ClassSurveyResults

ThePresentThePastTheFuture

Cabot 27%filledoutsurvey,92%havepets,mostpessimistic

Currier 89%married,mostenviousofclassmates(80%)

North Don’tgiveas#%t:leastenvious(69%),50%Independent,25%divorced

Kirkland Mostconservative(29%Republican),fewestmarried(67%)

Adams Mostliberalandhip/funky(84%Democrat,67%Hip/Funky)

Winthrop 14%cheatedincollege,60%wantkidstogotoHarvard,mostoptimistic

Lowell AlmostasgoodasDunster:43%achievedtheirdream

Eliot Mosttotalsurveyrespondents.

Mather

Dunster 0%cheated,46%achieveddream

Leverett MostConservative/stuckin80’sstyle(57%)

Quincy 16%filledoutsurvey,0%cheatedatHarvard,17%cheatedontaxes

ThePresent

KIDS

56%say Harvardpedigreedoesn’tgivetheirchildrenfeelingsofinadequacy.44%sayitdoes.

50%say theywouldliketheirkidstoattendHarvard.35%areambivalent.15%sayno.

Pets– 67%havethem.• Companions:18%• Familymember:8%• Love:13%• Exercisebuddy:9%• Relaxation/de-stress:9%• Notthatimportant:7%• Teachaffectionandresponsibilityto

ourkids:6%• Theyareourkids:6%• Bestfriends:6%• Cuteness:3%• Comfort:3%• Snuggles:2%• Purpose:2%

19%Likedtheirpetsbetterthantheirchildrenatleastsomeofthetime.

Notableothercategories:• Athletic/sporty• Nerdy/sexylibrarian• Mildlyfabulouslygay

OurStyle

“Ican'tstandthinkingaboutstyle.IloathetheroleitplaysinourlivesandsoIfoolishlythinkIdon'tneedtothinkaboutit.AsaresultI'msomewhereinbetweenatotalslobandapreppyfunkyoldfart.”

ThePast

Advicetoyour18-yearoldself“Don't take premed classes, ask more women out, don't take fiction

expos, study computer science, invent Facebook.”

• 20.5%- relax• 15%- takemorerisks• 14%- socialadvice• 9.5%- curriculum/studyhabits/career• 9%- other• 7%- workharder/planahead• 6%- Youcandoit• 5.5%relationshipadvice• 5%- followyourbliss• 4.5%- don’tsmoke/drink/dodrugs,doexercise• 4%- Taketimeoff

WorstDecisions• Job/career/gradschoolchoices:23%• Spouse/relationshipchoice:17%• Badfinancialdecision/spendinghabits:14.5%• Fast/drunkdriving/Smoking/Drinkingtoomuch/unsafesex:4%• Moving:3%• Workaholic:3%• Criticizing/nagging/pushingkids:2%• Wrongmajor:2%• Notspendingenoughtimewithparents/grandparentsbeforethey

died:1%• Beingtootrusting:1%• Nottakingenoughrisks:1%

SmartestDecisions• Marryingmyspouse:37%• Gettingdivorced:4%• Notgettingdivorced:0.5%

• Grad/professionalschool/Job/careerchoice:15%• Startingacompany/investments/Buyingahouse:8%• Having/adoptingkids:4.5%• GoingtoHarvard:4%• LeavingHarvard:0.5%

• Moving:4%• Stayinghomewithkids/homeschooling:1.5%• Learningaforeignlanguage:1%• Travel:1%• Dogrescue:0.4%• Notcommittingsuicide:0.4%

WorstCollegeMemory• Class/exam:37%• Loneliness/burnout/smallfishsyndrome/notcomingout:15%

• Brokenheart/betrayal/breakup:12%• Alcohol/drug-related:6%• Roommates:4%• Illness/injury/freshman10:4%• Sexismorworse:2%• Team/practice:2%• On-campusjob:1%• Weather:1%

WorstCollegeMemory“Failingcalculusandstrugglinginchemistry.IstillfearthatHarvardwilldiscoverthatitmadeahorriblemistakeintheSpringof1983andretroactivelyrescindmyadmission.”

“Gettingcrappygradesmysophomoreyearandfeelinglikealazyshithead.”

“Expositorywritingclassfreshmanyear.Iamstillscarred.”

“Gettinga45onmyfirstChem 10classandthatwasaB.”

“ExamsontheLASTdayofthe2weekexamperiod(whileeveryoneelsewashavingfun)”

“Watchingmygirlfriendofthreeyearswalkoutofanotherman'sroomat7:00am”

“AvoidingoverlyfriendlyTAinphysicsclassandnotreportinghim.”

“LegaltroubleatWellesley”

“ProbablythefeelingofrealizingthatthescrapbluebookItossedintothefireaftermyfirstexamhadneatlyboxedoffanswersandwas,infact,notthescrapbluebookatall.”

“1985Yale17- Harvard6”

BestCollegeMemory• Friendships/roommates/hangingout:40%• Team/club/Crimson:15%• Intellectualhighs:10%• Houselife:10%• UniqueHarvardexperiences:7%• Meetingspouse/partner:4%• Alcohol/drug-related:3%• Sex/threesome:2%

BestCollegeMemory“Gettingstoned,goingintothestacksofWidener,checkingoutbooksbyJorgeLuisBorgesandreadingthemonthegrassinRadcliffeonespring.”

“OntheCharlesinaHouse-madeboatduringtheAdamsHouseRaftRace.”

“WalkingthroughHarvardyardtalkingtomyfreshmanroommateaboutthequestionofutilitarianismwhenitcomestoorgantransplants(spurredbyoneofthefirstlecturesinJustice)”

“DancingtofunkinthebasementatAhmed’s;MoviesattheOrsonWellesandtheBrattleandIrishcoffeeafteratCasablancabar”

“BeingserenadedontheLamontstepsbytheHarvardKrokodiloes!”

“Sexandlearningsomehighoctanestuff- nowImarvelatmyformerself”

“Bondingwithfreshmenentrywaypeople”

“Funpartiesinhouses- whichdon'texistanymore”

“Takingexamsinmemorialhall”?????????

“1985Harvard28- HolyCross20”

WhatdidyoudreamofaccomplishinginlifewhenyoucametoHarvard?

30%saytheyachievedthatdream.27%stillhavethatdream.

38%areenviousoftheirclassmatesperceivedsuccess.

18%saidtheyareenviouseventhoughtheyarereallysuccessfulthemselves.

BacktoThePresent…...

What’smissingfromyourlife?

• 16%- Time• 12%- Love• 10%- Various• 9%- Friendship• 8%- Nothing• 7%- FinancialSecurity• 7%- Peace/Relaxation

6%- CareerSatisfaction5%- Kids/grandkids5%- Health/exercise5%- Family(passedaway/estranged/moved)5%- Sex4%- Fun/excitement2%- Direction/purpose

• “Before2004aRedSoxchampionship.Nownothing.”• “Hormones”

Ifyoucoulddosomethingdifferentinyourliferightnowwhatwoulditbe?

• 19%- Move/travelmore• 17%- Changejob/career/backtoschool• 13%- Nothing/don’tknow/happyasis• 12%- Workless/morefreetime• 9%- Family/friends/sex• 8.5%- Dogoodintheworld• 5%- Betterhealth• 4%- Morebalance/fun

“WinthePowerball…liveinahouseonthebeach…meditateeveryday…runascubashopwithmywifeandkids…startafewfoundationstomaketheworldabetterplace.”

TheDream:

“Getthroughthisprobingsurvey…trytoslowdown…workalittleless…finishmynovel…haveenoughmoneytotravelmore…volunteermore…spendmoretimewiththepeopleIlove.

Orslightlymorerealistic:

TheFuture

57%thinklifewillbebetterinthecomingyears.33%sayitwillbethesame.

Howlongdoyouthink you’lllive?

Howlongdoyouwanttolive

<70 4% 1%70-80 15% 8%80-90 51% 38%90-100 27% 36%100-110 2% 5%110+ 1% 12%

Whenwillcivilizationend?

CocktailPartyDiscussion

“Civilization asweknowitwillendwhenthewealthiestachievevirtualimmortalityandself-sufficiencythroughtechnology.Then,likeAthenaintheOdyssey,theirconcernswillbesodivorcedfromwhatweregardashumanthatwecan'teventellthesamesortsofstoriesaboutthem.”

“Ithinkit’saracebetweenourbehavioralstupidity(intermsofmakingweaponsthataretoopowerful,orallowingAIintothewronghands)andourpollutingtheearth...closecall,butI'llgowithAIinthewronghands...andIdon'twanttoevenguesshowsoonthatmightbe.”

“Itwon't,becausethepopulationistoobig,widespread,andsmartforanythingtodestroyeveryone.”

“Whenthesunexpires(wemayneedtomovetoanotherplanet)-Iamoptimisticwewon'tbloweachotherupbeforethen.”

IfyouwereKingorQueenoftheworld,howwouldyouchangeit?

• Addressinequality:23%- “Guaranteedincomeandhealthcareforall”• Savetheearth:18%- “Enforcepopulationcontrol…getridofcars”• Worldpeace/eliminatenukesandweapons:9%- “Nohitting”• Reformthepoliticalsystem/endmonarchies:7%- “Getthesejackassesoutof

govt.”• GetridofTrump:7%- “DumpTrump!”• Universalhealthcare:6%• Rewardandencouragekindness:6%• Banhate:4%- “Morelove,lessfear.”• Putwomenincharge:3%- “Postmenopausalwomenwouldruleeveryland.”• Purecapitalism:2%- “Allowpeopletogainorlosebytheirownefforts.“• Lessracism:2%• Banreligion:1%• Morespirituality:1%• Four-dayworkweeks:1%• Taxreform:1%- “Iwouldabolishcapitalismandtaxtherich”• Outlawventurecapitalism:1%

Whathappenswhenyoudie?• Nothingness/decomposition/lightsout:35%• Heaven:13%• Nooneknows,evenHarvardgrads:10%• Liveoninthememoryoflovedones:9%• Cremation,funeral,estatesettlement:8%• Spiritualafterlife:7%• Spiritreturnstotheuniverse:6%• Reincarnation:2%

Whatwouldyouliketodobeforeyoudie?• 27%- Travel• 14%- Happykids• 13%- Timewithfriends/family/love• 10%- Grandchildren• 10%- Creativepursuit• 8%- Makeanimpact• 7%- Random• 4%- Physicalchallenge• 3%- Relax/live• 2%– Spiritual• 2%- Doneit• 1%- Sex

Examples“Getpublished.Beagrandparent.Liveinaforeigncountry.”

“Playwithmygrandchildren!LiveonCapeCodformonthsatastretch!PutteraroundGreecewithmydearhubbyinafabuloussailboat.”

“Seemychildrenhealthy,happilymarriedwiththeirownhealthychildren”

“Haveatrulymeaningfulimpactonmanylives;haveamazingsexininterestinglocations.”

Favorites

• “WatchTrumpgodown”• “Experienceworldpeace”• “Becomeenlightened”• “Cleanthehouse”• “Beabeachbum”• “Haveasixpack”• “Finishthisdamnsurvey”• “WinforaweekstraightonJeopardy”