Devoid of Content by Snively '11
Well, mostly.
This post is almost entirely devoid of content except to point out a particularly funny exchange in the comments of a recent post.
It’s a constant struggle between bloggers and prefrosh over whether the “FIRST!” approach to commenting is acceptable behavior or not. I’m guilty of being one of those irritating prefrosh last year so I go easy on you guys, but some old fogies try to take that opportunity away from prefrosh. What they forget is that they are going up against some of the most dedicated individuals out there, which can lead to why I made this entry. Check out what happened this morning in the comments:
If you didn’t lol at that then there’s something wrong with you (I’m probably not supposed to say that, but srsly, funny? YesIThink).
Have a great week playing Brawl (I know I will be) and waiting for decisions (I won’t be, but I anxiously await hearing about who got in. Bloggers keep track of you guys too you know).
Ciao!
FIRST!!!
almost…
First xD
darn…
noob^
SECOND!!!
I like how second is actually 6th.
You guys are all crazy. Seriously.
Anyways, Snively, I’m proud that you’d take time out of your busy day of playing Brawl to post, even if the entry was a little devoid of content. It takes dedication to make sure you aren’t kicked out of the top 3 spots
And yeah, decisions in a week = pretty scary… I still feel like I just applied, the past 3 months went by SO fast.
I’ve never even come close to first, although with the amount of time I spend stalking the blogs instead of doing homework, my time should come soon
I’m glad to hear that we’re *slightly* more important than videogames!
This FIRST thing is kind of weird, but like you said, every nerd wants to be master of something !
Star, you are so right, so scary…
Can we post a comment to an entry before we officially publish it? I’m going to have to go experiment with the interface…
Haha yeah I definitely lol’d at that
Shruthi’s awesome! You too Ben! and of course Master Snively as well! 
People must be camped out on this site to get the first post. lol
Totally and utterly BORING.
14th!!!!!!
The “FIRST Post!” thing isn’t that bad if your brain automatically associates the word ‘first’ (especially in all caps) with the organization, FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
FIRST!
-A satire by Laser
Saw that this morning, thought it was pretty funny…Personally, though, I choose not to participate in the whole first thing; I’d rather see comments of substance that five “firsts”.
@an MIT parent
Then why dont you try and stay off these blogs for a while? Everything in life does not need to have “depth and substance”…sometimes the youth needs to revel in the technological niche that they have created(full credit to them and Ben!). So what if there are a few light-hearted entries mixed with informative ones?
I believe the blogs are extremely effective in fulfilling their purpose…and they’re only getting better.
Well said Michael!
I’ve often had the opportunity to make “first” posts; I usually just wait a couple minutes and refresh the page a few times until someone else jumps at it.
The mission of the blogs is to translate the MIT undergraduate experience to the web as seamlessly as possible. Therefore, a proper balance between fun/silly and depth/substance is required.
Snively’s only a year away from the experience of being a prefrosh – I trust that he knows how to best serve those students who are awaiting decisions. I have his back on this one.
-B
Wow, THE Ben has posted.
50th!
I’m not doing this from physics or anything, that would be irresponsible.
The rant about first in the comments made me to believe that the post was not complete and you were showing not one but two instances.
Way to go Snively!
51=17*3…Prime’s unite.
So are you going to cover the Star Simpson trial?
And of course, you are the most responsible person!
No one’s gonna think that way :D
You actually blogged about this Snively? It wasnt that funny… Yeah ok it was… But I usually never say stuff like that, just that the huge significance of Ben’s post weighed over me so much that I had to say something…. Simply a matter of perfect timing
@Justin: Thanks man!
Which also means that Snively hasn’t “defroshed” yet. It will come in time. =)
Funny post. XD
I’m a prefrosh that has no realistic expectation of getting in. I love the culture that I have found through the blogs here, though. I can only hope that my college experience, wherever I end up, is at least something like what I see at MIT. You all seem to have that search for knowlegde that penetrates everything you do. It’s almost unreal what MIT is… and I feel like it’s something that I’ve been looking for for a long time. Again, I don’t see myself being selected, so I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the bloggers for just giving me a glimpse of this school. Thank you.
Head up, Alexander. I probably have as little a chance that you have, but I work my life off of a dream. Going to MIT has been my dream for 7 years, and not giving up has helped me grow as a young adult. All you need to do is dream.
I think we can all say, as Star did, that the blogs helped us a lot, and I don’t know about you guys, but if rejected, the stalking is not going to stop, where ever I am ! ^^ (and neither is my dream of getting in).
Amen, Laser.
Alexander, I’m sure I speak for all the other bloggers (and admissions staff) when I say thanks for your praise. We’re just doing our best to represent the university we love.
@Snively: I simply love your reply to “an MIT parent.” I think you’ve put him/her firmly in his/her place and I’m very personally pleased you’ve done that!!:):)
I totally agree with everything you’ve said. I follow the blogs closely even though I study at another University and I remember some of the extremely informative entries that used to be posted every now and then but you are absolutely correct in posting light-hearted ones now that the decision are near.
Well done all the bloggers not just Snively and a big pat on the back to Mr. Ben Jones as well!!
I agree with Alexander and Laser. Through these blogs I learn more and more about the student life at MIT and even though my chances of getting in are small too, I will still continue to pursue my dreams. Thank You bloggers for making these weeks a lot more bearable.
Silly juvenile nonsense? Psh….No way.
Hrm, it shouldn’t be too hard to make a program that checks the RSS feed and spams the MIT blogs, should it? Cheating FTW!
“Once that application is in the mail there’s nothing you want more than to enjoy the time spent with your dream school before a possible rejection.”
I couldn’t agree more. =)
Definitely agree with Alexander nd the others!
MIT bloggers (all of them!!) has been able to give an insight into the school both they and we love in such a wonderful way that reading thesse blogs alone can make u fall in love with the school…nd for those of us who actually loved it nd dreamed of bein their long before we read the blogs, these entries make us say it evertym we read their entries tht we want to be part of MIT even more!!!perhaps no othr school in the world has such an active and wonderful blogger group…I bet!!
as for me, I know my chances are near to nil but i guess i’ll still go on reading the blogs even if I am rejected:'(….
Love all the bloggers who makes our day, specially these fear-filled-to-the-brim ones!!
It’s nice how this entry switched from a ‘devoid-of-content’ one to a full-of-depth one because of the comments.
I am one of those prefrosh who have no chance to get in, but will always be in love with MIT because of the blogs and the bloggers who write them. Thanks guys! The posts that entartain us while we wait are as nice as the others. Just don’t take into account those people who tell you you do anything wrong.
شكرا
thanks (in arabic) for this delightful entry.
i also believe that one of the valuable results these blog entries with the comments help to do is to remove the block of strangeness and unfamilarity and breaks the ice between us that results in new and solid friendships even before we arrive at campus, and that applies specially for international applicants.
so, Thanks very much to all of the bloggers.
and good luck with everyone on the decisions day.
Sorry to jump in late, but what is an MIT parent talking about? When did these blogs ever lack silly juvenile nonsense? That was my entire goal as a blogger. One of my first blog entries was about a women’s bathroom:
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/life/women_at_mit/she_came_in_through_the_bathro.shtml
LMAO for the shruthi & Ben show!
yes, sam. i thought MIT parent was comparing this post to some of ur ‘abrosiacal’ posts! but did snively take him head on!
Michael Snively for president!!
Yeah, I’m with everyone here on that one. I love the blogs – all the posts. So once again, thanks to all the bloggers! I, too, have a VERY slim chance of actually getting in, but this past year applying, reading the blogs, and getting to know all of you, has been great. A year ago I still wasn’t sure I was going to apply to MIT. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the school, but I was scared of applying and getting rejected (bat attitude, I know, but what can I say). It was the blogs, more than anything, that convinced me that it’s worth taking the chance, and I’m so glad I did. No matter what decision comes on Saturday, I can say I’m really happy I applied and had the opportunity get to know you all.
And to be honest, I usually enjoy those entries “devoid of content” more than the typical in depth entries. Especially around now we all need something to take our minds off decisions, and that’s what Snively’s posts provide us with. That, and they really do tell us about his everyday life at MIT. Finding out about what research is going on in who’s lab or what other amazing opportunities are available at MIT is easy (posts about that are great too, though), but Snively’s entries give us something we can’t find anywhere else; day-to-day MIT life. And isn’t that why the blogs are here in the first place? Snively, and all the other bloggers, you guys are amazing. Keep it up!
And yeah, Sam, you used to be my favourite blogger because of your silly juvenile nonsense posts… er, I mean your sense of humour
55 (= 5 * 5 + 5 * (5 + 5 / 5)) th! lol… too much fun xD
I got first post once. Almost got it a second time, had I not been beaten by a post that simply said “first”. It’s kind of exhilirating at first, but the novelty wears off really fast.
Also…for me, the “juvenile nonsense” is one of the reasons I love MIT so much. I mean, it’s not really “juvenile” — it’s more like a lighthearted outlook, an ability to laugh at oneself and the world around them. Because the world would be very, very boring if everyone took things too seriously.
And I think Snively is doing a fine, fine job as an admissions blogger. With Snively’s blogs, you are pretty much guaranteed to do at least two of the following:
– lol
– Learn something interesting about MIT culture
– Learn something interesting in general
And probably much more, but I don’t feel like thinking too much about it.
…56th!!!
Oh whoa, I forgot to fill in the name field. The above post was by me. ^_^;;
Lol, thanks anion.. But seriously,
I didnt mean to get this started! LOL…
@Star: I couldnt agree more..
MIT all the way!!!!!!!!
*ambrosiacal
same here,star. I somehow have the feeling that all the applicants feel like they will not make it. What does that mean? That MIT will have the most modest class ever?
47th! Or maybe 48th, I may have lost count!
Yeah! I totally noticed that this morning and was extremely amused. Thanks Snive.
I definitely LOLed at that
I regret to say that I have watched the blogs deteriorate somewhat over time. What formerly had depth and substance has become all too frequently silly juvenile nonsense. :-(
49th! Because I’m just that bored…
@an MIT parent
I put a lot of thought into my posts. Sometimes the logic isn’t always clear, but it’s not always meant to be. Would you like to know why my posts are getting more brief and less deep?
Between the months of March and January the blogs are meant to inform students about opportunities, possibilities, and life at MIT. Prospective students use this website to gain insight as to whether they’ll fit in or not, whether MIT is the right school for them. I’ve never blogged during this time period but trust me, you will notice a difference in my style of writing.
The blogs serve a very different but just as important purpose between January and March. They serve to make the wait easier for those who apply. Realistically, while some prospective students from next year are currently reading, most readers are either MIT students, faculty, or prefrosh that are waiting for decisions to come out. Once that application is in the mail there’s nothing you want more than to enjoy the time spent with your dream school before a possible rejection. MIT would become just another school if the only thing present on its website were in depth novellas about the amazing biomechanical research that happens in such-and-such a lab. People that have been reading these blogs know MIT’s incredible research and discoveries, that’s why they’ve applied. Now they want MIT to make the wait for decisions easier, to make them laugh, and to generally be their friend.
My job here is to make prefrosh love MIT and to appreciate what MIT does for them. If that means that not all of my blog entries are substantial works of literary genius then that’s ok. If that means that sometimes you just laugh and gain very little information about MIT then that’s ok. I want the wait for decisions to be enjoyable for all involved parties, meaning that even what seems like useless internet fluff is actually accomplishing one of the Admissions office’s major priorities: Make applicants love this school and want to attend more than ever. Believe me, everything I post is important in some form or fashion, just maybe not what you were expecting.
Sam speaks! Yay!
(Temporarily) last! Alright!
59th!!
this blog entry was not a regular blog but eventually it became not just a blog but a blog about blogs… just playing with words…
To be able to say FIRST before the blog is even done… Thats why you got to love MIT. Always figuring outs ways to beat the system.
not quite first…
64th and keep on going
65th!
That’s awesome. The last person to claim a position before me was 6th (even though he claimed 2nd. I claimed 47th or 48th (it was 48th). 48-6=42. So that’s the answer to the ultimate question! And then after I claimed 48th, even the great Snively continued in claiming the upper numbers. I feel so much at home.