Eighteen Transfers Adjusting To Harvard

Jed D. Silverstein's new friends think he's on drugs.

"I smile so much that people wonder if I'm on anything," Silverstein said.

The sophomore, who came to Harvard from Williams College at the beginning of this term, said he is just enjoying his new surroundings.

"People here lose sight of how amazing this place is, because they become cynical and jaded," he said.

Of the 18 new transfer students who have arrived here this spring, Silverstein is probably the most euphoric.

Hyung-Sub Kim '97, a transfer from Cornell, is not quite as happy.

"Leverett Towers is like a prison cell. It's very isolated from the other houses," Kim said.

Although he is pleased with his spacious single, he finds Harvard dorm life less social than dorm life at Cornell.

"At Cornell, the people in your dorm are like your family."

However, Kim likes his new roommate and said he has found most students here friendly and helpful.

Unlike Kim, Silverstein does not miss a family atmosphere.

"Williams is so small, that when you go there you trade in your mom and dad for 1900 new ones. Harvard is big, exciting, and in the center of things. Here I finally feel like an adult, because there's a certain freedom to anonymity," he said.

Silverstein, who now lives in Mather House, describes his environs as "a little concretish, but pleasant."

Others were not so lucky. Cindy H. Chen '97 was placed in the Quad, the bane of incoming transfers until last year's decision to allocate their housing more evenly across campus.

"This year only two transfers were assigned to the quad, so we're kind of isolated from the other transfers," remarked Chen.

Chen, who transferred into North House from CalTech, describes Harvard as "big and cold." She is happy to have a single, she says, but feels thatNorth House is too quiet.

Lauren J. Feldman '97, a transfer from Duke,listed Lowell House as her third choice. However,she's delighted with her new home there.

"I'm absolutely thrilled with my room and mynew room-mate," she said. "In general, Duke roomsare awful."

Duke is in the process of switching toHarvard's system of housing, according to Feldman.At Duke, first-years are currently spread acrossthree different campuses when they arrive. Also,upper-class student housing at Duke is consideredby some to be too selective, and Duke is in theprocess of making housing assignments morerandomized, she said.

Most of the incoming transfers have aphilosophical perspective on the trials of movingin, augmented by their experiences at othercolleges.

"I moved in on the Sunday before classesstarted, and none of my new roommates were here,and that was weird," said Lisa C. Soong '97, atransfer student from Wellsley. Although her roomis "really tiny" she is happy with her KirklandHouse location.

Not as happy as Silverstein, though. Soong'ssatisfaction does not extend to enjoying MatherHouse architecture.

"I knew two things about housing before Iarrived here," she said. "I wanted to be near theMAC, and I didn't want to live in Mather.

Lauren J. Feldman '97, a transfer from Duke,listed Lowell House as her third choice. However,she's delighted with her new home there.

"I'm absolutely thrilled with my room and mynew room-mate," she said. "In general, Duke roomsare awful."

Duke is in the process of switching toHarvard's system of housing, according to Feldman.At Duke, first-years are currently spread acrossthree different campuses when they arrive. Also,upper-class student housing at Duke is consideredby some to be too selective, and Duke is in theprocess of making housing assignments morerandomized, she said.

Most of the incoming transfers have aphilosophical perspective on the trials of movingin, augmented by their experiences at othercolleges.

"I moved in on the Sunday before classesstarted, and none of my new roommates were here,and that was weird," said Lisa C. Soong '97, atransfer student from Wellsley. Although her roomis "really tiny" she is happy with her KirklandHouse location.

Not as happy as Silverstein, though. Soong'ssatisfaction does not extend to enjoying MatherHouse architecture.

"I knew two things about housing before Iarrived here," she said. "I wanted to be near theMAC, and I didn't want to live in Mather.