Life at Harvard University 频：Unit ....mp35.78 MB

Michelle Lee

 1. I remember when I first found out that I had been accepted via Early Actionto Stanford University. I was in the car when the email popped up in my inbox letting me know I had gotten into my dream school, and I burst into tears of pure joy.I spent the next few months imagining myself as a Cardinal, and preparing myself to accept their invitation.

 2. However, when the remaining admissions decisions came out, words can’t begin to describe the excitement I felt when I learned that I was also accepted to Harvard University. Thus, I faced one of the toughest decisions in choosing between Stanford and Harvard.

 3. I decided to visit both campuses before making my final decision, and to my surprise, fell in love with Harvard. I had been so set on becoming a Cardinal that I hadn’t given serious thought to the possibility of going somewhere else. As soon as I set foot in Harvard, everything felt right. The campus, the classes, the people, all made me realize there was no place else I wanted to spend the next four years.

 4. After I enrolled at Harvard, I was eager to start the next phase of my life, but anxious at the thought of being across the country so far from home. Saying my goodbyes to my family and friends made me fully aware of my newfound independence. I had no idea what to expect, and I feared that I would be lost at such a prestigious institution.

 5. One semester later, I have to say that I have made the best decision of my life. I have found my home, and I have become part of the Harvard community in so many different ways.

 6. In a few short months, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that college is far from easy. Academics are harder than ever, but I have the freedom to study whatever concentration interests me. I applied as a pre-med student, but this semester has shown me that there are virtually limitless options to explore beforedeclaring my major next year.

 7. Classes often consist of lectures by professors together with smaller sectionstaught by graduate students, and supplemental student study groups. Collaboration in study groups is a huge part of surviving Harvard’s tough academic load. If I ever felt overloaded, I only had to walk down the stairs to see my proctor, or set up a meeting with my academic adviser.

 8. This past December brought long, comprehensive exams that make up finals period, but Harvard’s reading period, a dead week with no classes, was certainly a nice change from high school. There was even a Primal Scream tokick off finals week, with hundreds of stark-naked Harvard students running around the Yard at midnight in a time-old tradition.

 9. Outside class, I’m part of Harvard’s Crimson Dance Team (CDT). CDT has the perfect blend of dance and spirit. Having danced competitively in the past, I was looking to renew my passion and was thrilled to discover that CDT would compete at nationals in Disney World this January.

 10. As Senior Class President at Dublin High School, I loved being a part of the leadership team and wanted to find an avenue to continue leadership in college. The First Year Social Committee (FYSC) was exactly what I was looking for. Our first event, Fright Fest, was a Halloween costume catwalk and dance. It was a huge success, with over 1,000 members of our class attending!

 11. One of the best things Harvard has to offer is its diversity. I’ve already met so many incredible people from all over the world, and many of my closest friends are international students from places like Macedonia, Switzerland, Germany, and Greece. Listening to them makes me keen to study abroad in the future. Every single person here has the drive to learn and succeed, and I need only look across my classroom to find inspiration.

 12. This year, I live in a suite with four other girls from all over the country and abroad. We live in the Wigglesworth Hall dorm, which is at the edge of Harvard Yard, where all the freshmen live. Luckily, we’re closest to the Lamont and Widener libraries, where you’ll find students at all hours studying for the next exam or passed out on a desk! Our window overlooks Massachusetts Avenue, in the heart of Harvard Square. There you can find the Starbucks frequented by yours truly, the Chinese and pizza places open for late-night munchies, and the Coop, where we buy all of our books and school supplies. What’s great about Harvard and its surrounding area is that everything is so accessible. Annenberg, our beautiful Hogwarts-like dining hall, is only a few minutes away from the Yard and the majority of my classes are held within the Yard and the Science Center right outside, so I can walk everywhere.

 13. Every morning I wake up at Harvard, I think to myself how blessed I am to be here. Being at Harvard can be overwhelming, but there is no other place I’d rather be.

学在哈佛

米歇尔•李

1. 我仍清晰地记得当初我被斯坦福大学提前录取时的场景。当时我正在车上，收件箱突然弹出了一封电子邮件，告知我已经被梦寐以求的斯坦福大学录取了，我不禁喜极而泣。 接下来的几个月，我一直幻想着自己成为斯坦福“枢机红”一员的情景并等待着他们的正式录取通知书。 

2. 然而，接下来更多的录取通知书接踵而至，当得知自己还被哈佛大学录取后，我内心的激动之情无以言表。 我面临着一个极其艰难的抉择——斯坦福还是哈佛？

3. 我决定先实地考察一下这两所学校再做最后选择，没想到的是，我竟然喜欢上了哈佛。 我曾一心想成为斯坦福“枢机红”的一员，所以并没有认真考虑过选择其他大学。 然而我一踏入哈佛校园，便感觉一切正合乎我的心意。哈佛的校园，哈佛的课堂，哈佛的人，都使我意识到这就是未来四年我唯一想呆的地方。

4. 在哈佛入学后，我迫切地渴望开始人生的新篇章，但与此同时，又因身处遥远他乡而感到焦虑不安。 和亲朋好友告别的那一刻，我清醒地意识到即将来临的自主独立将意味着什么。 我不知道未来会怎样，而且担心自己会在这么知名的学府里找不到自己的定位。 

5. 一个学期后，我不得不说我做了人生中最正确的决定。 我找到了一种归属感，并且在很多方面成为了哈佛的一分子。

6. 在短短数月里，如果说我学会了什么的话，那就是明白了大学学习一点都不轻松。 学业课程比以往的都难，但我可以自由选择学习任何我感兴趣的课程领域。 我申请的是医学预科，但一个学期下来，我发现在下一年确定专业之前，我实际上有无数的方向可以选择。

7. 课程通常包括：教授主讲、研究生辅讲次要内容以及课外的学生学习小组。 学习小组合作学习对应对哈佛繁重的学习任务起着重要的作用。 如果感到不堪重负，我只需要走下楼去见见我的学监，或者和我的学业导师预约见个面。

8. 刚刚过去的12月份是期末考试阶段，排满了各种冗长的综合考试。但是哈佛读书周停课一周，与高中阶段相比的确是一个很不错的改变。 期末考试周还会由一项名为“原始尖叫”的活动拉开序幕：午夜时分成百上千的哈佛学生根据古老传统在哈佛园裸奔。

9. 学习之余，我参加了哈佛大学绯红舞蹈团。 绯红舞蹈团将舞蹈动作与精神层面的内涵完美地结合起来。 我曾经参加过舞蹈比赛，期待能重新点燃对舞蹈的激情；我兴奋地得知，今年一月份绯红舞蹈团将在迪士尼乐园全国性的舞蹈大赛上参加角逐。

10. 作为都柏林高中毕业年级的学生会主席，我喜欢成为领导团队的一员，并希望找到一个契机在大学继续担任学生领导。 新生社交委员会提供了这样的机会。 我们举办的第一个活动是“惊吓节”，有万圣节服装走秀及跳舞项目，吸引了我们年级的千余名同学参加，取得了巨大的成功。

11. 哈佛所提供给我们最好的东西之一是它的多样性。 我遇到了来自世界各地的优秀的人，我很多要好的朋友都是从马其顿、瑞士、德国和希腊等地方来的国际生。 听了他们的介绍后，我渴望将来能够出国深造。 这里的每一个人都热爱学习，期待成功，我只需环顾教室就能获得学习的动力。

12. 今年，我和四个来自国内外的女孩合住一个套间。 我们住在哈佛园尽头的威格尔斯沃思堂宿舍，大一新生都住在这里。幸运的是，这里离拉蒙特和怀德纳图书馆都很近，在这些图书馆里学生们夜以继日地为考试做准备，甚至有学生晕倒在书桌上！我们透过窗户可以俯瞰位于哈佛广场中心的马萨诸塞大道。 那里有本人经常光顾的星巴克、提供夜宵的中餐馆和披萨店，以及库普书店，我们在该店购买所有的书籍和学习用品。 哈佛及其周边地区值得称道之处是：一切都相当便利。 我们漂亮的霍格沃兹风格的餐厅——安能堡——离哈佛园只有几分钟的步程。我大部分的课都在哈佛园内以及与哈佛园相邻的科学中心里面上，所以我常步行出入。

13. 每天早上在哈佛醒来，我都为自己能在这儿学习而感恩不已。 虽然哈佛的学业压力会很大，但我就是宁愿呆在这里。