Harvard is ~technically~ in Cambridge, but (don’t kill me) we’re really in the Boston metropolitan area. So, as Flyby’s resident Boston… resident… let me help you get in the loop with the local goings-on by comparing Boston neighborhoods to places you’ve actually been: the Harvard Houses.

Adams: Jamaica Plain (JP)

You know JP Licks? Yeah, that’s named after a place. This area has charming Victorian duplexes, a nice pond, and Harvard’s very own Arnold Arboretum: home to many acorns.

Cabot: Wharf District

Fish! Aquarium! Ocean! Don’t tell me you’re not convinced.

Currier: SoWa

Usually, there’s nothing going on. But when there is, there is. Both throw great parties, though you might have to pay to get in.

Dunster: Fenway

Both seem historical but are remarkably sterile on the inside. Both have a mascot that’s a monster (have you ever seen a moose in person?). And both are home to athletes eating a hot dog after practice.

Eliot: Beacon Hill

Can you say “old money?” Both have been home to the Boston Brahmins of yore. They may not have elevators, but they have ~history~ and that’s good enough for them.

Kirkland: North End

Kirkland and the North End (Boston’s Italian neighborhood) are both haunted: Kirkland by John Hicks, and the North End by Paul Revere and victims of the Molasses Flood. Both are mostly full of people who came to eat but don’t actually live there.

Leverett: Allston/Brighton

They seem like catch-alls, but they do have personality if you squint. Is the personality just being populated by a lot of college kids? Yeah. But at least there are some music venues in both.

Lowell: South End

The South End (which is NOT the same thing as Southie) is very refined and classy, but with an artistic streak — much like Lowell. The dhall’s color is definitely artistic, and one could call it classy. The same goes for the bells.

Mather: Seaport

Towers. Next question.

Pfoho: Mission Hill

I don’t really get over to Mission Hill or Pfoho, but when I do, I’m pleasantly surprised by how homey they are. Now, does that mean I’ll make the trip? Um… maybe for brunch…

Quincy: Downtown Crossing

The People’s House = the people’s shopping center. Not a lot of people actually live in Downtown Crossing, but they’re always passing through for a hot meal or a train connection. Plus, Downtown Crossing is home to QUINCY Market…

Winthrop: Back Bay

Back Bay and Winthrop House: both beautiful, full of brick buildings, and facing a trash problem. I like meeting my friends in both places since they’re central locations. And both are built on landfill!

If you haven’t been to your House’s neighborhood, what are you even doing? Get out of the bubble! Don’t worry, they probably have Tatte there, too.