Letters to a young engineer
My journey from school to industry, and back again
Well, you finally made it. A well-paying job at a world-renowned company, a 9-5 (ish) lifestyle, actually having weekends — weekends! — to spend on life rather than homework, all conveniently located in one of the best cities on Earth. It’s what your parents always hoped for you, what your professors always promised was just […]
Ode to Cambridgeport
Why Cambridgeport is the best neighborhood in the Greater Boston Area
I have lived in Cambridgeport for only a short two years, but as my time here draws to a close, it only feels right to eulogize this wonderful neighborhood. For those who have not yet had the pleasure of visiting, Cambridgeport is MIT’s pentagonal neighbor to the Northwest. Cambridgeport is bounded by the Charles River […]
Survive? No, let’s thrive
How I found balance at MIT
“You’re going to MIT? Pfft, have fun getting a social life – nobody has one there.” “I’ve heard that people only eat, sleep and work at MIT. Sometimes they have to choose two out of the three…” “Good luck surviving; you’re going to need it!” These were some of the responses I got when I […]
How I passed my 1st-year classes
...by skipping them (please don’t tell anyone)
That’s right, I confess: I am a serial class skipper. It all started in high school, when I discovered it was possible to learn a lot more about a subject if I studied the material during class instead of paying attention to the teacher. Of course, I couldn’t physically skip classes back then without getting […]
Doing a PhD is a solo trip
It’s time to buckle up and take off
As the plane bound for Switzerland took off towards my first solo trip, the feelings of fear in that 3rd-year PhD student gave way to excitement as I realized: I am alone! What was so different about it this time? I had already been living alone and regularly traveling to visit family for nearly a […]