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FAQ
Wanna add something to the FAQ? E-mail your suggestion to cabot@hcs.harvard.edu  
   
1. Academic  
1.1. What do I do to cross-register at MIT?
1.2. Where can I get an official copy of my transcript?
1.3. What is my GPA?
1.4. Where can I find old finals online?
1.5. What do I need to know when I ask someone for a recommendation letter?
1.6. Can I enroll in two courses that meet at the same time?
1.7. Where can I get Add/Drop Forms?
1.8. Where can I get info about registration dates, study card and add/drop deadlines, etc?
1.9. What do I do if I have two exams scheduled for the same time?
1.10. Is there an Honor Roll, or something like it at Harvard?
1.11. Are instructors obliged to offer extensions and/or alternate midterms to seniors, if such dates falls within a week of their thesis due date?
1.12. Are the grades from a senior's last semester included in the calculation of University Honors?
1.13. Can I petition to cross-register a course after the deadline?
1.14. What are the financial penalties for late add/drop?
   
2. Computing [FAS Computing Knowledge Base]  
   
3. Facilities around the House  
3.1. How do I make a maintenance request or report a facilities problem?
3.2. Where can I exercise around here?
3.3. What are the hours of the QRAC?
3.4. What is Cabot House's mailing address?
3.5. Where can I dispose of old batteries?
3.6. Where is the nearest fax machine?
3.7. What is the red phone in my suite?
3.8. To whom to I talk to reserve a room?
3.9. How do I get a key to the house weight room?
3.10. How can I adjust the heat in my room?
3.11. How do I use that fancy HDTV in the JCR?
   
4. Transportation  
   
5. Health  
   
6. Cabot House Guidelines  
   
7. Where can I...?  
   

1. Academic  

1.1. What do I do to cross-register at MIT? :
Info on Cross-registering at MIT
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1.2. Where can I get an official copy of my transcript? :
Transcript Request Form, Office of the Registrar
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1.3. What is my GPA? :
GPA Calculator
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1.4. Where can I find old finals online? :
Final Exam Homepage
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1.5. What do I need to know when I ask someone for a recommendation letter? : Recommendation letters work much like voting: early and often. It's never too early to start getting letters, and the more, the merrier. Better get a strong, personal recommendation from a TF than a generic, "Elmo-was-in-my-class-and-did-fine," letter. One way to go is to get the TF to draft a strong, personal letter and have the Professor co-sign. Have the letters sent to my office (address), along with your signed waiver form, which you can download here. All your recommendation letters will be kept in your file forever, and you can simply email Susan Bourneuf (sbourn@fas.harvard.edu) whenever you need one sent some place.
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1.6. Can I enroll in two courses that meet at the same time? :
On Simultaneous Enrollment: The most common case involves courses that meet fewer than three times a week, and where one third of more of your respective courses overlap (if you miss any part of a lecture, it counts for the whole lecture). If so, you will need a statement "from the head of the course where class time is being missed and the person(s) providing the instruction during the regular class meeting agree to provide hour-for-hour direct and personal compensatory instruction" (handbook, p.49). Please have the instructor email me these very words, not approximations. What you and the professor end up doing is up to you.

If the course is videotaped, several conditions need to be met. (And, not or)
(1) The course head agrees that the videotapes may be used for this purpose;
(2) The lectures that are videotaped ordinarily do not provide opportunities for classroom discussion;
(3) The videotapes will be available in a timely fashion so that they can be viewed before the next class period;
(4) The student will miss attending part or all of no more than 1/3 of the instructional periods in the course (not including sections or labs) [N.B. if a student will miss any part of a day's lecture, it is as though he or she will miss all of it]; and
(5) The instructor in the course in which the lectures are videotaped agrees to offer any hour examinations or other in-class exercises at a time that will not preclude the student from attending the second course. In those courses that do not use the blackboard or other visual aids, course-provided audiotapes may be substituted for videotapes.

If you plan on dropping, or have dropped, one of the two overlapping courses, do so before the 5th Monday.

Unless you plan on dropping one of the two courses (using an add/drop form available outside of Susan B’s office before the 5th Monday of the term), your simultaneous enrollment will require a petition, which I will be happy to bring before the Ad Board's executive committee. If so, please email me a request to be allowed to simultaneous enroll in the two courses. Include the courses titles and the times at which they meet. If the petition is turned down, you will be forced to drop one of the two courses. If you do nothing, the registrar will track you down and force you to drop one of the two courses.

The Ad Board meets every Tuesday afternoon, so please get me the relevant information, including your professor’s email statement, no latter than Monday noon. Otherwise, the petition will have to wait a week.
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1.7. Where can I get Add/Drop Forms? :
Add/drop forms are available outside of Susan B.'s office, 1st floor, A-entry until the fifth Monday of the month. After the fifth Monday, students can only withdraw (until the 7th Monday of the term.)
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1.8. Where can I get info about registration dates, study card and add/drop deadlines, etc?
: Click here.
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1.9. What do I do if I have two exams scheduled for the same time? : The exam office will automatically move one of your exams to the next available slot, so you don't need to do anything!
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1.10. Is there an Honor Roll, or something like it at Harvard? :
The official answer from the Resident Dean: I just checked in with the registrar's office about this. Back in the old 15-pt grading scale days, there used to be a Dean's list. See the following excerpt from the 2002-03 Handbook for Students:
"The Dean's List and Honorary Scholarships. Any student whose cumulative or annual Rank List Group is I, II, or III and whose record is satisfactory will be placed on the Dean's List for the succeeding term of residence. Students whose annual Rank List Group is I or II at the end of a full-time academic year are awarded an honorary, non-stipendiary scholarship. Group I students receive the John Harvard Scholarship; Group II students, the Harvard College Scholarship. Please refer also to Prizes on page 375."

Now there is no longer a Dean's list, and the John Harvard Scholarships and Harvard College Scholarships are much more competitive. See the following excerpt from the 2004-05 Handbook for Students (p.58): "Students of the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes in the top 5% of their respective classes will be designated John Harvard Scholars, based on the grade point average of the previous academic year; and students not in the top 5% but in the top 10% of their respective classes will be designated Harvard College Scholars."
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1.11. Are instructors obliged to offer extensions and/or alternate midterms to seniors, if such dates falls within a week of their thesis due date?
: No, this is a myth. Instructors have every discretion to schedule their midterms whenever they want. However, if an instructor agrees to accommodate one senior in this situation, the same accommodation must be provided to all the seniors in the course.
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1.12. Are the grades from a senior's last semester included in the calculation of University Honors? :
Last semester grades are factored into the calculation of University Honors, but not considered in the Honors recommendation from the concentration.
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1.13. Can I petition to cross-register a course after the deadline? : No. See https://crossreg.harvard.edu/OASIS/CrossReg/xreg_calendar.jsp
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1.14. What are the financial penalties for late add/drop? : It's $5 until the 3rd Monday, $10 until the 4th, and $15 until the fifth Monday. Note: The charge will be term billed.
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2. Computing [FAS Computing Knowledge Base]
 

2.1. Who should I contact with computer questions? :
If you experience a problem with your network connection, personal computer, common area wireless Ethernet service, or the House computer lab, please contact the FAS Computer Services Student Help Desk, either in person (Science Center B-13: hours) , by phone (5-9000), or e-mail (help@fas.harvard.edu). The Student Help Desk can help you solve problems with your laptop computer over the phone or at the Science Center. Desktop owners or students whose data jack itself appears to be broken can receive limited in-room help from a User Assistant. House computer lab problems reported by phone to the Student Help Desk will be resolved by a User Assistant or an FAS Computer Services staff member.
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2.2. What can I do if I'm over my e-mail quota? How can I transfer files from the network to my hard disk? :
Some solutions
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2.3. Where can I find general info about my FAS account? :
Computer Services info about @fas email account
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2.4. How do I delete a bunch of e-mails, but not ones from certain people? :
Here's how
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2.5. What's the deal with Cabot-Open? :
Cabot-Open is an OPEN mailing list for the Cabot community. Open means anything can be posted. Much breath has been wasted, figuratively speaking, in debating what can and should be posted, and who should be able to join the list. If you have strong opinions about either of these, post to the list, or just suck it up. To adjust how often you receive messages or to sign up for the list, visit the Cabot Open Info Page. To view old e-mails, visit the Cabot-Open Archive. More information about Cabot e-mail lists is available from Antoniu.
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2.6. How can I print from my computer in my room to the house printer? :
Instructions for PCs and Macs
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2.7. How can I make those nifty little ASCII banners? :
Here's one way
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2.8. On my FAS account, how can I get back a file or email I've accidentally deleted? : Click here.
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2.9. In the University phone book, how do I change the info listed for me? : Click here; do it before September 28th and the updates will be reflected in the printed directory.
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2.10. How can I convert a word document to a pdf? : Click here.
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2.11. How can I scan a document with text and then edit the text? : Click here.
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3. Facilities
 
3.1. How do I make a maintenance request or report a facilities problem (eg: loss of heat or hot water, flooding, broken toilet)? : If it is not urgent, fill out the maintenance request form. If it is urgent and during business hours, call the Building Manager at 5-8694. If it is urgent and not during business hours, call University Operations at 5-5560.

If it is regarding the washers and dryers, requests for service should be made at macgray.com.
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3.2. Where can I exercise around here? :
Two main Quad option. You can use the Cabot House Weight Room, or you can use the QRAC (Quadrangle Recreational Athletic Center) at the corner of Garden and Linnaean Streets. The QRAC boasts basketball, squash, racket ball, pool, table tennis, nautilus and aerobics facilities (treadmills, ergs, elliptical).
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3.3. What are the hours of the QRAC? : Click here.
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3.4. What is Cabot House's mailing address? :
Go to About the House -> House Map
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3.5. Where can I dispose of old batteries? :
In the package room of the building manager's office, there is a container on the ground for battery disposal. For more info, visit the University Operations Services' Solid Waste and Recycling page, as well as their Guidelines for Residential Recycling and their Recycling FAQ.
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3.6. Where is the nearest fax machine? :
There is a fax machine in the Cabot computer lab (M-05). To send a fax to an outside number, you need to have a phone card with a 1-800 toll-free number. Just enter the 1-800 phone card number, then your phone card PIN number, and then the number you are faxing to. If you don't have a phone card, one can be easily and inexpensively purchased at a drug store or on-line.

The fax number is 617-493-1899.

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3.7. What is the red phone in my suite? : These phones are new as of 2004. They accept all incoming calls and have service for outgoing calls to Harvard numbers(493-, 495-, 496- and 384-extensions), 1-800, and 911 calls; you're able to add local or long distance service for a monthly fee if you wish (see http://www.uis.harvard.edu/student_telecom/).
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3.8. To whom to I talk to reserve a room? : Susan Livingston
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3.9 How do I get a key to the house weight room? : To get a key to the house weight room, you need to pay your house dues ($20) to the House Committee (HoCo). HoCo tables for house dues at the beginning of the year. If you miss the tabling, contact HoCo directly.
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3.10. How can I adjust the heat in my room? :
Cabot House is heated by steam and hot water radiators that are on at all times. The heat is on at all times, and controlled by the outside air to maintain rooms at approximately 68 degrees during the day and 64 degrees at night. In addition, each radiator has an control valve that may be adjusted by the occupant. This valve is meant to give you control of the heat level in your room and to prevent the wasting of energy. To operate the valves: 1. Locate the large plastic handle dial protruding from the valve. The valve is attached to the radiator, to the baseboard or above the baseboard (on the wall). 2. Select the setting between 1 (lowest temperature) and 5 or 7 (highest) on the dial at which you are most comfortable. Forcing the valve beyond the maximum setting will not produce more heat but may damage the valve.
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3.10. How do I use that fancy HDTV in the JCR? :
To start the system please turn on the power switch on the wall panel. you can do this by pressing the "display power" or the dvd or the vcr button for ~2 seconds. this will turn the projector on, with a 30 second countdown. (you can press vcr even if wish to watch a dvd and vice versa.)

turn on the receiver, the bottom device, with the brand name denon in the upper left corner.

please DO NOT touch any of the knobs or buttons on the denon receiver, except for the 2 large knobs on the right or left of the display. use the left knob to select "VCR-1" for televion or VHS viewing, "DVD" for, obviously, a dvd. the right knob controls the volume. again DO NOT change anything else.

to watch television: turn on the VCR. set the denon receiver to VCR-1 (using the knob to the left of the display). the channel on the vcr should be set to 03. then use the cable remote to select the desired channel on the cable/hdtv converter box. hdtv channels are in the 800 range. channel 2 is 802, channel 4 is 804, etc.

to watch a video: turn on the vcr, set the denon receiver to VCR-1 (using the knob to the left of the display), and put in the video.

to watch a dvd, turn on the dvd player, set the receiver to dvd (using the knob to the left of the display), and put in the dvd.

VERY IMPORTANT

when you are finished it is vital that you turn off the projector; this will increase bulb life and will allow the system to properly reset for the next user. you shut off the projector by depressing the "display power" button on the wall panel. the display will flash for 2 minutes during which it will be impossible to turn the system back on. if the display is flashing do not try to turn it on; just wait for the flashing to end.

in addition, shut off the vcr or dvd, and the denon receiver.

if you follow the shut down procedures there should be no problem getting a picture when the next user starts up the system. however, if you come in and see the wall panel display illuminated, it means the previous viewer did not shut down the system. the best thing to do is to shut down the system, and wait the two minutes, and then turn it back on. this should re-set everything. you may however still get no picture. if that happens, press the "input" button on the projector until you get to input 2. this should give you your picture. other than this situation, there is never any reason to touch any of the buttons on the projector. especially, please NEVER touch the power button on the projector; always use the wall switch to shut off the power.

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4. Transportation
 


4.1. How do I know if there is a snow emergency? :
Cambridge Department of Public Works Website

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4.2. Where can I park my car? :
Parking in Cambridge is not easy. It gets a lot easier when you have a permit from the City. To obtain a permit from the City, you need to be registered in Cambridge, which requires you to get Cambridge insurance. Uber-expensive. Get a quote before deciding on this. Once that's done, you need to bring the registration and proof of residence (you can get a letter from the House Office or the Assistant to the Resident Dean) and go down to the Cambridge Parking Commission on 57 Inman St. (near Dunkin Donuts). For a whopping $8, you get the sticker and a second paper permit for visitors.
If you're not gung-ho about paying Cambridge insurance, there are other options.

  • Harvard Parking Services: Harvard has several garages which are available to affiliates. Rates per month vary. If you need just a one night thing, the Business School lot is $5/day.
  • Huron Ave. has street parking available for those without permits. Parking is limited, and once a month (fourth Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on which side of the street you park), you have to move your car for street cleaning. Don't leave your car here for extended periods of time, because it will get ticketed for "storage".
  • Oxford St. has some 24-hour parking bordering Lesley College buildings. You have to move your car to a different spot every 24-hours to avoid getting a ticket.
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4.3. What's the cheapest way to get to New York? :
Fung-Wah or Travel Pack both offer $10/one way buses. Book early because weekends get sold out quickly.
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4.4. What's the cheapest way to get around greater Boston? :
MBTA, besides running the subway and bus system within the city, also operates the commuter rail, a train system reaching as far north as Haverhill, MA, as far west as Worcester, MA, and as far south as Providence, RI.
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4.5. Where can I rent a car? :
The Hertz on JFK right next to Dunkin Donuts will rent to you, even if under 25. Show them a Harvard ID and you'll even get a discount.
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4.6. How can I get a Zip-Car? :
Harvard students (21+) get a special Zipcar discount. Click here for more info.
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4.7. What's the best way to get to the Med school? :
The M2 Shuttle from Harvard Yard
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4.8. Where can I get a bike or get my bike fixed? : Since bike theft is so bad in Cambridge, getting a used bike is a good idea. Quad Bikes, located in the Cabot House I-entry basement sells excellent used bikes, does repairs, and sells accessories. Other places to try for a bike: pick one up from a graduating senior; PBHA bike auction in late-September / early-October (though be careful! Your bidding on abandoned bikes!); other local bike shops.
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4.9. How can I avoid bike theft? :

Bicycle theft around Cambridge and Boston is very bad, but if you take the proper precautions, your bike should be fine. If you have any further questions, ask them at Quad Bikes (in the basement of I-entry of Cabot; www.quadbikes.org).

There are two things you can do to minimize the possibility of your bike (or parts of your bike) being stolen:

1. Make your bike less attractive to theft than other bikes

Get a decent u-lock. Cable locks can easily be cut. Use a cable lock in conjunction with a u-lock, not by itself.

Lock your bike properly! The cause of most bike thefts is improper locking! Here are some links to pages with bike locking tips:

Tips from Kryptonite Lock Company
Tips from Massbike.org [pdf]

A crappy-looking (but not necessarily crappy-functioning) bike is safer than one that looks brand new.

Quick release wheels and seats get stolen. Fixes: run a cable through them, or get bolts to replace the quick release skewers.

2. Keep your bike inside as much as possible, especially overnight (most bike theft happens at night). Also, keeping your bike inside and out of the elements will make your bike last MUCH longer, perform more reliably, and save you money not having to get it repaired nearly as often.

You should note that Cabot House is by far the best house to live in if you own a bike because there is MUCH more indoor bike parking than other houses, and this parking is located such that it's MUCH easier to transport your bike to / from it. Plus, there's a ton of outdoor bike parking. Also, Cabot provides indoor, secure summer bicycle storage -- make use of it!

Tim Ledlie, Cabot House 1999-2006, Founder of Quad Bikes, the non-profit bicycle shop for the Harvard Community.

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4.10. Does Harvard provide any transportation around holidays? : The UC often sets up and subsidizes shuttles to the airport and to NYC just before and after holidays. Check the UC web site for updates.
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5. Health
 

5.1. I'm less than satisfied with UHS. Who should I contact? : There is a Student Health Advisory Council (SHAC) whose mission is to facilitate communication between UHS, patients, and the Administration. If you have feedback to give UHS, you can fill out a SHAC response card found either at UHS or online.
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5.2. What can I do if I'm having trouble sleeping? :
Some suggestions
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5.3. Where can I get anonymous HIV testing? :
UHS offers anonymous HIV testing (which means that they won't know your real name and it won't go on your medical record) on Wednesday evenings from 5-8pm and Friday afternoons from 10am-2pm. Call 5-2139 to make an appointment; you'll give them a fake name that they'll use for the test, and it only costs $10.00 (which you don't have to pay if you don't have the money).
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5.4. Where can I find information about my Health and Dental plan?
: Check out the UHS Student Health Insurance page.
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6. Cabot House Guidelines
 

6.1. What do I need to know for throwing a party in Cabot House? :
Go to the Cabot Parties page.
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6.2. What's the deal with Commencement tickets? :
There are three events on Commencement day that you and/or your family will need tickets for - morning exercise, lunch at the house, and afternoon exercises. For the morning exercises, each Senior is given 4 tickets at the Senior desk upon completion of the Senior Survey. Tickets may not be bought nor sold, at risk of disciplinary action. For family members who do not have tickets, or who simply don't want to wait in line for several hours and perhaps stand for several more, Commencement is broadcast on closed-circuit TV in the JCR. Following the morning exercises, students and their families return to the house for the diploma ceremony followed by lunch. Students can get lunch tickets for themselves and purchase others at the House Office from Susan Livingston. Following the lunch, the afternoon exercises back at the Yard feature speeches by the President, the President of the Alumni Association, and the Commencement speaker. Students can get as many of these tickets as they may need also at the Senior Desk.
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6.3. What do I need to know about move-in to the house? : Move-in information for 2005.
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6.4. Who can swipe into the doors in Cabot buildings? : In April of 2004, Cabot House adopted the Universal Keycard Access (UKA) system, which means that a student in any of the other houses can swipe into Cabot as well. From a message to the house by Master Jay Harris: "I also wish to repeat my earlier message: if any of you are being harassed or stalked by a harvard student from another house, we can take measures to block students from entering the house, so adopting UKA will not diminish your safety. We hope that ultimately UKA will enhance student safety, and will allow for safer and better social interaction among students across Harvard."
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6.5. Do I need to tell anyone if I'm staying in Cabot over a holiday break? : You need to tell the Building Manager.
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6.6. When do I need to vacate my room at the end of the year? : Click here.
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7. Where can I...?
 

7.1. Get a decent haircut? :
Cabot students say...
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7.2. Get something notarized? :
You can get documents notarized at the General Counsel's office (5-1280). They're open 9-5, but it's it's harder to find someone to notarize around lunch time, so earlier or later is better.
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7.3. Find a beach!? :
Suggestions from previous Cabot-Open threads: Revere Beach (Revere Beach stop on the blue line), Singing Beach (Manchester stop on the Rockport Commuter Rail Line), or one of a few beaches in Rockport (Rockport stop on the Rockport Commuter Rail Line). Crane's Beach in Ipswich, MA gets some votes, and is now accessible by public transportation.
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7.4. Send something out Fed-Ex or UPS? :
There is a Fed-Ex at the 24-hour Kinko's on Mt. Auburn. There is also a UPS Store around the corner at 1770 Mass Ave, toward Porter Sq. You can also schedule a UPS pickup from the Superintendent's Office by calling 1-800-PICK-UPS, or visiting www.ups.com.
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7.5. Make donations to Goodwill? :
There is a Goodwill store in Davis Sq. and another near Central Sq. There is also a Planet Aid store located on 30 JFK St.
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7.6. Find a good dry cleaners around? :
There are two dry cleaners on Mass Ave between Shepard and Linnaean Streets - Naked Dry Cleaners and Evergreen Cleaners.
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7.7. Get furniture / stuff for my room? : Around move-in time, Habitat for Humanity has a stuff sale on the lawn in front of the Science Center where you can get anything from couches to trash cans to lamps. Every Thursday from 11am to 2pm, the Recycling and Surplus Center at 175 North Harvard Street is open and has all kinds of chairs, cinder blocks, rugs, bookcases, etc. PBHA has a plant sale about a week after move-in. Boston Craigslist is a great place to find bargain deals on just about anything and you can get free stuff from the Cambridge Freecycle list. Also, there are Target stores in Watertown and Somerville for cheap buys.
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7.8. Get keys copied? : Commonwealth Lock Co at 1853 Mass Ave on the right just before Porter Square.
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7.9 Buy tickets to arts and sporting events on campus? : Check out the Harvard Box Office page for tickets and event information.
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7.10. Get info about the Harvard Year Book? : Click here.
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7.11. Find a clothing recycling bin? : There are clothing recycling bins in all house laundry rooms. More recycling info available here.
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7.12. Find information and forms for filing my taxes? : There are tax forms available in Hilles and online at http://www.massdor.com/forms/FormsMenu2.htm, http://www.massdor.com/forms/formlist.htm, and some other options at http://www.massdor.com/options/options.htm
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7.13. Replace my ID card? :
The ID office is on the 5th floor of the Holyoke Center. If your card is lost, there is a $20 replacement charge. There is no charge for stolen or broken cards, but you must present a police report or the broken card, respectively. More info at http://www.huid.harvard.edu/
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7.14. Duplicate VHS tapes? : Click here
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