At MIT, we think big. We apply engineering principles whenever possible. We build snowmen so large that they require the use of ramps, ice skates, and a team of friendly tourists. My friend Julia '08 shares her IAP snowman experience below: (Note: I promise that I have a non-snow related entry in the works, for those of you who are sick of hearing about it.)

On Sunday when I heard there was going to be yet another snow storm hitting Boston, I called up my friend Dan '10. "Did you hear about the snowstorm tomorrow? You know what this means….Battle #3!". Dan and I are in the midst of a multi-part snow battle. The first two battles involved grape throwing, running around the basements, playing in the secret ninja courtyard, and most importantly lots of snow! By the time I woke up the next morning 6 inches of beautiful packing snow graced the MIT campus - ready to be made into snow fighting artillery. When I met up with Dan in Killian court we decided to make a giant snowman in front of the great dome instead. Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into.

First, we had a little competition to see who could roll the bigger snowball. Then we teamed up to roll the base which Dan insisted had to be at least as tall as me. To my surprise, creating this giant snowball was just as exhausting as a snowball fight! There we were, in t-shirts, sweating and struggling to push the giant ball back towards the center of Killian. We were getting pretty tired and literally losing momentum. Sometimes the ball would roll back over me after we attempted to budge it from rest. Luckily, a large group of Korean tourists ran out into the courtyard to enjoy the snowy scenery, and a few even lent us their strength to push our snowball base.

The next task was getting the middle portion of the snowman up on top of the base. After several failed attempts to lift the beast and attempting to create a snow staircase, we realized that we were going to need more helping hands. I pleaded with random people walking through lobby 10 for help, and ran into my friend Marie '11. While I was off rolling the snowball for the head, Dan and Marie came up with an ingenious idea. There are these tall and thin green stakes connected by ropes surrounding Killian court. Using just three stakes, we built a makeshift ramp on the side of the 5 feet tall base. Using our engineering skills and atlas-like strength we finally managed to push the middle snowball on top of the base. None of us could believe that it actually worked, and more importantly that it stayed!

Ghassan G, who stopped by earlier to take some pictures, returned and helped us stick the head on top of the now 9 feet tall monster. How did we get the head on? Simple, Ghassan stood on a chair. Finally, Marie's friend, Eva '11 helped us shape, decorate, and put the final touches on our giant snowman! After 3 hours of intense working out, some thinking, and plenty of fun we had just made the biggest snowman of our lives.

Julia '08 and Dan '10 roll their massive snowballs across Killian Court.

Marie '11 hands Ghassan G' some rocks for the snowman's eyes.

Dan '10, Julia '08, Snowman, Eva '11, Marie '11, Ghassan G.

The final product.

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

"...for those of you who are sick of hearing about it."
I don't think anyone could ever get sick of them. Snow is so much fun! =)

Posted by: Edgar on January 16, 2008

I saw you guys! I mean, I didn't know it was you, but I definitely remember seeing someone in a t-shirt (!!) rolling a HUGE snowball

Posted by: karen on January 16, 2008

OMG! I was walking back from lab and saw that thing, it was amazing! My partners and I had to go outside and have an impromptu photo shoot with it, it makes for some great pictures. It's so awesome that you made it, we were wondering who may have.

Posted by: Snively on January 16, 2008

I also saw the bottom part of the snowman sitting in Killian Court, though apparently I missed the other two phases. Finally, the mystery is solved! Well done. This belongs on the MIT main page, in my humble opinion. :D

Posted by: Paul on January 16, 2008

*stands and applauds*

I absolutely love this--pulling off some awesome feats with perseverance, ingenuity, and the help of some random tourists. I really want to make a giant snow angel now. But alas, no snow currently graces the fields of Pennsylvania.

By the way, how did you make such round snowballs? When I get into that size range, my snowballs always end up more cylindrical than spherical.

Posted by: Matt, PSU '11 on January 16, 2008

Awesome work..Beautiful..Hey, I know you all are exhausted but why not make an igloo or something in the background. Would be picturesque! Great work..I love MIT..I love it. What ya gonna name it

Posted by: Libin Daniel on January 16, 2008

It's INCREDIBLE!!! Totally love this snowman.

You just wrote something which comes on SAT CR section. You are given a blurb and then a reading. This reading is perfectly in sink with the blurb. And the pictures just give the extra edge to it. I just love this post.

And now I go speechless.

Posted by: Akshay on January 16, 2008

I wonder the confusions that would have been there if Massachusetts Institute of Technology had a V in it's name..lol. Just kidding.

Posted by: Libin Daniel on January 16, 2008

Is it gone? I can't see it anymore.

Posted by: 0 on January 16, 2008

The Yeti is in Boston and people are seeing UFOs here in Texas. Its pretty funny to see my hometown on the news for UFO sightings.....i think they're after the milk (being a dairy county).

Posted by: Leko on January 16, 2008

Oh my gosh this is huge ! Great job Melis (and her friends) !
I always knew that engineering was fun-useful !
Lol funny to see how many people saw it and were astonished !

Posted by: Isshak on January 16, 2008

Isshak: Sadly, I was not a part of the snowman building team. It was built by Dan '10, Julia '08, Snowman, Eva '11, Marie '11, Ghassan G.

Posted by: Melis on January 16, 2008

Melis: Yeah, but still thanks for reporting !
And I wanted to ask you what was your camera, I think I read somewhere it was a reflex.

Posted by: Isshak on January 16, 2008

Sorry, I meant to tell you about my camera! It's a Nikon Coolpix P4. It has a nice panoramic feature, which is how I take them. Otherwise, it doesn't do a very good job with portraits, especially if they're taken inside (the flash is really bad, with a slow response time.)

Posted by: Melis on January 16, 2008

Edgar said "I don't think anyone could ever get sick of them. Snow is so much fun! =)".

Tell it to an eskimo :D

Posted by: Vytautas on January 16, 2008

Awesome!!!

I am going to Hayden library tonight, I think...

I am totally going to check out that snowman while I am at it.


:-D

Very cool post.

Posted by: Lauren '12 on January 16, 2008

A coolpix with a panoramic feature ? That is worth buying it ! It is so complicated usually, you need a trepod, a reflex camera, a stabilizer ! Could you take a panoramic of the Killian Court and around ? Or of a building having a view of Killian Court, that would be beautiful !
Hope we'll see you next time building an even more enormous snowman !

Posted by: Isshak on January 16, 2008

Sweeeeeet. That is the best snowman ever. I agree, it belongs on the main page. =P

Posted by: Hawkins on January 16, 2008

Actually, I have already taken a panoramic picture of Killian Court! It's here:
http://web.mit.edu/mna/Public/Killian Court Panoramic small.jpg

Posted by: Melis on January 16, 2008

Wow it's great ! Although I wonder how it would feel with snow. But it's a great picture ! so symetrical...
Is there something you can't do ? ^^

Posted by: Isshak on January 16, 2008

omg..that is an enormous snowman! i wonder if it might have broken some record

Posted by: carmen on January 16, 2008

With absolutely no snow ever here in Florida, I'll read as many snow blogs as you guys would love to write

Posted by: Noelle on January 16, 2008

I LOVE SNOWWWWW!!!! I'm so happy it snowed =P

Posted by: Piper on January 16, 2008

Hey Melis,

Nice snowman, however it not abominable. It's cute and happy. Good job!

Posted by: Chris T. on January 16, 2008

Awwwwww!
i LOVE the snowman.
name him =)

i want to make one too!

but i have to live with silly hot tropical climate and no snow.ever :S

Posted by: Aditi on January 17, 2008

Let's name him Fred!

We just got tons of snow here in MD

Posted by: Judy on January 17, 2008

Wow you guys must be freezing cold!!! I love the cold but hate the blinding effect on the snow. It really hurts... well that looks like fun especially the snowball fight...

Posted by: R.J on January 18, 2008

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