The Cambridge Guide to MIT

CMI student perspectives

Academics
Sports
Accommodation
Health
Travel
Dining
Finance
Computing
and more…
Editors

Gillian Hutton

Khoon Tee Tan

Writers

James Smith

Peter Eckley

Bill Cunliffe

Berton Lee

Faryal Khattak

James Doig

Steven Branston

Richard West

Russell Middleton

Ben Lishman

Matthew Miller

Anna Finlayson

Jason Shumaker (CMI Office)

With special thanks to

Ms Peggy Enders

Dr David Good

Contents

Introduction3

Academics7

Living and Dining14

Accommodation and Meals14

Alcohol18

Clubs and Music20

Sports22

Travel: Boston and Beyond25

Phoning in America33

Computing at MIT35

Boston Weather37

Campus Map38

Health39

Finance41

To Bring or Not To Bring?48

Things you might want to take to MIT48
Things to buy in the US49
Textbooks51
The essential guide to shops in Boston52
Arrival in Boston54
Bits and Bobs55

Introduction

A Change Will Do You Good
If tradition and the college system make Cambridge Cambridge, then it is the boundless energy of novices and experts alike that sets the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT, apart from the rest. Time stands still for no one at MIT. With all the thinking and tinkering going around, it is hard to be a passive observer, all the more so when your grades rest on not being one! Even the line between work and play – which carry quite different connotations to the rest of the world – tends to get blurred at a place like MIT. Work is often play too. Strange, but true. The MIT experience can only thicken the dilemma of an international student having to fill in a landing card while enroute to Heathrow: which box to tick for purpose of visit, "business" or "pleasure"?
This hardly means that work is all one can, or should, do here. From PE classes to sailing on the Charles, from shopping and dining in downtown Boston to sipping (or gulping) beer in the "Thirsty", from intramural sports to watching the Red Sox "struggle" at Fenway (careful what you say on home ground), from pop concerts to orchestra performances; there is ample opportunity to satisfy each person's idea of fun and entertainment. Someone once came up with an interesting, albeit stereotypical, definition of the purpose of this exchange: in return for being infused with the values underlying American productivity, Cambridge students would teach these Americans at MIT how to work without sacrificing the "good life". And so bring balance (disturbance?) to the force.

A Brief History

His last words were "bituminous coal"
Photo credit: MIT Museum MIT was founded in 1861 by William Barton Rogers, a leading geologist and natural scientist of the 19^th century. Dr Rogers was deeply impressed by the "highly cultivated nature and society of glorious New England", which he visited as the leader of a geological expedition from Virginia. Recognising the need for an Institution "designed for the advancement of the Industrial Arts and Sciences and Practical Education" in a rapidly industrialising America, he set forth to establish MIT. The Institute opened to its first class of students in 1865, at Copley Square, close to the heart of present-day Boston and just across the river from where the current campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts lies.
MIT is, without a doubt, a young and dynamic Institute. Change is constant. The Institute has, since its inception, increased its breadth of study from the traditional fields of engineering to include interdisciplinary fields such as biomedical engineering and artificial intelligence, to disciplines such as economics, management, political science, psychology and linguistics. And what is more, the flexibility offered by the MIT academic system allows and even encourages students to explore beyond their own specialist fields.
The System
There is no single definitive view of the system, for in one so multifaceted as MIT's, the tendency is to focus on what one sees and unwittingly overlook the rest. But one useful way for a student to look at the system is as three distinct entities:

1. Institute Administration; which serves as overseer and policymaker for the entire university, including Institute-wide programs;

1. Departments; which offer related courses and to which students are academically affiliated but are free to pursue courses from other Departments; and

1. Living Groups; campus houses, sororities (for girls), fraternities (for guys) and independent living groups, which provide accommodation for students.

Viewed this way, the life of an MIT student typically revolves around the department and living group. Notably, unlike the college system at Cambridge University, living groups at MIT only offer accommodation, plain and simple; they do not provide supervisions like Cambridge colleges.

Somebody, Anybody Help!

Academic support is provided on a course-specific, rather than collegiate basis, hence students taking the same course have access to the same "supervisory" staff, irrespective of where they live. At the same time, each CMI student, like others at MIT, is assigned an Undergraduate Advisor, whose role lies somewhere between a Cambridge college Tutor and a Director of Studies.
Welfare support at MIT, because of its Institute-wide nature, may seem less personal than at Cambridge. This unfortunate aspect means one thing to a student: personal initiative is key to getting help. The good news is that the advisory resources open to students cut across all three entities stated above.
There is the Office of the Dean for Undergraduate Education, which offers help on matters related to academic work or career advising, and the Office of the Dean for Student Life, which offers counselling and support services. Or you may approach some of your lecturers for advice or simply to chat, given the generally high degree of class interaction here.
And there is of course the CMI Office if you are confused and unsure as to whom to approach for help; people in the CMI Office are also more than willing to offer direct support where possible. But it is important to realise that there is always someone willing to listen and to help.

MIT Community

MIT today is a community of over 10,000 students (slightly more graduates than undergraduates), almost 1,000 faculty members (professors of all ranks) and about 9,200 non-teaching staff. As expected of a Tech institute, most students at MIT are science or engineering majors. And being the openly motivated people that they are, conversations on work occur with unabashed frequency, in class and outside. But more on academic life in the Academics section.

The diversity of MIT is evident – one need only walk along the Infinite Corridor on any given day of term to sense this. Although international students account for less than 10% of the undergraduate population, almost 50% of the same population consist of US ethnic minority groups. Also, 42% of undergraduates are women. This place has the feel of Bayswater, London to it, as far as diversity and youthfulness go. But it also has a distinctly American college outlook – from the seemingly free-for-all signboards along the Infinite Corridor, to the variety of clothing and hairstyles adopted by students. Safe to say, what is considered out-of-the-ordinary in Cambridge would be quite ordinary here.

Ain't What It Used To Be

The American baseball star, Yogi Berra is reputed to have once said, "the future ain't what it used to be". To spend a year abroad is to venture beyond one's comfort zone, and is bound to be eye opening at the very least. A change in academic and social atmosphere can be refreshing, but also discomforting at times. Yet, people do it, and many enjoy the change (eventually), and relish the challenge.
Apart from enhancing CVs, an MIT experience is likely to develop one's thinking and doing skills, as well as personal values and attitudes. Could such individual experiences translate into an accelerated change in social norms and mores in our respective communities? Maybe. But for each of us who has gone through this exchange, one thing is certain: the future ain't what it used to be.

Academics

In a Nutshell: The Basics

MIT is a university with 5 academic schools. Each school consists of various affiliated departments. Each department is known by its name and course number, e.g. Mechanical Engineering is Course 2. In fact, almost everything inanimate goes by numbers at MIT: class rooms, buildings, departments, subjects, etc. Sounds ridiculous and terribly uncreative but that's just the way it is – one very quickly catches on with the lingo anyway.
By "declaring a major" in the sophomore year, a student states his or her intent in specialising in a particular field, e.g. Chemical Engineering, and becomes affiliated to the corresponding department. But majoring in a course does not limit a student's choice of subjects. Quite the contrary, MIT students have to fulfil a minimum requirement of subjects outside their major, while taking a suitable combination of subjects within their major, in order to graduate. Furthermore, the American education system does not offer an equivalent of British A-levels, hence the broad subject requirements in the freshman year to equip everyone with a broad range of basic skills.

The academic year consists of 2 semesters: Fall and Spring. Each semester has exactly 65 class days, spread over 14-15 weeks, including numerous (and most welcome) short breaks during the semester.
MIT academics come in all ranks and titles – most of them are professors. It is not unusual to address a faculty member as professor so-and-so. But that is as far as the formality goes, usually.

Choices, choices

CMI students do not graduate from MIT; so there is a great deal of flexibility in terms of subject choices. A wise idea, however, would be to choose "core" subjects which correlate to those back in Cambridge, and build your timetable around these subjects. Having started this way, one quickly discovers that while there are no limits imposed by the system, in practice, a clash of class schedules may limit one's options. Advice on choosing subjects at MIT can be obtained from your CMI Course Advisor in Cambridge, or from your predecessors (that be us), who are probably more in-tune with current events.
A "Course Guide" will be issued at the beginning of the semester, complete with subject descriptions and up-to-date class schedules. You are likely to meet your MIT Undergraduate Advisor to discuss your choice of subjects before finalising them – this meeting is usually arranged within the first week of your arrival. But to make the task less daunting at the last minute, it would be preferable to have a shortlist of subjects before coming to MIT. Subject descriptions are available online at http://student.mit.edu, just click on the link to "Subject Offerings and Schedule".
HASS Courses
An interesting experience for most CMI students was venturing into subjects beyond our major. Most of these subjects were offered by the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and hence called HASS subjects or simply HASSes. Introductory courses in the HASSes often open up whole new worlds of thought and reasoning to engineers and scientists. Some of the HASS subjects CMI students have taken include those in the fields of economics, management, history, psychology and art. You are bound to find something that suits your tastes and interests.

Course Assessment: Working Hard Lately?

Subjects, also called courses, are taught very differently at MIT. Course instructors (lecturers) are given a great degree of freedom (some say too much) to shape their own courses in terms of syllabus, teaching and grading methods. Because of this, the level of difficulty and teaching styles employed vary considerably from subject to subject.
Assessment of student performance at MIT is usually a continuous process. A course can be graded in terms of quizzes (mid-term exams), problem sets (examples papers), class participation, labwork, projects, presentations and final exams. The grading structure varies from course to course. It is outlined in the "Course Guide" handed out at the beginning of term – it is recommended that you look into this to understand the grading structure of your courses. Continuous assessment can mean a continuous flow (or torrent) of work, but it also means less stress towards the end of the year.

Comment

What I liked most was the rewarding of hard work. You can't do as well at MIT as at Cambridge if you are clever, but do no work – over here, exams are more frequent and problem sets have to be turned in. It's not a perfect system, but I feel it's a bit fairer.
_Steve Branston, CMI '02_Credit for each course is denoted in terms of "units", which represent the hours of work expected per week, give and take quite a bit. Course units are broken down into lectures, labwork and homework; hence a "3-0-9" units course entails 3, 0 and 9 hours per week of lectures, labwork and homework respectively. The standard advice is to take a total of 48 units per semester. But this serves only as a guide. Some students take less and others, much more – up to 72 units in fact. Rumour has it that those who bring so much to bear upon them are very, very busy people. But it is possible to add or drop subjects along the way, so no harm in experimenting at the beginning.
Instead of being "classed" Cambridge-style, students obtain a Grade Point Average (GPA), which at MIT, unlike the rest of the world, is on a scale of 0 to 5 (rest of the world: 0 to 4). What is a GPA? A student obtains a final grade (A, B, C, etc.) for each course taken. Each grade is assigned a certain number of points: an A is 5 points, B is 4, etc. The GPA is – as its name suggests – an average of all grade points obtained. For those obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at Cambridge from their year at MIT, a GPA of 3.5 (as of 2002) is the qualification mark for engineers, which may appear tough, but isn't really provided you don't slack off completely!

Lectures and Recitations

Talking and thinking out loud in class is encouraged at MIT, most of the time. Class participation even makes up a certain percentage of your final grade in some courses. Imagine getting credit for listening … to yourself!
Most courses require textbooks. The lecture material and homework may be based on the text. This is a shock to unsuspecting Cambridge students accustomed to lecture handouts, having to suddenly fork out some pennies for textbooks. But for hints on saving on textbooks, refer to the Living and Dining section.
Class sizes vary. As a general rule of thumb, the more specialised the course, the fewer the number of pupils. Sometimes there are only about 10 students for the more advanced courses. When the total class size is in the hundreds, some courses split their classes by offering both lectures and recitations for students to choose; a recitation is simply a euphemism for a class with a smaller group of pupils, usually but not always taught by a graduate student. The term "recitation" is misleading – such classes can be more interactive and easier to follow. Students are allowed to try recitation styles during the first few weeks, and can change sections before making a final choice.
Writing notes on the blackboard is probably the most common method of teaching here. For all the tech hype, good old chalkie makes a return after all.
Problem Sets
Problem sets are the MIT sort-of-equivalent to Cambridge examples papers. Unlike examples papers, however, problem sets at MIT come without cribs – a horrifying thought, if not for the fact that they are usually less demanding in terms of theoretical depth.
However, mind-numbing number crunching can get on anyone's nerves, more so on the night before the due date. When this occurs, it makes one wonder if there is any useful purpose to such tedium. Except for getting a good grade, the answer is probably no. Fortunately, not all problem sets are fiendishly tedious.
The teaching assistant (TA) of the course, usually a graduate student, is tasked with grading problem sets. Having your learning curve graded is a weird experience. TAs are not unknown for grading errors, which is why you should speak up if you suspect an error. But don't get too stressed with below-par grades. Usually problem sets account for only 10-20% of the final grade, which when divided by the total number of problem sets, means that each problem set is no big deal, really. "Off-form" days are to be expected anyway. In other words: relax, dammit!
Academic Support
Academic support is provided in the form of "office hours", during which the course lecturer and TA are available for help. Unlike Cambridge supervisions however, office hours at MIT are not compulsory, nor exclusive. The importance of being earnest could not be over-emphasised. There is no such thing as shame when seeking help on problem sets.

Exams

Some classes have three or four exams/quizzes whereas others have the more traditional midterm and final exam approach. In some classes, the final exam (called the "final") is longer (3 hours) and weighted more heavily than the midterm (1-2 hours); and in others, equally. In some classes, equally weighted "quizzes" held throughout the term count towards the final grade.
Some exams are "open-book" and "open-notes", which means that you can take anything you want into the exam (and do your final revision at the same time, if you must). But in other exams, Tripos-type conditions prevail. Basically, examination practices vary widely from class to class.
Some people like to choose classes without finals so that there isn't much pressure at the end of term, but finals at MIT are not as stressful as Tripos exams at Cambridge. The final might even be an opportunity to pull up your grade considerably – it all depends on the person.
Examinations are held in classrooms, multipurpose halls or the central gym. Often, there is sufficient space to work in. Graded quizzes are handed back in class or recitation, except in the case of finals. Your final grades can be found on "Websis" (www.student.mit.edu), the student information site.

Comment I enjoyed the opportunity to work in groups in the undergrad classes. But some of the grad classes weren't quite as organised as I had hoped; I was also expecting them to cover a bit more detail than they actually did.  In a way I didn't mind as it meant getting a good grade was easier!

_Bill Cunliffe, CMI '02_Grad Courses
Some of you may be required, or advised, to take graduate courses while at MIT. Grad courses certainly have a different feel from undergrad ones. From the kind of questions students ask (often very specialised questions) to the way lectures are conducted (with higher expectations of background knowledge), grad courses may seem, well, too theoretical sometimes. Perhaps they are meant to be. But the material covered is certainly within the reach of any good Cambridge undergraduate.

UROP

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, that's what the acronym stands for. Hands-on experience is strongly encouraged at MIT. For good reason too: engineers and scientists are not bred to hide away from the real world. And there are very few places where undergraduates are actually given the chance to be a part of a research group.

Useful Hint:

UROP Pay

If you are unable to obtain UROP pay from your department, contact the CMI Office. CMI funding is available for CMI UROPers. Be it for pay, for credit, or as a volunteer, UROPs are the way forward if you are interested in experiencing research. And while some research groups may require specific skills, most UROPs do not require extreme specialisation. In fact, many UROPers actually do UROPs outside their academic field, e.g. an engineer could be doing a UROP in economics. Or you could start a UROP of your own and apply for funding from the CMI Office!
Getting a UROP is not complicated, but may involve some extra effort. Which field of research interests you most? If you can decide on a specific area, then looking for a UROP on the MIT web is pretty straightforward. Most research groups have their own webpages. Even if the webpage doesn't advertise a UROP position, there is no harm asking. Like a box of chocolates – you never know what you're gonna get.
For further information on UROP, go to: web.mit.edu/urop

Independent Activities Period

The Independent Activities Period, or IAP, runs for 4 weeks in January. Officially, it serves the purposes of promoting student-faculty interaction, encouraging new methods of teaching and learning, and strengthening the sense of community at MIT. But to a student, it is really an opportunity to do the kind of activities that interest you, but in a more relaxed and hectic-free environment: from sporting activities to art classes or leadership events; there is a broad range of fun activities to choose from. You could do academic subjects for credit (limited to 12 units), learn from fellow students on specialised topics like programming, or participate in some events just for fun! You could also organise your own activities and invite others from within the MIT community to take part.
An IAP Guide will be published in the Fall semester, so look out for it. It will include a list of subjects offered, and instructions on registration.
For further information on IAP, go to: web.mit.edu/iap/

Accommodation and Meals

An Overview

It is quite difficult to choose a living group without an intimate knowledge of all the available choices. Truth be told, not even a whole year at MIT can give anyone that complete knowledge we all desire before deciding. Hence, this part of the guide serves to provide a (very) general view and flavour of living and dining at MIT, while providing some useful links and hints to guide you.
If someone has tried explaining MIT housing to you before, and you emerged even more confused, don't worry. Safe to say, the first batch of CMI-ers got away relatively unscathed by the maddening housing system of MIT – with "rush" week when living groups scramble for students, the room swapping and haggling, and the housing lotteries that some living groups do later on; and all this while you live, bags yet-unpacked, in a temporary room.
In fact, you will be treated more as if you were entering your Cambridge college for the first time – you will (or should) know your living group in advance, and if it is a dorm, you will be assigned a permanent room too. In other words, you will not have to do "rush". But be forewarned, each living group at MIT is run by its own students, and has its own way of doing things, so keep an open mind.
MIT living groups include:
Campus Houses

• Also called dorms, at least 10 of them, with more in construction

Fraternities, Sororities and Independent Living Groups (FSILGs)

• 6 sororities (all-female)
• 28 fraternities (all-male)
• 6 independent living groups (mostly co-ed)

Note: Altogether, 35 FSILGs provide accommodation. Some frats and sororities are membership-based, and don't provide housing.
Your living group assignment will depend on what you write in your accommodation form, the matchmaking skills of the CMI Office, and perhaps your mini-interview with the frat or sorority representative. Whatever it is, you should be hearing about your final accommodation at least a week before departure! If you are looking for further information on individual MIT living groups, go to: http://web.mit.edu/campus-life.html#living for a full list of links.
It is tempting to say that each living group has its own distinctive character, but because each person's social clique is not confined to where he or she lives, the differences are usually not quite so pronounced or at least not so easily felt. Besides, unless you live in a frat or sorority, the "we-all-live-in-a-yellow-submarine" feeling in Cambridge colleges does not apply here. In general, dorms on the East side of campus, e.g. East Campus and Senior House, have a more iconoclastic outlook, whilst some semblance of normalcy occurs towards the west side of campus. Fraternities and sororities consist of smaller groups of people (usually less than 100), and appear as closely-knit communities, with staunch support for their frat "brothers" or sorority "sisters" at social events. Frats and sororities also serve as networking organisations after you graduate.
All dorms, by definition, are situated on campus and many FSILGs are located within a half-mile radius of the campus. There are a few FSILGs slightly further away, across the Charles River in Boston, but travel is made easy by the free Saferide bus (see Travel section).
Rooms and Rents
Firstly, things not to expect. Don't expect a huge Cambridge size room, much less a suite. Don't expect bedders – the concept of someone cleaning your room doesn't exist here! Don't even expect a desk lamp, although you should have a phone. What you can expect is a neat and tidy room (at least when you first get there), with a bed and mattress, a desk, a chair or two, a cabinet, a drawer, and plain walls. The room will appear small and bare, but liveable for an impoverished student.
Except of course, that even impoverished students have to pay their rents, and the rents at MIT are typically double the accommodation costs in Cambridge. Shocking, but true. Hence, the means-tested bursary. Many rooms are shared, so consider yourself lucky if you're assigned a "single"! But of course, if you wish to share a room with one, two, or up to four others, that is by no means a problem – the housing people will love you, given the current lack of rooms at MIT.
You may do almost anything you want with your room, subject to the general rule that you don't mess things up permanently. So you can paint your room in rainbow colours (after signing a contract with the house management), and nobody will mind, provided you paint it back to its plain old self before you leave. Plants and posters, blue tack and all, are allowed. Pets are allowed only in certain dorms.
Kitchen, Laundry, Linen
All living groups provide their own facilities for cooking and laundry. Kitchen facilities that are usually provided here include electric stoves, ovens and microwaves. Frying is allowed, mostly – but your living group may have its own rules, so check first! Some dorms, like Senior House and East Campus, have massive kitchens. The ladies' dorm, McCormick, has good kitchen facilities too. But not all dorms have it so good. Baker, for example, has a single kitchen for the entire dorm – something to think about if you are a big cook! But then Baker also provides catered meals. Cooking in a frat or sorority may be slightly easier, given the small number of people living together. But some FSILGs have their own catering arrangements as well, so the kitchen facilities may not be so important after all.
In most cases, laundry machines are located at the basement of the building. Washing per load costs 75¢, i.e. three quarters, and tumble drying costs 25¢ for something between 10 and 15 minutes. Getting your laundry done is no problem.
Linen? Or rather the lack of. When you first enter your room, expect to be greeted with a bare mattress, and perhaps a bare pillow, if one exists at all. You will need to get your own sheets, blankets, pillowcases, etc. American bed sizes are somewhat larger, but linen from the UK will work, if you get the "flat sheet" kind instead of the "fitted" type. If you feel that you are missing a pillow or even mattress, you might want to check with "desk", i.e. the reception of your living group, and ask for what you should be getting.
Vacation Storage
You are allowed to keep things in your room over the winter break. In fact, you can stay if you want, for no extra charge. Some people stay over the vacation or return early to participate in the Independent Activities Period (IAP) in January. (See page 13 of the Academics Section for IAP information).

Campus Meals: To Eat, Or…

MIT has several dining halls: Walker Memorial, Baker Dining, Courses and Lobdell. They provide a variety of meals, from salads to burgers, pastas, pizzas and even Chinese hot dishes. As for quality of food, well … it is edible. A typical meal costs between $4 to $8.
A cheaper and more popular alternative is getting lunch boxes from food trucks at MIT. These food trucks, run by restaurants in the area, provide Asian, Mexican, Italian and Greek food. The food trucks usually open at 11am and leave at 3pm, and gather at the following locations: 77 Mass. Ave., Ames Street (close to the Biology Building), Building E50 and Building NE43 (the Computer Science Lab on Main Street). The lunch packs are generally more than you ever need for lunch (in America, everything is BIG), and they cost from $3 to $5. The length of the queues at some trucks may suggest the quality of the food. In general, the food is clean, but there was a time when as a result of dodgy food quality, one of the food trucks was suspended! The trucks, however, remain popular amongst students.

Self-catering

An even cheaper alternative is self-catering. The campus grocer is Laverdes at the Student Centre, although Star Market, behind Random Hall, provides a much greater variety of groceries at a usually lower price. For those who are willing to travel, Haymarket and Chinatown in Boston provide cheap fruits and grocery.

Eating Out

Eating out in Boston is easy with the "T" (the Boston "tube"). Newbury Street across the river has a lot of decent restaurants and bars. Central Square has some curry houses. Chinatown is densely populated with Chinese and other Asian restaurants, while Porter Square has a mall filled with Japanese/Korean cuisine. There are innumerable Italian restaurants in the South End. A favourite CMI haunt last year was Marches at the Prudential Centre.

Drinking (also see next section on Alcohol)

You may be disappointed with the fact that there are only 2 (yes, two!) bars on campus: Thirsty at Ashdown (along Mass. Ave.) and The Muddy Charles at Walker Memorial (opposite East Campus). There are a few more pubs and bars along Mass. Ave., close to Central Square. If you are looking for a comfy dining and/or drinking place, try "Spinaker" of Hyatt Hotel or "Top of the Hub" at Prudential Centre – swanky places not to be missed during your stay in Boston.
For some hints on how to save on dining expenses, refer to the Finance section.

Alcohol

The Legal Age

The legal drinking age in Massachusetts is 21. Pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs are very strict about this. Nearly all bars will request photo IDs from all members of the party and restaurants will request for it when alcohol is ordered. Quite often, if you are under 21 you are not even allowed to enter the pub.

ID

Most establishments require an American driving license or a passport as proof of age. However some places will accept a UK photo driving license.
If a bar does accept a UK driving licence, the bouncer can get confused with the date of birth because Americans write dates in the form mm/dd/yy e.g. April 2 is confused with February!

Campus bars

Unlike in Cambridge, the bar is not a big social gathering point for MIT undergraduates as alcohol is treated very differently at MIT. There are 2 bars on campus; both "The Thirsty Ear" and "The Muddy Charles" admit CMI students.

The Thirsty Ear

This is the graduate bar in the basement of Ashdown Dorm. It is a bit of a dive but the closest thing you will find to a college bar.
The Thirsty is officially open:
Monday: 9pm-1am
Tuesday-Thursday:7pm-1am
Friday:4pm-2am
However, there were frequent "lock-ins" in 2001/2002.
The Thirsty offers a wide selection of bottles and has 3 beers on tap but no spirits. If you are feeling brave, you can drink your way through the 24 bottles on the "frequent flyers" card and get your very own Thirsty Ear T-shirt. Prices vary from $1.50 to $3.50 a bottle.
Last year The Thirsty was relatively lenient about carding. However it is strict on a Friday night.
The main features of The Thirsty are the dartboard, the chatty barmen, the unisex toilets, the large TV and the karaoke/music. It is a great place to chill after working but watch out: you might not get home till 4.

The Muddy Charles

This is a more refined establishment in which you can often find faculty members. Situated in Walker Memorial, it is also open during lunch time and has a nice atmosphere during the summer.

Buying Alcohol

You cannot buy alcohol in Supermarkets but have to go to specific off licences. There are 2 off licences near MIT – one in Central Square and the other on the Boston side of Harvard Bridge about 100m down from the banks.

Alcohol in Dorms

MIT is a dry campus: the admins are very sensitive about alcohol and you will not find any alcohol at university functions unless they are sure everyone is over 21!
Some of the dorms are stricter then others but do not be surprised if you are asked not to drink in communal areas in case someone under 21 is about. If you are under 21, they may get very upset if you drink. However if they do have a problem, the best answer is to pour your drink into a cup.
Generally, open frat parties are dry and guest list parties require ID before you can be issued an armband, which gives you the right to drink. Drinks are generally served in the all too classy red cups as seen on American Pie, etc.!
Clubs and Music: Light Recreation!
Some interesting MIT clubs you might want to know about…
Science Fiction Society (MITSFS)
MITSFS runs a science fiction library in the Student Center; they are probably your cheapest and easiest source of fiction novels to keep you sane at MIT. Despite their name, they carry a surprising range of books either donated by members or bought new. As well as the inevitable Asimov and Tolkeinesque collections you will find Terry Pratchett, Michael Crichton and Buffy the Vampire Slayer amongst the historic books and bananas.
Anyone is welcome to enter the library (W20, 4th floor, next to "The Tech" offices), sit on their comfy chairs and read a book during opening hours (most evenings – posted on the door and on their website http://web.mit.edu/mitsfs). If you want to take books out you need to join MITSFS for a small fee (around $12, but it changes). The librarians are very friendly and will help you find anything you're looking for.
Like any MIT student society MITSFS also has its own unique style, best summarised by the phrase "geek kitsch", but don't knock it - it's an experience you would never have had before. For people who get more into the social side of the library there are weekly meetings, dinner trips and a picnic in the summer.

Assassin's Guild
"To Err is Human...
To Forgive is not our Policy."
So, what does an Assassin's Guild do? Three important things: they blow up stuff, kill people and eat. Well … no, not exactly. MIT Assassins eat pizza, play Patrol and design/play LARP games.
Patrol is best thought of as step aerobics with guns - it's the best way to start getting involved and meeting some of the Assassins. Teams of players hunt each other with dart guns (no, the darts don't hurt) in the corridors of Building 36 every Saturday night, if you die you run upstairs, magically reincarnate and avenge your self with a manic laugh.
Want to run the illuminati? Be a hero? Or stab your best friend in the back? Then LARP games are for you. Longer and more immersive than Patrol, assassins improvise the roles in a battle or spy-based scenario to see who's right and who's dead at the end.
On the whole MIT Assassins are friendly, quirky people, mostly from East Campus or Senior House. Joining is a good way to meet a lot of new friends and learn your way around the interesting parts of campus quickly. Either talk to them at the Activities Midway or check their website http://www.mit.edu:8001/activities/assassin/home.html for more information.
Live Music in Boston
Lots of good live music reaches Boston, and is often cheap to watch too because many of these bands are trying to break into the American market. In the first year that CMI-ers have been here, people have seen The Strokes, Starsailor, Basement Jaxx, Bob Dylan and Travis, to name but a few.

To find out what is on, check: www.nextticketing.com
This lists gigs at various venues: most good ones are at "Avalon" or "The Paradise Rock Club".
Also useful is: www.ticketmaster.com
This tends to be more corporate, but often has good gigs, and is also a good place to start looking for sports tickets, etc.
Sports Matches in Boton
American sports matches need to be seen to be believed. The rules are obscure, the side shows entertaining and food abundant. While at a Red Sox game in September, they even had us all sing "New York, New York" in support of the victims of September 11.
Boston is the home of The Celtics (Basketball), The Red Sox (Baseball), The Patriots (winners of last year's Superbowl) and The Bruins (Ice Hockey).
The Red Sox play at Fenway Park and the Celtics and Bruins play their home matches at the Fleet Center in Boston. Watching live matches in these 3 sports is relatively easy. Tickets for the Fleet Center can be ordered through "Ticketmaster" (Tel:617-931-2000) and they tend to have student nights which cost about $10. Red Sox tickets can be purchased at the gate.
Physical Education and Sports
Remember PE back at school? This is your chance to relive that experience, if only for one last time! Many sporting activities are offered at MIT and you can participate at a variety of levels.

Physical Education Lessons

In a recent "what did you like about MIT" discussion with the chair of faculty at MIT, the PE lessons were mentioned so much more than anything else it almost became embarrassing.

What's so great about PE?

The great thing about the PE programme at MIT is that, unlike varsity or club sports in Cambridge, it gives you the rare chance to learn from scratch – no previous experience necessary. The star of the MIT varsity pistol team had never touched a gun before her first PE lesson. This CMI-er could barely stand up on skates when he first arrived, but by the time the ice-rink was melted in spring, and journalistic integrity requires telling this, he could hold his own in an ice-hockey game. Perhaps the speedy progress is because even the absolute novices are taught by world-class instructors – the pistol instructor is a World Champion (apparently the U.S. Marines he beat were not let off lightly!) and the sailing instructor is an Olympic coach and competitor.

Facilities

The sports facilities at MIT are impressive as they are, but you will be lucky enough to see the opening of the new Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center in 2002. This gives you access to a brand new Olympic-class 50-meter pool, a training pool, an 11,000-square-foot fitness center, and a 5,000-square-foot court facility which will offer volleyball, aerobics, recreational basketball, as well as six squash courts built to international competition standards.

The PE year

In terms of Physical Education, the academic year is divided into five sections: four quarters and Independent Activities Period (IAP) in the middle. This gives you the chance to take five PE classes. It is worth giving some thought to planning your classes, as they aren't all offered all year round (for example, sailing is only offered in the first and fourth quarters when it's sunny, and the ice-rink is only in operation for the middle three fifths of the year). Most classes meet for an hour, twice a week. Popular classes are offered at many times so fitting PE into your schedule should not be too hard. Over IAP, classes meet about four times a week.

How to register

You need to apply online through the PE lottery, which is on "Websis" (student.mit.edu). You then need to check again to see what you have been assigned, and turn up to the first class. If you didn't get into the class you wanted to take, then just turn up anyway on the first day. There are always people on the list who don't turn up, and you can very often get into the class you want by turning up early and asking (no guarantee though – I have seen 80 people try this for a class for 30 people)

Helpful Links

The homepage
http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/
Opening hours of the pool, ice-rink, courts, pavilion, etc.
+http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/facil.html+
Physical education pages – class details, dates, lottery etc.
http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/physed.html
The lottery dates you need to add to your diary to make sure you don't miss out.
http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/physed/lotterydates.html
IM Sports
The MIT Intramural Athletics Program, or IM in short, offers competition between dorms/FSILGs in more than fifteen sports. Each sport consists of different "leagues" – the IM equivalent of Cambridge sports' "divisions" – to cater for a range of skill levels. MIT students play a significant role in the administration of IM sports. The IM Council makes policy and disciplinary decisions, student sports managers organise leagues, and other students officiate games. Be prepared to be bombarded with e-mails from student organisers of the various games during term time.
Some of the IM sports that CMI students have participated in include soccer (football is the one played with helmets), ice hockey and badminton. You can join an existing team from your living group or form one of your own – but good fun is the order of the day. For all the competitive spirit in academics, most participants adopt a more leisurely, relaxed attitude in IM games, although fraternities tend to be more competitive than other living groups.

Varsity Sports

"Blues" at Cambridge, "Varsity" at MIT (thank goodness not "Beaver"). MIT is not exactly renowned for its sporting prowess, and has yet to develop a strong tradition in any game. But true to spirit, CMI students have represented MIT in sports like soccer (men and women) and rowing – future batches will no doubt add to this. For more information, visit: web.mit.edu/athletics/www/

Soccer

The great thing about varsity sports, and mens' soccer from the writer's personal experience, is that the coaching support is excellent.  For soccer, there was a full time coach and a volunteer assistant coach. A team of "trainers" was also present to administer aid for any injuries suffered during training or at a match.  There was also always drinking water, training equipment, plenty of footballs, etc.; something that is at times missing in Cambridge due to the lack of funds. The pitches at MIT are, however, an absolute disgrace – totally solid/dusty with rocks all over them.  It is recommended that you wear moulded studs on the pitch.
The level of commitment is very high.  The season lasts about nine weeks, beginning a week before the start of the semester.  It is short, but action-packed.  Games were played on Wednesday and Saturday, with training on every other day except Sunday.  So, six days a week for about nine weeks.  To miss a practice you needed a very good reason.  With such a busy schedule, and MIT being as it is, the going can – and did – get tough, but people survive. To find out more, talk to Walter Alessi (waalessi@mit.edu), the coach.
The standard of womens' soccer (and sports in general) is extremely high compared to the standard at Cambridge (and England in general).  Women in the US are actually encouraged to play sports!
Travel: Boston and Beyond
Transportation in Boston
Local Buses
During her time at MIT, this CMI-er needed only 2 buses, the '1' and the 'CT1'. Both these buses travel along Mass. Ave. and have a stop outside the main entrance of MIT. The number 1 bus travels from Dudley Station (Boston) to Harvard Square, while the CT1 runs between Dudley Station (Boston) and Central Square. The CT1 is a limited stop bus. The buses are quite regular but don't be surprised if 3 turn up at once! And don't rely too heavily on the posted timetable.

These local buses have a flat rate charge of 75¢ per journey. However they do not give change. If you are taking the bus regularly, MIT subsidises bus passes and you can sign up to receive a monthly pass at the MIT Transportation Office. Last year the pass cost $9.95 a month and was charged to the student's MIT account each month.
Unfortunately, the large blue buses that travel along Mass. Ave. are for Harvard students only and you must show a Harvard ID to be able to travel on them.
MIT Safe Ride
MIT provides a free minibus service to transport MIT students between Campus and the Independent Living Groups. There are 4 minibuses that run every night between 7pm and 3am, departing from 77 Mass. Ave. approximately every half an hour.
Each of the 4 minibuses have a set route and you can jump on and off at any stop. 2 buses head over Harvard Bridge into Boston, while the other 2 travel around the Cambridge Area. It is important to get on the right bus and each one is labelled above its front tyre 'Boston East', 'Boston West' or 'Cambridge' depending on its route.

"As a consequence of a hack in 1327, Harvard Bridge is nowhere
near Harvard University but rather, next to MIT."
– Prof. Pontier, MIT

Walking
Boston is a much bigger city than Cambridge, England; but MIT is conveniently located in Cambridge (Massachusetts), next to the Charles River, overlooking Boston on the opposite banks. One can walk to most places within reasonable time and it is often quite scenic to boot.
Typical walking times from MIT to various popular local destinations:

• Back Bay (pubs, frats, overpriced boutiques): 10 minutes over Harvard Bridge (the bridge that connects the Boston and Cambridge halves of Mass. Ave.)

• Downtown Boston (Boston Common, restaurants, cinema, shopping): 30 minutes over Longfellow Bridge (the bridge closer to the East side of campus)

• Harvard Square (Harvard University, bars, restaurants, coffee houses, shopping): 30 minutes up Mass. Ave.

Bicycles

A quick way of travelling between West and East campus, or over Harvard Bridge, bicycles are much less popular than in Cambridge. Should you brave it on two wheels, watch out for Boston drivers. They may or may not be looking out for pesky cyclists.

Taxis

Unless you have lots of luggage, it is getting late, you are in the middle of nowhere, or just plain lazy, the "T" is often as quick as taxis, and far cheaper.
Almost all taxis are yellow or white, big and well regulated. Galleria to East Campus costs about $6. Rides across Harvard Bridge in a storm, $3. Airport from MIT (flat rate) about $18 + luggage charges. On top of this you are expected to tip 15%. Don't expect small change, much less ask for it. But if you don't tip well, expect to be chided. ("Boston is an expensive city, you know!?")
The "T" (The T is the underground system by the way)
Firstly, the writer wishes to point out his aversion towards maps, directions and the like, and had to use a compass to get around Manhattan, New York. So if you are a true Londoner and can navigate the Underground while very drunk, then no one – much less this writer – qualifies to tell you about this subject, but then again you've probably stopped reading by now. You are urged not to though, because in a few months time you could be able to travel to the beach for 67p. Now, you can't do that in Cambridge, can you?
There are four lines (only four!) in Boston but they all have their uses. The nice thing is that every journey costs a dollar, which isn't too expensive. In the first few weeks someone might try to sell you a monthly T pass in Lobby 10, but it is advisable to get it only if you are certain of using the underground at least 9 round trips (to and fro) per month.
The T is open from roughly 6am to 12:30am the next day. It closes earlier than the bars in Boston, which isn't too great, but it only takes a 20-30 minute walk to get back otherwise. Also, if you've taken advantage of the 2 am closing time in the bars, you probably won't mind a little walk to sober up.
The main criticism of the T is that there is no stop directly at the main entrance of MIT. This can be annoying if you live on the West side of campus (Baker, Burton-Connor, etc.), as the nearest T stop is a fifteen-minute walk away. If you live on the East side though (East Campus, Senior House) the Kendall T Stop is just across the road. Thus most MIT students don't use the T every day.
As a reward for reading this far, here are hints on some interesting stops, because – let's face it – it is nice to get out of MIT occasionally!
Revere Beach (Blue Line) – Name says it all. A bit of sand, swimmable water, people driving along in open top cars with the stereo on full blast. Aeroplanes fly over from the airport. It's nice to go to the beach though, bring a Frisbee along.
Forest Hills (Orange Line) – There is an arboretum there (park full of trees and the like). Go for a picnic. Take an unsuspecting American for a nice romantic walk and dazzle him or her with your English accent.
Harvard (Red Line) – With MIT being a technical college, you'll probably miss the SPS-ers from back home. Go to Harvard and meet some new ones.
Boston College (Green Line) – A young gentleman last year (who shall remain nameless) achieved legendary status for his exploits there. It is 70% female you see – all part of the plot to marry someone at Harvard, or is it MIT?
Downtown Crossing (Red/Green Line) – Shopping! Everyone's favourite pastime.

For a T map, go to: http://www.mbta.com/schedmaps/subway/


Getting Out of Boston
After you acquaint yourself with American road signs and symbols (like how big American road signs are, and the "no entry" signs with "WRONG WAY" written below them) you will realise that Boston is actually the most European of all American cities. This is the time to begin travelling.
Unless you have (or can wangle) a car, you will use Greyhound buses or fly.

Greyhound

The local operator is Peter Pan bus lines – a partner of Greyhound. They are clean and cheap and show a film en route. New York for $25 return (March 2002).

If you are on a very tight budget you can try:
http://www.travelpackusa.com/bus-service.htm
($15-25 return depending on time of day).

Flights

Just go to www.expedia.com. If you thought that a company that spends so much on advertising can't possibly be the cheapest around and hence, trawled the Web for hours – think twice and look no further.
Return airfare to New York is around $120-160, San Francisco $360+. Cheaper tickets can be had by not flying on Saturdays. American Airlines is great. Southwest is known as a low-cost airline, though the US does not yet have a Ryanair equivalent.

Accommodation

Hostels are always the cheapest option. You could stay in a rat's nest in DC for $15/night. Or find a nice place via Hostelling International in San Francisco for $25/night. Try http://www.hostels.com/us.html for ideas.
However, if there are four or five of you then it is literally an extra $1-2 bucks each to go with www.expedia.com and book a quad/quintet. If you can stomach sharing a double bed with a friend, this is a much less stressful way to travel.

Car Rental

Car rental is prohibitively expensive in the Northeast, and furthermore, there are surcharges for drivers under 25. Until you are 21, none of the national rental agencies will serve you, though some local agencies will consider 18 year olds for a hefty premium.
For a weekend, you could be looking at $300.

Driving

According to the British consulate in Boston, you can drive on a British license for the first year of your residency. Should you be the lucky tyke to acquire a car, you will also have to learn how to dodge 2 feet deep pot holes while avoiding oncoming traffic.
Drive on the right, and never above 65mph.
Interstates turn into toll-collecting 'turnpikes' near big cities.

For more information on travel within and
around the Boston area, go to:
http://web.mit.edu/rlslp/och/transp ortation.html
A Lonely Planet book is recommended.

Some Places to Visit

New York

Named the "Big Apple" by touring musicians relishing a bite at NY's thriving gig scene, New York should be high on your list for the following reasons:

• From sunrise on the Staten Island ferry to sunset from the Brooklyn Bridge there is always something to do. A trip up the Empire State building allows you to survey your explored realm, and when evening comes, the restaurants, jazz clubs and bars begin to hum.
• Only 4 hours by Peter Pan bus lines (Greyhound partner); $25 return
• The Grano Trattoria is a well kept secret in Greenwich Village. For $20-$25 you can enjoy 3 courses, drinks and ambience better than restaurants twice the price.

San Francisco

Beautiful hilly streets packed with Spanish architecture and looking over rolling green hills to the Pacific Ocean. Nearby Berkeley was a centre of student activism in its heyday. Some of them still dress funny. Good taste of the West coast.
Washington, D.C.
The seat of US government is a fascinating but strange place. Most of the famous buildings congregate around a mile long strip of grass called "The Mall". Come on a weekday. The White House, Capitol and Supreme Court close early on Saturdays and are shut all day Sunday. You need to arrive at 8:00–8:30am to get tickets for a tour on the same day.

Baltimore

Industrial city. Tourists head straight for the inner harbour and take a boat cruise. It may not be pretty, but it is oddly inspiring and offers a glimpse into the industrial heart of America. It is not at all like Boston!

Princeton

A delightfully tiny town that exists (if only) because of the University. Much like Cambridge with the buildings in better nick. Worth an evening visit to dine and explore the place where "A Beautiful Mind" was filmed.

Provincetown

Situated at the tip of Cape Cod this quaint little town is the Gay capital of New England and definitely worth a weekend visit when the weather is nice. The area has many lovely beaches and hiring bikes is an enjoyable way to get about. Provincetown is within 3 hours drive of Boston and can also be reached by ferry from Downtown Boston.

Phones Explained
Within America, local phone calls are free. However long distance calls require a calling card. All MIT bedrooms have a live phone point and most also come with a phone (line rental is automatically included in your rent, so no free lunch here!).
Cross Campus Calling
If you are calling across campus you only need to dial the last 5 digits of the phone number.
Calling off Campus
To make a phone call to a number off campus you need to dial 9 before dialling the full phone number.
ET's Guide to Phoning Home:

1. Buy an international phone card from LaVerdes. The pioneer CMI batch recommends these cards as they are good value for money – no connection fee and 3 pence per minute calls to Britain.
2. Scratch the panel on the back of the card to reveal your pin number.
3. Dial the local phone number on the back of the card and listen to the instructions.
4. When requested, dial the destination number. Remember the code to call Britain is '01144' not '0044' and you must drop the first zero of the area code e.g. 01144 1223 501502

Mobile Phones
Mobile (cell) phones are not as common at MIT as they are at Cambridge and it is quite possible to go through the year without one as most MIT dorms and living groups provide a landline connection. There are also a number of pay phones on campus (50¢ per call). That said, many rooms are shared and it is nice to be able to call home whenever you want and to have your own answer-phone.
Using your British mobile phone in the US is not recommended. They have a different network system that needs the more expensive tri-band phones.
The best way to check if your phone will work is to ask your British network customer service department, when you call them to activate international roaming on your account. But even if this does work the overseas call charges are extremely high (about 70p /min for calls to the UK and £1 /min for calls within the US) so you'd only want to use your mobile in emergencies.
The best solution is to wait until you arrive and then sign on with an American network if you need to. There are a couple of cell-phone dealerships in the Galleria mall. For example, a pay-as-you-go phone (they call it EasySpeak) from Voice Stream (one of the best) will set you back $80 for a phone handset and SIM card and then about $25 /month for top-up cards. Constantly reminding yourself to buy top-up cards can be irritating, but it is probably the best deal as you will only be in the US for a short time and you won't need to remember to cancel the contract at the end of the year or pay for months like December/January when you may well be in the UK.
Unfortunately, British networks lock their handsets so that they will only work with SIM cards from the same network. If you can get it unlocked, all is well and good, but otherwise you will also need to buy the American handset too. Remember that US networks count both incoming and outgoing calls but otherwise the terms and services available are pretty much what you'd expect. Cell phones also work with international phone cards allowing you to avoid the high international connection rates payable if you directly dial the UK from one.

MIT Nerd Pride

How to live the Compsci Dream
Apart from the mathematical skills of a certain janitor, MIT must be most famous for the technological wizardry performed within its walls. Perhaps not so well known are the magical efforts of the students, which are encapsulated in all sorts of contraptions littering various dorms and labs. In the dress-down oasis of MIT, this spirit is most obviously expressed in the huge number of t-shirts proclaiming 'Nerd Pride'; "Don't drink and derive" is still my personal favourite, but I dare not mention the rest.
As you might expect from this, MIT is nearly a totally wired community (if not utopia). Every academic course, association, and living group, typically has all numbers of mailing lists, which provide as much information as you can possibly want (and valuable exercise clicking that delete key). Among the MIT-wide mailing lists, reuse@mit is particularly useful for picking up items (from computers to cars) that other people are throwing away.
To help you keep in touch with this massive side of MIT, there is a wealth of computers (over 1,300) run under MIT's Project Athena (which sadly may not be as deathless as the famous daughter). The machines (Dells, Suns, and much-beloved SGIs) are grouped in more than 40 clusters scattered throughout all the major buildings and are available to all 24 hours a day all through term. It may seem scary now, but you can practically be guaranteed that someone will be working away in most clusters every one of those hours.
You need not worry if you are not too hot on your UNIX commands or GNOME menus; there is an abundance of resources to help you. Athena Consulting is the official MIT computer advisory service, which offers personal and online assistance with operating Athena and any of the supported software. Student Information Processing Board (SIPB) situated just outside the W20 Athena cluster (by far the best cluster, especially machine W20-575-69) is a student-run group that will give you help with any of your computational problems, especially the applications not supported by Athena Consulting. They are only human, however, so when you stagger there at 2am shaking after just deleting your lab report due the next day, they can only smirk and point to the "rm is forever" poster; nevertheless, at least they do try to help people as stupid as, well … OK, me.
If you are bringing your own computer (only really recommended if it is a laptop) or buying one in America, then every dorm and most FSILGs have network connections in the rooms. The Residential Computing @ MIT (RCC), a student run advisory group, will help you with all the relevant technical details and setting up the connection to the MIT network, MITNet. RCC have representatives in practically every dorm and FSILG and will happily help you choose some 'wacky' hostname for your beloved machine.
Inc, zwrite, and a whole host of other UNIX commands may be unknown to you now, but given time, the experience of using the Athena UNIX environment will be a useful one for the CV. Furthermore, in your various courses you may also come to use any number of applications, from MatLab to LaTeX (sadly not as kinky as it sounds), all of which can only add to your Athena fun. Instant messaging programs must be the most popular applications (and biggest distractions) on Athena, and are often the best way nowadays to keep in touch with folks back home. Also, I heartily recommend the Athena courses offered during the week before classes for a good introduction into the computing environment.
Useful links:
Computing Resources Index
http://web.mit.edu/cwis/computing.html
Athena Consulting Home Page
http://web.mit.edu/consult/www/
SIPB Home Page
http://www.mit.edu/sipb/
Residential Computing @ MIT (RCC)
http://web.mit.edu/rescomp/


If your laptop or computer gets a nasty virus or throws a wobbly do not hesitate to take it to the Computer Services department in building N52 and they can generally sort it out free of charge.
Boston Weather Forecast
The weather in Boston is best summarised as "variable" - one minute it can be raining, and the next brilliantly sunny; New England's weather is notoriously difficult to forecast, and it's often good to plan for 4 seasons in a single day. That said, there does seem to be far more sunshine than in Britain, and even during winter there's often blue skies, although often accompanied by a brisk wind.
The seasonal extremes are far more pronounced than in Cambridge, and when you return after Christmas you'll understand what a cold winter really is! There's guaranteed snow and ice during December/January/February, and it can hang around for several days, shovelled to the edge of the roads and pavements. Unlike British cities, Boston is at least well equipped to deal with cold conditions, and the dorms are within very easy walking distance of MIT - the (free) Saferide minibus travels to the living groups further away. There's also plenty of opportunity for skiing within easy driving distance of the city in winter.
In the summer, the weather moves to the other extreme; temperatures rise above any in Britain, and better reflect Boston's position on the same latitude as the south of Spain. The humidity is also very high in July and August; those living in the Deep South claim it's far above what they undergo at home!
In summary, plan for every extreme because you'll definitely experience it at some time. From baking hot sunshine to icy blizzards, Boston delivers it all.


The lights attached to the needle on top of the Old Hancock Building can help you forecast the weather:
Steady Blue – Skies are too
Flashing Blue – Clouds are due
Steady Red – Rain ahead
Flashing Red – Snow instead (except
during baseball season when it means the Red Sox game is cancelled)

MIT Campus Map

77 Mass AveHarvard Square

& Central Square





Star Supermarket







The Student Center





The Muddy Charles
(Walker Memorial)ThirstyHarvard Bridge
To Bostonh1.Health

MIT Medical and Insurance

There are two forms that you need to fill for medical and health insurance purposes. The following is a guide on what you need to do; hopefully it will save you some hassle later on.

Medical Report

Everyone needs to complete an MIT Undergraduate and Transfer Medical Report. This form can be found at http://mit.edu/medical/student/for m0203.htm and requires a brief medical history and the signature of a physician. If you have received some or all of the required immunisations before, then getting the signature of your doctor before leaving for MIT will make it easier to meet the Fall term deadline of the various medical forms, which is September 30.
MIT Medical prefers that all students receive their immunisations prior to arriving at MIT. Most of the immunisations required are those you should have received in childhood, i.e. Measles, Mumps and Rubella. If necessary, you may receive or complete a series of immunisations at MIT Medical. However, you will be charged for any immunisation or test needed for matriculation into MIT.
Once complete, the Medical Report form should be returned to MIT Medical by post or fax:
MIT Medical E23-177
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Fax: (617) 253-7265.
For further information on the Medical Report please visit http://mit.edu/medical/medrpt/ or contact MIT Medical at 617-253-1777 or medrpt@med.mit.edu.
Health Insurance
As a regular student here at MIT, you are automatically signed up for the MIT Student Health Plan. Information on this basic coverage can be found at http://mit.edu/medical/student/shp0102.htm.
In addition to the basic coverage provided, all students must have some extended coverage during their stay here at MIT. MIT Health Plans offers students the Extended MIT Hospital Plan; see http://mit.edu/medical/student/exqs0102.htm for information. (Please note: you will not be automatically enrolled for this plan as stated in the first paragraph of the website.) You must either choose to enroll for the Extended MIT Hospital Plan or opt to carry your own coverage. It is up to you (refer to the Finance section for a hint or two on costs, but also see below). Complete the Enrollment Form if you would like to sign up for the MIT plan, or the Waiver Form if you prefer your own hospital insurance. Both forms can be found at http://mit.edu/medical/student/form0203.htm and once completed, should be faxed to MIT Health Plans at 617-253-6558.
Many health insurance plans do not provide adequate coverage. For this reason, it is very important that you have enough health insurance for yourself. The Extended MIT Hospital Insurance Plan provides good coverage at a reasonable price.
Visit http://mit.edu/medical/student/exfd0102.htm and go to the section on "rates" for information on coverage costs. Compare the MIT plan carefully with your own health insurance before deciding to request a waiver of the mandatory coverage.
As of 2002, 73% of MIT students were covered by the Extended MIT Hospital Insurance. If you have any questions about insurance coverage, please contact MIT Health Plans at 617-253-4371 or stuplan@med.mit.edu.

Finance

(How to Stay Afloat!)

This part of the guide is split into three sections. First, the mundane aspects of getting yourself organised banking-wise, as well as a note on taxes. Second, the spending guide, with advice on buying and tipping. And lastly, the cost of living, which includes categories of major spending, and some ideas on saving money.

I Organising Your Accounts

Bank Accounts

While at MIT, you will definitely want a bank account with Fleet Boston. Why?

• It gives you a way of getting dough out of cash machines, known as "ATM"s, which stands for Automatic Teller Machines

• It gives you a credit card which doesn't charge an extortionate fee for converting pounds into dollars

• Many American websites, which you may use to get travel tickets, hardware or textbooks, simply do not accept credit cards with billing addresses outside the US. If you get paid for anything or receive any cheques ("checks" in Yankee-speak) in dollars, you'll need an American bank account to receive the funds. This is useful if you do UROP for pay.

A few MIT students have accounts in other banks, but none of these are as conducive for international dealings nor do they have as many ATMs situated in the Boston area. Given that you want a Fleet account, you should wait until you get to the US before setting one up – there is far too much hassle (as this first-timer learnt the hard way) trying to get things rolling from the other side of the pond.
Be warned of one thing in advance: American banks are terribly cut-throat on fees. Fleet will try to charge you fees for anything and everything under the sun, and yet, make you put up with relatively terrible service compared to in the UK. Tips to avoid getting ripped off include:

• Asking to get a "free checking" account, a new deal which they introduced at the end of 2001, which means you don't have to pay their customary flat fee of $5 a month.

• Don't go to the MIT branch of Fleet if you can. Service can be abominable – imagine having to wait half an hour to have a check paid in. A Fleet branch in Boston, or further up Mass. Ave. towards Harvard, or at Kendall Square (on the east side of campus) or at the Galleria Shopping Centre are better bets.

• Always get money from Fleet ATMs. You may be charged a significant fee at other ATMs.

Getting Money Into America

Most of your money will come in via TT (telegraphic transfer) from your home bank account or from your parents'. However, accept that Fleet charges a ridiculous incoming TT fee (around $25 per transfer as of early 2002) on top of the outgoing fee (cheapest is £12 from Barclays, £20 from Natwest) so you'll want to do your transfers in a few large lump sums. You might get away with just two transfers during the year. In order to make a TT, your home bank will need to know your Fleet account number, exact account name, and the sort code. Go along to the nearest Fleet branch to get details for such transfers. It can be a slight hassle, and at least one error was made (but later corrected) during your writer's TTs, so don't rely on receiving any money this way for at least two weeks after you open your account.
Therefore, it is a good idea to bring plenty of money in dollar-denominated travellers' cheques. The post office is the cheapest way to get both these and plain American cash – the commission was 2.5%. Don't take more than $1500 this way though – it is cheaper to do a TT for more than this amount.
The cheapest way of getting money into America is in cash, but there are some obvious risks and disadvantages. Go down to the post office and get yourself a couple of hundred dollars to spend in the first week or so. However, you might not want to be hanging around Kings' Cross on the way to Gatwick with any more than that in your pocket…
One bit of advice – don't leave transferring money to the last week before departure, as it might take longer than you think, and few things are worse than being stuck without a buck to your name.

Tax

It is very, very likely that you will not have to pay tax – as a British citizen, you are exempt from the first few thousand dollars of anything you earn. If you are not a British citizen, then your country will probably have its own special tax situation with regard to the US, known as a tax treaty.
If you are entitled to tax returns, which you most probably are, then you will be able to reclaim some tax, which is levied at source, if you fill out their marathon system of forms before the end of the financial year, 15 April. These forms can be obtained from the MIT Student Centre. It is a good idea to do this if you ever plan on coming back to the US, and to keep a copy of the paperwork.

II Out and About the Town

Buying things

Buying things in America is irritating. If you see an item on the store shelf labelled '99¢', this does not include tax, which brings the total to about $1.03. If you pay in cash, you get a lovely jangling pocket full of nickels and dimes, which tend to build up into a small mountain in your wardrobe. Paying by credit card, even for very small transactions, is more convenient, but takes much longer in the US than in Britain, for some unfathomable reason.

h7.American coins
There are a few dollar coins floating around too. US bills come in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100, are all green and are exactly the same size, so it is easy to hand out the wrong bill to an unscrupulous person – be careful!
Tipping
Unlike Britain, tipping is ubiquitous in the US. You are expected to always tip taxi drivers and waiters. Standard tipping rate is 15%. An easy way to calculate it is to lop one zero off the bill and add half again, e.g. for a $27 bill, the tip would be $2.70 + $1.35 or about $4.
Large groups are often given a standard service charge (usually 18%) in which case you are not expected to tip. Be careful to eye the bill – sometimes the restaurant will leave a blank line for gratuity, but also include service charge, hoping to get a double whammy from you.
Oh, and the bill over here is called 'the check' over there.
III Cost of Living
Living in Boston is expensive. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a cheaper place to live in than Cambridge. Expect to spend nearly twice of what you would in Cambridge over the year.

Food

In Cambridge you can go to a Cafeteria, shop at Sainsbury's or go out to eat. The same options exist at MIT, but with important differences:

• S-M (a.k.a. Cafeteria) is the MIT dining service. Food is generally very greasy and overpriced. A good meal costs around $5. A better place to get lunch is one of the friendly food trucks. On a rough estimate, close to 1,500 falafel and humous sandwiches were consumed by hungry CMI-ers in the first year.

• Shop at Star Market and buy in bulk. You'll still be shocked by the prices here, but this is as cheap as it gets in Boston. Even a loaf of bread costs between $1.50 and $3. Delivery is $15, but it is quite possible to lug your purchases all the way back to campus without too much problem, really.

• Eating out! Although the first two options are much pricier than Cambridge, this last one is cheaper. Although Boston has its pricier delis, there are many places to get good nosh on the cheap, often for less than $6 for a main course. The only reason everyone doesn't eat out almost every day is that they're too busy.

Rent

Accommodation costs are set by your living group, and vary quite a bit from dorm to dorm – if your budget is tight for the year, then take the costs into account when deciding on your living group, as the amount you pay for your accommodation doesn't seem to relate in any way to its quality anyway. Expect to pay between $4,000 and $6000 for rent during the year. Once you know your living group, you can look up the exact costs on web.mit.edu.

Entertainment

Whatever you're into, it is guaranteed that big names will be in Boston almost every week. Tickets vary in price from almost nothing (some people saw StarSailor for $3.50, and the Boston Symphony has free student tickets) to very dear ($100 to see Britney), so budget some money aside if you plan to concert-go.

Hardware

Although everyday goods from pasta to detergent are significantly more expensive in Boston, you'll find various bits of electronics and other hardware a lot cheaper. Clothes are also cheaper. A rule of thumb is that the price in pounds in the UK is roughly the same as the price in dollars in the US. For even better discounts, shop online at places like ebay.com or ubid.com.
I wouldn't worry too much about the cost of furbishing your room with carpets, furniture, answering phone, fridge, speakers, etc. Although it is prohibitively expensive to carry these home, you should have no problem selling them to other students at the end of the year. (I spent $260 at the beginning of the year, and recouped $220 at the end.)

Medical

MIT extended medical insurance, which we were all recommended to get, costs around $750 for the year. Beware though – this does not include many consultations, which can get expensive fast. This poor chap had to pay $150 to get his wisdom teeth out, despite the fact that the operation itself was covered. A certain CMI student saved a lot of money using private insurance, which was apparently a lot of paperwork hassle, but much, much cheaper. You could do a search for these on the web.

The Bottom Line

OK, so how much could you possibly spend in a year? The absolute bottom line? Expect to spend between $10,000 and $12,000 this year. But rumour has it that a couple of shopaholic ladies on the trip managed to dispose of nearly $17,000 in 2001-2002, so this is by no means a maximum. Shocking though it is, you really will spend that much. Plus, the cheap hardware prices make it very tempting to spend a little extra on some electronic goodies – this tech-savvy MIT Brit poured $1,200 into a camera, laptop and a CD burner.
Little wonder that consumer spending is touted as the bastion of the American economy these days.

To Bring Or Not To Bring

Things you might want to take to MIT

Most transatlantic flights have a 2 piece hold luggage allowance. Each piece can weigh up to 32kg and you are also allowed one piece of hand luggage and 1 personal item such as a laptop. Confirm with your airline before packing though.

• Bedding
• Towels
• Laptop (if you already have one)
• Shoes (suitable for walking)
• Lots of Casual Clothes
• 1 Smart Outfit
• Swimsuit
• Sports Clothes
• PJ's
• Underwear
• Warm Coat
• Gloves
• Scarf
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries
• Hair brush
• Adapter Plugs (the US requires plugs with 2 parallel flat pins)
• Nothing Electrical that will not work on 230V
• Drivers License
• Passport
• Visa and IAP 66 Pink Form

Foods you might want to try to bring over:

• Chocolate (American chocolate is grim)
• Marmite
• Heinz Baked Beans
• A loaf of Bread
• Orange Squash
• Irn Bru
• A bottle of duty free Wine

Things to buy in the US

It would be nice to be able to take all the comforts of home to America when you leave, but let's face it: in two suitcases, it just isn't going to happen. But leaving to MIT isn't like moving to the Mongolian outback. All the necessities of life are available, at a price, and you'll find that in a year, you will accumulate more stuff than you can bring home with you.
There are a couple of "department stores" close to campus in a shopping area called the Cambridgeside Galleria. These department stores, Filenes and Sears, sell a world of household goods. Equipping yourself in the first few weeks can prove expensive, but there are some indispensable, fundamental things (thankfully not many) that you really need – bedding, crockery/cutlery and electrical appliances. There is no real use in bringing over any electrical appliances unless they make use of dual voltage because everything is 110V out there in America.

Depending on what kind of person you are, the cutlery/crockery bit can be pleasingly inexpensive. A few hundred yards up Massachusetts Avenue from MIT towards Harvard is the Salvation Army shop. You can equip your entire kitchen for under ten dollars. If you decide that's not for you, then Filenes or Sears would be your best bet although you can't really buy anything in there for under ten dollars. The communal approach towards purchases is recommended– going halves on a pan set, etc. Everybody will need the same start up equipment and it is beneficial to buy in bulk and split the cost.
Linen and bedding can be bought from either of the department stores, as well as the MIT COOP. It is probably about the same price everywhere. Beds in America are apparently a different size from the UK – they seem bigger – so if you take sheets over, make sure they are not the fitted sort. Taking sheets over with you is subject to space restraints but bedding is a priority item, as you will need them upon arrival, because – and be forewarned – the beds will be bare.
The range of necessary electrical appliances varies from person to person. Things that you might want to buy are an alarm clock, answering machine (internal phoning is free but apparently networks don't offer answering services), hair dryer, desk lamps and stereo. Most places have communal kitchen facilities so sharing toasters and kettles shouldn't be a problem. Radio Shack sells answering machines and stereos and there is one along Mass. Ave. and another in the Cambridgeside Galleria. Things like hairdryers, toasters, kettles, desk lamps, hangers, etc. can be found in the department stores, LaVerdes or the COOP.
If you are considering buying a laptop before you head out to America, the sage would suggest waiting because they are generally cheaper in the US.
The Americans use a different paper size from the British, so paper and folders for the year are best bought once you arrive in the US. The MIT COOP is the easiest place to go for all stationery needs.

Textbooks

You may have been able to get through 2 years of Cambridge without buying a book but unfortunately MIT courses are often very reliant on the course textbook.
Textbooks are almost always much cheaper in the UK than in America – sometimes by half the cost. A lot of MIT students, out of convenience, buy their textbooks from "The Coop", a store with outlets around MIT and Harvard which sell textbooks, stationery and so on. This is not advisable, unless you badly need a textbook and are willing to pay a premium. A slightly cheaper bookstore is "Quantum Books", just around the corner from the MIT COOP.
If you know what textbooks you need before you leave, then it is recommended to purchase your books from a UK high street retailer or an online bookseller such as amazon.co.uk. Some online retailers offer faster delivery than others so try various websites. It all depends on the book.
If you are already in the US, and willing to wait for overseas delivery or pay a marginal fee for faster delivery, then www.amazon.co.uk or www.addall.com are highly recommended. Addall.com searches for books at the lowest price at all the main online booksellers. The best price is almost always from a British based bookseller.
In conclusion, textbooks are much cheaper (even after delivery charges) if purchased through an online bookseller, rather than at a US bookstore. And if you must, having someone back in the UK purchase books from a bookstore and mailing them over could still be cheaper than buying in the US!
The Essential Guide to Shops in Boston

The Cambridgeside Galleria

This is a relatively small shopping mall that contains a variety of department stores and clothing shops including Filenes, Sears, American Eagle, J Crew, Gap, Banana Republic and Essentials. It also has shoe stores, sports shops and a selection of shops selling kitchen bits and storage pots.
To reach the Galleria there is a free shuttle bus that leaves from outside the Kendall Square MIT COOP every 20 minutes during opening hours.

Downtown Crossing

This is Boston's main high street shopping area and is also the home to Filenes Basement. Downtown crossing contains most of the large American department stores and other high street shops such as H&M, Bath & Body and various shoe shops.
Filenes basement is the discount floor of Filenes department store and if you do not mind rummaging through buckets you can find some great bargains including designer sunglasses for $20!

Newbury Street, the Prudential Center and Copley Plaza

Newbury Street is a shopper's heaven and the tree-lined road is home to some delightful, but slightly pricey, boutiques. Interspersed between the shops are lovely cafes and bars, including J.P.Lick's ice cream shop!
Within the Prudential Center you can find the Levi shop which sells a selection of Levi's that are cheaper than Britain but not by much. It is also the home of some good restaurants such as Legal Seafood, Marche and The Top of the Hub.
Walking through the Prudential Center you can reach on of Boston's most exclusive malls, the Copley Plaza (linked to the hotel where the terrorists stayed). Here you can find Tiffany's, Armani Exchange and Bebe.

Star Supermarket

Within Boston there are 2 Star supermarkets – one situated in the Prudential Center and the other off Mass. Ave. just before the MIT Museum (on the left as you walk from MIT to Harvard).
Star is not the most exciting of supermarkets but it is the best place to buy your weekly groceries. The Mass. Ave. store also has an international aisle that sells some British items (baked beans, orange squash and chocolate) at extortionate prices.
Signing up to a Star Reward Card is a good idea as it gives discounts on selected items. Ask at customer services for details.

The COOP

On the MIT campus there are 2 COOP stores, one in the Student Center and the other on the east of the campus, next to the Kendall T stop.
The COOP is great for all your stationery needs, birthday cards and MIT clothing (you can even get MIT underwear)! It also sells textbooks at a rip off price and some great dorm supplies that you did not know you needed.
It is advisable to sign up for a COOP card which acts as a rewards card and at the end of the year you should receive some money back, they estimate about 5% of what you spent during the year. I brought most of my Christmas presents there for pure comedy value.

LaVerdes

This is a small convenience store in the Student Center where you can grab lunch, sushi, international phone cards and magazines.

Arrival in Boston

Upon arrival…
Most of you will probably enter the US at Logan Airport, Boston. The Heathrow/Gatwick–Boston flight is not too long a journey: less than 7 hours usually. You will probably be more tired than jet lagged. But be nice and gentle to yourself, what will all those bags. Take a taxi. It costs about $25 and takes about half an hour, depending on the traffic, to get to MIT. This is money well spent, especially if you share a taxi with a friend.
But if you are feeling totally energetic and you really must, then take the Boston underground – the "T". It is much cheaper, $1 per token. A little crammed though (remember your bags) and you will have to change trains at least once – hence the T is not very advisable.

The first few days

So now that you are here, and classes have not started, there is time to explore the environment. Things you may want to do:

1. Tour Boston and Cambridge

• Duck Tours: ride in a Word War II amphibious vehicle that takes you through Boston and on the Charles river
• Freedom Trail: red lines on the pavement that take you through various historic sites of Boston and 18^th century America
• Visit Harvard Square and Harvard University: look out for the bloke from Emma

1. Taste the local cuisine; look out for term-time eateries
2. Attend CMI Orientation functions
3. Rest and relax, before the fun begins

…and Some Serious Stuff

The serious stuff: choose your Fall semester subjects, get your Social Security number (MIT has its own arrangements) if you are planning to do some paid work, make arrangements for your Health Insurance write an essay or two for CMI, and then … off you go to school!

Bits and Bobs

• 'The don't walk sign outside the Mass Av. steps flashes 15 times after the bleeping stops. Shaves those seconds off waiting to cross the road!

• Baker residents: Washing machine number 2 doesn't charge your ID card. Swipe it as normal and follow the instructions. It will give an error message but you will still be able to do the wash. 75¢ savings each time!

• Attend office hours if you can as they can be a great place to get to know your classmates and they can often help explain the problem set (p-set).

• Junior Mints Rule!!!

• Have a look at your p-set before recitations and office hours so you know what you need help with.

• The American Milky Way is very similar to a British Mars bar!

• You will need an 80¢ stamp to post a letter home. Stamps can be purchased from the post office in the Student Center basement.

• The blue bin like things are letterboxes!

• It is very hard to get an appointment with your doctor at MIT Medical but unless it is very serious, the nurses are generally suitable substitutes.

• Take advantage of all the free food!

• If you have any major worries or concerns go to the CMI office.

• Above all, make time to rest and relax – it is the only way you will enjoy the ride.