Lowell House Weekly Newsletter Volume 31, Issue 28 April 14, 2008 Monday, April 14 * Beth's office hours, 10:00am-1:00pm; 3:00-5:00pm, A22 * ROOM APPLICATIONS DUE in the HOUSE OFFICE BY 5pm * Economics Table with Professor Jeffrey Miron, 12:00-1:00pm, Dining Hall * High Table, 6:00pm, Masters' Residence, 6:30pm, Dining Hall * Premedical Committee Advising Office Hours: Drop by or e-mail lohomed@fas.harvard.edu to sign up in advance, 7:00-9:00pm, Dining Hall Tuesday, April 15 * Physics table, 7:30-8:30pm, Dining Hall * Web Design Class, 9:00-10:30pm, Coolidge Room Wednesday, April 16 **RETURN TO HARVARD DAY** (alumni will be at meals) * Spanish Table, 6:30-7:30pm, Dining Hall * College Fund Thank-a-thon, 8:00-10:00pm, Dining Hall, Thursday, April 17 * Configuration sheets for housing lottery emailed today * QUEER TEA, 5:00-6:00pm, MastersÕ Residence (open to all) * SCR Fellowships Dinner, 6-8pm, JCR * SCR Foreign/Art Film Series, 8:00-10:30pm, SCR * FRESHMEN ADVISING LUAU, 8:30-10:00pm, Dining Hall * TGI Thursday Eco Project Night, 9:00-11:00pm, JCR Friday, April 18 * Beth's office hours 10:00amÐ1:00pm, A-22 Monday, April 21 * Beth's office hours, 2:00-5:00pm, A22 * Economics Table with Professor Jeffrey Miron, 12:00-1:00 pm, Dining Hall * Premedical Committee Advising Office Hours: Drop by or e-mail lohomed@fas.harvard.edu to sign up in advance, 7:00-9:00 pm, Dining Hall Tuesday, April 22 * Physics table, 7:30-8:30pm, Dining Hall * Web Design Class, 9:00-10:30pm, Coolidge Room Wednesday, April 23 * Spanish Table, 6:30-7:30 pm, Dining Hall * College Fund Thank-a-thon, 8:00-10:00pm, Dining Hall Thursday, April 24 * HOUSING LOTTERY 1:00Ð5:00pm * TEA, 5:00-6:00pm, Masters' Residence * SCR Fellowships Dinner, 6:00-8:00pm, JCR * Stein Club, 10:00-11:55pm, Grille * Tutor Meeting, 8:00Ð9:00pm, SCR Friday, April 25 *ALUMNI RECEPTION AND DINNER, 5pm, JCR, 6:30pm Dining Hall *********************************************************** FROM THE RESIDENT DEAN * Ryan Spoering, Allston Burr Resident Dean Room A-22, 5-2283 (lo-abrd@fas.harvard.edu) - TENTATIVE FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE. The tentative final exam schedule has been posted online at www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu. - FINAL EXAM EXCEPTIONS. Everyone is expected to plan to be on campus for the entire final exam period. Exceptions to normally scheduled exams are approved for students with religious conflicts, who can apply to move their exam by 24 hours. The form for this request can be found on the Registrar's website www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu. All other requests to move exam times or locations must go through the Administrative Board. Please check the tentative exam schedule and contact me soon with any questions! - OFFICE HOURS THIS WEEK. I will have walk-in office hours this week from 11:00am-noon on Mon, Tues and Wed and Fri from 4:00-5:00pm. For other times, please contact Kit in the House office (A-22, 5-2283, lowell@fas) to set up an appointment with me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ASK BETH, the HOUSE ADMINISTRATOR *Beth Terry, A-22, 5-2283 (lo-admin@fas.harvard.edu) TRIVIA NIGHT'S SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY: A Personal Reflection Every year I anticipate the excitement of Trivia Night. It's my favorite night. It has become a rather epic tradition at Lowell House, too, though mostly in the last 6 or 7 years. It is a night when indigestion reigns supreme and yet I always leave fulfilled. First, there's the beer-n-donuts combination. I would like to point out that this epicurean fantasy evolved organically over time, not all at once, andÑ most importantly -- NOT on purpose! Unlike so many events at Harvard, there were no pretensions here. The fact that it has become a famously classic diet of our favorite cartoon curmudgeon/loser (Homer Simpson) doesn't mean that WE didn't do it first. Second, there is the tension between the classes-- the 'higher' class SCR members with all their degrees and longing, and the 'lower' class JCR membership with all their ambitions and drive. Kind of stimulates the emotional palate to see class warfare, eh? Personally, I love when tempers get hot and the heckling gets high. Really sparks an appetite for that second donut. (Well, OK, perhaps only a half of one...) Third - the suspense. Who gets it? Who doesn't? Who manages to buzz in without knowing it? Who groans in annoyance at their classmates? It's so delightfully tense. We're all led to a state of consistent consternation, mostly because we are inevitably in the audience when the one question we know is asked! Damn! Lifeline! I need another honey-glazed wad of trans fat!! (Tough year for me this year, by the way. I only knew the name of some old porn star and the actress who named her kid Apple. Sigh. Nibble.) Lastly, there is always that oh-so-special alchemy of the host/president of the proceedings and the guests/populace. This really affects everything. The tone of the emcee colors the whole event and directly affects the decibel level in the room. This year I would say that Bryan Haut outdid himself as an entertainer and master of ceremonies. He was jolly but fair, loud but never strident, and clearly dedicated to working in his own material. I love that he presaged every question with his own rationalization-slash-answer. A cute quirk, but it cost him a few points of his own (and every time he accidentally gave away an answer, I bit a donut...my own little game). Anyhow, by the end of the night, everyone in the room is saturated with sugar, malt beverages, some version of hops, and whole lotta intellectual indignation. Someone's in the corner swigging the backwash (usually HoCo), someone's barked at someone else about a science answer, and Dan Wolkowitz is cheerfully moping about the state of everyone else's derangement. I love it. It just makes me warm all over. It reminds me of family life -- at times, just a miraculous confluence of indigestions. And yes, like last night, the kids always win. :-) ~Beth ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM THE FELLOWSHIPS TUTORS * Josh Goldman (jdgoldm@fas.harvard.edu) * Courtney Peterson (cmpeters@fas.harvard.edu) LOWELL FELLOWSHIPS MAILING LIST Want to know what fellowships are out there? Want to know about them before the deadlines appear in the newsletter? Want more information on the fellowships listed below? Subscribe to the fellowships mailing list to get notices about once every week or two of upcoming deadlines and things to think about (important info for sophomores, juniors, and seniors!). To subscribe, go to http://lists.hcs.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/lowell-fellowships . OFFICE HOURS We hold office hours on Sunday evenings in the dining hall, during which we'd be happy to discuss your plans and look over your application essays. To visit us during office hours, you need to sign up at least one day in advance on the sign-up sheet next to the fellowships bulletin board, right next to the entrance to the JCR. If you have specific questions, please email us at any time. UPCOMING INFOSESSIONS * Marshall and Rhodes Scholarship Preview (for the Class of 2009) - Mon, 28 Apr, 3 PM @ OCS Conference Room - Tue, 29 Apr, 3 PM @ OCS Conference Room - Wed, 30 Apr, 3 PM @ OCS Conference Room * Fulbright Grants Preview (for the Class of 2009), 3 PM @ OCS - Thu, 01 May, 3 PM @ OCS Conference Room - Fri, 02 May, 3 PM @ OCS Conference Room ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM YOUR PRE-MED ADVISING TUTORS * Benjamin Rapoport (chair), Marlys Fassett, Ilya Leskov and Mary Alexander * lohomed@fas.harvard.edu. The Premedical Tutors hold weekly office hours in the Dining Hall on Monday evenings from 7:00-9:00pm. We post sign-up sheets Monday at breakfast by the checker's desk in the dining hall, and students can also sign up for 15-minute time slots by e-mailing lohomed@fas.harvard.edu. To be added to the Lowell Premed Mailing List, please send an email to lohomed@fas.harvard with "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line. In the body of the email, include your name, graduation year, likely concentration, phone number, and email. If you were on the mailing list last year there's no need to re-subscribe. *** 2008-2009 Applicants, mark your calendars! The Lowell Premedical Committee Interviews will be held the weekend of April 26-27. The purpose of these interviews (unique to Lowell House!) is to provide personalized advice as you embark on the medical school application process. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM YOUR HEALTH & WELLNESS TUTORS * Felicity Aulino (aulino@fas.harvard.edu, 3-3001) * Amanda Kowalski (akowalsk@mit.edu, 3-2969) Healthy Living Wellness Tip: Making Amends. We all make mistakes and we all have done things we wished we had not done. Sometimes we spend a lot of time beating ourselves up about it. Sometimes we spend a lot of mental energy thinking through all the nasty things other people did that led to our own behavior. Sometimes it's a spin out mixture of the two and more, all making us feel even worseÉ So what can we do to get through the tough feelings of regret, resentment, blame, and lamentation? Apologizing can be liberating. But making amends is not only about saying sorry Ð it is about taking responsibility for your actions and about changing your behavior. Here are a few simple steps for making amends in a way that can change your own life. --Write down the situation that is bothering you (who did what, what happened, etc.) --Next, write down how it is affecting you (your self esteem, your concentration, etc.) --Next, write down * your * part in this situation and how you would do things differently if faced with that scenario again. -- If appropriate, find a way to say "I'm sorry" Ð and leave it at that. Do not simultaneously mention a laundry list of all the wrongs others did to lead you to that action. No excuses, just an apology. --Finally, and most importantly, change your behavior. Time alone can make amends authentic. Have patience with yourself and others as you gently encourage yourself to become the person you want to be. Remember Ð let go of results. You may not get an apology in return Ð but making amends can help you clean up your side of the street and gets you ready to do the next right thing. Be well! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM YOUR GREEN TUTOR / PEER TEAM Green peer - Susan DeWolf - sedewolf@fas.harvard.edu Resident Green Tutor - Patricia Villarreal - pvillarr@fas.harvard.edu Non - resident Green Tutor - Jenny Fisher - jafisher@fas.harvard.edu Resident Green Tutor - Russell Miles - rmiles@oxfamamerica.org APRIL IS GREEN MONTH AT LOWELL!!!! GREEN FACT OF THE WEEK ** Earth friendly alternatives to toxic dryer sheets ** Did you know that most commercial dryer sheets are impregnated with all sorts of toxic chemicals including Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chloroform and Linalool; none of which are good for the environment - or you?! Some of these compounds are known carcinogens. Aside from the chemicals in the sheets winding up in your clothing and therefore next to your skin, when heated, the fumes are also toxic. Here are a couple of ideas that will help keep your clothes smelling wonderful, and wonÕt be harmful to your health Ð or that of the environment. And theyÕre very easy and cheap to do, too! - Fill a small cloth drawstring bag with dried aromatic herbs or flowers and throw in the dryer with your clothes. Make sure the bag is tied securely of course :) - A few drops of fragrant essential oil on a small cloth added to the dryer load will also do the trick. Essential oils are highly concentrated, so don't go overboard, the heat will release more fragrance than what you can detect when initially applying a few drops to the cloth. - There are also environmentally friendly dryer sheets on the market now, so read the labels on the products when youÕre browsing the supermarket shelves. - If you're also wanting the fabric softening qualities that normal dryer sheets provide, try throwing 1/2 a cup of vinegar in with your washing - that's the washing load, not the dryer load :). Be green! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM YOUR CAREER AND PRE-BUSINESS ADVISING TUTORS * Russell Miles - Resident Tutor (rmiles@oxfamamerica.org, 3-2990) * Christopher Laconi - Non-Resident Tutor (claconi@mba2009.hbs.edu) * Matthew Tambiah - Non-Resident Tutor (tambiah@post.harvard.edu) Wanting to discuss your career path? Have interests in business or other options? Need help with resumes, interviews, cover letters, deciding on what to do with your life? Ask questions or make an appointment with your resident or non-resident Career and Pre-Business Advising Tutors by email or phone. Russell has created an e-mail list to send out messages about key dates and events. Please contact him if you are interested in having your name on this mailing list - rmiles@oxfamamerica.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM YOUR RESIDENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISER * Russell Miles (rmiles@oxfamamerica.org, 3-2990) Interested in international relations, international aid and development? Want to discuss international issues raised in class? Need help thinking about research paper topics? Want to meet and talk with people working in the development or humanitarian sector? Interested in an international career - public service, government or private sector, or simply wanting to travel to other regions of the world? E-mail me or we can make an appointment to talk in more detail. I have created an e-mail list in order to send out messages about key dates and events. Please contact me if you are interested to have your name on this mailing list - rmiles@oxfamamerica.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS * QUEER TEA Queer Tea on Thursday, April 17, in the Masters' Residence, Lowell House, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Open to all, as usual, and welcoming the BGLT communities at Harvard --faculty, staff, and students alike. * NATIONAL ALCOHOL SCREENING DAY AT HARVARD Ð FRIDAY, APRIL 11 National Alcohol Screening Day is a chance for you to have a brief personal, confidential conversation with a member of the screening team regarding your alcohol use Ð feedback, tips and fun facts for free! Ð all done privately and without being judged for your personal choices. Need more than that? How about this: walk away with a FREE NALGENE Once you wrap up your session! What could be easier than that? Free feedback, free Nalgenes, and the freedom to make healthy choices. Stop by any time between *9:00 am - 5:00 pm* in the *MAC 4th Floor Gymnasium* on *Friday, April 11*. Questions? Call AODS 617-496-0133 or visit www.huhs.harvard.edu * HARVARD CHAMBER SINGERS The Harvard Chamber Singers is proud to present ÒAdieu ces bon vins: French Composers in Renaissance ItalyÓ. Join us as we present a concert of music written by Frankish composers at or for the courts and chapels of Italy and celebrate the lasting influence of French culture on Italian music. The concert will take place Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 3:00PM at First Church, Cambridge (11 Garden Street). Tickets are $5 for students and $10 regular in advance, and $7/$12 at the door. They may be purchased at the Harvard Box Office at 617.496.2222. Questions? Email: ChamberSingers@HRCM.net. * SCR FOREIGN FILM SERIES Brought to you by Kevin Moore (Art Tutor) and Gina Rivera (Music Tutor). The SCR Foreign Film Series will continue on Thursday, April 17th at 8:00 p.m. in the SCR in Q-entry, showing Pedro Almod—var's "Talk to Her" (2002). All are welcome to attend. Contact Music Tutor Gina Rivera (grivera@fas) with any questions. * CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN THE US Emily Maw, Esq. will be speaking in our own Lowell House JCR this Wednesday (April 16) from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Emily is the Director of the Innocence Project in New Orleans and her work has led to the release of seven innocent persons in Louisiana and Mississippi -- including some on death row. Emily will be on campus as the "Phillips Brooks House Fellow" and her topic Wednesday night is "Criminal Justice in the United States as an International Human Rights Concern." * A MUSICAL CONVERSATION WITH BENNY GOLSON Benny Goldson is the composer of such well-known jazz standards as ÒKiller JoeÓ, ÒI Remember CliffordÓ and ÒWhisper NotÓ, and is also a saxophonist. A musical conversation with Goldson, moderated by Steve Schwartz, host of WGBH-FMÓs ÒLive from Studio FourÓ, will be held on Thursday April 17, at 4:00pm New College Theatre 10-12 Holyoke St Admission free and open to the public. Tickets/RSVPs not required. Information: Office for the Arts at Harvard 617-495-8676, www.fas.harvard.edu/ofa * ALONG CAME BENNY Ð matinee concert A tribute concert featuring composer/saxophonist Benny Goldson and the Harvard Jazz Bands, with special guest artist, pianist Mulgrew Miller. Saturday April 19, 4:00pm Sander Theatre, 45 Quincy Street General admission tickets $15, students and seniors $8 from the Harvard Box Office