Making your college decision

Making your college decision [In many ways, picking a college is a lot like marriage: the courtship, the ceremony, the cost. So its not surprising many players compare it to falling in love.] Make the decision with both your head and your heart, When youre at the school for you, youll know it. Kelli Keuhne (professional golfer who attended the University of Texas) Right now, many of you have probably procrastinated on making one of (what you think is) the biggest decisions in your life. Perhaps you are choosing between MIT, a state-school that is giving you nearly a free ride, an Ivy League school, a college with easy access to a beach, or one with a top-seeded basketball team. Youre probably receiving pressure and advice from tons of people, each imparting their tidbits of knowledge and advice. I was in your shoes two years ago, choosing between MIT, an Ivy that gave slightly more money and a big research grant, and a state-school with a free-ride. Ill admit that I chose MIT and that the decision (for me) wasnt very difficult. Seriously, I couldnt pass up this place, and Ill tell you why. So why, oh why, did I choose MIT? First of all, I lived in Boston for two summers (Im originally from Maryland) while I was in high school because I had a sweet research job working in the labs of Massachusetts General Hospital. The first summer, I lived in a loft apartment right across the street from Fenway Park. The first floor of the apartment building had a brewery/bar and the smell of grains would fill the lobby every day. It was gross, because in my opinion it smelled like garbage. Anyway, theres nothing cooler than living next to Fenway during the summer, the whole place is bursting with life (and drunk baseball fans) and you cant help but catch the Boston bug. As a result of my two summers in Beantown, I fell in love with the city with 135,000 college students and just an incredible intellectual feel to it. Ok, so if I were only in love with Boston, then I could have chosen from 35 fine universities. But theres something special about MIT that I couldnt find anywhere else. I cant walk down the Infinite without hearing someone talk about a problem set, seeing a flier for one of the billion activities going on that weekend, or peeking into a lab doing some sort of cutting-edge, uber exciting research. I love the sense of freedom that prevails. Dont like something? Then change it. There are a million ways to get involved in a million different activities. Research, glass blowing, wood working, juggling, cycling, improv comedy, a capella, drama, pistol, movie making, journalism you name it, we have it. And not only do we have it, we have a group of super dedicated students just waiting to teach you more. For example, as a first-semester freshman, I got some emails about joining MURJ (the MIT undergraduate research journal,) and I had always been interested in writing but never had a chance to join my high schools paper. So, I showed up to the first meeting of the year, talked to some of the students, expressed interest, and immediately became an editor. Now Im in charge of the Fall 2006 issue and I hope some of you all will want to be involved next year too! Also, MIT gives you the full month of January to participate in these independent activities. I dont know of any other school that does that and IAP is cold but AWESOME. So that brings up another point. Yes, the winters are cold. I once almost got frostbite walking from the Student Center to Next House when it was -20 degrees outside. But, now I get to complain about it to everyone who will listen! Plus, it makes the spring ALL the sweeter. Its only 50 degrees today and everyone is hanging out outside, because the absolute temperature might be low but the relative temp is like Florida, baby. Break out the skirts. And finally, I have to mention the UROP program. The research opportunities for undergraduates at MIT are endless. As a freshman, you can work in the lab of Nobel laureate or get your work published in a research journal. Whether its nanowires or supernovas that tickle your fancy, you can study them in more detail then youll ever find in a textbook. Or, you can take a lab class, like 2.007 (Design and Manufacturing) to build your very own remote controlled robot, or 16.00 (Intro to Aerospace Engineering) to build a blimp. Also, in many ways MIT is just like your normal college. There are frats and sororities, huge parties on the weekend, couples (yea, people date, who would have thought), and sporting events (our piston team is #1 in the country, we beat the military!). We have class rings and class shirts, jocks and legally blondes. But, as Mollie said in her Top 10ish Reasons to go to MIT, our cheerleaders can do Fourier series and Laplace transforms. Boo ya. Were nerds and we love it. You will have work work hard, very hard. Your limits will be pushed. You will do more problem sets that you ever thought was humanly possible. There will be some days when you dream in code (I have heard of many people who do this) or toss in bed while wondering if your robot will work (I have done this.) But why do something if its not hard? Diamonds form under pressure! In the end, hopefully, youll graduate with no regrets, but amazed at all the stuff you have learned and accomplished. Even if you choose not to come here, I have no doubt that you will perform amazingly at the school of your choice. So Ill be lame and close with a quote: There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself. Thoreau Feel free to ask any last minute questions or voice your concerns.

Jasper Jones Moral Speech Essay - 610 Words

Craig Silvey engages us with Jasper Jones in order to convey a certain moral message in hope to make us stop and think. No one in this novel is truly accepted into the community, which tells me as the responder, that in order for this society to succeed differences need to be tossed aside. Jasper Jones is a credible recollection of the injustice, racism and social exclusion that exists in the Australian society. It also tackles growing up, first love, family unity, and a sense of belonging in a community. It is not hard for me to forget that this novel is set in 1965, in a rural town known as Corrigan. It is very similar to the one Silvey grew up in, although he denies writing the book purely on his personal experience, wanting to†¦show more content†¦Jeffrey is regularly abused although he seems to accept this and overlooks it. In light of these issues, historical references are used throughout to remind us of the characters significance to multicultural Australia. In chapter three, Charlie is found in the library reading about past crimes and interviews with murderers such as Eric Edgar Cooke. He feels empathy towards the victims, and anger towards the people who let the torture go on, never speaking up. This is what has been going on in Corrigan, and these historical references help us to feel the same emotions as Charlie does, as well as the novel being in first person. Another way of getting this message across, are the allusions used quite frequently in Jasper Jones, including directly naming To Kill a Mockingbird. In fact, many reviewers have coined it as an Australian To Kill a Mockingbird. It is essentially a book about books. The author allows the reader to understand this difficult concept by relating it to an already familiar story. The moral message apparent in this coming-of-age novel questions each of the teenage boys, who in various ways show us what its like to grow up in rural Australia if you are smart or poor or of a different race. This moral message makes me question the past of the Australia I have came toShow MoreRelatedAlan Silvey s Jasper Jones 1216 Words   |  5 PagesCraig Silvey’s, â€Å"Jasper Jones† novel which explores the concept of change and the understanding of how our search for who we are is clouded by our perceptions and attitudes. 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Moreover, I explore how the performers andRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 Pagesand expand his knowledge of the world, Langston hoped to find work as a sailor, and he signed on to a freighter as messboy. To his dismay, he discovered that his ship was one of a fleet of 109 obsolete ships from World War I, permanently anchored at Jones Point on the Hudson River. Hughes and the crew had been hired to maintain ships going nowhere. However, he enjoyed the time he spent on the ship. To him, life aboard the creaky old freighter seemed like fresh air and night stars after three yearsRead MoreOcd - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment131367 Words   |  526 Pagesbasic emotion of fear, is a universal human experience that plays a central role in human adaptation and survival. The basic function of fear is to signal a threat or impending danger (Barlow, 2002). The feeling of anxiousness associated with making a speech before 3 4 THE NATURE OF OCD a large audience or going for a job interview is understandable, given the potential for embarrassment or rejection. Even some of the phobias that are well known to clinicians, such as acrophobia (fear of heights)Read MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesthe other two, but they are still contemporaneous enough to fit within an overall global wave. WORLD MIGRATION IN THE LONG TWENTIETH CENTURY †¢ 21 Fig. 1.1 World Population, 1800–2005 Source: Based on data in Colin McEvedy and Richard Jones, Atlas of World Population History (London: Penguin, 1978). The nearly concurrent rise of overseas migration around the world was not coincidental. The increase of mass communication and rapid, inexpensive transportation, the growth of global

Lord of the Flies Descriptive Good or Evil - 1070 Words

Lord of the Flies The novel The Lord of the Flies is based on one significant question that philosophers have been puzzled by for centuries – are humans essentially good, or are they evil? Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a famous French philosopher, theorized that humans are instinctively good, however, when given an aggravating situation, then their minds become warped and are set into a bad state. Thus, humans are naturally good, but it is society that demeans them. On the other hand, another great influential thinker, Thomas Hobbes, believed that humans are inborn evil, but it is society that subdues the evil ways. Many studies led to the assumption that humans are born with evil inside, and it is human†¦show more content†¦It is ironic because he himself as a Naval officer is committing similar acts, if not more savage than the boys, being in the war. Golding has made his point clear that humans are born evil but the evil is being suppressed by society. Nevertheless, it does not prove nor disprove the dispute whether or not they are born malignant or learn it based on society’s acts. Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Lord of the Flies by William Golding954 Words   |  4 PagesGolding explores the vulnerability of society in a way that can be read on many different levels. A less detailed look at the book, Lord of the Flies, is a simple fable about boys stranded on an island. Another way to comprehend the book is as a statement about mans inner savage and reverting to a primitive state without societies boundaries. By examining the Lord of the Flies further, it is revealed that many themes portray Golding’s views, including a religious persecution theme. Golding includes theRead MoreLord Of The Flies : Human Savagery And The Flow Of Power1592 Words   |  7 PagesLord of the Flies is a chilling work about human savagery and the flow of power. Golding uses symbolism, characterization, and description to illustrate the occurrences and the underlying themes in the novel. The work has an ominous but irresistible tone that Golding lays out through his description of the island. Golding makes the island seem sinister and irresistible by writing,† The shore was fledged with palm trees. These stood or leaned or reclined against the light and their green feathersRead MoreLord of the Flies comparison with DNA3718 Words   |  15 Pages‘Although set in different periods, Lord of the Flies and DNA present similar ideas about good and evil’. How far do you agree with this view? One of the central themes in both William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ and Dennis Kelly’s ‘DNA’ is good and evil; both texts collectively offering a plethora of theories and ideas about the morals of humans and how they influence their actions. In ‘Lord of the Flies’ a group of British schoolboys are stranded on an island. Far away from the influence of adultsRead MoreWays That Golding Presents the Island in Lord of the Flies837 Words   |  4 PagesThe Ways That Golding Presents the Island Setting of â€Å"Lord of the Flies† William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies in 1954. It tells the story of a group of young boys who are stranded on a previously uninhabited island with no adults around to save them. Golding used the idea of an island as a blank canvas backdrop in several ways which greatly enhance the effectiveness of the story. The island has no other humans on it, and shows no signs of man ever living there before. The landscape is perfectRead MoreLord Of The Flies Critical Analysis1916 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Lord of the Flies† is an outstanding, unique, and captivating novel written by the memorable William Golding. The novel is well written and eye-opening despite being relatively short and easily understandable. Golding provides a new perspective on the true nature within every person that will shock readers and leave them wondering the truth. The descriptive and gloomy diction within â€Å"Lord of the Flies† keeps readers intrigued and never bored. William Golding writes with an eerie and dark tone thatRead MoreThe Use of Symbolism in The Lord of the Flies by William Golding1943 Words   |  8 PagesThe Use of Symbolism in The Lord of the Flies by William Golding A symbol is something concrete that represents another thing or idea. In Lord Of The Flies a lot of things we encounter are given symbolic meaning by the way the author William Golding uses them. The book it’s self is named after a symbol, the words â€Å"Lord Of The Flies† translated means â€Å"Beelzebub† which is another word for â€Å"the devil† the book was named after the devil because evil has a large influenceRead More How Golding Presents the Decline from Civilisation to Savagery in Lord of the Flies2816 Words   |  12 Pagesthe Decline from Civilisation to Savagery in Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies is the name given to the inner beast, to which only Simon ever actually speaks. As Simons waits for the beasts arrival near the bloody sows head on the stake (buzzing with flies), The Lord of the Flies speaks to him, warning him not to get in its way or else he shall be killed by the boys. The Lord of the Flies name comes from the sows head and the countless flies buzzing about it, which soon move from theRead MoreLord Of The Flies Literary Analysis Essay1657 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel, Lord of the Flies, is a tale like no other. It’s a story of perseverance, determination, survival, and emotion. Golding does a superb job displaying these traits and so many more throughout this story of fighting, not for your life, but to the death. The authors style is one unlike any other I’ve read. I love emotion. I’m not sure if it’s the way it makes me feel or how it can help me relate to the reading, but for some reason I love it. That’s why my favorite style displayed in Lord of theRead MoreEssay William Goldings Lord of the Flies1768 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Goldings Lord of the Flies The first chapter of the novel, The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding is effective in establishing the characters, concerns and language for the remainder of the book, as well as introducing the main themes of the novel; that the problems in society are related to the sinful nature of man and good verses evil. In Golding’s first chapter, the main characters are introduced, we see many ominous signs of what’s to come through the authors choice of languageRead MoreLord of the Flies, Chapter 11819 Words   |  8 PagesWrite an analysis of the opening chapter of Lord of the Flies. How effective is it at introducing the characters, concerns and language of the novel? The first chapter of the novel, The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding is effective in establishing the characters, concerns and language for the remainder of the book, as well as introducing the main themes of the novel; that the problems in society are related to the sinful nature of man and good verses evil. In Goldings first chapter, the main characters

The enchantress Returns Free Essays

Brave Chris Colfer’s novel The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns tells the story of two 12-year-old twins, Alex and Connor Bailey, who went on an adventure to save their mother, and perhaps the world, against the will of their grandmother. The Enchantress, the witch who tried to kill Sleeping Beauty, attempted to take over The Land of Stories and the Otherworld (the land where the common people live). I admired Alex for her bravery and intelligence which she showed when she was trying o save her mother and the Fairy-Tale World. We will write a custom essay sample on The enchantress Returns or any similar topic only for you Order Now Initially, I saw Alex as very foolish and immature to run away from home, but my understanding grew when I realized that from Alex’s perspective, family is the most important of all. When Alex first appeared in the story, I thought, â€Å"Really, what can a child do in a crisis? † It turns out that children can really make a difference upon further reading. We first saw that Alex was rather frustrated when her grandmother kept them hostage from going after their mom, who had been kidnapped. So, she pried information from their ‘hostage holder’ and showed incredible bravery when she ran away from home and â€Å"hijacked Mother Goose’s giant goose† ( ), which she used to fly to her grandmother’s cottage. She also showed her bravery when she was captured by Trollbella (half troll, half goblin) in the Land of Stories. She showed bravery in this situation when she â€Å"kicked the troblin in the rump† (Line ). In the ending, Alex had the audacity to go up against the Enchantress and defeated her by using her bravery. In summary, I came to see that by using her bravery and intelligence, Alex was really strong and she immensely cared about family in order to do what she did. Having to face the Enchantress, who killed many, being alone, was quite frightening. However, she pushed through and won in the end. Sometimes, we care about our families more than ourselves, and we all need that extra push to do the right thing. Alex was brave enough to sacrifice much, which in this case, was her safety, in order to save her mother. How to cite The enchantress Returns, Papers

Mike Worona Mr. Rosenthal Essays - Robert Herrick, Nikki Giovanni

Mike Worona Mr. Rosenthal Oct.12, 1998. Honors English Thematic Analysis Period 1. Two Love Poems From Two Perspectives In this writing the two poems, ?Upon Julia's Clothes?, by Robert Herrick, and ?Kidnap Poem?, by Nikki Giovanni, will be interpreted through thematic analysis by the writer. Each poem will be broken down and observed for hints or clues to the poets' philosophies. In ?Upon Julia's Clothes? Herrick refers to Julia as his own. The poems seem to be at a distant point from ?Julia?, because of how the writer must ?cast? his eyes to see. Robert also stresses the metaphorical ?liquefaction of her clothes?. When something is liquefied it flows, and due to gravity, when something flows, it flows down. This could signal that the writer is watching Julia remover her clothes, which doesn't necessarily mean Julia is even a person. In the first stanza of ?Upon Julia's Clothes? the rhyme centers around the word ?clothes? and in the last stanza the rhyme centers on ?me?. These two words have significance because they are both stressed. The idea appears to be a cause and effect situation, the liquefaction of her clothes is what gets him (the writer) going and excited. Not many hints are given to the reader of what Julia could be other than a person. So, basically the writer is watching Julia's clothes come off. In the second piece, ?Kidnap Poem? The point of view differs from the work discussed earlier. Unlike Herrick, Giovanni is a female from the 1970's whereas Herrick was a male from the 1640's. Nikki writes ?Kidnap Poem? with an excessive use of the word ?you?. This excessive use, along with the lack of punctuation, makes the reader feel that the poem is directed personally to them. She speaks of poetry and how the symbolism in poetry is used to capture the writer's ideas and perspective in writing. This is supported by her use of the word ?kidnap?, meaning she is kidnapping what's around her and putting it in writing to communicate her perspective. The writer hints conveying her thoughts by the use of the line ?play the lyre for you?. Nikki insinuates she is black by using ?red, Black, and green?(the colors of an African flag) and capitalizing black to make it significant. Overall, what she is trying to say is that poetry is a powerful form of the spoken word that may capture interest, attention, and possibly love. Both poems were written well, using descriptive and metaphorical ideas. ?Upon Julia's Clothes? has a wider range of possible meanings because of the lack of information given, Giovanni got her point across directly by establishing a personal link with the reader, while Herrick wrote as if it were a day dream in the back of his mind.

Direct Exchange Geothermal Heat Pump Essay Example

Direct Exchange Geothermal Heat Pump Essay Example Direct Exchange Geothermal Heat Pump Essay Direct Exchange Geothermal Heat Pump Essay Direct exchange Direct exchange geothermal heat pump The Direct exchange geothermal heat pump is the oldest type of geothermal heat pump technology. It is also the simplest and easiest to understand. The ground-coupling is achieved through a single loop circulating refrigerant in direct thermal contact with the ground (as opposed to a combination of a refrigerant loop and a water loop). The refrigerant leaves the heat pump appliance cabinet, circulates through a loop of copper tube buried underground, and exchanges heat with the ground before returning to the pump. The name direct exchange refers to heat transfer between the refrigerant and the ground without the use of an intermediate fluid. There is no direct interaction between the fluid and the earth; only heat transfer through the pipe wall. Direct exchange heat pumps are not to be confused with water-source heat pumps or water loop heat pumps since there is no water in the ground loop. ASHRAE defines the term ground-coupled heat pump to encompass closed loop and direct exchange systems, while excluding open loops. Direct exchange systems are significantly more efficient and have potentially lower installation costs than closed loop water systems. Coppers high thermal conductivity contributes to the higher efficiency of the system, but heat flow is predominantly limited by the thermal conductivity of the ground, not the pipe. The main reasons for the higher efficiency are the elimination of the water pump (which uses electricity), the elimination of the water heat exchanger (which is a source of heat losses), and most importantly, the latent heat phase change of the refrigerant in the ground itself. While they require much more refrigerant and their tubing is more expensive per foot, a direct exchange loop is shorter than a closed water loop for a given capacity. A direct exchange system requires only 15 to 30% of the length of tubing and half the diameter of drilled holes, and the drilling or excavation costs are therefore lower. Refrigerant loops are less tolerant of leaks than water loops because gas can leak out through smaller imperfections. This dictates the use of brazed copper tubing, even though the pressures are similar to water loops. The copper loop must be protected from corrosion in acidic soil through the use of a sacrificial anode or cathodic protection.

Are You One of These 4 Toxic Workplace Personalities

Are You One of These 4 Toxic Workplace Personalities There are a million ways to screw up at work, and we like to think we avoid most of the obvious pitfalls. But here are a few work types you might not realize you resemble from time to time. 1. The MinimalistYou know who you are. Someone asks you for a status update on a project and you answer, â€Å"I did my part,† without following through. How much longer would it take you to trace that project through the chain and give a more comprehensive answer? To take responsibility for the task, not just your fraction of a task? You won’t be able to do this every time you’re asked, so why not take the initiative when you can and go the extra mile?2. The Negative NellyYou might think you’re an upbeat, positive person. But it’s possible you’re the workplace downer. Do you groan at each new daunting project? Weigh the cons before the pros? Complain about the extra work and hours, rather than get psyched about that new high-profile project? Make sure you keep the glass half full and distinguish yourself as a leader among your colleagues.3. The DisappointmentYou think you’re a hero because you take on so much more than everybody else- but that’s also more than can be reasonably expected. Overcommitting can sometimes lead to underperforming, missed deadlines, monster to-do lists, and disappointment. You certainly don’t want to be guilty of the opposite (never taking extra work on), but if you do step in to pinch hit, remember to make sure you have your stance in order.4. The ShockerYou’ve taken on a bit more than you can chew, and things have been going in a disastrous direction. But you haven’t let your boss in on the details, and as the big presentation rolls around, you have to drop a bomb. If only you’d shared the difficulties as they popped up along the way- your colleagues could have helped out before the situation deteriorated. But you didn’t. And now†¦ disaster.These workp lace traits turn up in every office. There’s always someone guilty of these office faux pas, and- if you aren’t careful- it could be you!Are You a Boss Botherer? Be Sure to Avoid This Workplace Behavior