Fun Times @ MIT (Pt. 1) by Hamsika C. '13

MIT has this uncanny way of making you learn life lessons extremely quickly. Case in point: in the past two and a half years, I’ve learned the following:

(1) Work never ends – no matter what, there’s always something productive you could be doing.

(2) Failure is all too common – you can’t be perfect 100% of the time.

(3) It’s easy to feel sad and miserable about work, psets, and consistently staying up till 4 am or 5 am.

(4) It’s possible to be inundated with work yet happy at the same time.

(5) It’s my choice to pick (4) over (3).

And that’s why this semester’s going to be different. In terms of classes, this upcoming semester is going to be my most challenging semester yet. As a double major in Course 6-7 and 9, I’m taking the following:

6.005 – Elements of Software Construction

• This class is notoriously tedious and time-consuming. It relies on Java, which I haven’t actually come in contact with since my senior year of high school. I’m going to be sending several up several prayers during the course of this semester, and caffeine and I are going to be better friends than ever before.

6.006 – Introduction to Algorithms

• While not as time-consuming as 6.005, 6.006 is hard, as evidence by the picture below which went semi-viral on Facebook last semester. The caption was: “Death came to personally serve us our 6.006 exam.” (credit for pic goes to FB user Loneoceans Ggy)
• 

9.09/7.29 – Cellular Neurobiology

• Supposedly a chill class? Neurobio’s my fave :)

5.60 – Thermodynamics and Kinetics

• I’ve never done a whole lot of thermo before, and I’ve heard mixed things about this class. Most people have told me that if I have a good TA, this class will be pretty easy. Ummmm – definitely need to go find a good TA.

STS.075/21A.340 – Technology and Culture

• This class only meets once a week, for two hours at a time, has no midterms, no final, and 6.2 out of 7 (i.e. high!!) ratings on MIT’s subject evaluation system. I have a feeling this is going to be my favorite class this semester. The one downside is that it starts early: 9 am every Thursday morning. Solution: multiple wake-up alarms – all very loud.

To offset the impending stress of this workload, my friends and I have made a promise to insert fun, spontaneous events into this semester. My current list of random, fun to-do’s includes the following:

1. Explore Harvard Square
2. Go to concerts (have you all heard of the Indian drummer, Zakir Hussain? YouTube him!)
3. Have movie nights (LoTR marathonnnn)
4. Go crazy with Photo Booth
5. Karaoke Nights
6. VIsit all the museums – Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science, etc.
7. Check out more of Boston’s North End
8. Have random nights where everyone dresses up nice and goes out to dinner.

I’m sure this list will get longer and longer as the semester goes on, and I don’t expect to finish everything on it. Still, it makes me look past the psets/tests to come and look forward to the outings and hangouts. I’ll share all our experiences with you all – and hopefully, you all find similar things to do around your own hometowns. Find the fun in life!

PS – I’ve seen Quinton 4 out of the 6 times I’ve been to the gym this past week; I’m pretty sure he’s working out to impress you all during CPW :)