My friend sent around a survey about our sophomore engineering core class at MIT, Unified (only AeroAstro majors take it). I know I don't post about school often (at all), but I thought this might be useful to some people so I decided to post it here. I'll link to the blog post my friend does with multiple opinions when it goes up. Sorry for the text-heavy post!!
Fave Unified Memory:
Despite all the bitching and moaning leading up to it, HANDS DOWN the flight competition. It was actually really fun seeing everyone flying their stuff, and wearing flight suits, and making jokes with people. Plus, we were practically done by that point so so much pressure was off of me. I could just kick back and watch those things fly (or not...lol).
Hardest Thing About Unified:
Not to be a poser, but pretty much everything. The build-up, I guess. There's just never a break - you're always working on something or studying for a test, it never lets up...for an entire year. It wears you down, bro! That and early-morning classes, but I got used to that real fast. It became like a weird, hard version of high school, seeing those same kids everyday. Even the jocks who I didn't talk to. Cause let's be real...high school has cliques, and Unified had cliques.
Advice for Youngins (16s, Appliers, Anyone Interested in AeroAstro!):
How would you describe Unified?
Like a crazy version of high school on all sorts of methamphetamines. You got Professor Lagace yelling at you, deadlines all over the place, insane Thermo/Fluids lectures...but it's at the same time everyday, with those same kids (of which some of them you can call your friends, hopefully!! ^^). It's early morning gossip seshes, late night runs to Verdes, lab meetings with pounding music. You learn the cliques of the class, talk about who's hottest with the 10 other girls in it, and blush when you go to office hours cause these professors are the smartest people you've been in the same room with. It's intense and crazy, and then all of a sudden you're done and you miss it.
How did you like it in general?
It's awesome, it's a trip. Everyone in MIT should do it. It made me love my major so much. I grew to love even the gnarliest, scariest professor I ever had like a teddy bear. Would I do it again? Maybe not the same classes, but the same set-up, definitely. (Cause let's get real, Fluids is so effing hard! haha)
Anything else you'd think might be entertaining or useful to mention to others who haven't gone through it?
16 Ring Comm?? Maybe don't make your ring delivery Thursday night...cause Friday mornings are a little harrowing for Unified kids.
Also, make an email list, sit next to cute Jewish boys who will play Sudoku with you in class, try not to get concussed, and DON'T be late on Wednesdays!
How did your expectations of the class compare to reality?
My expectations were basically of a hell-on-earth that I'd barely survive, coming out burned and scarred (thanks, you darn Mech E's...).
In reality, it's totally not that bad! It's hard and you may cry, but it really kind of lifted my self-esteem in the end. Like, you know a really hard workout that you power through and finish? It was like that. I might've be beat up and sweaty when I finished, but I got the best runner's high. It's such a unique experience, I loved it. Remember: don't be afraid!! (And be consistent (; )
Fave Unified Memory:
Despite all the bitching and moaning leading up to it, HANDS DOWN the flight competition. It was actually really fun seeing everyone flying their stuff, and wearing flight suits, and making jokes with people. Plus, we were practically done by that point so so much pressure was off of me. I could just kick back and watch those things fly (or not...lol).
Hardest Thing About Unified:
Not to be a poser, but pretty much everything. The build-up, I guess. There's just never a break - you're always working on something or studying for a test, it never lets up...for an entire year. It wears you down, bro! That and early-morning classes, but I got used to that real fast. It became like a weird, hard version of high school, seeing those same kids everyday. Even the jocks who I didn't talk to. Cause let's be real...high school has cliques, and Unified had cliques.
Advice for Youngins (16s, Appliers, Anyone Interested in AeroAstro!):
- Do it for the love of the discipline. Know that you're going to be an AeroAstro for the rest of all time, and love those space things or planes. Realize that your GPA is not the most important thing in the world, and go to class everyday excited because you're one day closer to working on the stuff you love for real.
- Don't take yourself too seriously. You can study all you want but this program is designed to weed people out, be grueling, and cut back on your self-esteem. LAUGH IT OFF! Go to your Ring Delivery on Thursday night and let loose (read: have a drink), realizing you have a test the next morning at 9 but not studying through the night for it. If you come in knowing that you're not the top student, realizing you can (and should!)have fun as a sophomore, that learning this stuff is SUPPOSED to be hard, but your life is supposed to be fun, you'll have a much better time adjusting, and overall a better experience.
- DO. NOT. QUIT. Don't give up. When it gets too hard, when you get a concussion and everything seems to go to pieces, go to your dorm and sob and whine and call your mom, BUT DON'T SWITCH, don't drop classes (below 3 or 4, including unified as 2!), don't quit things you love. It will pass, trust me. Cry it out, and then focus on the next thing. You failed a Fluids Test? Big effing deal. Cry (I liked to cry right after exams yay), go for a run, eat something greasy with a friend, and then focus on your pset or lab for next week. Keep going. It's only a year, and it passes so fast.
- BE FEARLESS. People told me up and down that Unified was terrible, that it was bad, that there was no hope of me completing it or having any fun. THOSE PEOPLE ARE DUMB AND JEALOUS OF YOU. You've chosen the hardest thing you could for sophomore year, and you're going to face it head-on!! You'll get the admirable looks from people you tell your major too, you get to study such advanced things, your probability class is easier (but don't tell the professor that!!). Unified is hard, but you can do it, and you will do it. Be fearless, be confident, be cocky. You are amazing, you are at MIT, don't let ANYONE bring you or your love for space/air down. Believe me, if I could do it, anyone can. Rock it out, 16s. Can't wait to see you on the other side of grading (:
How would you describe Unified?
Like a crazy version of high school on all sorts of methamphetamines. You got Professor Lagace yelling at you, deadlines all over the place, insane Thermo/Fluids lectures...but it's at the same time everyday, with those same kids (of which some of them you can call your friends, hopefully!! ^^). It's early morning gossip seshes, late night runs to Verdes, lab meetings with pounding music. You learn the cliques of the class, talk about who's hottest with the 10 other girls in it, and blush when you go to office hours cause these professors are the smartest people you've been in the same room with. It's intense and crazy, and then all of a sudden you're done and you miss it.
How did you like it in general?
It's awesome, it's a trip. Everyone in MIT should do it. It made me love my major so much. I grew to love even the gnarliest, scariest professor I ever had like a teddy bear. Would I do it again? Maybe not the same classes, but the same set-up, definitely. (Cause let's get real, Fluids is so effing hard! haha)
Anything else you'd think might be entertaining or useful to mention to others who haven't gone through it?
16 Ring Comm?? Maybe don't make your ring delivery Thursday night...cause Friday mornings are a little harrowing for Unified kids.
Also, make an email list, sit next to cute Jewish boys who will play Sudoku with you in class, try not to get concussed, and DON'T be late on Wednesdays!
How did your expectations of the class compare to reality?
My expectations were basically of a hell-on-earth that I'd barely survive, coming out burned and scarred (thanks, you darn Mech E's...).
In reality, it's totally not that bad! It's hard and you may cry, but it really kind of lifted my self-esteem in the end. Like, you know a really hard workout that you power through and finish? It was like that. I might've be beat up and sweaty when I finished, but I got the best runner's high. It's such a unique experience, I loved it. Remember: don't be afraid!! (And be consistent (; )
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