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five wacky and wild weekends by Aiden H. '28

new hampshire? i hardly know her!

Long time, no see-ish! I’ve done a lot of random events/trips/things over the past month or so that every weekend I’d say I’m gonna come blog, but then I had something planned for the next weekend I’d want to include. Rinse and repeat four times and now we’re here!

Here’s a recap of what I’ve been up to other than fluid mechanics psets and the like:

Six Flags

In April, ‘27s and ’28 were treated to hyper-discounted tickets⁠01 $25 for a ride to and from the park, a ticket, and free lunch to Six Flags New England! I am an absolute fiend for amusement parks, so the chance to cross another one off the list was very much hounded on.

People stand and walk near the entrance sign of Six Flags New England. Seven American flags wave above, and trees can be seen under a clear blue sky.
there are unironicaly six flags
People stand and walk near the entrance sign of Six Flags New England. Seven American flags wave above, and trees can be seen under a clear blue sky.

Tragically, I didn’t know until day-of that the bus ride one-way was 2.5 hours. So, leaving at 10 AM and the bus back at 5 PM means…I spent equal amounts of time on the bus as in the park. Also the park was very very busy due to the combination of a bunch of MIT kids and it being the first nice Saturday of the year.

tl;dr i was on a bus for 5 hours and only rode two rides, but considering it was cheap and a reason to go out with friends, no complaints.

Campus Preview Weekend (CPW)

CPW came and went! While for prefrosh and undergrads alike, CPW is a monumental weekend every year for random sidequests, I and other course 10s⁠02 Chemical Engineering were slammed with midterms! I spent most of my time going on completely as normal and occasionally saw something cool happening around me (which is not the correct mindset to have! However, I was tired and boring and bought into the propaganda of needing good grades⁠03 which i in fact did not get on these midterms (rip my 51.5 in thermo) ).

I did host a kid for the first time this year though! Even though our juxtaposing states of locked in/out caused us to only brush paths every morning and night, it was fun to impart some of my unrequested wisdom onto the youth of tomorrow. He said he was thinking of doing course 10 as well, so I got to explain a little bit amount the major/department and flex on how close Building 66⁠04 ChemE building is to East Campus.⁠05 my dorm

See the cooler stories people have from this CPW!

Ring Delivery

Every year since 1999, MIT’s sophomore class is treated to arguably the second largest event⁠06 behind graduation, tied w/ CPW of their undergraduate career: the delivery of MIT’s famed class ring, the Brass Rat.

Earlier in semester we had Ring Premiere, in which people dress up in crazy, Halloween-esque costumes while RingComm⁠07 The undergrad team in charge of the Brass Rat for their class presents the design for that year.

Now, nearing the halfway point of our MIT experience, we are treated to a “night on the town”, if you will. We dress up for a black tie event held in a fancy location (this year Boston Park Plaza), get our rings, and take a ridiculous amount of pictures with everyone you’ve ever met while a band and food vaguely are happening around you between the camera flashes.

Don’t mind how bonkers and not-photogenic I look in the following, it was a long night lol

A woman in a sleeveless dress walks along a tree-lined city street. Bright green leaves contrast with the beige stone building facade and parked cars.
A black banner with
Elegant ballroom with chandeliers; guests in formal attire mingle at a reception. Lively atmosphere, ornate décor, and people enjoying conversations.
A dessert table adorned with an array of colorful macarons and trays of cannoli topped with sugar. Guests in formal attire in the background.
i had 3 cannolis..
A lively dance floor at a party, with people dressed elegantly. A woman in a black dress and a man in a gray suit are smiling and dancing energetically.
crazy snipe mid whatever lean back dance(!?) move i was doing??
Two men in formal suits stand smiling in an elegant venue with chandeliers and arches, each showing a hand with prominent rings. Festive atmosphere.
me and one of my freshman roommates, Nico U.
A group of four friends pose happily in formal attire. Two women in red dresses stand between two men, one in a gray suit and one in a dark suit, inside an elegant ballroom.
friends from GTL Germany this year—Jasmine X., Selma P., and Ryan J.
A group of six young adults dressed in formal evening wear stands in an ornate ballroom with chandeliers, smiling warmly. The atmosphere is lively and elegant.
ChemE friends! Wes S., Francisco GRV., Lauren W., Olivia B., and Lisa V.
Elegant ballroom filled with people in formal attire, mingling under grand chandeliers, creating a lively, sophisticated atmosphere.
Elegant ballroom filled with people in formal attire, mingling under grand chandeliers, creating a lively, sophisticated atmosphere.

Colorado

I went home to Colorado for a weekend! There was a sweet spot in my schedule after midterms and before finals where I didn’t have many hard obligations, so I was able to surprise my girlfriend for her birthday. Cute! but no pictures or crazy revelations—small town Colorado has remained the same.

Floor Retreat

My East Campus floor, Floorpi, impulsively went on a retreat! Most floors/student groups typically organize retreats far in advance; while we floated the idea around for weeks, we only booked an Airbnb and cars the night before. The spontaneity definitely added to the overall vibe, but it also means that only 7 people came.

But the less the merrier because I had a great time! We drove about 3 hours north into New Hampshire and had a fun night of games and sitting around the campfire

A Scrabble board on a wooden table shows words like
Cozy kitchen with wooden cabinets, white subway tiles, and black appliances. Window with blinds, a glimpse of the bedroom, warm lighting.
Cozy room with a flat-screen TV mounted above a fireplace. A modern floor lamp with three bulbs is near a person seated on a sofa. Warm lighting creates a relaxed atmosphere.
Dimly lit forest scene at night with tall trees and a wooden picnic table in the foreground. The atmosphere is eerie and shadowy.
i tried to be aesthetic and it turned out like a horror movie

The place we were staying was right next to a trail, so we went on a quick morning hike before we had to be out by 11.

Person with long hair walking in a forest. Trees with fresh green leaves surround them. The ground is covered in dry leaves, evoking a peaceful, natural setting.
Moss-covered rock amidst dry brown leaves and scattered green sprouts in a forest setting, conveying a mix of life and decay.

On the way back to campus, we stopped by the cutest jam stand it filled my heart with so much joy and peace everyone please hype it up.

A roadside sign with large images of strawberries advertises
Two red, barn-shaped mailboxes with colorful decorations stand beside a gravel road. A car mirror and green forest backdrop are visible.
Red mini barn stand with various jars of homemade jam on display. Labels depict different fruits. Rustic, inviting countryside setting.

We then had a classic Mother’s Day brunch at a random diner on the side of the highway, full of small-town politeness, cheap entrees, and the best greasy hashbrowns.

A cozy gift shop with wooden walls features colorful displays of crafts, souvenirs, birdhouses, and hanging textiles. Warm lighting and an inviting atmosphere.
Interior of a retro diner with blue booths and stools, long counter, and stainless steel accents. The ambiance is nostalgic and inviting.
View from a car driving on a highway under a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds. Green trees line the road, creating a serene, peaceful scene.
pretty drive back
A highway scene with a few cars driving under a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. Trees line the road, conveying a calm, sunny day.

When we got back to campus I went for a run around the river and got some of my best pictures of the dome. It felt very full circle to be on kind of a crazy streak and officially be back and “fully MIT” right before finals.

Pathway leading to a grand building with a large dome and columns, flanked by lush green trees and a vibrant blue sky. People are walking and chatting, creating a lively atmosphere.
geniunely the best photo of the dome i've gotten
View of a large domed building across a calm river, framed by lush trees under a partly cloudy sky. Sailboats dot the water, adding a serene touch.
from the esplanade

…And the party train will keep on going! This weekend (tomorrow), I’m off to DC, and the week after that I’ll be back home for the summer.

Here’s to planes or whatever 🥂✈️

  1. $25 for a ride to and from the park, a ticket, and free lunch⁠ ↑
  2. Chemical Engineering⁠ ↑
  3. which i in fact did not get on these midterms (rip my 51.5 in thermo)⁠ ↑
  4. ChemE building⁠ ↑
  5. my dorm⁠ ↑
  6. behind graduation, tied w/ CPW⁠ ↑
  7. The undergrad team in charge of the Brass Rat for their class⁠ ↑