Well, March 15th was an experience, wasn't it? I know what you're thinking, you're thinking "You have no idea what I had to go through! I was sweating, feverish, started growing tumors, lost my ability to speak, and almost died for the three weeks leading up to decisions. March 15th was HORRIBLE! You probably just lounged around and laughed at all of us!" While I always enjoy a good laugh, March 15th was definitely not a laughing day for me. I spent from 9 AM to 2 PM in various chat rooms, blogs, forums, and Facebook groups, watching the entire process play out. I've been chatting with you all officially since January but unofficially since August. You all aren't just names and random comments, you're people who I wanted to come to MIT. I was just as interested in seeing who got in as anybody else was. I was thrilled for Aditi, Omar, Star (aka Tamara), Isshak and Tanmay. I gasped when I found out that De Petagma Saru and Sh1fty hadn't gotten in and spent quite a while fairly upset.

Thousands of applicants whittled down by 90%, a new class decided, and now all sorts of changes are about to start happening. As much as it will hurt, people who won't be attending MIT will stop reading these blogs and get ready for life elsewhere, people who were accepted will read these blogs knowing that they'll actually get to experience these types of adventures in less than a year, and now it's time to start getting ready for the class of 2013. I've created some pie charts that are my best guesses for MIT Blog Demographics. This is what I think the blogs looked like before decisions came out.

and this is what I think they will look like now and over the next few months

As you can see, a totally new audience will be frequenting these blogs, expecting a different type of entry and wanting to know more and more about what they should expect when attending MIT (Yes, that's right, you will be attending MIT next year prefrosh! Get ready for a wild ride!). As such, It's time for me to shift my writing a bit. You'll notice fewer and fewer completely random and strange posts and more and more posts that will be immediately relevant and useful for new MIT students. No worries, there will still be humor, bitterness, spontaneity, and a ridiculous rate of entry posting (I'm still trying to blog every other day, which is becoming breakneck). Remember, I'm a freshman, I JUST went through everything you guys are going through right now, these entries will be totally relevant.

Future topics for discussion that may or may not appear in entries of mine include but aren't limited to:

1) CPW
2) The MIT ID Card
3) The Z-Center
4) What exactly is the Student Center?
5) Will Anna's kill me?
6) Is MIT a tourist attraction?
7) How far away are dorms from various spots on campus?
8) Tunnels? What tunnels?
9) How can I possibly make money while at MIT?
10) Seriously, be honest. How hard is it really? (twss)
11) What computer should I buy?
12) I don't know Linux. Am I screwed?
13) Help! I'm not smart and MIT is going to chew up my soul, spit it out, grind it into the dirt, and then laugh as I ooze into a storm drain!
14) What is this hacking thing? Is it a club? Can I join?
15) Roommates are scary. Waaaaaaaaa!
16) Your mom. (seriously, an entry about your mom)

As you can see, I'm getting excited to start blogging! Please, if you have any other entries you suggest that I write just let me know. I may not have the experience necessary, but there's bound to be a blogger that does. I'll do my best!

I'm now going to start studying for a test that I have on Wednesday.

Final Words:

To those who won't be attending MIT next year: It sucks, I'm sorry. Now it's your job to take every single advantage from whever you go (even if it's CalTech, we won't hold it against you :p) (enjoy that jab while you can, I will probably get an e-mail within the next half hour asking me to remove it). You guys aren't stupid, you applied to MIT, go prove it to everybody.

To those who will be attending MIT: Congratulations again, the hard part is over (for now). The next several months, right up through most of September, are essentially a giant party that you get to be the guest of honor at. Soak it in, rarely will MIT be as free, awesome, and food-filled, all just for you.

To those applying for the class of 2013: You're in the right place. Do you want to know if you'll really fit in here? Read these blogs, it's the best way to find out. You're in for a good time!

I'll see you guys in April at CPW, come to "Meet the Bloggers" Friday night, it's sure to be the hottest spot on campus!

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

First?

Posted by: donaldGuy on March 17, 2008

second!!!!!!!

Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2008

Ahhh....
Besides the minor setback of me living practically on the other side of the globe, my High School Leaving Exams start on the 13th...
So, no CPW for me...
bwahahaha...

Posted by: Natasha on March 17, 2008

Lol, I'm here to help confirm your second pie chart. and number 14 on that list looks amazing.

Posted by: janice '12 on March 17, 2008

and I was rooting for Omar as well. ^-^

Posted by: janice '12 on March 17, 2008

Yay I'm a Linux user! Fedora FTW Although it seems that Macs are popular at MIT.

Snively, what OS do you run, pray tell?

Posted by: Marissa on March 17, 2008

Based on the look of that Pie graph and general recollection I'd say he's on OS X.

I'm on my Macbook right now, but I am very well familiar with Linux ... I can't wait to tackle Athena ^_^

Anyway .. I look forward to your entries Snively.

Also, how were you on facebook groups, you deleted your facebook?

Speaking of Meet the bloggers, if I come up to you and I'm like "Hi I'm Donald Guy" will you know who I am? (besides from this comment)(and the one above)

~Donald

Posted by: donaldGuy '12 on March 17, 2008

Where are the waitlisted students on your pie chart? I'm on the wait list and I still check the blogs, hoping that there still is some sort of chance, however slim it may be (4% last year was high for the past few years).

I feel left out... (jk, but seriously)

Posted by: Rob on March 17, 2008

@Marissa
Donald Guy is wrong (ha!). I'm running Windows Vista. Stop gagging! The entire world can go ahead and hate it, I enjoy it. Those pie charts? Yep, those round, smooth, aesthetically pleasing pie charts, were made on a Windows machine.

@Donald Guy
You probably wouldn't have to even come up to me. In fact, let's turn this into a game. First one to find the other wins.

Posted by: Snively on March 17, 2008

Aww thanks for being thrilled for me man! I'm going to hunt you down at CPW in a non stalkerish normal kind of way (or perhaps I'll get lazy and see you at the Meet the Bloggers).

And I'm just putting it out there. I think I'm going to get a macbook pro and run OS X and Vista on it for college next year, but that is just me. I'm hoping next year people will force me to use Linux though. I want to start using it hehe.

Posted by: Omar '12 on March 17, 2008

Though I can't quite explain why I haven't gone to find out, I don't know my application status yet (having resisted looked online still awaiting the mail, I suppose I'm both accepted and rejected right now... forget the cat, try Schroedinger's College Letter for a thought experiment...)
But even if I don't make it, which I'm assuming due to my abysmal performance in AP calc this year, I still hope to be a small piece of the slice delicately entitled 'Non-admit students', taking to heart and mind the lessons about life in college and other things along to whatever school I find myself in this August.
Cheers for the MIT bloggers! Many thanks from all of us frequenters, and may you always find time to type a bit in your busy schedules.

Posted by: DanC on March 17, 2008

I vote "How far away are dorms from various spots on campus?" goes first. Kthanksbye.

Posted by: ;) on March 17, 2008

Yay Windows! Every Mac I've ever touched has crashed, nice to know I can survive MIT without one

Posted by: dana on March 17, 2008

I'm definitely going to meet the bloggers at CPW, but I'm afraid the scene will play out like this:

me: [blogger person]! I've been reading about your life for the past year! You're awesome!

blogger: uhh... hi, who're you?

Posted by: MTM on March 17, 2008

Nice post Snively. Even though I am just a sophomore in hs, I would still like to hear about the MIT card, computer suggestions, and the *gasp* tunnels. haha I am going to attempt a visit sometime next year overnight so keep me in mind :D. Well, off to do Bio homework (yay?) Have fun -Cody

Posted by: Cody Dean on March 17, 2008

Can you also do an entry on food? My parents are kind of concerned that I'm going to starve to death without a meal plan.

Also, I was disappointed about Sh1fty too :(

Posted by: Karen '12 on March 17, 2008

GASP! Snively, you just lost major cool points. I ran Windows Vista for a day before I wiped it into blissful oblivion with a Fedora LiveCD.

I hope you at least use Firefox and not IE?

Posted by: Marissa on March 17, 2008

I'm with DanC...it's been a year since I wasn't admitted, and I've yet to stop reading the blogs.

Posted by: Matt, PSU '11 on March 17, 2008

I made an apple pie. :D

Posted by: igna on March 17, 2008

Tunnels? Now I'm curious.

Posted by: Chantal :D on March 17, 2008

Thanks for keeping us entertained and breathing for the last few months! I can't wait to see your new entries, now that they'll be MIT-daily-life specific. 1 = absolutely insanely awesome, 13 = an eloquent way of describing my secret fear for the longest time, and 5 definitely sounds sketchy... just the tiniest bit =)

Would you by any chance be able to write 17) Kitchen appliances hate me; am I going to starve?

Posted by: Raina on March 17, 2008

MTM, I was just thinking that, too! Except there are some super-commenters that I will probably recognize and attempt to greet, as well. They are jist wee pre-frosh like us, so they will probably be kind of weirded out.

Preemptive assuagement of pertubation: if you regularly comment/link to your blog, I probably know who you are, and I probably am going to high five you at CPW. Consider yourself warned.

Posted by: Alison on March 17, 2008

Hey. I've been lurking here for awhile. Looking forward to #13 and #8.

Posted by: Kelly '13 Hopeful on March 17, 2008

I think non-admit students would just be a shallow line, the same ratio of visits of a man who occasionally glances at an ex-girlfriend's blog

Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2008

Hi Snively, I'd like a post regarding what MIT is doing to improve the weather in Cambridge. It seems that meteorological conditions are going to be a deciding factor for hundreds of applicants, especially those who can't afford the cost of snowdrift survival training classes. And rumor has it that CalTech is working on transferring water directly from rain clouds to car washes, thus eliminating the middle stage in which cars windows become clouded with the white stuff that rain leaves behind.

As general goals, I'd suggest that the institute try to increase sunshine by 30% (except for the UV rays, if possible), raise the average annual temperature by 5 degrees (either Fahrenheit or Celsius, but not both), and eliminate hail and sleet completely by 2010 (or, alternatively, make hail softer).

Posted by: YXZ '12 on March 17, 2008

I almost feel left out of this blogger- "super-commenter" loop. Guess my blog-stalking only happened around decisions days.

But now it's chronic. = )

Posted by: Rachel on March 17, 2008

I'll DEFINITELY be at the Meet the Bloggers. After all, it was these blogs that made me fall in love with this place. =D

Posted by: Becky '12 on March 17, 2008

Cody and Kelly (and anyone else this may pertain to), I just have to say that I am so impressed that you guys are already getting into the whole college search thing. Honestly, if there's one thing I wish I had done differently, it would be to start looking at and applying to colleges earlier. When you first start it is SO overwhelming, and I think it's great that you guys are starting to think about your futures so soon! Just remember not to grow up TOO fast Enjoy life as an underclassmen while it's still here...

Posted by: Chelsea '12 on March 17, 2008

Holy freak, Snively, you are freaking hilarious. I'm looking forward to the post about your mom.

Posted by: Anonymous '12 on March 17, 2008

twss?! AHAHAHA That's the abbreviation I use when I send text messages! I can't believe someone else uses that! (and I think I may be the only person who caught it and knows what it means)

Posted by: Chris on March 17, 2008

wait... what does twss mean? lol

Posted by: Chelsea on March 17, 2008

I get it now that you point it out...

Posted by: Marissa on March 17, 2008

(^^^ There's another Rachel and another '13-hopeful-er!)

Seriously, you have to do #11. Also, it would be fantastic if you could do an entry on the younger students (like the ones who are younger than 18) at MIT!

And congrats again to all the '12ers!

Posted by: Rachel '13 hopeful on March 17, 2008

Just Google twss... it'll pop right up (twss)

Posted by: Rob on March 17, 2008

I think someone should blog about Athena prompts, and exactly what you can do with them. And about tellme combo. And about Zephyr. And about everything else I don't know about Athena command prompts. Heck, I can use some insight from that entry! =p

Posted by: Oasis on March 17, 2008

Hey, I'm one of those younger students... I'd be glad to answer any questions you have!

Really, go ahead and email me at teremari [at] mit [dot] edu

And Oasis, forget tellme combo. You should try tellme off.

Posted by: Teresa '11 on March 17, 2008

Pie: irrationally delicious.

(Yes, that was a math joke. :D)

Posted by: José P. on March 17, 2008

Hahahaha Rob, clever to use it in your post itself!

Posted by: Chelsea on March 17, 2008

@Rob

Cherish this moment. A girl just

a) laughed at and
b) admired the cleverness of

a twss joke you made. It will never happen again, ever. Cherish . . . cherish

Posted by: Snively on March 17, 2008

I will cherish it forever. I'm gonna take a screenshot of this and put it as my background (I'm just kidding on that one).

But is that cleverness +1 for me on the Wait List points I hope?

Posted by: Rob on March 17, 2008

So finally it's our turn. After years of putting off the SATs and thinking that college applications existed in the next life, the time has come for me to download that big pdf file and fill out the boxes piece-by-piece, write the most important essays yet, and wake up in cold sweat every night from a rejection nightmare. It's both exhilarating and terrifying to finally put the next 4 years of my life in perspective.
Here goes. The beginning of the rest of my life.

Posted by: David ('13?) on March 17, 2008

@Chantal

Anthony actually has a terrific entry on the tunnels called "Avoiding Moonlight On An Empty Stomach" complete with tons of great pics! Don't forget to check the archives of other bloggers--many of the topics on Snively's list have been previously covered extensively and can offer another perspective--the more the better!

Posted by: anonymous on March 17, 2008

haha Rob,if we're counting the number of girls laughing at your twss joke as wait list points, then you've got two going for you. I laughed out loud. Literally.

Posted by: Shannon '12 on March 17, 2008

Wait! Not a girl in the world has ever laughed at a twss joke I've ever made! Why, all of a sudden, are these things hilarious and browny-point earners? I'm obviously in the wrong class.

Posted by: Snively on March 17, 2008

...I laughed at your twss joke, Snively.

But I guess I would be a '12 if I had finished four years of high school, so I don't really count, do I?

Posted by: Teresa '11 on March 17, 2008

Haha don't feel bad, Snively, I laughed at yours once I realized what it stood for. But Rob earns extra points because he used it in an explanation of the term itself. Now that is clever right there.

Posted by: Chelsea on March 17, 2008

@ Rob:

You have 3 waitlist points now. That was amazing.

Posted by: KelseyK on March 17, 2008

I think snively is a little jealous =)

Posted by: Chris on March 17, 2008

“Twss”? Oh, come on! My math joke was pure genius! I mean, pie! Two irrational numbers in one! In more than 37 different flavors! You can't even fathom the decimal expansion!

Fine, I'll go plot emo drawings in my TI-84. >,<

Posted by: José P. on March 17, 2008

José, don't worry, I chuckled at the pie joke. But I don't have two X chromosomes (hopefully tnwss), so you're out of luck...

Posted by: Rob on March 17, 2008

twss. :(

Posted by: José P. on March 17, 2008

Hey Snively!...I am also waitlisted like Rob and I do check the blogs( quite frequently I must say!!!)...even though I know that being an international student(Indian), my chances might be slim....but still I can dream on!!! And I hope the 'Law of Attraction' gets me the admit letter

Posted by: Disha on March 17, 2008

Snively-I don't fall into any of those categories but you are still my favorite blogger. I run Vista too!
Though I'll never attend MIT the blogs have become a hobby of mine, and have motivated me to start blogs at my own school. Keep up the good work!

Posted by: Leslie on March 17, 2008

Lol. I spent half an hour trying to find out what twss meant, found it on urbandictionary.com after a lot of clicking

Posted by: 0 on March 17, 2008

Teenage Angst. XD

Posted by: José P. on March 17, 2008

im worried about 13 on that list. I was totally expecting to not get it. I'm also wondering if CPW is worth it if I live in California.

Posted by: Jim G on March 17, 2008

In order to prevent the possibility that prospective students will get the wrong ideas about this year's class, I should declare myself an OS X user.

Mostly because even Microsoft employees don't like Vista. (NY Times, registration might be required)

Posted by: Z'12 on March 18, 2008

We were all pulling for De Petagma Saru, too!!! BTW, we're putting together a new portable micro atx machine and and we're gonna try Vista, although I think I will get a Macbook in the fall when I go off to school, where ever that is.

Posted by: not admitted human on March 18, 2008

Well Snively, maybe I'll be seeing you at MIT in four years (if you end up doing your graduate there as well), but until then... Sayonara.

P. S.

I can't promise that I won't still make the occasional visit to this and your personal site. Thanks for everything! Oh and I loved the (twss) joke. I never knew that there was an acronym for it, but I will definitely use it

Posted by: Justin Powell on March 18, 2008

Awwwww! Thank you so much! I'm beyond thrilled

Looks like I might not make it to CPW :(

And items 12 and 13 are major concerns. Cant wait for the new posts!

And for what its worth , I would've continued to stalk these blogs even if I hadn't made it. (I know people will say that its easy for me to say that but I mean it)

Posted by: Aditi on March 18, 2008

Aww thanks Snively & non admitted human. I'll probably end up being the Matt of the 2012 class, following the blogs either way. I've got to follow the blogs though. Especially if my diabolical plan works next year. ^_^

Posted by: De Petagma Saru on March 18, 2008

Haha I never knew there was a twss....why isn't there a twhs? is it bc guys don't gossip as much? that is SUCH a stereotype....
and rob....waitlist point # 4 right here....=)
oh btw snively...you get many laughs, its' just that people have stopped commenting about them because they laugh so much, and would have to LOL for every blog, which takes too much effort. (was that nice or was that nice)
I still come and check out MIT blogs even though I'm a non-admit =) just bc you guys lighten my day! seriously!!

Posted by: Kamya on March 18, 2008

Thank you so much Snively, although I'm not a part of the class yet. I hope I will be ! And that the enclose card won't go to Italy first...(apparently there's a Cotonou in Italy, a mail I was suppose to get was fowarded to Italy before coming to Benin!).

Posted by: Isshak on March 18, 2008

Actually, I seem to have developed this affinity for MIT that I just can't let go of even though I wasn't admitted (all right, so I'm wait-listed, and there's a chance, no matter how small, right?) This is my first time commenting, but I've been reading your blog Snively, and everyone else's here at MIT for months. And I don't think I'll ever truly stop. Just thought I would let you know

Posted by: Prerna on March 18, 2008

can you write one about the professors too? I know there are some about specific professors floating around in the blogosphere but I'd really like to hear about them as a whole

Posted by: Kelly on March 18, 2008

What? Snively, you're not going to be as random anymore? Well, maybe it's time for me to find a new favorite blogger.

Posted by: Paul '13 on March 18, 2008

Admitting you use Vista is enough to make you my favorite blogger here and now! Vista is way too under-rated. Besides, it's not Microsoft's worst failure. That's reserved for their choice to hire whoever schedules their product release dates.

Posted by: |Lex! '12 on March 18, 2008

Well, Snively, I have a question. Do you hate Macs? Because if you do, then you have lost MAJOR cool points in my book. But if you think Macs are cool and use Vista out of personal preference, then I'll let it slide...

No, seriously, I still think you're awesome. Regardless of which OS you prefer. =D

Anyways, I think I might eventually stay in that small slice of pie labeled "non-admit students." Old habits die hard...plus, the blogs are just too interesting to keep myself away from them. Keep up the funny and enlightening entries! And your posting rate is very impressive, by the way.

(Oh, and a note: I could tell that the graphics were from Windows because rarely do Mac programs generate text that is not noticeably smooth. I could see a few jaggies in the font...

Posted by: asm on March 18, 2008

Well, Snively lost some major points of coolness in my book because he didn't mention me in his post(don't need to edit now, it's been captured) and mention Sh1fty. Me and Sh1fty are main arguing and joking forces in #mit channel at freenode and so Snively is on the enemy side...

Posted by: Vytautas on March 18, 2008

well ur pies should have a significant percentage of ppl hu dint make it... im here reading ur blog the day before my english exam(that kinda explains y im on the comp in the first place).. i think readin the blogs is fun. its the closest im getting to mit i guess.. haha..

Posted by: nope dint make it on March 19, 2008

well ur pies should have a significant percentage of ppl hu dint make it... im here reading ur blog the day before my english exam(that kinda explains y im on the comp in the first place).. i think readin the blogs is fun. its the closest im getting to mit i guess.. haha..

Posted by: nope dint make it on March 19, 2008

w00t, i've been mentioned! i haven't been reading posts lately, so that's why it took me so long to comment, _but_ i will be reading them again when things cool down a bit. i was thinking about taking a gap year to travel, so the decision has made my choice easy :D not much has changed, mitprospectives.org is still up, some of us are still on #mit and plan to apply again next year. i just hope i'll have enough money to come visit MIT again this year know any good investment funds? :p
btw i expect "admit sh1fty" banners around campus next year :D

Posted by: Sh1fty on March 19, 2008

Thanks much for the enrty! I'm looking forward to all future entries, but most interestedly looking for those on topics 7, 10, 11, and 13 from above. Particularly 11 & 13.

Posted by: Lainers on March 22, 2008

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