Its not all happy

It’s not all happy Ive realized that at this point Ive pretty much conveyed this type of image concerning my life at MIT: While true some of the time, Id say that just as much of my time is spent feeling like this: ^^This becomes more entertaining when you right-click it and select properties^^ I really want you guys to like MIT and appreciate all the things it can do for you. Hot dog contests, Toy Fair, snowball fights, the Ig Nobels, and all sorts of stuff happens, yes. These things are all awesome, but they dont happen every day and they dont happen all day. You know when they happen? Between PSETs. The part about me that I havent actually blogged about is the part where I will sit in a library for 8 hours trying to do a ONE PSET. I dont blog about how overbearing things can feel (a test and two PSETs due on Wednesday) or about how long days can be (9 AM to 10 PM on Thursdays). I dont blog about the specific grades I get or worrying about failing classes (did you have any idea that I spent most of last semester frantically trying to not fail physics? I had the third lowest grade in the easiest physics class offered). Getting sick, dragging myself to class at 9 AM every morning, struggling to stay awake during lecture after having only slept 3 hours, and still having to stay up until 3 AM to finish ANOTHER PSET. Its hard and its not always glamorous. Oftentimes you will see me and other MIT students in various states of disheveled, unshaven, dirty, wild-eyed stupor. Its just an accepted part of life here, that while many cool things happen, many uncool things also happen. Which brings me to MITs other other motto: Work Hard Play Hard. Ive been focusing on the play, but the work is certainly there. For those of you who are convinced that I lead the perfect life, am related to Chuck Norris, or am some sort of walking good-luck charm, believe me when I say that its all balanced by a fair amount of mental strangulation and rigorous attempts at not getting buried under mountains of work. Sometimes I fail, but you just have to keep going and try to make up for it by working harder. Sounds simple on paper but in real life it is enough to actually make you want to cry (literally, people here cry). Ill still probably focus on blogging the fun elements of MIT, but know that while Im not blogging or having fun Im working my butt off and am probably in various states of misery. That being said, hopefully you arent signing up for MIT because you expect to have a blast the entire time. You will have fun, but only after you earn it. Work hard play hard.