Somehow I did a dandy job of picking the coldest spot to work in Rotch Library. I mean, I have a nice view of building 11, and I'm surrounded by books about the National Parks and forestry and agriculture, but I also happen to be surrounded by vents that are spewing coldness.
Working in Simmons was not working, unfortunately. There were too many distractions: my ukulele, my friends, and my largely unread copy of Infinite Jest. So instead I packed up my stuff and trekked over to Rotch Library (a location I am wishing I had discovered sooner, except for this one section that is apparently an icebox) to buckle down and work on this chemistry p-set. It's not much better than Simmons, though. There are tons of books that I could spend hours perusing, and I'm sleepy. Also, with Thanksgiving a mere week away, and my flight home only four weeks away, I find myself missing home more than usual.
I'm not heading back to Oregon for Thanksgiving, though I do wish I was. You have no idea how badly I want to see friends and family and all the people that are honestly just too far away from me for my liking. You have no idea how badly I want a Kahlua Kicker from Dutch Bros (maybe MIT could develop the magic to transport hot coffee over long distances... Course 8 people, you guys should get on that), or pizza from American Dream (why is all of the pizza in Boston so terrible and greasy?!), or any of the myriad of other things Boston just fails at having. A quick peek at Expedia's prices for flights home next week makes it a bit easier to stay here for those four days, however; a roundtrip ticket is around $1000. So instead I'll be relaxing here in Boston, working on a paper, p-sets, a presentation, and starting the studying-for-finals marathon. Oh, and I'll be sleeping a lot. I'll also be working on getting over this lingering swine flu-y cough that just won't go away. Hopefully the sleep will help with that.
My last complaint of the evening: the latest Spoon EP (Got Nuffin) is not the greatest ever. Let me just say that Spoon is one of the bands that I will unconditionally love, no matter what they produce. But Got Nuffin pushes it. The title track is legitimately good, but of the four tracks (one of which is a remix), only two are actually enjoyable to listen to. Maybe I need to give it another listen, but I was definitely less than impressed upon first listen. I'm crossing my fingers that their upcoming album (due out January 26th) is better.
... YES. The vents of iciness that are all around me are no longer trying to freeze everything in the vicinity. I think I can finally get some work done, meaning I will stop complaining.
Coming soon: MIT's Obama-madness, why I'm switching majors (SURPRISE!), and probably a lot more complaining.
Showing posts with label Simmons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simmons. Show all posts
19 November 2009
25 February 2009
(Drumroll, Please!) Presenting the Collegiate Laundry Challenge!
What you do:
DON'T do laundry for two months. Well, all you're allowed is two subsistence loads (subsistence load: your dirty jeans, and enough underwear and socks to make it until you have to do another of these loads).
What you'll discover when you finally do all (and I mean all) of your laundry at the end of the Challenge:
All that clothing you forgot you had? And all that clothing you thought you'd lost or left at home over break? It's really just in your laundry basket! It's like going shopping, but without spending any money! (This is great when you don't have a job/don't have time for a job - unless someone wants to pay me for blogging... Oh wait, that's right... Never mind.)
What you win:
Clean, nice-smelling clothes! Unfortunately, $4.50 will be taken out of your Tech Cash account for the three loads of laundry you have going simultaneously on three different floors, not to mention the time you have to take out of your day to sort, launder, and fold all of that laundry. On the night before a p-set is due (no, it really couldn't wait another day).
Moral of the story:
Having to do laundry sucks. I mean, I did my own laundry most of the time at home anyway, but it's slightly more painful here at college. I have to spend money on laundry that I could have spent on food (no, really, that $4.50 could have been a bagel and juice tomorrow morning), and I have to go to a million different floors so I can do multiple loads at one time. Also, letting it build up for two months is a REALLY BAD IDEA. I think I almost broke my laundry basket because it was so full. So kids, learn from my terrible mistakes and do your laundry!
DON'T do laundry for two months. Well, all you're allowed is two subsistence loads (subsistence load: your dirty jeans, and enough underwear and socks to make it until you have to do another of these loads).
What you'll discover when you finally do all (and I mean all) of your laundry at the end of the Challenge:
All that clothing you forgot you had? And all that clothing you thought you'd lost or left at home over break? It's really just in your laundry basket! It's like going shopping, but without spending any money! (This is great when you don't have a job/don't have time for a job - unless someone wants to pay me for blogging... Oh wait, that's right... Never mind.)
What you win:
Clean, nice-smelling clothes! Unfortunately, $4.50 will be taken out of your Tech Cash account for the three loads of laundry you have going simultaneously on three different floors, not to mention the time you have to take out of your day to sort, launder, and fold all of that laundry. On the night before a p-set is due (no, it really couldn't wait another day).
Moral of the story:
Having to do laundry sucks. I mean, I did my own laundry most of the time at home anyway, but it's slightly more painful here at college. I have to spend money on laundry that I could have spent on food (no, really, that $4.50 could have been a bagel and juice tomorrow morning), and I have to go to a million different floors so I can do multiple loads at one time. Also, letting it build up for two months is a REALLY BAD IDEA. I think I almost broke my laundry basket because it was so full. So kids, learn from my terrible mistakes and do your laundry!
01 December 2008
Proof that Blogging is Awesome
Guess whose radiator is working?!?!?!
Oh yes, that would be mine.
Still no hot water though. But today was really warm (57 degrees!) so it's sort of okay.
C'mon Simmons, hot water, please?
Oh yes, that would be mine.
Still no hot water though. But today was really warm (57 degrees!) so it's sort of okay.
C'mon Simmons, hot water, please?
Dear Simmons,
Hi there! I'm a resident of your lovely structure (but you already know that) and I feel it's time we had a little chat.
See, I've lived here since mid-August and I've noticed a disturbing pattern develop. First there was the complete lack of heat in my room that I share with my roommate, Tess. Then there was the extremely random exploding toilet incident where Stunes had to loan us a screwdriver if we wanted to be able to flush the toilet. After that, I thought we were okay again.
But now I'm convinced you're trying to kill me.
Yes, I realize that was a ballsy accusation, but let me explain. For the past two weeks, my side of the room has been completely without heat. You've decided to ignore my radiator, while Tess's burbles pleasantly on the other side of the room. Considering the arrangement of our room, which doesn't allow heat to really flow to my side of the room from Tess's, I'd say you're exploiting the situation. While my friend Joanna was here, you were well-behaved and my radiator was radiating warm wonderfulness. But as soon as Joanna was about to leave Saturday, that radiator was dead. And now, not only is my radiator dead, but there's no hot water in our bathroom! It started Saturday when you must have realized Joanna was about to go back to her school, and it's still a hot water-less bathroom. Well, I take that back. There's hot water coming out of the faucet, but certainly not out of the shower head.
Really, Simmons? REALLY? I mean, I think it was really nice of you to be on your best behavior while a guest was here, but I think that was more so there weren't any witnesses or something. I'm convinced that you're trying to induce hypothermia and kill me. You certainly didn't pull this in August, when I would have been totally okay with it. Noooo, you have to do it in December when it's cold out. Honestly, it's just a little ridiculous. I don't shower with ice water by choice. And I'm sure my neighbors don't appreciate me shouting expletives every time I have to take one of the freezing cold showers.
I'm not really sure what I did wrong. Was it the small insults about your architectural flaws? Was it laughing at all your weirdness? Was it complaining about all your inefficiencies? I can imagine that it might have made you a little insecure, and I'm sorry, but aren't the hordes of architects scrambling to tour you enough of an ego boost to make up for all my bashing? I can't have been responsible for that much ego-bruising.
Well, whatever it is, I'm sorry. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right again. Just let me know what I can do, and then will you please stop trying to kill me? Thanks!
Sincerely yours,
Kelsey K
Simmons Resident
[So, I know that someone is going to suggest that something is wrong with the central heating system. But will you please explain to me why just my heater isn't working? And why just our shower is completely incapable of producing hot water? "Simmons is trying to kill me" just works.]
See, I've lived here since mid-August and I've noticed a disturbing pattern develop. First there was the complete lack of heat in my room that I share with my roommate, Tess. Then there was the extremely random exploding toilet incident where Stunes had to loan us a screwdriver if we wanted to be able to flush the toilet. After that, I thought we were okay again.
But now I'm convinced you're trying to kill me.
Yes, I realize that was a ballsy accusation, but let me explain. For the past two weeks, my side of the room has been completely without heat. You've decided to ignore my radiator, while Tess's burbles pleasantly on the other side of the room. Considering the arrangement of our room, which doesn't allow heat to really flow to my side of the room from Tess's, I'd say you're exploiting the situation. While my friend Joanna was here, you were well-behaved and my radiator was radiating warm wonderfulness. But as soon as Joanna was about to leave Saturday, that radiator was dead. And now, not only is my radiator dead, but there's no hot water in our bathroom! It started Saturday when you must have realized Joanna was about to go back to her school, and it's still a hot water-less bathroom. Well, I take that back. There's hot water coming out of the faucet, but certainly not out of the shower head.
Really, Simmons? REALLY? I mean, I think it was really nice of you to be on your best behavior while a guest was here, but I think that was more so there weren't any witnesses or something. I'm convinced that you're trying to induce hypothermia and kill me. You certainly didn't pull this in August, when I would have been totally okay with it. Noooo, you have to do it in December when it's cold out. Honestly, it's just a little ridiculous. I don't shower with ice water by choice. And I'm sure my neighbors don't appreciate me shouting expletives every time I have to take one of the freezing cold showers.
I'm not really sure what I did wrong. Was it the small insults about your architectural flaws? Was it laughing at all your weirdness? Was it complaining about all your inefficiencies? I can imagine that it might have made you a little insecure, and I'm sorry, but aren't the hordes of architects scrambling to tour you enough of an ego boost to make up for all my bashing? I can't have been responsible for that much ego-bruising.
Well, whatever it is, I'm sorry. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right again. Just let me know what I can do, and then will you please stop trying to kill me? Thanks!
Sincerely yours,
Kelsey K
Simmons Resident
[So, I know that someone is going to suggest that something is wrong with the central heating system. But will you please explain to me why just my heater isn't working? And why just our shower is completely incapable of producing hot water? "Simmons is trying to kill me" just works.]
18 August 2008
Good morning from Cambridge!
Holy crap, I just woke up at MIT...
This is a really strange feeling, not going to lie. It's just really strange to think that I am actually here. I'm a student at MIT. Weird. I still don't know if I could say that in everyday conversation. This is just some place you always hear about - you never actually go to it.
Except I'm here right now. Without a lot of my stuff. I'm waiting for all of it to be shipped, so I have to go about two weeks without a lot of things. And I mean a lot. When you try to pack a majority of your life into boxes and suitcases, you realize that you own a lot of crap. I now know that I have way too many shoes, way too many clothes, and not enough organizational capabilities. My big suitcase was exactly 50 pounds, and my smaller one is completely full of shoes. And I mean completely full. I'm one of those over-planners where I sit there and go, "Well, if this happens, I'm going to need this. But if that happens, I'm going to need that... Hmmm... Might as well pack 'em both!" This creates some problems because I take a lot of stuff everywhere (Take a look in my purse or backpack. You'll see what I mean.) and lugging around all that stuff isn't helping me build any sweet guns (carrying water buckets at camp, however...). And sweet guns would be nice.
My dorm room is... interesting. It's got a ton of modular furniture in it, and it seems really empty right now. I don't know that I'll actually get to keep this room after the readjustment lottery, but I wouldn't mind it. It's kind of long and narrow, but there's some amazing views of the playing fields and the Boston skyline. Speaking of which, it's really bright here at night. I mean, I know it's a city, but it's going to take some getting-used-to. Anyway. So, my dorm seems really empty because my roommate, Tess, doesn't get here until the 22nd, and I just have a couple suitcases and my sleeping bag (because there's no point in sheets and all that jazz if I have to move again) and my computer. And the linoleum floor isn't exactly cozy. But I do like Simmons quite a lot, and being on the 10th floor is nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. I just complain a lot.
I kind of miss everyone back home. Wait, that came out wrong. Well, I do miss you guys, and it's already strange to not be around a ton of people that I've known since Kindergarten and whatnot, but I'm not at all homesick. Which is a good thing. Although, right now it just feels like it's camp or something - it doesn't feel like I'm here long-term. But I can tell that things are going to be amazing, so me being homesick is something we want to avoid, right? Right.
Oh, and it's really strange to be on Eastern Time. Seriously, it's like 5 AM back home, but I've been wide awake for a couple of hours now. There's no one to talk to online! It's just strange to have to calculate to figure out what time it is for everybody else. And I'm going to have to do this a lot. Well, I guess I'll get used to it...
So, I'm going to go get ready for my FPOP, and I'll leave you with a view from one of my many windows here in my Simmons dorm.
This is a really strange feeling, not going to lie. It's just really strange to think that I am actually here. I'm a student at MIT. Weird. I still don't know if I could say that in everyday conversation. This is just some place you always hear about - you never actually go to it.
Except I'm here right now. Without a lot of my stuff. I'm waiting for all of it to be shipped, so I have to go about two weeks without a lot of things. And I mean a lot. When you try to pack a majority of your life into boxes and suitcases, you realize that you own a lot of crap. I now know that I have way too many shoes, way too many clothes, and not enough organizational capabilities. My big suitcase was exactly 50 pounds, and my smaller one is completely full of shoes. And I mean completely full. I'm one of those over-planners where I sit there and go, "Well, if this happens, I'm going to need this. But if that happens, I'm going to need that... Hmmm... Might as well pack 'em both!" This creates some problems because I take a lot of stuff everywhere (Take a look in my purse or backpack. You'll see what I mean.) and lugging around all that stuff isn't helping me build any sweet guns (carrying water buckets at camp, however...). And sweet guns would be nice.
My dorm room is... interesting. It's got a ton of modular furniture in it, and it seems really empty right now. I don't know that I'll actually get to keep this room after the readjustment lottery, but I wouldn't mind it. It's kind of long and narrow, but there's some amazing views of the playing fields and the Boston skyline. Speaking of which, it's really bright here at night. I mean, I know it's a city, but it's going to take some getting-used-to. Anyway. So, my dorm seems really empty because my roommate, Tess, doesn't get here until the 22nd, and I just have a couple suitcases and my sleeping bag (because there's no point in sheets and all that jazz if I have to move again) and my computer. And the linoleum floor isn't exactly cozy. But I do like Simmons quite a lot, and being on the 10th floor is nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. I just complain a lot.
I kind of miss everyone back home. Wait, that came out wrong. Well, I do miss you guys, and it's already strange to not be around a ton of people that I've known since Kindergarten and whatnot, but I'm not at all homesick. Which is a good thing. Although, right now it just feels like it's camp or something - it doesn't feel like I'm here long-term. But I can tell that things are going to be amazing, so me being homesick is something we want to avoid, right? Right.
Oh, and it's really strange to be on Eastern Time. Seriously, it's like 5 AM back home, but I've been wide awake for a couple of hours now. There's no one to talk to online! It's just strange to have to calculate to figure out what time it is for everybody else. And I'm going to have to do this a lot. Well, I guess I'll get used to it...
So, I'm going to go get ready for my FPOP, and I'll leave you with a view from one of my many windows here in my Simmons dorm.
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