Hey! My name is Kirsten, K-I-R-S-T-E-N. Not Kristen, or Kirstin, or any other derivation of my name that you can think of (more on that later, but I’ve found that every person I’ve met so far at MIT can spell my name!) Anyways, now that that formality is over, welcome to the expanses of my brain! This coming fall, I’ll be a MIT freshmen, entering Course 2 (MechE) but thinking about working in 20 (BioE) too. From my studies at MIT, I’m really hoping to start working on medical robots that will help to revolutionize medical treatment (but not start a revolution against humans).

As for some personal details about me, I’ve lived in Georgia for practically my whole life. I’m used to heat, heat and more heat. This first winter will be interesting… but, I feel like the ability to survive cold weather is in my blood since technically I’m Canadian (oh the number of jokes I will have to incur due to this). I definitely consider myself a nerd at heart. Nothing beats the feeling of learning something neat about anatomy or finally getting the solution to a difficult math problem that makes you want to bang your head into a wall repeatedly. I’m also pretty crazy about robotics. In high school, I worked extensively in my robotics club, building functional robots that were definitely tricked out (Shout out to Team 3318 and 675C!).

Nevertheless, my passion for math and science is definitely matched with my passion for art. I thoroughly enjoy wandering around art museums and taking in all the history behind the paintings and sculptures. In my spare time, I love to take photographs or make random crafts.

This year at MIT, I’m looking forward to the chance to develop myself. It’s always been my philosophy to never be the smartest person in the room. The reason being that if I am, then I’m never challenged to improve. But, there’s no better place to surround myself with smarter people than MIT! I also believe in taking as many opportunities as I can. Trying new things is how I’m able to find new interests or create new perspectives. MIT definitely does not lack opportunities to pursue new interests or try new activities.

All in all, I’m not quite sure what MIT holds for me. I’m still waiting for it all to kick in, then kick it up a notch. But I am sure I will find my own definition of IHTFP, my own way to navigate through the jungle of numbers, and my own methods of surviving MIT over the next four years. So I hope that you’re along for the journey! It’s going to be legendary.