Blogs: By Author

When You’re Up for an Exercise Adventure!

A rundown of bougie group exercise classes in Boston

OCT 2019
by Erika A.
Biological Engineering
Feeling sluggish after indulging in one too many conference happy hours? Your normal gym workout not really doing it for you (or you not really doing the workout)? Try something new with a group exercise class: part workout, part experience. PILATES REFORMER CLASSES You know the torture device in...

Biologists Need More Angle Grinders

Biological science is aesthetically female

AUG 2019
by Erika A.
Biological Engineering
I was very surprised one day to realize that I had developed a single callous on the pad of my right thumb. I can’t remember the last time I got a callous: I don’t rock climb, play an instrument, or do extreme sports. I don’t even take classes anymore, so I rarely write with a pen. Then it hit me:...

How to Craft a Personal Statement

Some practical tips and perspective

AUG 2019
by Erika A.
Biological Engineering
There’s one part of any application that can always make you freeze: the dreaded personal statement. Writing about yourself is an exercise in embarrassment, anxiety, and existential doubt. Don’t worry; I’m here to help! Let’s get one thing out of the way first. The point of a personal statement is...

Dance Fitness in Boston

Workout AND have fun!

JUL 2019
by Erika A.
Biological Engineering
I entered graduate school as an awkward, uncoordinated person. I will leave it as a prima ballerina. Just kidding. But jokes aside, Boston has quite a few fun, unique dance fitness opportunities, and I have them to thank for making me a more coordinated, flexible, happy person. Dance fitness...

Explain the MIT Undergrads to Me

There’s a totally rational reason for the madness, I promise

JUN 2019
by Erika A.
Biological Engineering
As a newly arrived graduate student at MIT, you may have noticed that the undergrads are a bit… crazy. Don’t worry, I’m your local neighborhood undergrad-whisperer, and I’m here to help. As a current Graduate Resident...

Dressing for Battlefield Science

Fashion & being yourself while complying with laboratory safety

APR 2019
by Erika A.
Biological Engineering
My first three years of grad school blur together as a haze of experiments and little else. Doing laundry every other week marked the passage of time. I would wash the same set of Gap Body shirts in every neutral color along with my three identical pairs of NYDJ jeans. At some point, I realized I...

At MIT, New York City Is in Your Backyard

Navigating your transit options for weekend trips

MAR 2019
by Erika A.
Biological Engineering
It was a Friday at 10:30am, and I was behind schedule to catch my bus to New York City. I rushed from the Red Line T stop at South Station to the bus terminal, annoyed that my rolling suitcase prevented me from running up the escalators. As it turned out, I shouldn’t have worried. The Megabus area...