Can You Say “Awkward”? First-Year Faculty Dinner for Class of 2013

Hanging out with your professor or teaching fellow isn’t the average student's idea of fun. But that didn't stop the class of 2013 from making an evening of it.

The First-Year Faculty Dinner has been a tradition at Harvard for many years. The dinner is billed as an excellent opportunity to get to know your professor or TF or preceptor on a more personal level than a 200-person lecture allows. But last night, it appeared that neither the students nor their guests knew quite what to do with themselves when they arrived at the Queen’s Head Pub for the 5 p.m. reception.

Here’s how the typical pair's evening kicked off:

Student stands by herself, anxiously looking around to try to find her professor. She spots him.

Student: “Hi!!! Professor _______. How are you?”

Professor: “Hi. Sorry, remind me of your name again? (After response) Good to see you!”

They proceed to the doors of the pub. They both pause to silently debate whether they should open the door. After one of them does, both again ponder whether they should enter first. They enter, wait around for the line to the cheese and crackers to thin out...

More awkwardness, after the jump.

How did the attendees describe the anticipated dinner?

“Smiley,” one student said. “A lot of smiling, nodding, and listening to [my professor] talk.”

“Stimulating,” replied an academic adviser while waiting for her advisee to show up.

Of course, the night played out differently for everyone. A few athletes invited their crew coach. A handful of students said they had wanted to invite their professors but later found out they have already been asked by other students, so they were forced to go with a second choice. It kind of reminded FlyBy of high school prom, except, instead of that cute guy in math class...

—Photo by Crimson/Joanne S. Wong