I Could Never Do it Alone by Ella T. '25

I finished my first semester at MIT.

There’s so much to write about. I could write about my IAP UROP. Or the Infinite Magazine. Or getting a 45% on the 3.091 final. I could write about the classes I loved. The concepts I learned. The things I made. I just haven’t.

Instead, I want to use my final post of 2021 to share the best part of MIT — the people. I know it’s cliché, but I know it to be true.

At MIT, friendship is defined by necessity. MIT is hard. It is as challenging emotionally as it is academically. Therefore, community is virtually required. There’s a phrase I hear often at MIT:

I could never do it alone. 

With this in mind, I wanted to share memories of friendship in the form of a poorly formatted digital scrapbook.

I am so grateful to love and be loved at MIT.

Olivia J ’25 and I, likely late to Building 9 for the fourth time that week and probably dying of heat stroke.

Marina T ’25, Kidus Y ’25, and I laying on the floor of New Vassar. I have absolutely no recollection of this photo being taken.

Olivia J ’25 and I taking a ginger shot in front of Cambridge City Hall. Disgusting.

The train ride back from Lowell with Olivia J ’25 and Eric L ’25

Nina L ’24, Paula C ’25, Lyne O ’25, and I in issue 9 of the MIT Infinite Fashion Magazine

A lot of friends on some strange park equipment in Boston

Finals Week Secret Santa with the best people at MIT

Korean Barbecue to celebrate Max T ’25

Happy Holidays from my friends and I at MIT! I hope you too are surrounded by people you love this season.

Write to you next year!