Meet The (New) Bloggers! by Chris Peterson SM '13

A few weeks ago I posted the Blogger Application 2011. We received over 50 applications for just a few available spots. The vast majority were from incoming freshman, but there were about a dozen from upperclassmen as well.

Over the last week and a half the blogger committee – comprised of the communications team and our Class of 2012 senior bloggers – reviewed all of these applications, and tried to sort them out among us. The seniors got a little glimpse into life as an admissions officer: as Rachel emailed me, "i cannot imagine how difficult comparing 17000 applicants must be…there are actually like, too many good applicants. i weep prematurely for them." Yep. 

However, as with our undergraduate applications, the cruel difficulty of the decisions is no excuse for not making them. Decide we must, and decide we did.

So, without further ado, let me introduce to you our new bloggers!

Class of 2015: 

• Connie H. hails from Richmond, CA. When she's not tutoring math or making infographics, she's working on Mixest, a hipster indie radio station that allows you to select "play", "pause", or "more obscure." Connie promotes her own personal IndieRoulette by leaving custom business cards in local stores, and she'd like to study Marketing here at MIT, as well as cross-register for art classes at MassArt should she come across a Time-Turner in her dorm. I hate hipsters but Connie's cool!! 
• Natnael G. was born in Ethiopia but spent his childhood building robots for FIRST Team 1710 in Olathe, KS. While majoring in Course 6-2 he intends to spend a lot of time combining his interest in technology and the arts by creeping through the Media Lab. Fellow residents of East Campus, do not steal his stuff, as Natnael is an experienced archer – and no, I'm not talking about the FX series. 
• Kirsten L. of Duluth, GA showed (rather than told) when she made her application entirely out of second grade arts and crafts supplies. Kirsten plans to major in 2 and 20 to make robots that can gently heal you before becoming sentient and dominating the skies with innumerable ghastly horrors. She'd like to be a MedLink in Maseeh too, which will one day be hallowed as the Bethlehem where the doctor robot revolution began. Look forward to her pictures, her crafts, and her love/hate relationship with Peep Research. 
• Ana V. of Burbank, IL loves creating cool things. While she hasn't yet chosen between Aerospace Engineering and Materials Science, she did help make a biodiesel reactor in high school, and she can change streetlights with her mind. Burton-Conner residents, take notice. Ana, who attended MITES at MIT, has also spent the last few years working as a blogger for an organization that helps inspire young Latinos to go to college and create telepathic biorockets just like her. 

Class of 2014:

• Tom R. comes from Colorado and now lives in BC, where he makes very bad state-themed jokes ("Where is a good place to watch Wimbledon? Tennessee!"). A major in course 24-2 (Linguistics and Philosophy), Tom enjoys writing, the oboe, and poutine. Despite his loathsome liking for cheese-curd fries, we're happy to have him aboard.
• Lydia K. made the transition from Pennsylvania to Random Hall with the aid of her adorable flying science cows: 

   

  
  

   

  She can move her ears independently of the other and she cares deeply about frogs. After reading more of her wonderful writing, I hope you will too. 

Class of 2012 

• Qiaochu Y. is a frat boy (Theta Xi) mathlete (Course 18) who has made an appearance in our blogs before when he was interviewed by his friend and fellow blogger Rachel. He once auditioned for American Idol, where the girl in front of him sang the song he was going to sing (he didn't make it). As a senior, he looks forward to write about math and Kids These Days. 

These folks won't begin blogging right away, as we have to get them to campus and into our system first. When that time comes, they'll be able to tell you more about their own personal stories, which I assure you are more interesting, compelling, and better written than anything I provided here. They're all terrific and I'm psyched to have them. 

Once again, thanks to all those who applied, and everyone say hi to the new crew!