24 things you could do this IAP
Too bad it’s not 2024 things.
It’s the beginning of 2024, which could very much mean a new, exciting chapter for each of you! Here are some suggestions that are worth checking out during this IAP. Whether you’re participating in a UROP or MISTI, there’s plenty of room for everyone.
The MIT Museum is a great opportunity for those inquisitive enough! It’s free for MIT community members and has a ton of galleries and exhibits one can explore. If that’s not to your liking, other museums like the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts are also available!
Reading books is a surefire way of unwinding. Boston’s Central Library in Copley Square has a cozy atmosphere that will help you get lost in your book for hours!
Want to take a nature retreat but don’t really want to leave the urban landscape? Try out Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum — a veritable forest in the middle of a city! And when it snows, that’ll be a good time to make a snowman.
Watch a play at the Emerson Colonial Theatre! You don’t need to be a haute couture enthusiast to enjoy any of their events.
De-stressing before the Spring term is crucial for one’s well being. What better way to do that than with some meditation? MIT is offering Buddhist meditation sessions in late January so you can achieve a calm mind.
Boston can be argued to be the most historical city in the United States, so why not explore that history? Walk the Freedom Trail to learn more.
Want your sweet tooth appeased? Then take the Taza Chocolate Tour to sample their sweets. It’s not Willy Wonka, but, hey — chocolate is chocolate, and this chocolate has a Mexican taste to it.
Crazy how the snow came by so unexpectedly and left in the same way. Going to the ice rink in the Johnson Athletic Center will surely help you get that winter magic going again!
MIT.nano is offering the MIT community a way to fabricate their very own nanoscale chip! It can be any image you want.
Retail therapy is always helpful in getting you almost everything you need. Go to Arsenal Yards in Watertown and see what kind of therapy you would need — don’t overdo it though, or else your wallet may start needing its own therapy.
Always wanted to do 3D modeling but couldn’t figure out how to begin? Try out a CAD tutorial to model whatever you set your mind to, from the mugs on your desks to rocketships.
Mount Wachusett would be a great opportunity for anyone to learn how to ski! Be sure to do it before the winter ends.
Music is food for the soul, and it’s no different even when you’re a gamer. Do you want to understand the psychology behind intense boss fight music? Then understanding music in video games might prove helpful.
What’s that sound? You don’t really want to understand music, but just play your own tunes? Well, take up a Jazz Improv workshop to create some spicy tunes.
Still don’t like that? You’re very picky. But, hey, the Institooters are teaching anyone how to play the flute, so that’s worth listening to.
It’s crazy how everything in a restaurant or the meal plan is so expensive now. Take this IAP as the month to learn a recipe or two to save yourself money down the line.
IAP can be a great way to escape some responsibilities. But why not escape in a literal sense? Go attempt an escape room and see how that goes! Red Fox Escapes is near MIT and considered to be one of the best in Boston.
Got an entire wardrobe of clothes you don’t know what to do with? Try recycling them in a fun way! Weave your old clothes into a brand new form and give life to new fabric!
This break is a great time to explore your options when considering the various cutting-edge labs at MIT. Take this time to start the UROP search process!
Ever wanted to make a petri dish? Well, now’s your chance to make one in a BioMaker space IAP course.
Shakespeare composed sonnets that are still talked about today. But what about other poets? Come to LIT@MIT’s Pleasures of Poetry events to explore other poems, ranging from antiquity to modernity.
Artistic expression is a great way of showing your true colors. Go to a coloring art event to unlock a spectrum of possibilities!
Want to learn more about the environment? Then you should attend the MIT debriefing of the COP28 to understand how countries around the world are addressing climate change.
Disagree with anything on this list? Feel like we missed something? Tell us all about it in person and come write for The Tech this IAP.
Regardless of what you do during IAP, we at The Tech sincerely hope you have fun and at least try at least two things from this list! We know we will.