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 […]
Reaching the Summit
Learning to appreciate grad school as an out-of-control ride
I saw the police car just a little too late. I looked at the speedometer, and unlike the rest of the morning when I’d been sticking to the speed limit, I’d somehow drifted up to over 80 mph. Sally, my friend and hiking buddy, murmurs, “Oh no,” as she sees the red and blue lights […]
How Can I Keep from Singing?
Discovering my key to happiness
For me there is nothing more sublime than sharing one’s voice with fellow singers and creating beautiful chords and melodies. Singing has been among my favorite activities to take my mind off engineering and sequential thinking, and to explore my emotional and creative sides. I have been singing since early high school, but when I […]
New Year’s (Un)Resolutions
Prioritizing self-care as a grad student
In 2016, I made 18 New Year’s resolutions (all of which I considered to be achievable. No comment here on how well I did with that particular challenge). For 2017, I’m sticking with five. Perhaps, though, they are better represented as (un)resolutions, as my core principle for this year is doing less and focusing more. My […]
Not Just a Grad Student
Overcoming impostor syndrome at MIT
From the day I moved to MIT, I worried about whether I belonged here. Was I smart enough? Would I be able to handle the intense, rigorous workload? Would I be able to balance my work with my life, and take care of my physical, mental, and emotional health? Why did my department’s admissions committee […]
