Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- Engineering. Even my mascot, the beaver, is nature's engineer. It's STEM, STEM, STEM all the way here.
- Multi-story roller coasters. Each year, students get to build 'em during the Bad Ideas Festival. Yep, you read that right—we have an actual festival centered on bad ideas.
- Marching band, which is completely student-run and always performing, even during the holidays. It's a community event. If you see some students in capes, make sure to follow them.
- Numbers. In fact, each of my buildings is designed like a number. Yep, I just blew your minds.
- Research. MIT offers unique undergraduate research opportunities, complete with guidance from world-class professors.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- A brass rat, a.k.a. the class ring, complete with a beaver and MIT seal.
- A sense of humor. In case you haven't realized this yet, my students are notorious for their pranks. Whether it's dropping a bar of sodium into the Charles River or dropping a piano from Baker House on Drop weekend, there are always some crazy stunts going on.
- A voice, or at least an appreciation for music. Our a cappella groups, the Logarhythms, the Toons, Resonance, and the Chorallaries can tantalize your ears any day of the week.
- Charm school. (Sorry, Potter fans—Flitwick doesn't teach this one.) Each January, I offer classes in courting so my nerds can learn a cool pick-up line or two.
- Dancing shoes. I have some fantastic ballroom and contemporary dance troupes where students can display their skills. That doesn't mean the everyday, untrained dancer can't show off their moves as well, though.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- A smoot. It all started when one of my frat bros, Oliver R. Smoot, measured the Harvard Bridge by lying down on it again and again. It was a prank, but it's a real measurement now. Bam.
- I inspire students to THINK, with my Technology for Humanity guided by Innovation, Networking, and Knowledge scholars program. High schoolers are invited to participate in a competition, which ends with them coming to the MIT campus and presenting their amazing innovations to my students.
- Water War. Each year, the East and the West sides of campus drench each other silly with a water-spraying machine of their design.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
I've got a heavy work schedule and an active social life. I might be out at a rockin' dorm or frat party, over in Boston checking out the latest food and music, or just hanging around campus, studying and crafting the next mind-blowing prank.
Favorite Hangouts:
- The Plough and Stars. Music and pub food. Need we say more?
- Miracle of Science. Best burgers in town, baby.
- Sticky Sticky Buns at Flour Bakery. Tip: Bring on the napkins.
- Punjabi Dhaba for big portions on a college budget.
Quirks:
- You might have heard my student's mantra, IHTFP. Technically, it stands for "I have truly found paradise," but during finals week, most people say, "I hate this freakin' place."
- Students just can't get enough of me. During January, they hang out on campus for IAP, or Independent Activities Period, to listen to lectures between terms.
- I let students choose their own pad. Housing isn't assigned like at other schools. Students can crash where they like.
Famous Alumni:
- James Woods, English literary critic extraordinaire
- Buzz Aldrin, the other astronaut named Buzz
- Marcy Kaptur, a House Representative for Ohio
- Howard Wolowitz, the biggest TV nerd of them all
- Christopher Weaver, founder of Bethesda Softworks and co-founder of Zenimax Media, Inc.
- Noam Chomsky, father of linguistics