One of the realities of being an Extension School student is the difficulty of participating in the Extension School and Harvard communities. Meeting with classmates outside of class is hard to coordinate -- unless you live in or near Cambridge, day jobs, family responsibilities, and long commutes make it hard to meet at the library or a cafe. I live in Waltham and work in Framingham, have two small kids and a nine-to-five job, so a casual trip to Harvard Square is almost out of the question. It's also a shame that I am unable to take advantage of the great on-campus academic and entertainment opportunities listed in the Harvard Gazette. But I shouldn't complain -- I had one fellow grad student in a class two years ago who was a full-time lawyer and commuted to class from Maine! No way was he stopping at the Church Street Starbucks for a cup of joe, or visiting the Harvard Film Archive unless he was already in town for class.
And in fact, that is how a lot of us keep or attempt to keep our ties to community -- by networking before or after class, either in the classroom, outside of Sever Hall, or in the Old Yard. Those hurried, before-class B.S. sessions are a classic Extension School experience -- asking others how they're coming along with their research, what other classes and teachers are worth looking into, what their "real" jobs are during the day, and exchanging email addresses to catch up online.
After-class discussions are also a possibility, but often get cut short because another class is waiting for the room, or folks have to race to the T to make their bus or train connections. Additionally, some people need to go to the library to do research, and after class is perfect, because you are already on campus and the libraries stay open late.
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