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MIT student blogger Laura N. '09

Happy November 1st! by Laura N. '09

Halloween was yesterday. My costume was/is an embarassment. You should read about it!

Lots of people thanked me for my application advice, for which you are all very welcome. I hope it helped you chill a little about the whole thing. There will be plenty of time to go crazy and lose sleep once you get to college. =)

Also, Sam asked: “I just wanted to know how MIT handles research with freshman. Do they get to use the same facilities as graduate students? Have you or any of your friends started researching for any of the despartments?” So UROPs are pretty cool, or so I’m told, since I don’t actually have one. I do know a freshman or two who has already secured one, and I’m pretty sure they basically have the same lab space as grad students. The thing is, UROPs can be anything, really. I’m sure sometimes undergrads and grad students work together on them. Right. I’ll shut up now, since I don’t actually know what I’m talking about, but go check out Melis’s UROP blog, which conveniently focuses on exactly what you’re asking about.

In other news, yesterday was Halloween, and I hope it treated everyone well! A couple of entries ago I told you all I wouldn’t have amusing Halloween costume stories to share unless you gave me awesome ideas. Considering only one person responded, I only feel guilty towards that one person- because I have a really lame story to tell. In fact, I’m embarassed just thinking about it.

The thing is, most Halloween parties were on Friday and Saturday night, and, well, I didn’t go to any of them, for one thing. Sorry to disappoint, but I guess I didn’t really get into the Halloween spirit too much this year.

Matt suggested that I dress up as an iPod, which was cool in a way, but there was no way that was going to happen. The suggestion about dressing all in black and holding an iPod, like those figures in the commercials, was pretty cool too….but also not going to happen.

I decided to play it all very low-key for the actual day of Halloween. I basically dressed in an outfit that looked completely normal. In fact, it was completely normal. But I had an explanation for a hidden costume all worked out, just in case anyone gave me a hard time about not dressing up. Ready for it?


I was a 5600 Mega-ohm resistor…

Plus or minus 10%.

(Check out info about resistor color codes if you don’t get it.)

Please keep in mind that this wasn’t an actual costume, I did not put considerable thought into this, and I didn’t actually go around telling people “Hey! I’m a resistor for Halloween! What are you?” It was more of a well-planned outfit that I could conveniently use to be a smart alec to anyone who gave me a hard time about my lack of costume.

That said, let the tomato throwing commence.

10 responses to “Happy November 1st!”

  1. Nice one……

    I’d probably draw a cross on my right hand, and a dash on my left hand, and say, “I’m an op-amp. Shake my hand and give me some positive input.”

  2. nehalita says:

    you’re one up on me. we didn’t have halloween. darn wilma and not having power…

  3. Matt says:

    wow, i feel so honored to be in the blog. and i love your costume… what would have been best is if you wore the exact colors of human body resistance… which is probably around one mega-ohm, but this is still way cool. the costumes that you explain are always the best, last year i was white trash, i took a white trash bag and put it over some clothes.

  4. Trick or treating for me. I am not too old. ;P

  5. Guess says:

    The black belt throws it off, points for working duct tape into your costume. But, I could’ve guessed that.

  6. Emi says:

    Haha. It’s still better than mine…forgot it was halloween and went as myself. Though my friend did and chased me aroud school with an orange marker trying to paint a pumpkin on my cheek…

    It was sad though, because my mother even forgot to buy candy to give to trick or treaters.

    Okay…I live in Ecuador so Halloween isn’t that big of a thing…except if you live in a closed neighborhood with a lot of other americans or american-influenced people.

    Actually…last year, the government banned halloween celebrations. Said it wasn’t patriotic and forced schools to celebrate “Ecuadorian Shield Day” instead…nobody really listened.

    Anyways, points for at least remembering it was halloween…smile

    cheers!

  7. Dave says:

    You go to MIT, how is dressing up like a transistor not a kick-ass costume??? tongue laugh I dressed up in a black suit with a black shirt and a black tie with a name-tag that said

    Hello my name is:

    SATAN

    Not having the most intelligent populance, I was asked repeatedly what “Satin” meant, why I was dressed as a guy named “Stan” and I was actualy congradulated on being the “SAT-Man”. Ah well, there’s always next year.

  8. Sam says:

    Thanks for answering my question. I didn’t get to anything for Halloween this year too. Too much work, I can’t wait until my college search is over.

  9. April says:

    heck, it’s better than what i was..a leaf blower…lol..LAME…dood…next time go dressed normally and when people ask you what you are say that you are radon gas and your costume is in the basement

    april

  10. God says:

    That’s rather funny, Dave. I know Satan personally, and while he’s not a dress-up kind of guy, he does where a lot of black.

    As for my halloween, I didn’t dress up. Again. Because my ideal costume requires three other participants to make it work. Ah, well. Perhaps next year.