iCyd by Cydnie T. '12

I’m BAaaaaaaCK! Classes are building up, students are working, halls are buzzing… the semester seems to be in full swing.

This semester is very new to me even though it’s my 7th one here. I have been through a journey with my major choice so far at the Institute. I began with my mind set on pursuing a degree in course 16 (aero/astro engineering). After a couple courses in the department, I determined that this was not the career path I really wanted to follow. So I switched to course 2A with 15 (Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Management Science). I found that I really enjoyed the classes I had in course 15 but the course 2 classes were just so-so for me. At the end of last spring, I made a major (literally and figuratively) change and moved to a full time Sloan (course 15) program. This has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in the past 3 years. I absolutely LOVE this program and the flexible career path it offers. Thus, this semester marks a brand new start for me at MIT.

Moral: you have the flexibility to try different majors while at MIT. Granted I would suggest doing your exploration closer to the beginning of your journey but its never** too late.

To ensure that this change was a complete success, among other things (e.g. moving my bed to the other side of my room and purchasing a fancy new planner), I invested in a new laptop!

Now, this is no ordinary laptop. This, my friends, is a GREEN APPLE!

I absolutely LOVE green apples so getting a ‘green apple’, which I’ve named the “iCyd”, was the only logical option.

There were, of course, other factors in my decision process (see below for resources on making your own decision). I wanted a friendly user interface that would allow me to multi-task without a cluttered screen. This also meant I needed a great battery and plenty of space on the harddrive. So any old green computer couldn’t possibly suffice, it had to be a MacBook Pro.

So far, I am having a blast with my new semester and the iCyd. Can’t wait to watch my new future unfold :)

Until next time, mates.

**this “never” guarantee holds up to 9 months before you graduate. this also does not guarantee completing your degree in exactly 4 years (which is not always a bad thing).

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Laptop selection is a very important process for a student. It depends on a number of factors including, but not limited to:

Aesthetic Preferences: size, weight, keyboard options, etc

Memory Needs

Compatibility with programs required for your major/activities

MIT’s Information, Services, and Technology office (IS&T) offers a few pointers on laptop purchases:

Computer Buying Advice

Recommended Laptops

It would also be helpful to talk to the department you’re interested in to see what programs you will need to be able to run.

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