Bundle Up!
Winter survival guide from a tropical islander
I grew up in Puerto Rico (PR), where the average temperature is about 85 degrees Fahrenheit in “winter” time. Despite not knowing what winter meant in New England, I decided to come to MIT for graduate school. I knew that it would be an adjustment, and a few things caught me by surprise, but if […]
Eat Your Vegetables
CSA: a way to support local agriculture and eat healthy
I’ve made a HUGE mistake… It’s Wednesday afternoon, and I’m standing in my kitchen staring at a pile of vegetables meant to feed a family of 5. One problem: I’m a family of one. How will I eat all of this spinach? Is it even healthy to eat this many beets? This one looks like […]
Community Health
Community as an essential component of mental health support
This past October my wife lost a family member—someone who was very close to both of us. We quickly jumped on the first plane to California. I hastily composed an email to my advisor, letting him know that I would have to leave town for a few weeks. His message back was succinct—short enough to […]
Why Choose MIT?
The reasons I came to MIT, and the reasons I'm glad I stayed
When asked the entitled question (“Why Choose MIT?”), especially by prospective students whom I haven’t gotten to know well personally, I’m often at loss as to how to respond. The follow-up question that I’ve always secretly wanted to ask back is this: When your initial reasons for going to MIT are no longer true, can […]
Plan to Feel Unprepared
You’re probably never quite going to feel ready for MIT, and that’s ok
There are few things more intimidating than standing in front of an MIT classroom after your very first semester, preparing to lecture on topics you just finished learning about. I was in this situation during my first IAP (Independent Activities Period). I had been dreading the thought of teaching this lecture on International Climate Policy […]
