Top Ten Reasons I Love MIT #8

Mens et Manus

I have never met a Latin motto I didn't like - and, since I took Latin for over six years, I've met quite a few of them. Up until recently, my favorite was probably a quote from Virgil: Audentes fortuna iuvat - Fortune favors the bold. Appropriate enough for me, since I enjoy trying new things and getting involved in as much as I can...even if that does mean ending up with a little too much on my plate sometimes.

Actually, for the longest time I was a very shy kid, socially-speaking anyway - Young Paul would probably be shocked to hear what I've been up to these past few years. In grade school, I always had a very tight group of friends, but we ended up all going to different high schools - which meant I basically had to start everything over again as a freshman. My solution? I joined the tennis team.

I know that doesn't sound particularly risky, but for me it was. Not only did I know no one else on the team - the primary reason I joined was to meet people - I was a true beginner when it came to playing tennis competitively. And, as anyone could tell you, I'm not exactly a natural athlete. Still, I stuck with it - and my reward was that I ended up meeting three guys who are now among my very best friends.

Looking back over the past four years, in each year I can easily identify one pivotal event, one risk I took, one choice I made, that utterly changed where I was going with my life. As a sophomore, I volunteered to coordinate a service project and ended up learning what leadership really means. Junior year, I started doing biomedical research and ended up discovering a new passion for science. And my final, senior year, I convinced my principal to let me found a new club dedicated to investigating and debating global issues. All of those look totally unrelated, I know. But, at the same time, each one of them is an equally part of who I am.

The funny thing is that, as I made these choices, I never realized just how significant they would become to me. To put it another way - I never woke up and decided, I'm definitely going to take a huge risk before noon! or went to bed thinking, Wow, I did something really bold today. Everything I did, I did because that was what I wanted to do, because that was what I loved.

It's the same way with MIT. The students there don't do the amazing things they do simply to pad their resumes or to feel important. The research, the clubs, the academics, the crazy little things like Mystery Hunt - those things happen because the students want them to happen and then make them happen. In that sense, it's not just the faculty who have built up MIT's reputation for excellence, but also the students themselves.

I think, for a lot of people, a motto is just that, a motto: a funny little foreign-sounding phrase, appropriate for invocation at formal occasions, but on the whole fairly meaningless. That's not the way I think of it, and I'm confident in saying that most people at MIT are the same way. Even from the little I've glimpsed of MIT, I know that the ideal of Mens et Manus - the vision of theoretical knowledge and practical arts working together side-by-side to create a better world - is very much alive and kicking on campus. I've seen it in the labs, in the classrooms, in the dorms...even, on occasion, in the eyes of the students themselves.

And you thought your Facebook addiction was bad...

I know most of you already read xkcd religiously anyway, so posting this here is probably completely and utterly redundant, but I couldn't resist.

And this is considered only mildly sleazy?

Sadly enough, I can actually see this sort of scenario occurring in real life. Welcome to Web 2.0, right?

In other news, Fick's Second Law still hates me.

Top Ten Reasons I Love MIT #9

Mystery Hunt

"Please do not endanger the life of the duck at any time."

Every January, MIT holds a special four-week term called Independent Activities Period - IAP, for short. IAP, in my humble opinion, is one of those crazy things that really epitomizes the unique way MIT looks at education, entertainment, and life in general. Basically, it's MIT's idea of a breather between the fall and spring terms, where "breather" means anything from doing research to taking accelerated classes to playing with boffer swords to going to Charm School. ("All of the above" is also an option.)

Really, I'm serious.

Although I have yet to experience firsthand the beautiful craziness that is IAP, I'm eagerly anticipating that glorious day. And my excitement is primarily due to what what might be the most famous IAP event of all...

The Mystery Hunt.

On the surface, it's a seemingly simple proposition: solve a series of puzzles and riddles to find a "coin" hidden somewhere on campus. Yet the Mystery Hunt itself is actually anything but simple. There's well over 40 or 50 puzzles to solve, some of which require some truly arcane knowledge and/or some really inventive guesswork. Many of the puzzles are somehow related to MIT's campus or culture, and there's almost always a puzzle or two that involves running around various buildings searching for the next clue. One popular type of riddle, called the Duck Konundrum, involves using a "live duck" to help you follow a ridiculously detailed set of instructions to produce the correct answer. (The quote at the top of the entry was from the 2000 version of the Duck Konundrum.)

One of the most interesting things about the Mystery Hunt is the prize - which is nothing more nor less than the honor of writing the next Mystery Hunt. It's totally intangible and, from a pragmatic standpoint, utterly worthless - yet for anyone deeply devoted to the Hunt, it's the greatest prize possible.

But I think the real reward of the Hunt goes even deeper than that. The Mystery Hunt is as much fun to play as it is to win. The ridiculously mind-boggling nature of the puzzles, the sense of competition with the other teams, the inside jokes your team inevitably will create, the buzz of stretching your sleep-deprived body and mind as far as they can go without breaking, the thrill of testing your wits and your knowledge against a nearly insurmountable challenge. That's the reward.

I know it sounds crazy.

I love it anyway.


Blogger's note: For more information on the Mystery Hunt, the interested reader may enjoy perusing the official Hunt site, the MIT blogs, and this excellent article in Discover Magazine.

Beautiful day

What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now, don't need it now

Today truly was a beautiful day. I got some overdue work out of the way, I read practically everything there is to know about the next WoW expansion, I saw one of my all-time favorite teachers get married, I had the most fun I have ever had in a swimming pool, and I finally learned how to play mahjong.

Those things would be enough to make a great day. But in addition to all that, Ben just proved once again that he is a complete badass. He's the kind of person who can utterly shut someone down and smile at them at the same time, and for some reason that makes me ridiculously happy.

This entry probably doesn't make sense to most of you. Sorry for that, but I think there are some experiences which are so perfect in and of themselves, that trying to explain them actually robs them of their perfection. And so I'm just going to let this entry be.

Let me just say that I'm going to bed with a huge smile on my face.

Facebook is the new crack

Due to a combination of factors, which can basically be summarized as actually having a life outside of the Internet, I haven't been on Facebook for over 48 hours.

I must correct this fault immediately.

Even if it is one o'clock in the morning. It'll be good practice for next year.

In other news, Pandora just served up a really good song by a band called Anberlin, which I had never heard of before...as happens with most bands I find through Pandora. The song's called "A Day Late" and is rather quite good...the only tiny, tiny problem is that I thought the lead singer was a girl at first. Am I dumb, or is this an understandable mistake? Frankly I think the lyrics make more sense from a girl's point-of-view anyway, since in my experience guys tend to be more likely to want to resurrect an old relationship than girls. Meh.

If you're intrigued, you can watch the music video on YouTube. The video itself is really nothing special, except that I absolutely love the idea of a room covered in Post-it notes. The possibilities for next year are endless...except that it'd probably be pretty hard to do in a curved room. And my roommate may not like it either. :D

Nightwork

As inspired by this post.

When I got to MIT for CPW, one of the first things my dad and I did was visit the Coop - MIT's official apparel store and bookstore, basically. For the record, Coop is pronounced just like the bird's nest - one syllable, not two. Anyway, the Coop is an amazing store - almost as good as Notre Dame's Bookstore, which is saying something in my book. :) As I recall, there's two locations on campus - one in the Student Center and one near Kendall Square.

But I'm dumping too much information on you. Point is, my Dad and I bought quite a few shirts and other souvenirs for myself and my family. However, what I really wanted was either one of two books on the MIT Blackjack Team - unfortunately, I found neither. I did, however, see Nightwork.

Stupidly, I didn't decide I wanted it until a few days later - after the Tangerine Tour, I believe. And, naturally, fate being what it is, when I got to the Student Center again, the Coop was closed.

Ergo, no Nightwork for me. At least not for three more weeks, when I'm finally at MIT again building a robot! (It's a good thing I'm so excited, because otherwise I'd be scared out of my mind. Multi-variable calculus is going to own me.)

Anyway, getting to the point of the article - Nightwork is supposedly written by Institute Historian T. F. Peterson. Institute has the finest professors, after all.

There's only one problem.

There is no Institute Historian at MIT.

Or is there? This is something I kind of picked up from the Jacks at CPW, but I think part of the message of Nightwork - of the entire hacking tradition, really - is that all students are Institute Historians, in a way. Part of the thrill of going to MIT is the stories you make doing it. I've already heard some crazy, wonderful stories - and I'm looking forward to creating a few of my own.

...And with that said, I have to get back to work. Fick's Second Law of Diffusion beckons.

Did someone call for Letterman?

Some point back in April, after all the college decisions had come in, my mom suggested that my twin sister and I should write a book on college applications. Although I'm pretty sure she was joking, for some reason the idea stuck with me. Hence, I am proud to present my very first post of utterly unsolicited college advice!

I truly believe that college admissions should be as uncomplicated, honest, and open as possible. That's why I tend to believe that most of the so-called "secrets" behind a good application are simply common sense. But I've also found that having a source of advice really can help you get a new perspective on things. So I'm hoping that my own experiences applying to college will enable you to do just that. But do keep in mind that you are not me, nor should you be! Always follow your own advice first and foremost - it'll work out better in the long run.

On a more personal note, throughout the admissions process last year, I was lucky enough to always have my own personal fountain of amazing advice and assistance: my mom. She's the one who proofread my essays, reminded me to meet my deadlines, boosted my spirits and my confidence when I felt overwhelmed. She knew my writing style, she knew my passions - she knew me, basically. I didn't always make it easy for her, but I'm so grateful she never gave up on me.

And with no further ado, here are Paul's Top Ten Common-Sense College Application Tips.

Use at your own risk. Your mileage may vary. Copyright protection pending.

1. Always be honest. This one's first for a reason. Simply put, be yourself...not who you think some admissions committee wants you to be. Admittedly, students at MIT share a lot of common traits - but if you're at all drawn to MIT, odds are you probably already have a bunch of them already. Write about the things in your life that are cool and unique. And remember, cloning is still only for sheep, not humans - don't be afraid to be different! All the cool kids are doing it. ;)
   
   
2. Show a little passion. I'm always hesitant about using the word passion, simply because it comes up so often when talking about college apps. These days, it seems like every potential applicant has some sort of "passion," which usually really means "hook." Just the same, having passion for something - excitement, fervor, a fire in the belly, whatever you want to call it - is still really important. Personally, I was fortunate enough to do two years of research in high school, and I loved it. I loved it so much that I wrote about it at length for every single college application I submitted. Yes, every single one. (I know I'm a nerd, okay? You don't have to rub it in.) The bottom line is, don't be afraid to reveal what truly gets you excited.
   
   
3. Keep it consistent. Think of your application as a fine meal, or a particularly sexy outfit. I know that's a strange comparison, but play along with me here. In a great meal, all the courses are different, but they still go with one another. The different dishes complement and reinforce one another to create a truly extravagant banquet. In the same way, each part of your application - essays, short answers, extracurriculars, grades, scores, recommendations, etc. - should work and flow together to create one coherent image of you. Consistency isn't so much repeating yourself as setting up tiny little "echoes" within your application. For example, your dedication to your schoolwork is revealed primarily through your grades, but it'll also be echoed by your teachers in the way they write their recommendations.
   
   
4. Embrace your mistakes. I can't be very specific about this, simply because every applicant is different, but the general message is this: you really don't have to be valedictorian, have a perfect GPA with all-honors courses, and have done a gazillion APs to get into MIT. Most people who apply to schools like MIT have taken very demanding classes, and it's okay to struggle. Sometimes, simply refusing to give up can mean an awful lot.
   
   
5. Be confident, not arrogant. A college application is an invitation for you to highlight your accomplishments without being haughty about them. Walking the line between self-confidence and arrogance is hard - the way I see it, you 're pretty much supposed to be bragging about yourself without it sounding too much like bragging. If you're truly worried that you come across as arrogant, just run your application by a parent or a guidance counselor and see what they think. One last note: no matter how good you feel about your high school career, don't rest on your laurels! Colleges are looking for students who are excited about the opportunities ahead of them.
   
   
6. Buy some white-out. Trust me, you will make mistakes. Thanks to computers, it's not so hard to correct things these days - but don't be afraid to scrap a draft (or even a complete essay!) and start over if it's just not working for you. Although I'd recommend saving the original draft just in case. :) Also, as my Calc teacher last year told me, the first application you write will probably be your worst - so filling out a state school's application early on can be good practice.
   
   
7. Leave it short and sweet. Remember, no matter how awesome you are, you're just one application among many. Short answers are meant to be short, and there's a good reason MIT's application only has space for five extra-curriculars. Strong language is key here - powerful verbs, that perfect adjective, maybe a profound metaphor. You want to give someone who reads your application a good, solid impression of the real you without any extraneous material. If you're bad at knowing when to stop talking, like I am, your parents or teachers can probably help you figure out what's truly important and what's just verbal baggage. However, don't get me wrong - you should by all means fill out every question you feel like, including the optional ones if you can give a strong response to them.
   
   
8. Immerse yourself. Every school has its own culture - its own particular feel and outlook - and MIT is no different. Although you don't have to know the whole history of each school you apply to, I think it helps to at least know a little about the institutions you're applying to besides their name and reputation. Interestingly, as the world gets more digital, so does the process of immersion. MIT in particular has done a very good job of using the Web to introduce prospective students to its culture and mission - I'm thinking about the blogs here, naturally. However, I am still 100% in favor of the traditional information-session/campus-tour combination...especially because my own first visit to MIT was the final, crucial factor that caused me to fall shamelessly in love with the 'Tute. Take it from me: for any school, simply being on campus is a great way to figure out whether or not you might want to spend the next four years of your life there.
   
   
9. Double-check everything. There are plenty of horror stories about guidance departments/teachers/students accidentally messing up an application and not realizing it until it was too late. Don't let it happen to you! Although you don't have to everything by yourself, don't put all the burden on others - you have responsibilities as an applicant, as well. Chief among these is making sure that each little piece of your application gets to the right school, particularly your recommendations. Fortunately, this is much easier now that many schools offer online tracking of your application. And most admissions offices are really quite friendly if you call them about a missing piece of your application. (I had to call MIT about a late SAT score report that apparently got delayed by the College Board, and they were super-helpful and didn't make me feel like an idiot.)
   
   
10. Beat the deadlines. This is a toughie, and I know I wouldn't have wanted to hear it when I was applying - that's why I saved it for last. Fact is, most applications aren't due until December 31, and I know exactly how tempting it is to put things off...but look at this way: do you really want to still be working on applications after Christmas? Deadlines are especially important for your teacher and guidance counselor recommendations, since you basically have no control over when they'll be completed. I'd suggest talking to your teachers about recommendations as soon as you've finalized your list of schools - the earlier the better.

...In retrospect, ten pieces of advice may have been a little too ambitious. Now this post is so long that no one's even going to bother reading it all the way through.

Crap.