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Preparing for class, studying for exams, writing papers ... you have a lot on your plate as a law student, and you deserve a break! Check out this guide for some ideas, both right here at Harvard and in the surrounding area.
Credits
Thank you to Meg Kribble for creating the initial version of this guide.
Get Away For The Day
Borrow a Bike
- Bluebikes
Bluebikes (formerly known as Hubway) is a public bike-share program that provides a great way to get around Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Newton, Revere, Salem, Somerville, and Watertown. It is a perfect option for seeing the sites, running errands and getting exercise. Bikes can be found throughout all Harvard campuses and several bikes are available on Massachusetts Avenue right outside Pound Hall.
Harvard affiliates are eligible for a discounted Bluebikes Annual Membership for only $90 ($29 off the regular price)
Stop by the Harvard Transportation & Parking Office or visit https://www.transportation.harvard.edu/commuterchoice/bike/bluebikes-bike-share-program for further information.
When you join, Bluebikes will send a bike key to your home address. You can also unlock bikes using the Bluebikes app.
Borrow a Car
- ZipcarDon't have a car? No problem! With zipcar you can borrow a car for an hour, a day or more to run an errand or take a trip. With the free zipcar app, you'll be able to manage your account and your zipcar from your phone.
Memberships for Harvard students are just $35 per year. Sign up at the link!
Go For A Run
If you're a runner, you likely know that taking a nice run is a great way to clear your head. Make your run more fun with these tools.
- Boston's Best Scenic Running PathsCBS Boston has created a nice guide to some of the best scenic running paths in Boston. Any of these runs will be a great way to combine exercise with sightseeing.
- Zombies, Run!This fitness app tries to make running more fun by making it into a game. The app will integrate with your own music to immerse you in a world where you aren't running to get fit, you are running to escape the zombie hordes. Complete missions, gain structure for your workouts and join a community. Versions of the app are available for Android, Windows, and iOS devices.
Not a runner yet? Try the beginner-friendly Zombies, Run! 5K training app for a fun story as you get started. - Map My RunCheck out recommended running routes throughout Boston and Cambridge (and everywhere else) that others have recommended based on distance and elevation - or create your own! Download the app on Android or iOS devices to track your runs, or use the web-based version.
Free Local Attractions
If you're looking for something fun to do around town, consider these free local attractions.
- Tour the State HouseJust downtown by Boston Common is the historic State House, which has housed the state government for over 200 years. There are free guided tours every weekday from 10am to 3:30pm and their website also offers materials for those interested in taking a self-guided tour. Those interested in the legislative process can also arrange specialized tours.
- Check Out the MIT MuseumCURRENTLY CLOSED - SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN OCTOBER 2022. Right here in Cambridge, the MIT Museum is a fun collection of exhibits on innovation, science, architecture, art and more from MIT.
- Visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumThe Gardner museum houses a beautiful collection of art collected by Isabella Stewart Gardner. Admission is free with your Harvard ID (note that a promo code may be needed when booking tickets; contact the Dean of Students office). Fun fact: Museum admission is always free to anyone named Isabella!
- Tour a LibraryThe Boston Athenaeum is a beautiful, private library in downtown Boston. In addition to its collection of books, it also has artwork and displays exhibits and the public is welcome to take a tour most weekdays. Similarly, the central branch of the Boston Public Library also offers free art and architecture tours.
- Tour the Sam Adams BreweryFor any beer lovers, Sam Adams Brewery offers various types of "tour experiences" of their facilities every Thursday to Monday. Those over 21 years of age will also be able to participate in the tasting at the end of the tour. Not a beer lover? Taza Chocolate Factory also offers a tour, introducing you to their stone-ground chocolate making process (and there are samples!)
- Harvard MuseumsRight in your own backyard, and absolutely free. Whether you're in the mood to view a unique collection of art, get absorbed in natural history, or see historic scientific instruments, the Harvard Museums have you covered. And don't forget the Arnold Arboretum and Harvard Forest for relaxing immersion in nature.
Mobile Apps to Help You Plan An Outing
Get away from your desk with these apps that will help you get out, grab a bite and explore the town.
- OpenTableCheck out Yelp, Urbanspoon, TripAdvisor or other sites to find local restaurant reviews. Then make a reservation with OpenTable! Using the app lets you earn reward points even when you decide to make a reservation on-the-go. Available for iOS and Android.
- MoovitNavigate public transit networks with GPS, including buses, trains, shared bicycle, car sharing and more. Available for iOS and Android devices. You can also browse the full array of mobile apps and websites that provide information about local public transportation on the MBTA website.
Watch a Movie
Coming Soon at the Brattle Theater!
Located right here in Harvard Square since 1953, the Brattle Theatre is a great place to find the best movies whether they are award-winners, classics, foreign films or independent movies. They also frequently host special events.
Check out the Harvard Film Archive
The Harvard Film Archive’s cinematheque presents films Friday through Monday nights year round. Open to the public, all screenings are held in the Archive's 200-seat theater featuring state-of-the-art film and digital projection located in the historic Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts. Regular HFA screenings are free to all Harvard students with student ID!
The HFA frequently runs series dedicated to directors, actors, genres, and regions, and frequently hosts talks with filmmakers and actors.
Video streaming services at Harvard
Harvard's collection includes a number of streaming video services. Here are highlights covering film and the performing arts.
- Kanopy
With its collection of non-fiction TV series and award-winning documentaries, Kanopy is a great tool for research and learning. But it also contains an impressive number of classic and foreign language films, including over 400 titles from the Criterion Collection. - Digitalia Film Library
Digitalia Film Library offers streaming video of films and documentaries from Latin America, Europe and North America. Special collections feature Argentine, French, and North American classic cinema. - Dance in Video
Dance in Video contains over 900 hours of dance productions and documentaries by the most influential performers and companies of the 20th century. Selections cover ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, experimental, and improvisational dance, as well as forerunners of the forms and the pioneers of modern concert dance. Films also include archival and historical material. - FilmPlatformFilm Platform is an on-demand streaming video service with a wide variety of documentary films for the academic world.
- Met Opera On Demand. Student AccessMet Opera On Demand includes more than 575 Met performances: dozens of Live in HD productions, classic telecasts from the 1970s, '80s, '90s, and '00s, and hundreds of radio broadcasts dating back to 1936
- Digital Theatre Plus
Digital Theatre Plus contains a small but excellent collection of the best of British theatre covering playwrights such as Ibsen, Miller, O'Neill, and Shakespeare. - Theatre in VideoTheatre in Video contains streaming productions of classic and contemporary plays and documentaries, including highly valued and often difficult-to-find performances. Users can view the works of widely studied playwrights and theatre artists from around the globe, including many new performances from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre collection (Opus Arte), Theatre Arts Films, the BBC, and TMW Media Group.
Find something else to stream
- Just WatchUse JustWatch to search for a specific movie or TV show to find out where to watch it legally online.
Find a DVD at the Law School
Did you know that the Law School has a collection of popular films on DVD? Housed in the Lemann Lounge, all DVDs in this collection circulate for 7 days. You can find the full list from HOLLIS here.
Shawshank RedemptionISBN: 9781419855252One of the most famous prison dramas of all time, this film, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, was adapted from a novella by Stephen King.
Gone Baby GoneISBN: 9780788875618Set in Boston, this film traces two private detectives as they search for a missing 4 year old girl.
The PrestigeISBN: 9780788868856Victorian England, magicians, Nicola Tesla, this movie has something for everyone and its plot will keep you guessing to the very end.
CasablancaISBN: 079074399XOne of the great classic films, this movie follows Humphrey Bogart's character as he helps his former lover and her husband escape from the Nazis.
Find a Fun Read
How About Some Legal Fiction?
Want to read read fiction but feel guilty taking time away from the law? Why not try one of these books that combine the best of both worlds? Whether you like classic, science fiction, thrillers or comedy, this list will have something for you!
Fuzzy Nation by Call Number: PS3619.C256 F89 2011ISBN: 9780765367037Publication Date: 2012-03-27This is a fun book for science fiction fans and includes surprise elements of legal drama too.
Bleak House by Call Number: PR4556 .A1x 1983Publication Date: 1983Dickens' famous novel of a never ending legal battle, this is perfect for any law student looking for a classic that satirizes the legal system.
The Firm by Call Number: PS 3557.R5355 F57 1991ISBN: 0385416342Publication Date: 1991-02-01Perhaps John Grisham's most famous legal novel, The Firm follows a young lawyer in his first job out of law school as he realizes his firm may not be quite what he thought it was. Also check out the movie based on the book, which was partially filmed on campus.
The Undomestic Goddess by Call Number: 823.92 K56uISBN: 9780385338684Publication Date: 2005-07-19A lighthearted comedy about one attorney who makes a mistake so huge at her firm that she can think of no solution but to run away. Alone in the countryside, she somehow finds herself with a job as a housekeeper and must decide which life she prefers.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Call Number: PS3562.E353 T6x 1982ISBN: 9780446310789Publication Date: 1988-10-11In this classic tale of a trial in Maycomb, Alabama during the Depression, Lee explores issues of race, justice and adolescence.
Defending Jacob by Call Number: PS3612.A5477 D44 2011ISBN: 9780385344227Publication Date: 2012-01-31Set in nearby Newton, Massachusetts, this novel follows an assistant district attorney as his 14-year-old son is charged with murdering one of his classmates.
The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories by ISBN: 9780062094445Publication Date: 2012-08-07This collection includes Agatha Christie's classic story, The Witness for the Prosecution, as well as several other stories.
The Lincoln Lawyer by Call Number: PS3553.O51165 L56 2005ISBN: 0316734934Publication Date: 2005-10-01As a lawyer represents his client, he will slowly realize that the truth of his personality and past.
Did you know?
Lamont Library has an entire collection of popular fiction and other leisure reading materials in their Farnsworth Room on the 3rd floor of the Library.
Photo by arcticpenguin. CC by NC 2.0
Read a Blog
Legal Geeks
A fun blog for anyone who ever wondered about the legal implications of geeky topics from Star Trek to Dr. Who.
Lowering the Bar
A legal humor blog run by a partner at the San Francisco office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon.
Law and the Multiverse
The subtitle says it all: "Superheroes, supervillains and the law." Also check out their book, The Law of Superheroes.
Play a Game
Check Out Chess
Did you know that the Library has several chess tables, complete with pieces in their drawers) on the third floor of the library? Whether you are a chess master or a complete novice, take a break with a quick game any time the library is open.
Games, Games, Games
If chess isn't your thing, stop by the Circulation desk and ask about our collection of board, card and tabletop games - plus some outdoor equipment - available for 3-day checkout. Our collection includes:
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| Taboo | Time's Up |
| Scrabble | Go |
| Cards Against Humanity | Cranium |
| Life | Risk |
| Bananagrams | Twister |
| Carcasonne | Playing Cards |
| Passing the Bar | Ticket to Ride |
| Trivial Pursuit | Apples to Apples |
| Settlers of Catan | Seafarers of Catan |
| Monopoly | Poker |
| Football | Croquet |
| Wiffle Ball | Frisbees |
| Soccer | Bocce |
| Jenga |
Improve Your Wellness and Mindfulness
The Well
Those looking for health and wellness support need look no further than The Well through the Dean of Students' office. They provide everything from relaxation exercises to chair massages, along with a safe space for dialogue.
Counseling and Mental Health Services
Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) offers Harvard students comprehensive outpatient care for a wide variety of mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, stress/crisis management, transitional issues, grief, and eating, sexual or relationship concerns.
CAMHS is available via urgent care as well as regular appointments. And did you know? The HLS HUHS clinic has a licensed social worker with a JD on staff!
Getting Help
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Email: research@law.harvard.edu
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