Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions Forum

[094320]

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[qwertyy]

Recent transfer admit here - any transfer students willing to talk about their experience so far?

[gertie]

Was anything schedule during move-in weekend or was everything scheduled to begin the following Monday?

What types of things will we be doing during Orientation? My boyfriend is coming to help me move and I'm wondering if we will be doing student only events August 30-September 2nd or if it will be more of a free weekend.

It seems like the official orientation starts Sept 2nd so I assume that is when most of the scheduled events begin. How much happens during move-in weekend?

A hurricane happened, cancelling most of orientation for my class. There was some paperwork, some ceremonial stuff, and some social events (on the theoretical).

[Eichörnchen]

Hey everyone, I've been wondering about the logistics of parking during my move in. I'm getting a u haul and also have a car. From what I understand, we can get resident parking if I register my car for Massachusetts, pay $25, and show residency with mail etc. However, what do we do for that first night? Do I just have to drive to the DMV and spend my first day there sorting out a pass? I'm assuming there's a better system for this.

[yarsten]

Hey everyone, I've been wondering about the logistics of parking during my move in. I'm getting a u haul and also have a car. From what I understand, we can get resident parking if I register my car for Massachusetts, pay $25, and show residency with mail etc. However, what do we do for that first night? Do I just have to drive to the DMV and spend my first day there sorting out a pass? I'm assuming there's a better system for this.

would love to know this as well; I'll be driving my car up.

[tomwatts]

Was anything schedule during move-in weekend or was everything scheduled to begin the following Monday?

This year, dorm move-in day is August 30. Orientation begins on September 2 (huh, that's Labor Day). So no, nothing is scheduled on Saturday or Sunday of move-in weekend.

Hey everyone, I've been wondering about the logistics of parking during my move in. I'm getting a u haul and also have a car. From what I understand, we can get resident parking if I register my car for Massachusetts, pay $25, and show residency with mail etc. However, what do we do for that first night? Do I just have to drive to the DMV and spend my first day there sorting out a pass? I'm assuming there's a better system for this.

I haven't actually parked in Cambridge, but I think that if you can find a space, you can park overnight for free without a sticker or anything. (At worst, I think you can park at a meter, which only runs until something like 6 or 7 pm. Check the signs.) You may have to get up early (like, 8 am) to move your car, depending on where you park.

Someone who actually drives in Cambridge might be better equipped to answer this question, though.

[pupshaw]

Was anything schedule during move-in weekend or was everything scheduled to begin the following Monday?

This year, dorm move-in day is August 30. Orientation begins on September 2 (huh, that's Labor Day). So no, nothing is scheduled on Saturday or Sunday of move-in weekend.

Hey everyone, I've been wondering about the logistics of parking during my move in. I'm getting a u haul and also have a car. From what I understand, we can get resident parking if I register my car for Massachusetts, pay $25, and show residency with mail etc. However, what do we do for that first night? Do I just have to drive to the DMV and spend my first day there sorting out a pass? I'm assuming there's a better system for this.

I haven't actually parked in Cambridge, but I think that if you can find a space, you can park overnight for free without a sticker or anything. (At worst, I think you can park at a meter, which only runs until something like 6 or 7 pm. Check the signs.) You may have to get up early (like, 8 am) to move your car, depending on where you park.

Someone who actually drives in Cambridge might be better equipped to answer this question, though.

Do you have the necessary proof of residency yet? I can't remember if you can use, e.g., your lease, but actually getting the permit is a pretty quick process at the city office as long as you have the required documents.

[Searchparty]

Hey everyone, I've been wondering about the logistics of parking during my move in. I'm getting a u haul and also have a car. From what I understand, we can get resident parking if I register my car for Massachusetts, pay $25, and show residency with mail etc. However, what do we do for that first night? Do I just have to drive to the DMV and spend my first day there sorting out a pass? I'm assuming there's a better system for this.

Moving van:

http://www2.cambridgema.gov/traffic/MovingVanPermit.cfm

[hellohi]

So this probably sounds really bad, but I definitely dont intend for this to be a trend. I have something I have to go to in California on Saturday September 14th for a wedding and would preferably get there that Friday's afternoon for the rehearsal as I'm in the wedding. Unfortunately thats the first friday of classes, would it be terrible to miss a couple classes that week? Do professors even notice? Should I send them an email before classes starting?

[094320]

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[Eichörnchen]

Was anything schedule during move-in weekend or was everything scheduled to begin the following Monday?

This year, dorm move-in day is August 30. Orientation begins on September 2 (huh, that's Labor Day). So no, nothing is scheduled on Saturday or Sunday of move-in weekend.

Hey everyone, I've been wondering about the logistics of parking during my move in. I'm getting a u haul and also have a car. From what I understand, we can get resident parking if I register my car for Massachusetts, pay $25, and show residency with mail etc. However, what do we do for that first night? Do I just have to drive to the DMV and spend my first day there sorting out a pass? I'm assuming there's a better system for this.

I haven't actually parked in Cambridge, but I think that if you can find a space, you can park overnight for free without a sticker or anything. (At worst, I think you can park at a meter, which only runs until something like 6 or 7 pm. Check the signs.) You may have to get up early (like, 8 am) to move your car, depending on where you park.

Someone who actually drives in Cambridge might be better equipped to answer this question, though.

Do you have the necessary proof of residency yet? I can't remember if you can use, e.g., your lease, but actually getting the permit is a pretty quick process at the city office as long as you have the required documents.

I have a lease that started the first of this month, so I hope that would work. I was just curious about the first night more than anything else though since I will be driving and unloading my u haul, and don't want to have to spend that day going to the permit office so I can park my car that night.

Hey everyone, I've been wondering about the logistics of parking during my move in. I'm getting a u haul and also have a car. From what I understand, we can get resident parking if I register my car for Massachusetts, pay $25, and show residency with mail etc. However, what do we do for that first night? Do I just have to drive to the DMV and spend my first day there sorting out a pass? I'm assuming there's a better system for this.

Moving van:

http://www2.cambridgema.gov/traffic/MovingVanPermit.cfm

Thanks, I was actually curious about how to park my car the first night, not the u haul, since hopefully I'll be unloading it and returning it, not hanging on to it overnight. Maybe I can bribe someone for their guest pass with a cupcake or something.

[Eichörnchen]

Wow Cambridge's Dept of Parking is laughable and painful to call. Me: "Hi, I'm moving in tomorrow and was wondering what I should do in terms of a temporary permit since I won't be arriving into town until after your office closes. What parking options are there for me for the first night?" Employee "Uuhhhhhhh. There's like. Residential parking. But you'll need a permit." Me: "[Reiterates statement]" Employee: "Well you can park there. But you'll be fined. There are no other options since you don't wanna come pick up your pass. Or just park at a meter." Me: "Overnight?" Employee: "Yea you can just park there overnight."

[Person1111]

In all fairness, metered parking is free/un-enforced from 7 PM to 8 AM in most parts of Cambridge.

[Eichörnchen]

In all fairness, metered parking is free/un-enforced from 7 PM to 8 AM in most parts of Cambridge.

I just thought, if that's true, why would she suggest that I park in residential and get fined first? She sounded as confused as I am. She told me twice that there was no option but to park and hope I don't get fined, then tossed in the meter suggestion at the end as I was hanging up. But, hopefully my plans for borrowing someone's guest pass pan out and I don't have to worry about it.

[zor]

Hey, a question about on-campus housing (I did look through this thread but didn't quite find the answer). I just got offered a room in Gropius. I'm an older student who would be transferring, and I'm from NYC where my boyfriend would still be. He's planning to timeshare a bit, and spend about a week a month in Cambridge with me working at his NYC job remotely. I know the guest policy is more than three days requires permission... but has anyone ever actually had a problem? Is there a doorman or something? I know he wouldn't have keys, but would it be an issue if he visited every other weekend and stayed more than a few days on monthly-ish basis?

I didn't get a chance to check out the dorms so I have no clue and any help would be appreciated.

[094320]

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[zor]

Hey, a question about on-campus housing (I did look through this thread but didn't quite find the answer). I just got offered a room in Gropius. I'm an older student who would be transferring, and I'm from NYC where my boyfriend would still be. He's planning to timeshare a bit, and spend about a week a month in Cambridge with me working at his NYC job remotely. I know the guest policy is more than three days requires permission... but has anyone ever actually had a problem? Is there a doorman or something? I know he wouldn't have keys, but would it be an issue if he visited every other weekend and stayed more than a few days on monthly-ish basis?

I didn't get a chance to check out the dorms so I have no clue and any help would be appreciated.

No doorman, just an RA, who doesn't care nor pay attention. A good friend of mine dated an RA who broke the rule himself having her over. The main issue is that you might be exhausted sharing a dorm bed with your bf that often.

OK cool, thanks. So as long as I'm there to let him in, it shouldn't be an issue?

No worries about that--we've lived together 8 years and, embarrassingly, shared a dorm room many many moons ago when money was tight. I'm getting a little too old for the shared twin bed, but such is the price of a Harvard education...

[094320]

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[zor]

OK cool, thanks. So as long as I'm there to let him in, it shouldn't be an issue?

No worries about that--we've lived together 8 years and, embarrassingly, shared a dorm room many many moons ago when money was tight. I'm getting a little too old for the shared twin bed, but such is the price of a Harvard education...

No, think broader: It shouldn't be an issue as long as he doesn't steal shit or set Gropius on fire. You don't have to be there to let him in. You don't have to be with him. Nobody cares.

People lend out their dorm rooms to friends for extended periods of time (weeks), key and all, with no monitoring. Nobody notices.

Wow, excellent. Does that mean people just get their keys copied?

It will be seriously weird to live in hallway-style dorms. The last time I did that was 2002.

[094320]

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[tomwatts]

Duplicating the keys is probably bad news, but you can share the keys between the two of you (e.g. he has the key when you go off to class or something) and there's no problem.

No one's really going to bat an eye at one more person in Gropius.

[Mr. Elshal]

OK cool, thanks. So as long as I'm there to let him in, it shouldn't be an issue?

No worries about that--we've lived together 8 years and, embarrassingly, shared a dorm room many many moons ago when money was tight. I'm getting a little too old for the shared twin bed, but such is the price of a Harvard education...

No, think broader: It shouldn't be an issue as long as he doesn't steal shit or set Gropius on fire. You don't have to be there to let him in. You don't have to be with him. Nobody cares.

People lend out their dorm rooms to friends for extended periods of time (weeks), key and all, with no monitoring. Nobody notices.

Wow, excellent. Does that mean people just get their keys copied?

It will be seriously weird to live in hallway-style dorms. The last time I did that was 2002.

Just a heads up, most schools use a special shape key that locksmiths won't sell to individuals. I tried to make a copy of my undergrad dorm key and was informed that a lot of locksmiths don't even keep that key shape on premises.

[thelawschoolproject]

Hey, a question about on-campus housing (I did look through this thread but didn't quite find the answer). I just got offered a room in Gropius. I'm an older student who would be transferring, and I'm from NYC where my boyfriend would still be. He's planning to timeshare a bit, and spend about a week a month in Cambridge with me working at his NYC job remotely. I know the guest policy is more than three days requires permission... but has anyone ever actually had a problem? Is there a doorman or something? I know he wouldn't have keys, but would it be an issue if he visited every other weekend and stayed more than a few days on monthly-ish basis?

I didn't get a chance to check out the dorms so I have no clue and any help would be appreciated.

No doorman, just an RA, who doesn't care nor pay attention. A good friend of mine dated an RA who broke the rule himself having her over. The main issue is that you might be exhausted sharing a dorm bed with your bf that often.

I somewhat disagree with this. Some RAs will care. It really depends on what dorm you're in and on what floors. I had a particularly obnoxious RA who was very rules-adherent. While most RAs aren't like this and may not notice, those who live on the floor will. The floors that are especially social are very good about picking out who belongs and who doesn't. Sometimes they care, sometimes they don't. You may very well have no problems, but I know one girl who got into a bad situation having unauthorized visitors last year. Just tossing that out there.

[fpn17]

So can/do people who get LR just resign from secondary journals?

[zor]

I somewhat disagree with this. Some RAs will care. It really depends on what dorm you're in and on what floors. I had a particularly obnoxious RA who was very rules-adherent. While most RAs aren't like this and may not notice, those who live on the floor will. The floors that are especially social are very good about picking out who belongs and who doesn't. Sometimes they care, sometimes they don't. You may very well have no problems, but I know one girl who got into a bad situation having unauthorized visitors last year. Just tossing that out there.

Yikes. Thanks for the perspective. What's "a bad situation"? Awkward discussions or actual disciplinary action? You can PM if you want.

Also, I assume I'm going to be in the minority in terms of who's going to actually use the kitchen and cook, right? There are pots/pans and plates and stuff?