource as best as possible for any academic, personal, and social issues that might arise. Q: What is the freshman dorm experience like, and what does your role as proctor involve exactly? A: The freshman dorm experience is definitely communal living; people have to be respectful of one another’s privacy and personal space as best as possible. Being ten years older than students and living with them is a little bit of an adjustment, but nevertheless, it’s full of rewards. So it’s great to get a chance to meet Harvard students and especially be a resource for Harvard students as they transition into a brand new experience. It’s been really

rewarding getting to know people in my entryway. Q: What do you love most about Harvard? A: What do I love most about Harvard? Oh, wow…erm, the stress prob“Have fun. Remember to have fun.”

ably. Stress makes the world go ‘round, it usually gets a bad rep, but I think stress can be a very positive thing – it’s what gets work done. Harvard thankfully has lots of stress, so people get a lot of work done. So it’s neat being here, because it’s an involved, high-energy, letsgo-conquer-the-world type atmosphere. Q: And with stress and conquering the world in mind, what one word of advice would you give to the incoming prefrosh? A: Make the right choice and

come to Harvard. If they’ve already chosen Harvard? Have fun. Remember to have fun. Harvard students take themselves very seriously, which is good, but sometimes people end up stressing out a bit more. Just try and be self-aware, because there’s a whole new realm of responsibility that you have here to actually take care of yourself that you didn’t have in high school. You have to be much more responsive to what your body’s telling you. If you need sleep, sleep. If you need to get your work done, get it done. If you feel that you need to take an afternoon off, take an afternoon off. Q: Finally, the best freshman dorm on campus is? A: Clearly Canaday. Followed closely by Lionel!

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HARVARD UHS CONSIDERS USING

“google health” TECHNOLOGY ...IS IT A THREAT TO PATIENT PRIVACY?

by anna kim ‘11

our grades are slipping but you don’t really care. After dating for more than a year, your girlfriend breaks up with you, telling you she would rather be your friend. You hardly see your blockmates. You don’t go to classes, you don’t eat and you can’t concentrate on anything anymore. Finally, after several months, you decide to see a counselor at UHS. But you’re worried. After all, don’t UHS sessions show up on your medical record? You know that Harvard has some kind of privacy policy but you wouldn’t be surprised if there were some loopholes that a parent, insurance company or future employer could use to find out about your sessions. What if you get tested for HIV? What about pregnancy tests? Will those results show up? Even if the results turn out negative, won’t they still leave lasting records that others could access years later? Fortunately, many colleges do a good job when it comes to confidentiality. For example, Harvard explicitly prioritizes privacy. Medical records are only released with a patient’s written authorization and Harvard UHS will inform the freshman dean or house master if a student is hospitalized but the diagnosis will be kept secret. The only time doctors will tell parents about a student’s condition without written consent is when they feel the student is at serious risk to himself or anyone else. Dr. Michael E. Brown, the Chief Information Officer at Harvard University Health Services says, “We work very hard to assure that all of our policies and the regulations regarding patient confidentiality are followed.” “When I had

mono, UHS didn’t send any e-mails. Correspondence was through a secure portal which was password protected. I was pretty sure that my privacy was being respected,” says sophomore Gina (name changed). However, pre-med sophomore, Marcel Moran says, “Privacy policies and UHS offerings are not stated explicitly. I’m sure I could find it on a website if I wanted to but the doctors should re-iterate policies before they talk to you because it’s hard to question doctors. They should make it clearer.” Indeed none of the students interviewed for this article knew that Harvard offered anonymous AIDS testing – a policy that does not require a name or any identifying information. No doubt, confusion over medical policies will grow with the introduction of electronic medical records. Obama’s economic recovery package budgets $19 billion to accelerate the use of computerized medical records in doctors’ offices but this current campaign for adopting EMRs throughout the US health care system is unknown to many people, including Harvard undergraduates who said they were “very surprised” that they had not heard more about it. It may come as even more of a surprise to students that Harvard UHS is considering the move to electronic medical records. Brown says, “I see no reason why patients should not be given the ability to transfer their information into [electronic] systems if they wish and if confidentiality is protected. Harvard University Health Services is beginning to look into this option.” When used properly, the benefits of EMRs are vast. They can help curb costs and improve the quality of health care. As part of a push toward greater

individual control of health information, Microsoft and Google have recently begun offering Web-based personal health records. Google Health is a free service that lets patients

begin by typing the basics into their record such as their blood type and family history. If they have paper copies of records, they can scan them and save them as PDFs. Doctors’ visits, pre-

However, some

experts have their reservations when it comes to companies like these becoming hosts for personal health records, particularly because it raises new challenges to patient keep all their medical records in one place and share them with others using the service. Google Health and others such as Microsoft’s HealthVault say they are offering a tool to help patients navigate a fragmented healthcare system. Patients

privacy.

scriptions, hospitalizations, medical tests and insurance information can be uploaded as well. These personal health records can then be shared with doctors and other patients. However, some experts have their reserva-

tions when it comes to companies like these becoming hosts for personal health records, particularly because it raises new challenges to patient privacy. In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Kenneth D. Madl and Dr. Isaac S. Kohane, long-term advocates of the benefits of electronic patient records, voice their concerns about the complacency of the medical profession and policy makers who are not yet developing concrete solutions to potential privacy evasion. One of their concerns is that Google Health is not bound by the privacy restrictions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the main law that regulates personal data handling and patient privacy. Despite the stimulus package expanding HIPAA medical privacy regulations to cover third-party data repositories, personal health records and health data networks, Google and Microsoft insist they are not bound by the changes. Madl and Kohane warn that consumer control of personal data under the new and unregulated web systems could open the floodgates to marketing and false advertising from unscrupulous parties eager to solicit patient information. Information may be sold to companies that wish to obtain data about patients and patients may find advertisements tailored to their medical problems. “Google has access to too much information already. If Google and Microsoft have the power to access health records, they have to get in line with privacy policies,” Moran says. Brown says, “These companies appear to be making an effort to protect patient privacy. Having said that, these systems are still in development and it is up to each patient to decide if the benefits of these systems outweigh

the privacy concerns they might have.” Both Google and Microsoft have already forged some early partnerships with big medical centers, including New York Presbyterian, the Cleveland Clinic and Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston. And regarding Harvard UHS, Brown states, “If people on campus have any concerns or experiences regarding Google and Microsoft health record technology, we would be very interested in learning more about them. This information would be helpful as we look into the possibility of making records available in the future.”

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THEY TOOK A GAP YE the him

A DIFFERENT KIND OF EDUCATION: ANCHAL LOCHAN’S GAP YEAR STORY. by ken li ‘12

nchal Lochan does not know where anything is at Harvard. We spend five minutes on the phone trying to search each other out before finally meeting up at Out of Town News late on a Wednesday night. “I’m so sorry,” she says to me as we introduce ourselves. “This place is so big and confusing.” We walk back into the Yard and I note that she is wearing flip-flops, sweatpants, and a Harvard 2012 t-shirt. Anchal is a gap year student. She is therefore also a prefrosh. Before I can get a single question in, she has already asked me ten about courses, concentrations, housing, and social life at Harvard. We go through a short tour of the Yard and eventually find ourselves at Brain Break in Annenberg Hall where Anchal’s awestruck appreciation of the building contrasts the bleary-eyed pre-meds who are buckling down on Marshmallow Mateys before another night of Life Sci. Af-

ter a few more questions about the dining hall, we finally move onto the subject of her gap year. Originally from Mussoorie, India, Anchal was admitted into Harvard’s class of 2012 and attended the prefrosh weekend in late April. It was during this time that Anchal met Zoe Tucker, a prefrosh from Newton, Massachusetts. The two hit it off right away and hung out together throughout the weekend. However, instead of being the prefrosh BFFs that Facebook chat all summer and come back in the fall only to never talk again, Anchal and Zoe decided to both take gap years. Together. The two of them started planning right away. Zoe had been interested in exploring India, but while researching gap year options, she was unable to find any existing program that offered complete immersion into Indian culture. Anchal proposed that Zoe come to Mussoorie where the two could rent an

“The yak guy was always hung over on rice liquor and one time he gave some to his yaks, which got them very drunk to the point that they couldn’t walk straight or go to sleep.”

apartment and explore the country themselves. After much exhaustive research, countless e-mails and phone calls, and a trip from India to Massachusetts, Anchal was finally able to convince Zoe that her idea would work. In the fall of 2008, Zoe flew to India and the two lived by themselves in Mussoorie for ten weeks. Anchal organized Hindi, sitar, and yoga lessons for Zoe. The two also worked on various volunteer service projects, explored local villages in the area, and toured much of the country together. As the ten weeks came to a close, Anchal and Zoe decided that since they were in the area they would try and do an expedition up to the base camp of Mt. Everest, which is at an elevation of 18,400 feet. And so in December of that year, along with a cook, two Sherpa guides, a yak man, and two yaks, Anchal and Zoe went on a three-week trek up the Himalaya Mountains. From burning yak dung for fuel to setting up huts to sleep in every night, Anchal had an out-of-the-world experience. “It was like I was Dr. Zhivago

and we were in the Russian Revolution,” she says. I ask her about her fa vorite memory from the trip and she thinks for a minute. “The yaks and the yak man,” she finally says. “The yak guy was always hung over on rice liquor and one time he gave some to his yaks, which got them very drunk to the point that they couldn’t walk straight or go to sleep. All of this while it was fucking cold and while we were stuck in this dark valley that Zoe and I named the ‘Valley of Death and Despair’.” I’m slightly taken aback as I was expecting her to tell me about when they finally reached the base camp. My instinctual response is to ask her if the rice liquor was any good. “Oh, I love Chang (pronounced Chung). I put sugar in it and it’s amazing,” she replies with a smile. Ultimately, despite the drunken yaks and the freezing temperatures, Anchal and Zoe succeeded in reaching the base camp and getting back down. After the trip, the two decided that they had such an amazing time that they wanted to share it with future gap year

students. The result was the founding of Himalayan Gap, a company run by Anchal, Zoe, and Rajiv Lochan, Anchal’s father. The company has the purpose of running a program very similar to how Anchal and Zoe spent their three months in India, including the trek into the Himalayas. “It’s the first gap year program organized by gap year students,” Anchal says. “We know what gap year students want. We know what they need”. I ask Anchal where she sees her business in four years when she graduates from Harvard. “I think it’s going to do really well,” she says, “Because it’s so personalized and it offers complete cultural immersion.” Anchal plans on allowing for students to develop their own personal interests and help find individualized activities for them to do while in India. “For example, if a student is interested in fashion, we would help that student intern with a tailor or work at a silk weaving shop.” The initial peppiness and excitement Anchal showed when she was telling me her story has faded a

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EAR TOGETHER IN malayas “

Anchal plans on

allowing for students to develop their own personal interests and help find individualized activities for them to do while in India. “For example, if a student is interested in fashion, we would help that student intern with a tailor or work at a silk weaving shop. bit and she gives a big yawn. She explains that she is on three hours of sleep and the last two weeks of her life have been devoted to travelling to different high schools around the US and Canada. “Hotchkiss, Noble and Greenough, St. Andrews, Field College, Taft School, and, Phillips Andover, to name a few”, she says. “Basically, I’ve been marketing and promoting the program and telling them the same story I’ve been telling you. It’s been great and I see how much I’ve really gained from this experience.” It’s clear that Anchal loved her gap year and we chat about all that she’s obtained from her experience. Midway in conversation, her phone rings. It’s her dad and he’s at Harvard Square trying to find her and pick her up. They’re going to New York and New Jersey this week to talk to more schools about the program, she explains, before she takes a flight to Frankfurt. “He really wants me to get as much sleep as possible.” Perplexed, I ask her why she is going to Frankfurt. “Because I never got a chance to visit when I was in France,” she ex-

plains. I ask her why she was in France. “I went right after I backpacked through Bulgaria and Hungary. I learned the language and everything,” she says. “Wait, this was all in this one year?” “Of course, I didn’t just go to India. I live there after all.” Our conversation ends there as Anchal hurries off to get picked up, leaving me wondering where else she has gone and what more she has done with her year. As I walk back to my room, I can’t help but feel a bit jealous. But at the same time, I am also inspired. I bump into a friend in the Yard and as we make plans for the weekend, we decide to go on our own arduous journey. Out of Cambridge and into Boston to go check out the MFA. More information about Anchal, Zoe, and their gap year program can be found at www.himalayangap. com.

“It’s the first gap year program organized by gap year students,” Anchal says. “We know what gap year students want. We know what they need.”

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ELEGANZ

the biggest sho

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ZA 2009

ow on campus.

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o t y a w n u r e h t g n i k l a w : A ELEGANZ . y t u a e b e n fi rede photos by sophia w. chesrow

coverage by brian shen ‘11 and liyun jin ‘12

t’s the advent of the 15th year of Eleganza, the largest fashion production at Harvard, yet people are still wary of what Eleganza has to offer. With bad press looming over the show, the executive producers Alexandra Aves ’11, Denetrias Charlemagne ’11, and Nick Navarro ’10 are more conscious than ever of the message they are sending. Eleganza has been barraged with criticism from The Crimson and various students and faculty as being “a tasteless show” that promotes “negative black sexual stereotypes” and “blaxpoitation,” – accusations drawn from the infamous scene that portrayed loincloths in last year’s show. One student mentioned in the February 2, 2009 issue of The Crimson that Eleganza is “clinging to the last strand it can to be able to call it a fashion show.” But this student may not have noticed that shows in New York and Paris have long since incorporated dance, music, and alternative mediums including film and video into their collections. Viktor & Rolf for example are renowned for their haute couture shows that turn into almost theatrical productions—sometimes including live performances, same-sex ballroom dancing, smashing of porcelain accessories to the floor and utilizing a blue screen for special effects—all while com-

menting on the sartorial garment and what is socially acceptable. And they’re the one of the best in the industry. The fact of the matter is that Eleganza like Viktor & Rolf’s shows - is social criticism, and so is modern fashion. Fashion as an art and as an industry, according to Walter Benjamin, author of the authoritative Arcades Project, names fashion as a medium of change. Specifically, it’s a change from the ancien régime, the system of dress that used to govern social stratification. And since World War II, fashion has taken on a different mode—it’s a vehicle for social change that reflects the social and economic attitudes of the times. But at the same time, with capitalism governing all enterprises, artistic or otherwise, fashion must walk a fine line between scandalous entertainment that pushes the envelope of expression and being socially acceptable. The concept of fashion itself rests on a paradigm of change that reflects on the past and updating it for the future, and that seems to be doing exactly what Eleganza is doing. While some of the scenes in the show might be controversial, they are in effect fulfilling their duty by encouraging people to talk about race, sex, and sexual liberation—and no one can deny that. Just look at all the press and comments people have offered on the show—and the still impressive 12,000 plus audience.

It’s no surprise, then, that Eleganza is continuing to be an event of entertainment, allowing it to engage a broader audience and to comment on a diverse set of social issues in a variety of ways—clothing, dance, music, and playing with the idea of gender norms. But that’s not to say that they haven’t listened carefully to the criticisms and responded constructively. By working even more closely with organizations including but not limited to BlackCAST, The Harvard Gay and Lesbian Caucus, and The Center for Teen Empowerment in Boston, Eleganza aims to celebrate racial, cultural, and sexual diversity all while supporting the efforts of a charity in our community. In doing so, they hope to create a show whose overall message can’t be misconstrued as merely stereotyping. There will be no shortage of dancing and conceptual garments— and even a drag character dressed as an Alice in Wonderland inspired Queen of Hearts is in this year’s show. Alexandra Aves ’11, one of the executive producers, honestly offers, “We want to celebrate diversity and the fashion and the music going into the show. People say it’s Eleganza or whatever but it’s a lot more than that. It’s about the celebration of art, dance, and diversity, and I want people to remember that going into the show and after, I want them to leave with that sort of feeling.”

‘12

“WAKE UP!”

ith the economy crumbling, the Eleganza family had to breathe innovation. Some of the sponsors that previously worked with the show including big banks like Morgan Stanley were not able to contribute anything at all. Luckily other contributors with which the Eleganza family has worked in the past,

including but not limited to Red Bull and Macy’s, have pulled through. However with social tensions heightened by the not only the economy but also the passing of Prop 8 in California, the team of three scene directors decided it was time to call for people to wake up to social issues like diversity. The sleep sequence is literal yet conducive to the message of the show. The three scenes this year thus

developed into Dream, Nightmare, and Awake. Each scene moves between different styles of fashion: surreal, couture, and prêt-a-porter (ready to wear). Fashion Director Beatrice El-Hage has been working hard all year to bring in garments from designers like Club Monaco or Le Vu.

CELEBS, DRAG, FABOLOS, & OTHER GOODIES. Considering it’s the 15th anniversary of Eleganza, this show needs to be bigger and better than ever. That being said, the show this year will incorporate some things you never thought you’d have the opportunity to see.

FASHION AMBASSADORS:This year’s fashion

ambassadors are groundbreakers to say the least. Ktiti Kironde, a Harvard alumna, was the first black woman to be on the cover of a fashion magazine (Glamour) and Guila Clara Kessous has worked extensively in fashion marketing, having completed the Luxury Marketing MBA program within the division of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy before arriving at Harvard for a Ph.D.

Drag:

The Queen of Hearts performed by Chris Turner ’11 will be a stunning addition to the show. Read his profile in the side bar.

FABOLOS:

At the end of the show, Brooklyn rapper Fabolous known for his two platinum albums Ghetto Fabolous (2001) and Street Dreams (2003) as well as his one gold album Real Talk (2004), audience members will get a taste of his fabulousness. Apparently different from other rappers because he doesn’t try to convince fans of his “hustle,” the artist has signed with the famous Def Jam label.

VIP GOOD BAGS: If you are a VIP guest you’re in luck because you’ll have scored: a Red Bull energy drink, a Jack Wills catalogue, a Boloco coupon, make up samples, beauty products from hilights, a Santé Smile full size tooth whitening sample, a white BCBGeneration t-shirt or tote bag, and many, many coupons.

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: A Z N ELEGA . E L P O E P E H T NICK NAVARRO ‘10 (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) Bravely sporting the goatee that harkens back to recent resurgence of 80s styles, Nick Navarro ’10 greets his acquaintances as he meanders over to meet me. But as soon as he gets to me, he jumps directly into Eleganza-speak, asking if I’d heard the latest and begging for questions. Navarro tells me he has been living and breathing Eleganza for a while now. “You should put in a sample schedule of what an executive producer has to do. I think this past weekend I had....” I can hardly catch his list of five meetings in one day, yet he rambles them off

as if they were his telephone number. “Eleganza takes over your life,” he tells me while grinning and shaking his head slightly. He continues to tell me the latest news on the show that has him so excited. He elaborates on the concept of the show and its goal of celebrating of diversity. Navarro is sincerely concerned about how the drag portion of the show will be received. “I don’t want people to say this is stereotyping again,” he says gravely. He had mentioned there were only three openly gay male models in the show and he wanted to make gays more

visible—hence the drag queen. Navarro mentions that the team went through much preparation for this drag character. They attended a QSA drag workshop in which a professional drag queen built up excitement for the performance and told them that the best way to get a message across and to get people to pay attention is to “do it over the top and be crazy.” Navarro has taken the idea of “go big or go home” seriously, and it will be reflected in not only the dress but also the choreography for the show.

BEATRICE EL-HAGE ’11 (FASHION DIRECTOR)

CHRISTOPHER TURNER ‘11 (MODEL) Donning a North Face fleece, indigo jeans, and black frame glasses—the classic Harvard uniform— Christopher Turner’s appearance gives off a Lamont or lecture hall vibe rather than exuding glamour or flamboyance. For the model that will be dancing and wearing drag in front of hundreds of students in this year’s Eleganza show, Turner is surprisingly unassuming. This is the first year the sophomore Chemistry concentrator is participating in Eleganza, prompted to try out by various friends who are involved with the show. Initially cast as a dancer only a couple of weeks ago, Turner was asked to portray the Queen of Hearts character after a few practices. As a member of Expressions, Turner is well versed in performance and entertainment, but drag is far from his area of expertise. He hasn’t seen his Queen of Hearts costume yet, but knows that the dress will be made out of actual playing cards. Eleganza—which has promoted racial and body shape diversity in past years—is emphasizing sexual diversity in this year’s show. “It’s one aspect of diversity that hasn’t been given in the past, but this year there’s a definite LGBT presence in the show,” says Turner. As the social chair of

the QSA, the goal of promoting sexual diversity through a positive portrayal of a drag character is especially important to him. “The Eleganza board wanted to make sure that the drag portion wasn’t done in a way that seemed untoward or stereotypical,” Turner says. “I can’t comment on how good or bad my performance is, but I’ve heard from other board members that the portrayal is tasteful and not potentially harmful to the community.” According to Turner, there have been many planning meetings between the QSA and Eleganza in order to balance the desire to entertain with the goal of presenting queer life in a positive light. He recounts that there was initially some friction between the two boards, with the word ‘normative’ being tossed around often and QSA members expressing concerns that the show’s portrayals of queer life were generated from a heterosexual point of view. But those concerns have largely been allayed, says Turner, after the Eleganza staff reformed their ideas and consulted with the QSA board regarding their revised visions. “I think that this year’s show struck a good balance between entertainment and tasteful portrayal,”

says Turner, adding that he is more nervous about dancing than wearing drag. Turner does not see his participation primarily as a chance to represent the queer community. “I got involved because I thought it would be a fun experience, and if I make a statement that resonates with the audience and I accomplish the planners’ goal of acknowledging and supporting queer life, then that’s all I could ask for,” says Turner.

The walls of Beatrice El-Hage’s bedroom are plastered with pages torn out of Vogue and InStyle magazines. Countless rows of advertisements—Dior, Moschino, Ralph Lauren, MaxMara, Burberry, and Cole Haan—transform the modest Claverly single into a shrine to style, fashion, and beauty. It’s a fitting boudoir for the fashion director of Eleganza, whose job involves procuring all the clothing for the show. And for a production that involves 150 to 200 looks, that’s quite a big task. Since October, El-Hage and the rest of Eleganza’s fashion board have contacted hundreds of companies and boutiques in order to secure pieces for the show. Clothing this year will come from designers like Club Monaco, Guess, Milly, and Jack Wells, as well as student designers. E l -

Hage—whose grandparents were seamstresses—considers fashion an intrinsic part of her identity. Last summer, she took a four-week intensive fashion design course at Parsons School of Art and Design in Paris, and has worked on Freeze magazine photo shoots in the past at Harvard. Clad in a v-neck sweater and light blue polo, El-Hage aptly describes her own style as “very preppy.” The looks she has compiled for Eleganza, however, are more eclectic and eccentric. The three different segments of the show—Dream, Nightmare, and Awake—each have their own unifying theme: Nightmare will be dominated by dark clothing, Awake will feature ready-towear and classic looks, and Dream will be a mish-mash of various styles that highlight the erratic, unpredictable, and inexplicable nature of dreams.

El-Hage recalls spending her entire Presidents Day wandering in downtown Boston with the rest of the fashion board, pitching Eleganza to each boutique that caught their eye. “We literally walked every single block up and down Newbury Street,” Beatrice says. Equipped with business cards and publicity packets, she and three other students knocked on the doors of stores they wished to have in the show. Despite the exhausting process, she describes getting a great response from managers, who were very receptive to having their pieces in the show. Though El-Hage’s dorm has not yet been deluged by clothing—most of it is stored in producer Denetrias Charlemagne’s room— she expects her spare closet to be flooded in the days preceding the show. Surprisingly, after seven months of dealing nonstop with clothing, ElHage still hasn’t tired of her job. “All I want to do is shop!” she laughs. Though the sophomore economics concentrator has a consulting internship this summer in Beirut, her long-term goal returns to fashion. “My dream is to be the CEO or president of a fashion corporation,” El-Hage says. With Eleganza under her belt, she’s certainly headed in the right direction.

the voice

ANJELICA M. KELLY ’09 (MODEL) When asked whether she considers herself to be model-like, Anjelica M. Kelly—who has participated in Eleganza every year of her Harvard career— promptly rejects the notion. “I’m not particularly rail thin,” Kelly says. “I have some sort of shape or figure, and I’m not apologetic for it.” Her response contradicts itself, however, for it is exactly this self-assurance and confidence which affirm her status as a model. Aside from her tall stature, Kelly says she little conforms to model stereotypes. “I’m not especially fashionable or anything,” Kelly says. “I’m not all about the clothes.” Though Eleganza is her only fashion-related activity at Harvard, Kelly got a taste for modeling in high school by participating in local shows and doing catalogue work for department stores like Nordstrom and Mervyns. Kelly half-jokes that Eleganza may have played a role in her choice to come to Harvard. After seeing the show as a prefrosh, Kelly remembers being impressed by the major production— which she says was bigger, more glamorous, and more entertaining than the fashion shows put on by other schools.

“It definitely broke the stereotypes of how people view Harvard,” says Kelly, who remembers wanting to be in the show after seeing it. “I got really excited to be involved in student life and student culture.” A year later at the last day of Eleganza auditions, though, Kelly says she remembers being nervous and “extremely intimidated.” Surrounded by people decked out in party attire and dresses, she recalls rethinking her simple outfit of jeans and a tee. After selecting a song, walking for the directors, and then performing a short dance, Kelly went home thinking that she would probably not be chosen as a model, especially as a freshman with few connections and little experience. But it is clear how that story ended. Since that audition, Kelly has gone through essentially the same process three more times, though she says she has felt

more confident and comfortable each year. But although her demeanor has changed, her audition outfit hasn’t, always remaining a pair of jeans and a dressy top. “Simplicity is best,” says Kelly. As a seasoned Eleganza model, Kelly says she has witnessed an improvement every year in the show, with more professionalism and increased diversity in body types, ethnicity, and sexuality. “I’ve really enjoyed my experience,” says Kelly. “It’s a way to do something that’s not strictly academic but kind of fun and glamorous.”

DON’ T MISS

9 0 0 2 A Z ELEGAN

SARY

celebrating its 15 YEAR ANNIVER FEATURING

FABOLOS OF THE HIT “MAKE ME BETTER”

APRIL 25. 8PM. LAVIETES ATHLETIC CENTER. tickets available at the harvard box office.

the voice

ELEGANZA’S FASHION AMBASSADORS FASHION AMBASSADORS KATITI KIRONDE AND GUILA KESSOUS HAVE BEEN PIONEERS IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND HAVE BEEN DEEPLY COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY INITIATIVES AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

KATITI KIRONDE Katiti is a Harvard alum and was the first black woman to be on the cover of a fashion magazine (Glamour Magazine). In the magazine, Katiti featured three outfits that she had designed and made herself. Katiti has been in the fashion industry for over twenty years. Katiti began her career in fashion as a humble design assistant at Friedberg of Boston. Katiti has designed for David Brooks for Talbot’s and has done both product develop-

ment and design for TJX companies. Katiti also produced the fashion trend Scoops newsletter, and presented her categories in the bi-annual trend show. Despite her success, Katiti remains committed to giving back to the community. Katiti is a mentor for many Harvard undergraduates, and has placed many Harvard students in fashion industry internships in Paris and Los Angeles. Currently, Katiti is an owner and Creative Director for her own shirt company.

ELEGANZA: THE TEAM EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Alexandra Alves Denetrias Charlemagne Nicholas Navarro Associate Producers: Carmen Feliz-Taveras Alterell Mills FINANCE TEAM Amy Chen (Finance Chair) Olamide Oladipo Jane Chun FASHION TEAM Beatrice El-Hage Heba El-Habashy Ashley Kang Madeline Boyd Jasmine Ford (Artistic Director) SCENE DIRECTORS Mark Terrelonge Kia McLeod Sybil St. Hilaire Halle Philips (Production Director) PUBLICITY TEAM Angela Su (Publicity Chair) Wintha Kelati (Publicity Assistant) Lisa Akorli Keara Cormier-Hill COMMUNITY SERVICE Sarah Maxwell

GUILA CLARA KESSOUS In January of 2006, the French Ministry of Culture awarded Guila Clara Kessous the highest honor in drama (the State Diploma in Performing Arts). Guila Clara Kessous is currently a Post Doc fellow at the Center for European Studies, and a specialist in political drama. Before getting her Ph.D., she completed the Luxury Marketing MBA program within the division of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH). After working on Christian

Dior marketing projects with E. Roux, she worked for an independent stylist Malay Phcar as a marketing adviser. Guila has worked with a variety of innovative and prestigious designers, including Jean Paul Gaultier. Currently, Guila is working on a French play for United Nations Ambassador, Moussa Camara. The play will take place at the Garden of the Harvard Center for European Studies on May 3, 2009 (www. ondinetheplay.com).

ELEGANZA: THE SPONSORS FASHION SPONSORS A. A. Pino Baruch Shemtov BCBG Bonobos Carrol Silva Chris Han Collection Club Monaco Crush Boutique Delias Dru Fame Allure G Wheels G1 Gallery Coats Gideon Oberson Guess Hue Ina Solanti J. Press Jack Wills Johnny Cupcakes Keezers Lee Cooper LF Stores Lizz Russell Loeffler Randall Looks Mauri Simone Milly

Mr.Livingston Oona’s Passport Rebecca Taylor Royal Silk Salmon Cove Shoshanna Siwy Traffic Trudy Miller Twilight Vicky Sung MAKEUP SPONSORS Cuberry Cosmetics Lime Crime Makeup Facefront Cosmetics

the voice

CAN HARVARD DJs SAVE THE PARTY SCENE? student DJs michael oshima and DJ straus think so.

by qichen zhang ‘12

pon our initial meeting, George Zisiadis looks like another Harvard student displaced from the cool urbanity of New York City that is undeniably missing from the brick-lined streets of Cambridge. With his disheveled collared shirt, his styled yet casual hair, and his Northface backpack worn down from use, Zisaidis oozes hipness. Before we begin our conversation, he cordially asks me if I’d like anything to drink. As we settle down to talk over a quick lunch, I notice that a lot of people seem to know Zisiadis, - several pass by our table and interrupt our conversation. Zisiadis waves enthusiastically to a girl and mentions his weekend plans of DJing a party - of course, it’s appropriate for someone with a place on the upper echelons of Harvard’s party culture. Better known as “DJ Straus” to many partygoers, Zisiadis, a sophomore, has already made a name for himself around campus as the go-to DJ for large-scale student social functions. Just last week, Zisiadis was hired to DJ the Woodbridge Society party, “Fiesta Mondiale,” attended by over 300 people. Despite all of the gigs Zisiadis has played within the past year, he makes clear his dissatisfaction with the party scene at Harvard. Or in his words, “The parties here fucking suck!” Taking sips occasionally from his glass, Zisiadis launches into his barrage against the lack

of party spirit. “People here don’t know what they’re doing.” As a freshman, Zisiadis remembered being appalled by the badly thrown parties and the lack of a good party scene, which he was quick to attribute to the fact that no one was taking responsibility for the music. “The parties I went to here, the DJs were always fumbling over the music. There would be three-second gaps in between songs at parties. That happened last year when I went to the Adams formal. I mean—it’s just not conducive to your dancing with anybody, you know?” With his eyebrows furrowed in vehement discontent, I can relate. The party scene—or lack thereof—remains something most students find disappointing about Harvard life. Instead of recounting the outrageous debacles we get into while we nurse worthy hangovers, most students probably spend Saturday mornings anxiously worried about the dead scene that night. When I sat down with senior Michael Oshima, Pforzheimer’s unofficial resident DJ, he noted the same sentiments. “Besides finals clubs or the big dining hall parties, there really is no kind of party scene in between. There’s definitely a social problem here.” Oshima, a relaxed and outgoing soonto-be graduate, is a distinct standout from the throng of overachieving, overeager, and overextended Harvard stereotypes that trip over themselves while typing furiously on their Blackberries in between classes. His significantly different attitude became obvious to me the

moment he strolled into the Greenhouse Café. In a casual track jacket and jeans, Oshima is the epitome of a senior pining for graduation who, through experience, has developed a carefree attitude for the harried culture of Harvard. Sitting back in his chair, he recounted his DJing and partying experiences at Harvard, never once glancing at his watch or darting his eyes around. After spending a year abroad in Japan before coming to Harvard, Oshima’s impression of the Harvard party scene was nothing short of a disappointment. “I lived in Japan as a foreign exchange student. It was way wilder, and we could party until four in the morning. A lot more people liked to party and could actually supply it.” Oshima gives credit to the campus “party suites,” such as the Kirkland “Swamp” and “Ground Zero” in Eliot, for trying to improve the weekend prospects on campus, but otherwise, he regards the scene as pretty antisocial. “Everyone is too busy trying to take over the world.” Living in the Bell Tower in Pfoho, however, has given Oshima a better perception of the social environment at Harvard as well as the own power he could wield to change the situation. When he tells me of the wild scenarios he has witnessed, I become confused. As he recounts a tale of a drunk couple making out on the dance floor and the prank pulled on them when everyone else turned on the lights, it becomes obvious that he has made remarkable attempts to garner a party culture on campus,

photos by sophia w. chesrow ‘12

the voice

S I E R E H “T T R A N A Y L E T I N I DEF N I M R O F E V A H E L P O E P G MAKIN s J D . E C N A D D N FUN A Y T R A P E H T E K A M E R O M E P O H I . N HAPPE D N U O R A PEOPLE O D N A C D R A V R A H THIS.” despite the social difficulties. “It’s hard here because everyone lives in the dorms all four years, so there aren’t any houses to throw parties in. But I try to help friends out with medium size parties as much as I can.” Oshima’s simple strategy: get people to dance. “Even though I play a lot of top 40 at parties, I try to play the alternative within the mainstream.” Like Oshima, Zisiadis was quick to take matters into his own hands. A self-proclaimed music fanatic who is constantly on the lookout for new songs, Zisiadis dedicates much of his time to preparing for his gigs. “I spend at least five hours a week looking for new stuff. There’s such good music put on the Internet everyday, it’s just a matter of filtering through it and finding it. People need someone dedicated to doing that, which is where the role of DJ comes into play.” Paying for his own software and creating his own publicity, Zisiadis has invested a lot into his art in the past year, partly to offset his frustration with the party atmosphere. When Zisiadis became serious about serving campus events, he spent $700 on a music mixing software called Torque. It’s a petty expenditure, as he finds the investment more than worth it. “A DJ Straus party isn’t just a party, it’s a complete experience. I don’t want people to have to text all their friends in their phonebook just to find a good party on the weekend. I want people to know that if they go to a DJ Straus party, they’ll have a good time.” The more I talk with Zisiadis, the more I realize his concrete conviction in what he is doing. For him,

“A DJ Straus party isn’t just a party, it’s a complete experience. I don’t want people to have to text all their friends in their phonebook just to find a good party on the weekend. I want people to know that if they go to a DJ Straus party, they’ll have a good time.”

DJing no longer remains a mere hobby; rather, it has been elevated to the status of a sanctified mission. “I view myself as more of a performer than a DJ. The DJ is much more than just a dude who plays music. I’m responsible for people’s musical experience. The audience and I have a serious bond and relationship for that night.” At a usual DJ Straus-hosted party, students can spot Zisiadis from across the room, not simply standing around and pressing buttons on his laptop but rather dancing and yelling with the crowd as he multitasks and tries to figure out what the audience responds to which songs he plays. He recalls an incident when he had to think on his toes to save a party from dying. “At senior bar last year, people ran out of space on the dance floor, but I just told people to start dancing behind me.” While Oshima proves more laid-back about his job as a DJ than Zisiadis, he shares his attitude about the responsibility involved with throwing a party nevertheless. “I feel like the musical aspect of DJing is overrated just because we’re simply the ones playing the music. I feel like we’re cheating because we didn’t actually make the songs. But you have to get people to have fun at a party, that’s what it’s all about. There is definitely an art form in making people have fun and dance. DJs make the party happen. I hope more people around Harvard can do this.” With some experience playing at both ragers and classy affairs like wine tastings, Oshima knows the degree to which the DJ can control the mood of any event. “If you’re quality, you can set the right

mood for any situation. It doesn’t matter what the function is, whether you’re sipping wine with lounge music in the background or you’re playing at ‘Make It Rain’ with 180,000 paper bills flying in the air with champagne bottles popping.” With their arsenal of spinning experience, both Zisiadis and Oshima have attempted to use these ingredients to change the party scene at Harvard for the better. Taking it upon themselves to improve the social atmosphere, both have experienced the positive and negative aspects of controlling the party helm. “Weekends are exhausting, especially during formal season, when I have to play four days in a row,” Zisiadis admits. Even partygoers who yell at him during parties have not deterred him from continuing. “Sometimes, people can get demanding, especially when they’re drunk. Some don’t understand that what they want to hear may not necessarily be appealing to the 250 people behind them. But overall, it’s still fun to pick up bookings.” Despite the exhaustion, Zisiadis still looks for ways to improve his performances. “I’m currently working with HUPD to create a dance-proof table,” he tells me. With all the effort that Zisiadis puts into his art, naturally his own opinion of his role as an artist has evolved. No longer seeing himself as “just a dude” playing random songs in the corner at a party, Zisiadis is adamant that DJ Straus be separated from his own persona and to be known as a removed entity, the sole purpose of which is

to provide entertainment to the Harvard masses. “I don’t want people to think that it’s me playing music in the background of the parties that they go to. I’d rather them think of DJ Straus as a sacred musical experience.” Removing his own identity from his role as Harvard’s most popular DJ is crucial to the way Zisiadis provides entertainment to students here. His firm belief in an entire spiritual experience is emphasized consistently as our conversation comes to an end. He iterates that this separation of Zisiadis and DJ Straus amplifies the artistic and nature of his performances and allows for a certain mystique to his own brand. “It’s all about going crazy and pushing the envelope way beyond what people want.” Whether Zisiadis and Oshima’s efforts to revamp the Harvard party scene will succeed remains unclear. But as our conversation comes to a close, Zisiadis’s unwavering excitement about his music makes me optimistic that maybe during my undergraduate years here, I won’t be forced to stay in on Friday nights. “This is what I want to do to bad parties and bad DJ culture here.” He takes his left over banana peel and crisply snaps it in half. “Life would be better if everyone had a little bit more fun.”

the voice

! H S O R F E R P

THE VOICE INTERVIEWS EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2013 THE PREFROSH.

PREFROSH LAURA D’ASARO holds the GuinnessWorld Record for the fastest time to crawl a mile.

by the voice staff Tell us about yourself. What are your interests and hobbies? Do you do anything cool/ strange/totally awesome that you would like to share? LAURA: A fun fact abut me is that I am the Guinness Book of World Record holder for the fastest time to crawl a mile. (you know, like on your hands and knees). My time is 22 minutes 4 seconds. SAM: I practice yoga daily, leading sessions before school every morning and taking some time for independent meditation. ADRIENNE: Some of my favorite non-academic hobbies are music (clarinet and bass clarinet), running (sprints and mid-distance), community service, shopping, practicing the “single ladies” dance, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. My favorite moments in life include receiving my first paycheck, learning that Seniors with a “B” average take no finals, getting into Harvard, and meeting Barack Obama! ANNA: Well, I come from a very small town in Minnesota…very small. It’s two hours from anything nice-sized. We moved there when I was little for my dad to work at the national park on Lake Kabetogama. It’s been nice to grow up with nature in every part of my life…I remember going on excursions with him such as tagging eagles and holding baby bears while he fixed

their mom’s tracking device. As far as interests go, I am a complete nerd. I love to read, write my own stories/essays/ emo poetry, and watch movies. When I get really bored, I play with my TI-89…Titanium. XKCD.com, Bo Burnham, and Carrie Fisher are among my favorite things. XING LIN: I am from a very small, rural town in South Georgia called Metter, which has a population of less than four thousand. I am the first person (as far as my school administrators and the Board of Education remembers) from my town to be accepted into an Ivy League school. My current hobby is photography and web design. I learned HTML by creating MySpace layouts, which eventually led to my first online business (I designed layouts and put it on my website, but I made money through Google AdSense). Something cool/strange/totally awesome about me? I make killer scrambled eggs. ADAM: Fun fact: I opened up my graduation speech with a George W. Bush impression. I’m big on sports. Huge fan of the Yankees (thaaaat’s right. yankee fan in boston!) and New Jersey Devils (hockey, in case you don’t know). So my year off has been extremely interesting, I’ve been working in a neuroscience lab doing research that, put simply, studies hand-eye coordination and how the neurophysiology is altered when the visual field is shifted. Interesting stuff. I’ve also taught Hebrew at a local Hebrew school, 4th and

5th grades, which has been a rewarding and weird experience. Think about it, one year you’re finishing senior year taking shit from teachers the next you ARE the teacher. In two weeks I’m going to Israel for a month and then to London for a week, so overall I think it’s been a great year off and I’ll be ready to hit the books come the fall. NANCY: I admit, with a healthy dose of pride, that I am an over-acheiver who enjoys challenges (hmmm... that sounded very Asian). Being busy doesn’t overwhelm me, but boredom can kill me. A teacher once told me to “dream big, because you never know what you can do.” I was born in Guangzhou, China and immigrated to San Francisco when I was about seven. And something interesting that I do...well, I’m a paid church organist who plays every Sunday, sometimes for weddings, funerals, and baptisms. CHRISTIAN: I’m awater polo goalie, I’m especially involved in singing and acting, and I’d like to continue with those wherever I go to school next year. This year a friend and I started our own a cappella group at my school called “Pitch, Please” and a cappella is something I really want to continue in college.

Tell us how the college admissions process was for you. NANCY: Let’s not talk about that today...

Laura D’Asaro (Seattle, WA) Sam Singer (Wilmington, DE) Adrienne Smallwood (Abington, PA) Anna Remus (Kabetogama, MN) Xing Lin (Metter, GA) Adam Butensky (West Orange, NJ) Christian Ronald (San Diego, CA) Nancy Xie (San Francisco, CA)

ADRIENNE: For me, the whole process was very bearable, even though I applied to 13 colleges. One thing that really helped me was starting early. The college admissions process was also a great learning experience. In making my college decisions, I travelled all around the United States to cities I had never been to before like Houston, Boston, and Durham. Not only were these trips fun, but they opened my eyes to some of the other parts of the country. I also had the chance to meet other gifted African American students who applied to the same schools as me. The essays I had to write forced me to think about what I have achieved so far, and who I want to become in the future. While brainstorming, I solidified some of my life goals and career aspirations. XING LIN: Sleep almost became nonexistent between the months of August and January, and I grew to love the moments when I clicked “submit.” CHRISTIAN: Too long. But it’s over...which is all that matters.

What did you do when you found out about your admission? NANCY: I read over the email 5 times to make sure it wasn’t an April Fool’s prank. LAURA: I was so excited I burst into tears. Then when Harvard sweatpants were all sold out on the Internet,

I went to the craft store and made my own. SAM: Once I found out, I spent maybe a week weighing my options and decided on Harvard, hands-down. Then I had the guilty pleasure of writing letters to those 3 (out of 8) colleges that waitlisted me, asking that they remove me from their waiting lists. It felt nice to be able to sign “Harvard 2013” after my name. ADRIENNE: I had to read the first paragraph over a few times for it to click. I jumped up from my laptop to tell my family and bruised my arm on a lamp! ADAM: This was actually the second call I had received from a school taking me off of their wait list so I didn’t believe it. I thought it was a prank call, and said so over the phone. It took a bit of convincing for me to believe that I was actually accepted to Harvard.

What do you think Harvard will be like? LAURA: I think it will be “Hard-vard”… SAM: I’m sure the coursework will be difficult, but I’m sure that Harvard will be absolutely amazing. Everything about the school seems so intuitive. It does not follow tradition for the sake of tradition: but it is steeped in tradition combined with new ideas that make sense. The housing system is very appealing to me.

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9 0 0 2 T S E F D R YA t ta ta ra D N A s le il re a b IN WHICH sara ROCKED THE YARD.

photos by sophia w. chesrow â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;12

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