Massachusetts Institute of Technology Top Questions

Mainly, I would tell myself to relax. As a high school senior, I was so nervous that I wouldn't be able to make any friends, or that I wouldn't fit in, but I discovered that at college there are so many types of people that even if you don't exactly mesh with the people you meet first, doesn't mean that you won't find anyone that you do mesh with. One of the best pieces of advice that I would give my past self is to not to be afraid to get involved with clubs and activities. If you find something that you really want to do, then chances are doing it will not only help you to enjoy yourself and relax, but also will naturally lead to you meeting some really cool people.

I was homeschooled all throughout high school. When it came time to apply to colleges, the only thing I knew was that I wanted to go to school out of state. When I learned of my acceptance to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, I was ecstatic! My dad and I packed up the car and made a fourteen hour drive so I could visit MIT. I fell in love with the campus and the community and decided that I was going to attend school there. The summer of my senior year I had my first job. I saved money for books and food but I never took into account that I would be away from home for three months at a time, so once I had saved enough money I spent the rest. Now I realize that I should have saved more money for airfare so that I could visit home more often. I would tell myself to take into account that I'm not entirely independent, and that I still need the continuous support and occasional presence of my family.

Dear Me, I know you. You almost never fully trust anyone else, and are therefore rarely dissappointed when people let you down. Infact, the only person you ever put faith in is yourself. You've told yourself that it's just self preservation, and that building yourself up for others just so you can shatter and break every single time is impracticle. In college, you will find situations in which everything is all on you, and you will fail. Miserable, crushing failure. These will be the worst, since you are the last person you have fully trusted. Without a doubt, this will happen. So, you can't live your life not trusting yourself. Plain and simple. Similarly, you are not fully living you life if you never put faith in anyone else. You are cheating yourself of making connections that could prove to be the best relationship you've ever experienced.. So put faith in others. Get excited about people. Always tell others how much you value their friendship. Sometimes, these sentiments will not be returned, but that's what makes life so beautiful. It's a spectrum of both vibrant and dull. Enjoy every bit of it. Love, Me

It's 3 AM on my dormitory hall and hang-out time has just gotten more interesting. A few people are filing into the lounge, taking a break from work, but that's enough to veer conversation to new topics. A couple of minutes later, an email advertising birthday cake for a neighbor is sent out. In high school, the socializing that was thought of as "cool" and was possible in my limited free time had seemed contrived and tiresome. Living 24/7 in college is a whole other beast. Things are different when you are responsible for your time, when there are similar people all around. You need a balance: disciplined in order to get everything done, but flexible in order to not miss anything you'll regret. I wish that my high school self had anticipated more than just classes and professors; I would advise myself to think about time outside of classes, including the downtime I spend living amongst other students. That's the stuff that slips an excited student's mind. While college life is always a surprise, I would've wanted to be readier to deal with the surprises in time management thrown my way.

First off, practice piano more. You won't get as much time at MIT to practice, and the pianos in Next House are out of tune. Secondly, and more importantly, take more time to go out with friends and spend time with them. You'll find new friends, obviously, but do not forget the ones you already have. Knowledge and accomplishments will fade eventually, but your friends are a true asset. Thirdly, go look up which astronaut was buried at West Point and add a little bit more on constellations and asterisms to the competition binder for Astro. Fourthly, and sadly, start your breakaway earlier. She just needs time, so give her the summer instead of drawing things out. Fifthly, be nicer to your parents. They really will miss you, even if their way of showing it will be to call at some rather unfortunate times. Sixthly, if that's even a word, watch Ghost in the Shell now so that you don't waste time on it during semester. Eighthly, just relax. College is great, once you get used to it, and everything works out. The people, the money, the studies - you'll love it. See you later.

Dear Sheila the High Schooler, You've worked hard to suceed in high school and got accepted into MIT early action. Congrats! But as you go through college, time management is so important and is every new MIT's student's number one problem. Realize that there is more to life than just academics. I regret that I did not do more during my first semester because I was so focused on my classes, but please don't neglect your social life so much. You need to balance out between studying/working and having fun/relaxing. I could have obtained a research position with a professor researching environmental economics, joined few more interesting clubs, or gone to few more parties with more new friends. Also, please learn to cook few more new dishes as we all have to cook and feed ourselves here! (but don't worry, we have fully equipped and spacious kitchen). Mark my words, you will become a successful young lady who will eventually achieve her full potential at MIT and beyond. Love, Sheila as MIT freshman PS. Keep your eye on that boy! ;)

simple I would listen to my heart and do what i want to do with my life. Not what my parents and family wanted me to do.

Try to explore all the possible career opportunities that interest you and take advantage of the alumni network by talking to as many alumni as possible. They are very helpful in terms of giving advice, pointing you to other helpful people, and finding a job or internship. Also, know that college is as competitive as you make it, and although your GPA does count for jobs and internships, no one cares about which class you take. So, if there is an easier version of a subject, it's usually best to take the easier version instead of struggling through the infamously hard class. Lastly, view it as a learning process in which you will make mistakes. Learn from those mistakes and ask how you can improve, whether this is through social interaction or time management. Learn by watching others who are skilled at social interaction. Work expands to fill your available time.

Work harder.

I would have advised my high school self to explore a wider variety of subjects before entering college. I changed my major during my first semester of college from biology to electrical engineering and computer science because I attended a free, extracurricular lecture about solar electric vehicles on a whim. That got me interested in EECS; then taking the first EECS class got me hooked. Now, I only wish I had realized my true passion earlier and programmed more in high school, which would have given me an edge once I entered college. However, regardless of having previous experience, I know I love the subject. This leads me to my second piece of advice to myself: don't be afraid to make big changes in your life. I was definitely apprehensive about leaving behind biology, a subject I was familiar with, to basically start in a new subject from scratch; and the first EECS class I took was definitely rough; but I'm on my feet now and so thankful I made the plunge. In the future, I may work in bioeletrical engineering, which would combine both my interests. Paths in life sometimes split, and sometimes converge.