
A nanotechnologist and a social scientist walk into MIT MechE….
Finding my place in the MechE department without a technical background
“What’s your name?” “Where are you from?” “What’s your research area?” These are, without fail, the first three questions exchanged between MIT Mechanical Engineering grad students who are meeting for the first time. I quickly learned this convention after spending just a few minutes at department orientation events when I first got to campus in […]

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Iftar and Dates
Finding my community on campus through spiritual practice and vibrant tradition
My stomach grumbled loudly. I had 1 hour and 33 minutes left until I could eat, and yes I was counting down the seconds. Though this was day 5 out of 30, I hadn’t adjusted yet to my new eating schedule, so getting through classes without breakfast or lunch was mildly difficult. The afternoon had […]

Hungry for knowledge (and bananas)
Discovering what makes MIT so unique
I have officially been a student at MIT for a month, and in that time, I have juggled the role of an environmental researcher, new Boston tourist, and campus explorer, all while adjusting to the life of a first-year graduate student. Journey with me as I discover the hidden “quirks” of MIT that help foster […]

The architecture of serendipity
Learning to drink from the MIT firehose
I have been in the Netherlands for the last 8 years. Starting at MIT did not require me to move immediately since all of my classes are still online. However, even without making the move to Boston, I did experience the cultural shock of MIT. MIT has a special quality and that special something finds […]

My adventures with MIT Sailing!
From channeling my inner Moana to almost drowning in the Charles
I was always drawn to bodies of water like rivers and seas. I had visions of sailing on boats and riding on ferries, but I never imagined that I would learn how to sail myself! When I first arrived at MIT, I heard about the MIT Sailing program, but an obstacle stood in my way: […]