The Masochist's Institute of Technologyanecdotes of an ambitious MIT student

The past week has been hectic as ever. In addition to finishing my move-in process (I finally have a raised bed!), helping out with some REX (Residence Exploration) events, representing MIT Asian Dance Team at the Activities Midway, going through sorority recruitment, attending a few Rush events, and finishing a last-minute batch of data for my job at Harvard Business School, I’ve barely gotten any time to rest!

What my room looked like before I tidied it up…

Thankfully, I did manage to take some time out of my busy schedule yesterday to play some Mafia and Apples to Apples. Seeing all of our old White Rabbit Lounge bunch together again made me rather nostalgic for last year, when we could just sit in the elevator lounge doing nothing at all – a time when p-sets were more a social function and grades didn’t matter that much; a time when we were still learning everyone’s quirks and personalities; a time when secrets were shared and friendships forged. There will never be anything quite like fall of freshman year, and I look back on it with extreme fondness every single time.

Alas, I am a sophomore now, and I suppose I should really be sitting tight and prepping for my upcoming semester. It’s hard to imagine that tomorrow is actually registration day! Here is my proposed schedule:

As you may see, I definitely have a conflict with my Japanese I class (21F.501). I have decided that I will be taking it during IAP instead of the fall, in order to make sure my schedule works. I also plan to add a 6-unit seminar (15.821) which counts towards the Marketing concentration in my Management major. It only lasts for half of the semester, so it shouldn’t be too bad!

In other news, I’m starting on Regina Leeds’s One Year to an Organized Work Life program:

This super handy-dandy book basically leads you through a 52-week program to improve your work life. Even though I’m not actually a working girl (yet!), I find that the tips and activities presented are applicable to student life as well, especially at a university level. Since I’m starting in September, though, I’m shifting the entire program nine months, so that I start out on the first “lesson” – January 1st. This, combined with my list of resolutions for the new semester, should help me work better overall. I will make progressive posts each week detailing my progress =)

Coming up soon on a blog near you:

• Sorority recruitment – how it works, and how MIT sororities defy the stereotypes
• First-hand look at some of my sophomore classes (complete with photos!)
• Backdated post about my fabulous 19th birthday! (see above comment!)
• Equally backdated post about the Britney Spears concert I attended!
• Ranting and raving about East Asian dramas – I’ve slipped back into a phase..