HGSE Admissions Blog

As the Spring semester begins here at HGSE, we (admissions GAs) reflect on our program experiences and hopes for our final few months.

Claire Patterson (she/her)

I’m so happy to be back on campus, even though I refuse to make peace with this winter wind (why did no one tell me Boston is windier than Chicago??). And while I loved my J-Term class (shoutout to Tim McCarthy’s Brave Leadership), I’ve been craving a return to my normal school routine. And yet, at the same time, it feels like the end is coming much too quickly. To cope, I’ve been looking backward quite a lot, reflecting on the joyful routine that has always accompanied the start of a new school year.

Before the first day, I would always drag my mom to Staples to carefully select an array of colored pens, college-ruled notebooks, and stretchy textbook covers. I was so particular about my school supplies that she knew better than to pick them out for me. Then I would practice locking and unlocking my shiny red locker lock and map out different routes to each class. I would meticulously color-code my schedule and affix it to my locker door. In short, I was a huge freaking nerd. But I just loved school and every special ritual that came with it.

I don’t have those stretchy textbook covers anymore (bummer, because they were so cute), but there are still endless things about school that spark joy. I love spotting friends on campus after winter break, embracing like we spent ten years apart instead of just three weeks. I love settling into a comfy chair in Gutman, gradually building a little drink graveyard beside me—coffee, tea, soda—one cup at a time. I love starting new classes with professors who are so clearly nerds experts in their fields.

This semester, I’m taking classes with Karen Mapp, Peter Blair, and Meira Levinson. Their passion for their work and belief in the transformative power of education feel especially meaningful right now—offering both a sense of hope and a reminder of what’s at stake.

As I reflect on the past—the little rituals that made me fall in love with learning—I also find myself looking forward, wondering what moments I’ll hold onto from this chapter of my life. If nothing else, I know that, just like before, the joy of learning and the people I share it with will stay with me long after this semester ends.

Anna Kurian (she/her)

A semester later, this little dorm and school of mine truly feel like home. It’s so wonderful to be back from break, reunite with everyone, and realize just how fast time flies. It feels like just yesterday we were at orientation, and now we’re already halfway through—it’s surreal!

I absolutely loved Cambridge in the summer and made so many incredible memories, but I think I love it even more in the fall and winter. My first week of classes has been both exciting and hectic. I had the opportunity to explore courses at the law school and even took an introductory psychology class with Steven Pinker—someone whose work I’ve always admired. This week has really been about refining my academic focus, and I feel like I’m leaning more toward policy.

This semester, I hope to apply more of what I learn in class to real-world work while also prioritizing my health. I want to take full advantage of Harvard’s many gyms and workout facilities to maintain a balanced lifestyle. Additionally, I want to actively participate in more academic research with my professors, engage in campus activities, attend more talks and conversations with notable alumni, and expand my network.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of opportunities on campus, but I hope to stick to my New Year’s resolution of staying more organized and making time for the things that matter—even if that just means attending one sporting event each week.

Unlike many of my peers, I actually love the freezing temperatures—it’s the perfect excuse to wear all my favorite winter outfits! Beyond that, I’m excited for all the cozy events, the snowmen I’ll build, and discovering hidden gems around campus that make this time of year so special.
I truly hope for the best! This semester means a lot to me, and I can’t wait to make the most of it.

Michael Gaetos (he/him)

It’s definitely a bittersweet moment reflecting on it being the last first week of school for me and for many other folks. Being more than halfway into the program, I’m feeling a mix of excitement, nostalgia, and a bit speechless at how quickly time has passed. It feels like we were just settling in and now we’re already thinking about graduation and what the next chapter is after HGSE. 

This semester, I’m pretty excited about my Strategic Enrollment Management course with my very own and amazing faculty advisor, Drew Allen. With my background in admissions and DEI work, I’m looking forward to exploring the ways institutions approach enrollment past the application process, and even into retention and student success. I know for sure that this course will provide valuable insights that connect with my past experiences and future aspirations hopefully going back into student affairs.

Beyond my classes, I’m certainly planning to be more intentional about soaking in these last few months, hopefully spending more time with friends, exploring the greater Boston area, or simply finding a quiet spot in Cambridge to pause and take it all in by reminding myself that this is a chapter worth savoring. 

That being said, I’m extremely grateful to be here and to have created so many amazing connections. Cheers to a new (and final) semester, and to many more friends and memories!

Araceli Arizpe (she/her)

I’m entering into the new semester feeling grateful for community. I just wrapped up an amazing J-term class called “#SíSePuede: Critical Issues in Education Affecting Students and Families of Latin American Heritage”, taught by PhD candidate Michael Angel Vázquez. This class was such an amazing space for reflection and community-building, and really highlighted the need for more ethnic studies classes here at HGSE and in the wider Harvard community. 

This semester, I’m taking classes that center on cross-cultural counseling, community-based youth organizations, queer education, and postsecondary support for students. I think what I have loved so much about my classes here at HGSE is that they overlap so well with one another. The lessons I learned from Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth Model have consistently guided my learning in various classes, and will continue to do so in this next semester and beyond. It’s been so surreal getting to explore my passions and evolve as an educator here at HGSE, and I owe it all to the amazing professors and students who have created such rich and vibrant spaces for growth and collaboration.

I’m also looking forward to getting to know the Cambridge community better. I live in Somerville, so I spent my first few months in the greater Boston area exploring that community and identifying my favorite spots close to home (shoutout to the Somerville coffee shop scene and the community path). As I look ahead to the Spring, I’m setting my sights on exploring all that Cambridge has to offer. I’m making it my personal mission to finally try Andala coffee house, visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and take more walks along the Charles River. This program really flies by, and it’s crazy to think that graduation is only 113 days away. In these final months, I intend to savor every lesson, every conversation in Gutman, every community event, and every last moment of this final semester.