Summer from the Sloan Building
A few of my personal time-efficient outings that helped me enjoy my summer (without losing my mind) during my summer course at MIT Sloan
As you walk from Boston to the MIT Dome, you will encounter the famous bridge measured in smoots. At 182.2 smoots ± 1 ear, you will see “HALFWAY TO HELL” written on the concrete. As I read this phrase, I thought to myself that it must be vandalism. Only after the summer term did it occur to me that, perhaps, the students of MIT wrote it intentionally.
I don’t want to make summer classes sound like a nightmare, but on days when I wanted nothing more than to enjoy the summer, I was stuck in the AC-blasting lecture hall staring out the window, daydreaming about reading a book at the beach. In addition to being in one of the few Master of Finance programs to start in the summer, summer classes are taught at an accelerated pace. This means daily assignments, lectures, and frequent final exams, which take time away from enjoying the warm weather.
Over the summer I recognized that I needed to step out of the Sloan building and get some fresh air, or sunlight, at least once a day. For me, sunlight provided more energy (or a will to continue) than another cup of coffee. Fitting a weekend activity alongside class workload proved to be challenging. After a few outings with my peers, we realized the hard way that going out came at a price. Here is the truth: a sacrifice must be made. Whether it be sleep, calls with family/friends, or homework time, sometimes something must be given up.
In hopes to save you time, here are the best things I did with my friends to stay mentally sane.
The discovery of convenient outdoor activities
After my first final exam, my friends and I stepped outside to get warm in the sun. I ended up laying face-up on the concrete beside the sidewalk.
This was the start of my pursuit of outdoor activities. We decided to visit various parks around Boston (including Harvard Yard, Boston Common, and the Arnold Arboretum) for a walk and/or to have picnic dates.
I found that the Harvard Yard is perfect if you are looking for a mix of activities. The area has multiple stores, restaurants, museums, and bookstores around the park. Plus, there is the bonus of easily visiting Harvard campus locations.
Visiting parks helped us get out of MIT’s campus without any major planning, but still allowed us to fully enjoy the weather. Although we signed up for sailing classes (highly recommended to do so as soon as you have your MIT ID), we were unable to make it past the waitlist. To make the best of our time, many of us went kayaking on Charles River more than once. The location is convenient if you are a Sloan student since the kayaking rental is located 3 minutes walk away from the Sloan building. You can pick the length of your kayaking trip and head back to your studies afterwards.
Fun during mealtimes
One evening I was invited to a dinner gathering. The idea was to get together for dinner, cook together at a friend’s house and continue with our evening. This was the birth of having lunch and/or dinner together at least once a week. Since, as humans, we must eat, and the only time we stepped away from the study rooms was for food, this was perfect. We could take guilt-free breaks from studying/applications/assignments and share laughter-filled stories. To make this more fun I would suggest coming up with weekly themes or menu items to cook together, almost creating a full-course meal.
Late night activities
What is a summer without a few late nights at a bar or a club? These are perfect to initially meet people in your program and perhaps, find your crowd to have dinner or lunch parties. Due to the demanding schedule for completing assignments, my classmates and I would go out on random days. Once everyone had an idea of their schedule we found that on Thursday and Fridays (starting around 10:00 pm) we would catch the best crowd. This was the hour with enough people to give the needed vibrant ambiance without being overly packed. Our top picks were Scorpion near Seaport, Felipe’s in Cambridge, and Muddy Charles (as a pre-game location). As the season changed, our choices of outing also shifted. Scorpion was a weekly event during the summers, while Felipe’s became a Thursday evening ritual in the fall. Bar and club outings are perfect to get to know more people, as they were open to everyone who got the word.
Many of these activities are less time-consuming than the usual, ideal, road-trips or full-day plans that can be made during IAP, Spring and Fall break etc. The goal is to find little pockets of fun during your summer at MIT.
Moving to a new place always requires adjusting and finding your special spots. If your schedule’s jam-packed with the hectic schedule of summer classes, I know first hand how hard it is to fit in a little personal time. I hope that you, too, can enjoy the hidden gems of Boston and find your own friend group to help you maximize the summer season.
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