What is culture (at MIT)?
Each dorm is fiercely proud of its culture, down to each individual hall, wing, floor, or house.
Graduation is not the end
Yes, this is a love letter to The Tech and every staff member on it, because what else would it be?
A laundry list of decision-making advice
I was left choosing between an adventure of a lifetime or a guaranteed good time with my friends in a city I know and love.
The balance between optimism and realism
If I’ve learned anything from my classes at MIT, it’s that nothing is objective.
AJR’s ‘OK Orchestra’ is more than just okay
When AJR put out this album, they remarked that while it might not explicitly talk about the COVID-19 pandemic, the songs on it are certainly a product of its time.
The significance of a year
Scientifically speaking, in some sense, it’s a reminder that even though we’ve traveled one circumference around the sun, we’re back in the same place.
Is anything truly irreversible?
In chemistry, we learn that every reaction is reversible, as long as enough energy is supplied to push the reaction towards favorability.
Whistleblowing and accountability
What if this was a social experiment from the Media Lab? What if Harvard was pranking us?
Trying to untangle my identities, but it’s impossible
“Your personal statement was very interesting and enjoyable to read, but it doesn’t present a clear argument why Joanna Lin would make a good doctor."
Frustration and empathy are conflicting
Extending empathy to those who are struggling used to be something I defaulted to and something I championed to others.
When formality goes out the door
I felt like I had just committed one of the worst faux pas in my life — and it was recorded to be stored on Panopto video forever.
A ramble I am not quite qualified to ramble about
Even Among Us, a game with absolutely no consequences, uses the popular vote.
On floating and drowning ducks
After all, suffering creates bonds; just ask anyone who’s psetted in Stud 5 until daybreak.
Disney cannot decide on what it wants ‘Mulan’ to be
Perhaps the worst tragedy in ‘Mulan’ is replacing the message of hard work with the importance of being born special.
Reflecting on my anti-Asian bias
Maybe we were brainwashed by all those European and American history classes.
Can professional development align with social justice?
This feels like guilt. Heavy, smothering guilt that I am not doing enough today, and when I finally find the time tomorrow, it will be too late.
‘folklore’: a melodic anthology of quarantine musings
‘folklore’ is the third in a string of albums of drastically different aesthetics, following revenge-fueled ‘Reputation’ and bubblegum-pop ‘Lover.’
‘These Two Windows’ successfully lights a match in the rain
Overall the album is very cohesive, with each song having Benjamin’s trademark minimalist vocals and extremely well-written lyrics.
Life is not a binary string of successes and failures
The me who hopes I become a success story versus the me who wonders when I’ll quit.
A deep dive into the motivation behind the things I do
The me who just wants to be happy-go-lucky versus the me who needs to second-guess every decision I make.
But of course I’m not one of you
The me who wants you to know that I was born and raised in America versus the me who wishes you would accept me even if I wasn’t.
On handling emotions when the world is ending
The me who wants to fight for justice versus the me who can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Not being stressed stresses me out
The me who is not getting enough sleep versus the me who wants to get into medical school.
Competition, sanity, and self-worth
The me who wants to win versus the me who doesn’t want to be disappointed when I don’t.
Welcome to CPW, Class of 2023!
“I feel like something that makes MIT stand out is that it has a relaxed atmosphere. Other schools feel more strict about ‘this is a liberal arts college; this is the science; this is the engineering college.’ Everything is mixed together and there’s more flexibility to choose what you want to do. It also has that relaxed vibe where no one judges you!”