Freshmen, Embrace Your New Home

If you ask any Harvard student for their Harvard intro, they’ll most likely follow this script: "I’m [insert name] studying [insert concentration] in [insert house] — THE BEST HOUSE!”

Today, freshmen get to add that final defining detail to their Harvard intro: the name of their House.

Housing Day, a monumental cornerstone of the Harvard experience, brings closure to weeks of anxious discussions about blocking groups, rooming logistics, and the reality of what House culture might look like for the next three years.

To the newly-Housed freshmen: While some of you may have had a dream house in mind — and others might have desperately wanted to avoid one — I encourage you to take Housing Day as an opportunity to embrace a vibrant community that will immensely shape your Harvard experience for the better.

In a college that falls just a tad short of the spirit of a Big 10 football school, Harvard’s Houses offer a unique opportunity for students to rally behind a common identity. Inspired by the Oxford and Cambridge residential colleges, Harvard’s housing system was established in the 1930s to create smaller, tight-knit communities with unique identities and traditions within an ever-expanding college. Since then, these houses have become more than just dorms — they are homes that foster lifelong families.

Harvard’s housing system provides constant community and advising for three years. Dining halls become gathering places for casual conversations, while formals, intramural sports, and guest lectures bring students together in meaningful ways. The friendships made in the houses extend across discipline and background, making the house system one of the most enriching aspects of Harvard life.

Along with being your social home for the next three years, your House will provide academic and career support, too. Resident tutors, faculty deans, and resident scholars offer much-needed guidance from problem sets to graduate school applications.

You will also experience the fierce, lasting loyalty we have for our Houses. Many notable alumni still hold strong allegiances to their House — Bill Gates visited Currier House in February and even starred in their 2025 Housing Day video; Kirkland House proudly claims Mark Zuckerberg, whose early Facebook prototype was built from his dorm room; and Winthrop still preserves the suite of John F. Kennedy ’40.

These individuals forever remain a part of the house culture, a testament to the lasting bonds made within these communities.

Despite all this, you may still be apprehensive or a little disappointed. Many of you — just like me two years ago — likely walked into the day with preconceived notions of Houses shaped by stereotypes, House rankings, or word-of-mouth opinions that led you to believe certain Houses are “better” than others.

But that disappointment is misplaced. Every House has something unique to offer, from pottery studios and music practice rooms to private courtyards, squash courts, and river views. Whether it’s a River House with a storied past or a Quad House with expansive rooms and a tight-knit community, every House offers something invaluable.

For those among you still discouraged, take the time to explore what makes your House unique. Attend House events, introduce yourself to the faculty deans and staff, and start building relationships with your new housemates. The people around you will shape your experiences far more than any arbitrary rankings ever could.

Harvard is challenging, and having a home base can make all the difference. The house system is a built-in support network, a place to celebrate victories and weather challenges. It is one of the few institutions of higher learning that is designed almost solely to consistently foster a sense of community in an environment that can oftentimes feel overwhelming.

Housing Day is not just about being assigned to a building, it’s about gaining a family. It is a transition from being a new student trying to find your place at Harvard to becoming an integral part of a long-standing tradition.

Freshmen — celebrate your new homes. You’ll soon realize you have truly landed in the best house.

Sandhya Kumar ’26, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a double concentrator in Molecular & Cellular Biology and Statistics in Winthrop House (undeniably the best house).