Counting On One Hand

Counting On One Hand the number of semesters completed at MIT. So today, I waved farewell to my fifth semester at MIT. Its kinda creepy how time seems to be going by so fast. Now I must say that Ive made the following observations about life here: Hard work pays off. It really does. Things dont just fall out of the sky and WEBSIS doesnt let you pick your own grades, you have to work for them. This observation was prompted by the fact that sometimes this semester I wanted to throw my hands up and give up, but in my experience here, we students dont like that attitude. One way or another you drink from that firehose and you get it done. I can say that this semester was the first semester for many things for me. Yesterday, I had the hardest final exam of my life. The concepts in the class are very theoretical and abstract, and the test simply just wasnt. Needless to say, Ive never walked out of an exam questioning the validity of the response I put down to every question,but the professor apparently agreed with my logic =). This was the first semester that I came close to pulling an all-nighter. Before coming to MIT, I told myself that I wouldnt pull an all-nighter. I dont really remember why I made this deal, but Im sticking to it, or at least trying to. Also the first semester Ive been able to wake up on time without my alarm clock. So with the end to this semester, it means Im on my way home to spend the holidays with family and friends. Itll be nice to return to flip flops and a tshirt as I bask in the warm weather home to Ryan, Marissa, Seth, and Julie Cooper Nichols. Ben, do you get the reference? Until then, for those of you finishing off your applications to MIT, best of luck to you! For everyone else, Happy Holidays, and Ill see you when I wake up from my three-day-long nap.