Distractions by Paul B. '11
Don't stress out!
It’s a stressful time. Finals are starting, decisions are coming out in less than twenty four hours… Doesn’t it just make you wish you could take your mind off of things for a while?
Just in time, the blogs shall provide. This list is not intended to be comprehensive by any means – if you have suggestions, let me know!
Webcomics
xkcd
The classic.
Questionable Content
Angst abounds in this comic about an indie boy, his robot, and some friends. You have been warned.
Freakangels
A beautifully-drawn dystopia set in post-apocalyptic England.
Penny Arcade
For, by, and about video game nerds.
Order of the Stick
D&D comes to life, basically.
PhD Comics
Can’t believe I originally forgot this gem! Called to my attention by Nick ’12.
Games
Armor Games
I recommend GemCraft, among others.
Miscellaneous
Wikipedia
But at least it’s an informative distraction, right?
TVtropes
One of the most addicting and hilarious sites I have yet been exposed to. Don’t blame me if you fail your classes.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog
Neil Gaiman Quotes
…I couldn’t resist throwing this one in here.
In Real Life…
Baking
Cleaning Your Room
My friend Ternus ’10 comments, “Insidiously distracting things you can do include doing your laundry, cleaning and reorganizing your room, etc. This makes you feel like you’re accomplishing something (because you are!), but it is, of course, not what you’re supposed to be accomplishing.”
Reading
Not Stressing About MIT!
Best of luck to all of you. As the countdown clock gets closer to zero, our thoughts are all with you.
haha, thanks paul! =D those links will help me.
oh man…I”m kinda scared to log in and see what I got….
Don’t forget about the best webcomic ever,pictures for sad children!
You forgot videogames! Logical Journey of the Zoombinis is still the best game ever. Get your friendly neighborhood RCC (mine is Donald) to help you install them for double the procrastination!
“Looking for Group” is a fun comic too, if only because of Richard.
Did no one mention the infamous LOLcats?!!? How could one ever be stressed looking at those adorable felines?
http://www.lolcats.com
tou xiang!
PHD Comics!
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php
Truth. Our room has literally never been cleaner.
Hi Paul,
I am a mum of an applicant and I have been frantically cooking- Sizzlers, Palak Paneer, Veggie Panini Sandwich and all sorts of fatty foods. Also, I relate this like when I was in the labour room the first time, after all that pain everything ends well.
Best regards,
Frittos
Thanks for your good wishes. It is definitely a stressful time!
I’ve found that one way to pass the time is to calculate arbitrary integers using basic arithmetic operations and only the numbers 5 and 7.
For example, did you know that
391 = (5^7 – 7^5 – 7*7*7*5*5*5) / (7*5) –
7*5*5 + 5*7 + 7 – (7-5)
and
991 = (5^7 – 7^5 – 7*5) / (7*5) – 7*7*5*5 +
(5+7)*(5+7) + 7*5*(7+(7-5)) + 5 + (7-5)
If you are curious about context (and this is still a lame excuse) compare this Wikipedia article section:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_for_Vendetta_(film)#The_letter_V_and_the_number_5
and any article about how Tupac isn’t really dead based on suspicious things having to do with the number 7 (try googling “Tupac seven day theory”).
Then note that the Tupac album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory came out on November 5th, 1996 … exactly 391 years after the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot on November 5, 1605. Coincidence? I think not!!!!!5!!!!!!!7
Crazily yours,
~Donald Guy
P.S. good luck to all of us with exams, and extra good luck to those awaiting EA decisions.
also note that these equalities are based on the C-style definition of integer division
… though an actually equality could be constructed, I leave this as an exercise for the reader ^_^
Tomorrow is going to be a very long day… I am so nervous! I guess I have finals to keep me busy until 7pm (my time) tomorrow!
Thank you … .and that’s straight from the heart
Questionable content is awesome :D
19 hours, 21 minutes, 36 seconds!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
http://www.DidIGetIntoMIT.com
Uncyclopedia is hilarious. Look it up.
@karen
/has fond childhood memories of LJoZ.
wait? RCCs are supposed to have received Zoombini training?
The Jargon file is also interesting.
http://www.engrish.com this site isn’t bad for a hilarious distraction as well (:
I’ve tried. I’ve reread all the xkcd comics three times in a row, and am going through my entire online archive of manga bookmarks.
Moving to old Bill Nye episodes next, if nothing else.
And it’s 2:30 in the morning right now, and I’m no where near asleep.
…G’luck to you all.
*knocks on wood
Dr. Horrible is awesome. You should all see it!!
http://mywintercap.com
Thank you for the encouragement.
Yes, I have in fact been obsessively cleaning and reading… Nothing seems to help. I keep finding myself at http://www.mitadmissions.org. :D
4 hours, 15 minutes!! XD
I second the PhD comics.
and the Neil Gaiman. start with Sandman.
~not the first Kiran.
EA Applicants!
I updated the site to include a few new goodies.
Check it out, I think you’ll like it.
http://www.DidIGetIntoMIT.com/
For the record, I helped Karen install VMWare because Vista is too fail to handle LJoZ … its not my fault she needed it for such purposes
@Brandon:
I commend you for that site. This is not the first time Mika has actually come in handy, haha.
Hey, I’ll add the Shrek version of Twelve Days Christmas…
Good luck to everybody suffering (or the few enjoying) finals and the MIT’13 hopefuls!
Just 13 hours and 50 minutes until decisions are posted.
Decisions page says:
Think about how you answered question 3a on our application (“what do you do purely for fun?”). Try to fill your days with that, and decisions will be here before you know it.
— Not bad!
Hi guys.
Don’t panic!!
And don’t forget a towel.
I highly recommend waiting for decisions with a towel on hand.
I know I’ll have one when I’m in the same metaphorical boat next year as you are in now.
Good luck to all applicants/and MITers studying for finals and to all a good night!
Also, David Sedaris books = good/fun/awesome books to pass the time and make you laugh.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog was a sweet way to kill 45 minutes. I’d recommend it.
don’t forget vgcats!!!
isitchristmas.com
Well, is it?
By the way, GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE OUT THERE!!!!
toothpaste for dinner!
paul, you wrote this on my birthday! man, lots of stuff has happened in the past year. my favorite way to distract myself is reading… it’s bad. because i’ll get into a book and then i can’t stop. last year during winter finals i read the “his dark materials” trilogy (for the first time!), but this year i told myself i shouldn’t read because it’s too distracting.. so i’ve read 3 books since term ended to make up for it.
lololaolaoasdfalskfaw we need coffee over iap