How do you go from taking 5 classes a term to only taking 2? You would think it's easy, but it's really not.

So this semester is the FIRST SEMESTER EVER that I've taken less than 48 units. So what am I taking you ask?

7.06: Cell Biology

Lecture: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 - 11 am
Recitation: Friday 11 am

Professors: H. Ploegh and T. Orr-Weaver

Biology of cells of higher organisms: structure, function, and biosynthesis of cellular membranes and organelles; cell growth and oncogenic transformation; transport, receptors, and cell signaling; the cytoskeleton, the extracellular matrix, and cell movements; chromatin structure and RNA synthesis.

Commentary: We watched this video the first day of lecture. Possibly one of the best science videos ever.

2.008: Design and Manufacturing II

Lecture: Monday and Wednesday 12:30 - 2 pm
Lab: Wednesday 2 - 5 pm

Professors: J. Chun

Integration of design, engineering, and management disciplines and practices for analysis and design of manufacturing enterprises. Emphasis is on the physics and stochastic nature of manufacturing processes and systems, and their effects on quality, rate, cost, and flexibility. Topics include process physics and control, design for manufacturing, and manufacturing systems. Group project requires design and fabrication of parts using mass-production and assembly methods to produce a product in quantity.

Commentary: WE GET TO MAKE YO-YOS IN THIS CLASS. And the professor gives us chocolate halfway through lecture.

Sidebar Commentary: So this is the first time in my life that I've participated in Lent. For the record, I'm giving up sweets and complaining. The last time I did anything for several days back to back was senior year of high school when a few friends of mine and I decided to see how long we were willing to wear the exact same outfit to school (yes, we did shower and yes, we washed our clothes).

Scene: 2.008 Lecture on Wednesday

Professor Chun begins to distribute chocolate to the class. I dig through the bag for my favorite piece of chocolate. I bite in.

Me: Oh crap. I'm not supposed to be eating this.
Rob: That would be correct.

Rob takes the chocolate from me and eats it.

This is going to be a rough 40 days.

So the reason I only wanted to take 2 classes this term is because I expected applying to graduate school to take up a lot of my time this semester especially having to fly out for interviews. Surprisingly, this strange thing has been happening lately. I get an invitation to interview at a school. I confirm. In the interim time between the invitation to interview and the actual interview, I get accepted. This happened yesterday with UC Berkeley right before I went up on stage at the Medlinks date auction (to be blogged tomorrow). It happened with UPenn about 3 weeks ago. It's a nice feeling.

So for the record:

Applied to 8 Schools

Accepted to 5
Interviews at 2 others
Haven't heard a thing from the last one

Oh, and about Berkeley? Did anyone watch the OC Series Finale...Ben?

What will I ever do with my Thursday nights?

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

first post!

Posted by: Elizabeth on February 24, 2007

By the way, I love that video- we watched it in Bio earlier this year...there were a couple things my teacher was kinda' like 'huh?' about but mostly it rocks.

Posted by: Elizabeth on February 24, 2007

Everyone enjoys being the first to post, THIRD POST, I say! =)
Anyway, nice video.

Posted by: Peter on February 24, 2007

so bryan, I know that video is animated, but is it completely like that inside the cell or is that really really animated?

Posted by: sarah on February 24, 2007

I think the real question about the video is how many times you have to speed it up to get it to the speed it really goes inside the cell!

Posted by: Elizabeth on February 24, 2007

Excellent video! Very interesting, even though I'm not usually that interested in Biology.

Congratulations on your acceptance to those graduate schools - good luck with the last 3!

Posted by: Adam S. on February 24, 2007

Hey ppl.
How abt we compare our credentials/ achievements to find out how tough the competition to make it to MIT really is? What say? Anyways best of luk all 4 mach 17th, got my board exams going on then. I will surely be DISTRACTED!!

Posted by: Anonymous on February 25, 2007

TO Anonymous on February 25, 2007 12:33 AM

Hay mine too, I guess you are from India, or Bangladesh ??? Where in India or Bangladesh?

Posted by: The madman who makes people fly on February 25, 2007

Good for you Bryan, gaining admission into all those graduate schools. I wish I would gain admission into just as many undergraduate schools. Hmmmmmmmmmmm...........sigh.

Posted by: Solomon on February 25, 2007

Awesome video, kind of gets me interested in biology again. How accurate was the video to what actually happens in a cell? Congratulations on your acceptance to those graduate schools !!!

Posted by: Chessy on February 25, 2007

DUDE!!! how can u stand all that biology?!?! I'm taking IB biology right now, and i can't take it anymore!!!! I WANT CHEMISTRY!!! waaaaaaaaa!!!! BUT i do have to admit that that was a WICKED AWESOME video :D ....congrats at getting accepted!!! i hope u get to go to ur top choice, whichever one that is ... u kno, i really don't know whether or not i want to go to MIT for undergrad or grad....world is full of such hard decisions i heard that it's actually harder to become a grad student there by being an undergrad, or just in engineering in general...maybe i should PURPOSELY do like some other subject and get my higher chances at applying for grad....aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!! well, hope u mind my online yelling and freaking out!

Posted by: Ivy on February 25, 2007

{2.008: Design and Manufacturing II} is so awesome... looking forward to study it...

Posted by: Basant on February 25, 2007

That was an AMAZING video thanks so much =)

Posted by: 0 on February 25, 2007

Hey !!
Any one frm india/ any indians applying 2 MIT??
I am an Indian studying in U.A.E(cbse) and have applied for class of 2011. Do e mail me at anuishp@hotmail.com

Posted by: Anurag on February 25, 2007

Hey !!
Any one frm india/ any indians applying 2 MIT??
I am an Indian studying in U.A.E(cbse) and have applied for class of 2011. Do e mail me at anuishp@hotmail.com

Posted by: Anurag on February 25, 2007

yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..........
i solved it

here it goes

Brit: Red, Milk, Pallmall, Birds
Swede: White, Beer, Blumaster, Dogs
Dane: Blue, Tea, Blend, Horse
Norwe.: Yellow, Water, Dunhill, Cats
German: Green, Coffee, Prince, N.M

Posted by: MIT Brain(bhushan) on February 25, 2007

Hi everyone! I'm a moroccan applicant to MIT and I have a really disturbing problem. I took the toefl in december, 15th and entered MIT as a score recipient, but they haven't received it yet!!! and the selection process has already begun. In addition to this, the test center where I took my Toefl had forgotten to take my photograph. (my score is 95 out of 120). Another question: do you think I still have a chance to be admitted as I had a 660 in SAT Math test level 2 and a 560 in SAT Physics test. Thank you for answering.

Posted by: Soufiane on February 25, 2007

Bryan,

Brilliant video! I watched it multiple times, trying to match up what I knew about cell biology to what I saw there. Of course, the video up there was the introduction, complete with awesome music, but still... 'Twas fun.

I showed it to my dad (who DEFINITELY is not a biology person), and he got so intrigued by it that he decided to watch the full version of the movie. 'Twas interesting - did you see that version as well?

Posted by: Michelle on February 25, 2007

aaaaahhhhhhh O.C!! what WILL we do with our free time?!

Posted by: sarah on February 25, 2007

this video is really amazing but what i really like most is its soundtrack. it's fantastic (the music)

sarah:
free time??!! wow i wish i have free time.
anyways, how about thinking of MIT (duhhh, like you are not already)

i really can't concentrate lately...can't stop thinking of MIT.

Posted by: Amjad on February 25, 2007

Soufiane,
yo what are you still waiting for? haven't you seen this? fax your scores man.

Posted by: Amjad on February 25, 2007

that was quite a sweet video, and the music to it was sick i might add.

Posted by: Jon on February 25, 2007

congrats on berkeley! i feel bad for the 4 schools who will be turned down by the famous dr. bryan owens.

Posted by: diana on February 25, 2007

Bryan, this video is awesome!!!

It is an appreciation to the work of scientists like Pasteur, Erlich, Rosalyn Yallow, among others. It shows why biology is so amazing (that is why I want to study it).

I found the full version and it is even more beautiful. While watching, I tried to correspond what I know to what was passing in the video.

Ah! Congratulations at getting accepted.

Posted by: Susan Virgem on February 25, 2007

That video is amazing!!! It definitely makes me remember some of the things I learned in my basic biology class sophomore year. Definitely a class that I would take if I'm lucky enough to be there next year!

Posted by: Josh V on February 25, 2007

hrm.. i seem to think that you have an odd fascination with Charles Dickens. (your title... and your past titles of past blog entries)

Posted by: Debbie on February 25, 2007

Yeah Brian!!

Posted by: Minh on February 25, 2007

hey,
Is March 17 the MIT decision day!!

Posted by: 0 on February 26, 2007

Congrats Dude!

Ankit Chandra
Gaborone, Botswana

Posted by: Ankit Chandra on February 26, 2007

The video is awesome!
could u get some more like it and post them here?

Posted by: 0 on February 27, 2007

Felicitations! (It's French.) Hope you tell us which grad schools you applied to and which one you ultimately choose!

Posted by: Lolita on February 27, 2007

congrats on ur great news

Posted by: Hadassah on February 28, 2007

raife from bangladesh.its somethink for science for the world.

Posted by: raife on February 28, 2007

Yep, I watched it! Made me so sad... the end of an era. RIP OC. :-(

Posted by: Ben on February 28, 2007

oops who did that???? lol
i mean who linked the word "this" to the link i posted?

Posted by: Amjad on February 28, 2007

Good luck on that last school.

And good luck on Lent.

And where shall our Thursday nights go?

Posted by: Adri on February 28, 2007

Add a comment

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.