To the Class of 2016

To the Class of 2016 After the chaos and confusion that was associated with MIT FPOPs (Freshman Preorientation Programs), orientation, and sorority recruitment, Im finally free to come back to the blogs (: Its not that I havent been thinking of them. In fact, I even wrote a little outline of this blog down on a napkin I just havent had a good chunk of time to sit down and actually type everything out. So here we go: Dear Class of 2016, Welcome to MIT! In the upcoming weeks, youll soon find yourself in the true swing of things at MIT. Classes. Psets. Exams. Eventually, youll learn the true meaning of IHTFP. MIT can be a wonderful or awful place depending on how you decide itll be. Heres just some things to keep in mind as you brave through your first semester here: Keep an open mind. There are some things that you hear before you come to MIT, and even while youre here, that might influence how you perceive things at the Tute. I remember as a freshmen hearing the stereotypes about dorms and greek life, and letting them initially prevent me from making my own decisions about different things on campus. But having been here for a year, you realize that theres always exceptions to the stereotype, and that things you never thought youd like are actually quite likeable. For that reason, keep an open mind. Youll never know what new opportunities might come out of the new things you try and the people you meet. Take care of yourself Sleep. Eat. Exercise. Its easy to let your health slip, especially when its snowing outside and youre stressed about all the work you have due the next week. Dont fall into the pithole though! Your health should be your first priority. If youre not feeling well, youre probably not going to be able to work your best anyways. So if youre tired, dont be afraid to take a nap (theyll become your new favorite pastime). If youre sick, dont be afraid to head over to MIT Medical or your floors MedLink. If youre feeling stressed, take a walk along the Charles or run at the Z center. Youll find youll be much happier if you take care of yourself during your time here.Dont forget to mentally take care of yourself either! By this I mean, make time for yourself. Whether its an hour bridge loop run, painting a picture, or playing your favorite instrument, make sure you have time to decompress. You time is never a waste of time. Youre not alone! During the thick of things, its easy to fall behind. But the important thing to remember is dont be afraid to ask for help. Often times, youll find that youre not the only one confused about specific topics.I remember my Spring semester, I struggled quite a bit. I took on a little too much, and because of all my commitments, I actually failed my first 5.111 test. But after I made it past all my emotions, I realized I needed to actually take action to fix my fifth week flag. I ended up scheduling an appointment with my TA to go over my test, and I found it was pretty helpful. I realized I didnt have a solid understanding on certain topics, which combined with some silly mistakes, resulted in a poor test grade. It happens. As the semester went on, I participated more in recitation and made sure to ask questions, and at the end of the semester, I actually ended up acing the class. Just goes to show you that you can  finish strong even if you struggle at first. Moral of the story is that MITs a challenging place, but youre never alone if you need help. All you need to do is ask.  Dont be afraid to seek help from your TA, your GRT, or your roommate. Dont forget that office hours and S^3 are a good resource. Most importantly though, dont be afraid to admit that you need help. Its something that a many people here, myself included, struggle with sometimes. But often times, youll save yourself a lot of stress and time if you just talk to someone! Do what you love. I cant stress how important this is. MIT has many activities that you can get yourself involved in. Youll find that here, time will become your most precious commodity. For that reason, find what you really love to do and commit the free time you do have to it. If you really love the activity, youll get a lot more out of it and find an awesome community. On the other hand, if you dont really enjoy it, try something else! Theres lots of choices here, so dont settle for second best. Its all about finding what you like. Plus  with PASS/NR you have no reason to not explore MIT :) Best of luck your first semester! Kirsten