Some Enjoy Intersession In Cambridge

For many students, the only thing that has kept them plugging along through reading period and exam week has been knowing that at the end of it all, they would be hopping on a plane or a bus or a train and hightailing it out of here. Be their destination a tropical island, an alpine slope or just Mom's kitchen, many students have eagerly awaited the chance to break out of the Harvard bubble.

But some students will be staying put. For them, the lure of travel and relaxation can't compete with the chance to spend a week at Harvard free of papers, tests and other obligations.

"I really love the whole college thing except for the part with the work," said Will L. Aronson '04. "So intersession is a great time to get the atmosphere of college without any of the drawbacks."

But there are many students for whom the decision to stay at Harvard is neither optional nor work-free.

For many seniors, intersession provides an excellent opportunity to work on (or begin) their senior theses.

Dean of Undergraduate Education Susan Pedersen '82 remembers using intersession her senior year to "take advantage of a week of uninterrupted peace and quiet to work on my thesis." Pedersen wrote in an e-mail message that she borrowed the apartment of a friend who was going out of town for the week, and "became a hermit on Harvard Street for five or six days."

Some things never change.

Simon W. Grote '01, a history concentrator, said he will be spending this week toiling away on his thesis.

"My thesis isn't due until the end of March, but if I do nothing over this break, then I don't think I'll be able to finish anything that I'll like or that will be any good," Grote said.

M. Dan Hughes '01, a history and literature concentrator, is also beginning to feel the pressure.

"It's not exactly necessary that I spend the vacation working on my paper, but my adviser strongly suggested it," he said. "Maybe I shouldn't have taken five classes and done two shows last term."

But slaving seniors will not be the only ones hanging around over the break.

For Mike S. Roiff '01 and the cast of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, intersession means one straight week of rehearsals. Their opening night is scheduled for Feb. 15, but as of yet, they have had only one read-through.

According to Roiff, the group will rehearse from roughly 10 a.m. to midnight every day of intersession.

"It's a lot, but the big thing is that it's so much fun to be with all the guys and everyone who is involved with the show," Roiff said. "We all kind of think of it as spending time with family--only the kind of family that you don't hate."

The Pudding is one of many student groups that will be staying at Harvard over the recess.

The Radcliffe Pitches will be holding a retreat to "perfect everything musically and put the polish on our performance," said Pitches President Nicole M. Martin '01. The group's Valentine's Day concert with the Harvard Din & Tonics will be held on Feb. 10.

Martin said the Pitches will also use the retreat as a bonding experience and will probably plan several group activities "like a dinner in Boston, watching movies together, ice-skating and bowling."

Several varsity sports teams have practices and games scheduled over intersession.

"It's something that we're used to," said Melissa R. Johnson '00-'01, co-captain of the women's basketball team. "We never get intersession off. But we always have a great time."

Those students remaining at the College will have to overcome obstacles, such as the fact that not every dining hall will be open. Dunster, Quincy, Pforzheimer, Winthrop and Lowell House dining halls will be closed over the break and will not reopen until the morning of Jan. 30.

But most of those who are staying said it will be worth enduring such inconveniences.

Even Hughes, who will most likely be spending the entire week working on his thesis, is looking forward to spending some quality time at Harvard.

"I'm already starting to feel sad about letting this place go," he said.

--Staff writer Kate L. Rakoczy can be reached at rakoczy@fas.harvard.edu.