Boston Across the Seasons
While I just spent the past two years in Boston for my MBA at Harvard Business School, I happened to experience it as a "tourist" across the seasons. For continuity, let's start with winter 2022.
Winter (ASW)
In February 2022, I came to Boston for Admitted Students Weekend at HBS. Somehow, the weather in Boston always decides to put on a display of extraordinary strength for this one weekend each year (it's remarkable!). I flew in through Billy Bishop for the first time since the pandemic, and was blown away by how nice and renovated the US terminal was.
Upon arrival, I watched some shows at the hotel and ate Alive and Kicking Lobsters. This was literally the only time I ate there over the past two years. It was overrated. The place had glowing reviews. Maybe it was worthwhile back when lobster rolls were $13.95, but now they're $27 (less than 10 years later). Inflation is real!! My "lobster roll shack" and lobster bisque came up to $35 altogether.
I then headed over to HBS for a campus tour in the rain. The tour guide did his first-ever tour, and his papers with fun facts kept getting comically wetter and wetter, until they looked as though they were going to fall apart completely. While on the tour, I bumped into Lucy from Queen's! We headed over to the Coop in Spangler together, where she purchased a bunch of HBS bears as recommender gifts. Walking upstairs, I bumped into Jordyn from Duolingo and met up with some AABA folks (Andrew J, Sam, and Jerry). Andrew also took me to an EC class the next day (Tough Tech Ventures), which was so much better than the simulation case for admitted students (even though I had that with Ting, who I ended up adoring as a professor!). While previously a skeptic, TTV proved that the case method can produce more engaging and insightful classes over time, once people get some reps in. I didn't even care about the topic (related to VC and Google X), but I left feeling inspired!
I am a strong advocate for attending ASW in-person because people—without fail!—end up meeting people who factor into their lives once school starts. For example, I randomly chatted with Shayne, Yina, Jimmy J, and Priya at the Grille at ASW. Yina was also in my small group dinner, so she later drove me to Waypoint in her family's Tesla (another place I only ever visited... twice over the past two years).
Before dinner, I met up with Keir at Baker Library, where his study group met every morning. I didn't realize how remarkable it was that they continued to meet even by February of RC year... unfortunately, my own study group didn't last that long. I also didn't end up studying at Baker Library (pretty much ever). At least I dropped by a couple times for some professor coffee chats?
The small group dinner was a lot of fun, and also introduced me to some friendly faces! Alongside Yina, I met Paul, Eric, and Enrique. I liked that we could have an intellectual and engaging conversation about a wide range of topics. We also had a lot of similar hobbies like reading.
The following day, I skipped the dorm tour to meet up with Hussein and Malik in Spangler (although Malik ended up going to GSB, boo). I also ended up missing Chad Losee's opening remarks (as an admit, he felt like someone ✨famous✨) since I sat in on an EC class. I ended up having lunch and doing case prep with Jenny Y, Allison H, and a few others in Batten before browsing the club fair with William and Carlos. Clubs aren't a huge part of the HBS social scene.
ASW ended with large crowds in Klarman vying for merch. It felt like the perfect environment for a happy hour, but HBS didn't provide anything. Everyone just... dispersed into the freezing rain. I ended up getting dinner with Brandy, Anita, and a couple others at Gustazo—a Cuban tapas place that I never visited again, even though it was amazingly good! I loved the yuca fries, shrimp and mussels, and croquetas with serrano ham.
On the Saturday after ASW, I toured a few accommodation options with Brandy (1075 Mass Ave, Continuum, and SFP). I definitely had my heart set on SFP for the convenience, and I was really thankful it worked out. If any HBS admits happen to read this, feel free to reach out to me for insider perspectives on housing. :)
Pretty much everyone who made a mark on my ASW experience ended up coming to HBS, even those who were undecided about attending bschool (like Eric) or conflicted between H/S (e.g., Yina, Lucy). I guess the school did a pretty good job converting the class of 2024!
Autumn (August - September)
At the start of fall 2022 (i.e., August), my parents drove me down from Toronto to Boston to move in to HBS! I am so lucky to have such involved and loving parents. I still clearly remember fetching a dolly from the Rock Centre with my dad as he enthused, "Harvard! This is a place we only ever dreamed of, growing up in the Philippines. You're living our dream, and that's all we could ever ask for." To even have such dreams, much less attain them, was all thanks to the foundation built from my parents' tireless years of effort, resilience, and hard work.
After several days of driving, hauling stuff, and buying furniture, I had a few days to explore Boston with my family. Over the weekend, we visited Neptune Oyster and Boston's North Shore with Stephanie. Doesn't it kind of look like she's my parents' kid here? The North Shore gave off strong Italian-American vibes. Afterwards, we explored HBS campus like tourists. Thankfully, no one else was really on campus yet.
Funny how we posed so much with this head, but I never really paid attention to it or walked in that direction once I started school.
We also walked around the Boston Common, ate at Legal Seafood, and checked out Quincy Market. Steph and I also went bouldering at Central Rock Gym in Harvard Square (it was free for Global Climbing Day)! Then my parents bid me adieu as I went on a pre-HBS trip to New Hampshire. For an early trip with a random assortment of people, I actually ended up maintaining a bunch of those friendships throughout HBS and beyond. It was a fun group!
As pictured, I "hiked" along an extremely easy foot path with my car crew: Max, Shayne, Olivia, and Dusty (+ another hike along the Welch-Dickey trail with the rest of our house). The full group of 70 eager HBS-students-to-be came together at One Love Brewery before proceeding to a karaoke dive bar. Karaoke in New Hampshire TRULY hits different. I might have experienced culture shock, mainly because the karaoke session turned into a Republican political rally. There was also a travelling Mamma Mia troupe that knocked our socks off with their singing ability. Other house bonding activities included: puzzles, fishbowl charades, jenga, mafia, and stack cup. These types of "cottage" weekends are the best for bonding!
Throughout the rest of late-August and early-September, I participated in a bunch of "Boston 101" activities. Beyond random meals, the notable activities included: the Freedom Trail (where I met Suzie and Pruek!), parties at Max's and 6 Windom, Stage Karaoke, and visiting the Arbetorum and Harvard main campus (tour courtesy of Lance!) with the Pinoy squad. Very productively, I also joined a road trip to Salem and Portland, Maine with Bill Ding, Sarah Alfares, and Sotiris. I got tricked into going to Salem (it was NOT part of the original plan) — it was so spooky even on a sunny day in August. My irrational fear of witches persisted as we walked through cemeteries and blue-painted tree-lined walkways.
I LOVED biking around Boston during this period. There were dedicated bike paths right by the river, and the weather was idyllic as I rode into downtown Boston. Otherwise, the HBS campus is SUCH a transit dead zone.
Spring
My family returned to Boston in spring 2024 for my graduation! I was kind of shook by all the graduation festivities hosted at Harvard. We started off with a "family" case on Norway hosted by Sophus. I was proud that all of my family members participated, although my mom went a bit rogue in the peanut gallery! In the afternoon, we had a chaotic AAPI stole ceremony (it was rambunctious). The next day, we had an honors brunch. The day after that was Class Day. I felt bad because attendance was quite low due to BOILING hot weather. Finally, on the day of graduation itself, I participated in a walk to Harvard Yard, school-wide commencement ceremony (again... very politically charged), and a graduation walk / diploma ceremony delayed due to thunderstorms.
It gave off serious main-character energy.
Calvin said that this picture encapsulated the experience of graduation week.
Aside from school-mandated graduation activities, I made a couple reservations at Row 34 (with Andrew and Steph!) and Saltie Girl. It takes a village, after all.
We also did some touristy exploration! Namely, we did a tour of Fenway Park, strolled around Beacon Hill (which I had read about in my childhood books, but somehow never visited until now!), walked around the North Shore, and finally did a Boston Duck Tour!
The air was tinged with nostalgia and a frantic energy as we squeezed in final hang-outs. The werewolf board game crew squeezed in one more board game night. Boston Calling happened to intersect with graduation, so Pong hosted a section (+ friends) party where we listened to The Killers from across the river. Nara hosted a graduation party, parents included. Finally, before I knew it, it was time to move out of Boston and into New York. What an end of an era.
Summer
And finally, as a little bonus... I visited Boston in the summer of 2002 with my family. :) We visited Harvard and MIT back then too (my parents knew to ~start 'em young~).
