Overheard at MIT

Overheard at MIT Dont forget to vote for me in the 2008 blogging scholarship competition! Thanks! One of the biggest culture shocks coming to MIT for me, a kid out of a public high school in Salem OR, was the difference in conversation-snippits that I caught as I passed by people. In high school I was likely to hear things like . . . at 6 and then head to the game . . . or . . . free for the night, what do you want . . . Things are a little different at MIT. Not in a bad way at all, in a hilarious way. Since my first day here over a year ago Ive heard some of the most entertaining bits of conversations as I pass people. Unfortunately Ive forgotten a lot of them. If I ended this entry now then youd get all bent out of shape, because really, who writes a blog entry about conversations snippets at MIT without posting any of them? Lucky for you, theres a Facebook group that you get to join when youre a student here thats called Overheard at MIT and its just a huge list of conversation bits that people have compiled online. Ive gone through and pulled out a few of my favorites. Keep in mind, these are dripping in MIT stereotypes, which is probably why most were posted. Theyre still funny though, have a good laugh! ***** Boston has four seasons. Almost winter, winter, still winter, and August. ***** In the Student Center: Guy #1: Today was a good day Guy #2: Yeah? Guy #1: Yeah. I went outside. Guy #2: Nice. ***** Course 6 Prof: Today we will be talking about reproduction and evolution. Now, I know that many MIT students have a general idea of how that worksbut are a little fuzzy on the details. ***** I wasnt alone. I was with my computer ***** so apparently [fruit punch?] is a good source of red-40 ***** on one of those use revolving door to conserve energy signs Energy is always conserved. ***** the way he did that derivative, it was like he was a mathemagician. ***** But you dont understand its bounded therefore it converges!!! a guy enthusiastically talking on his cell phone in front of the Stratton student center :-) ***** and then we got to lagrangian and it was so beautiful ***** person 1: aw they name the goldfish?! thats so depressing! person 2: its like naming your functionsand then erasing them person 1: person 3: yeah, its like killing a friend person 1:. ***** Girl to group of friends: You know what I hate? I hate MIT. People who get As are a**holes. ***** Girl: If you are a girl and you go to MIT Medical for ANYTHING, even like a broken leg or something, and you are sexually active, they diagnose you with pregnancy. ***** some guy commenting on a Smash Bros. scoreboard: Thats a singular matrix! ***** Hes got a way with people. If he was in an RPG, his charisma would be cheat code. ***** Im convinced that MIT doesnt admit you based on your intelligence. They admit you based on how weird you are. ***** At the integration bee: its like watching sports, except I understand whats going on better ***** which gives you wildebeests squared over time. That cant be right. ***** Person 1: That stuff is more polar than a bear, Person 2: You realize that if I werent holding a vial full of toxic solvent right now, I would punch you, right? Person 1: Yep. -Overheard standing in line for the nitrogen atmosphere pump in 5.310 ***** outside the Pappalardo Labs, one guy (loudly) to another: Whats wrong with you!?! How the f**k have you never heard of the Biot Number!?! ***** My mom was right, caffeine IS an anti-depressant!! Caffeines like radiation: in small doses, its good for you. I bet theres a parabola of benefits versus consumption ***** Vagina.mit.edu? And you wanna GO here??? Two prospectives in front of the giant Vagina Monologues poster in Lobby 7 ***** guy 1: dude i know, i made it upinfinigrals. guy 2: thats awesome. ***** Person 1: This is why we cant have nice things Person 2: Well, you cant put expensive things in public places and not expect them to get stolen Person 3: Yeah, this is why no one goes around hanging diamonds on trees Person 4: (pause)except ballers ***** So Ill see you Saturday? Saturday? Yeah, I sent you a facebook invite, didnt I? Oh, so that was legit? Yeah its totally legit! I completely wrapped my apartment in bubblewrap! ***** Person 1: Psh, why would you put the chainsaw behind glass? Everyone knows zombies can break glass. Person 2: Yeah. They should put it behind a moat or something ***** 8.02 lecture: Professor Hudson: When the flux due to a magnetic field is decreasing, the inductor tries to compensate and produce more flux. If instead the flux is increasing, the inductor works to decrease the flux. Inductors want the flux to remain constant; they hate change. Student: Then an inductor would never vote for Obama. ***** Girl at 77 crosswalk on cell phone: hes like DOS and youre like Windows. ***** Sitting at a table with a lazzy suzan: No! your turning it the wrong way! Turn it in the negative k hat direction!