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The MIT experience

Its something I never really dreamed of for myself. I always assumed it was my brothers that would hold the MIT degree, and i'd be beaming about it to the whole world. So, every time the T announced "Next stop, Kendall MIT Cambridge" my heart beat faster because I was walking the infinite corridor like it was meant to be mine. Although I have been going to school for technically a year. I hadn't truly experienced the MIT world until now that I have started to live by myself in the heart of Cambridge.

I now walk with the same rush in my step that most students have. My anxiety over how i'd live by myself ended when I took that walk down to the post office and wandered back through the lanes, when my to-do list was done and refilled, when i waited for the bus just to watch it roll in, drive away and then turned around towards the T-station and I was still ok.

I like the busy me I have realized. My calendar and to-do list remain full with changing events but i still make time to watch one odd movie. Today, I met Prof. Noam Chomsky, the man my dad spoke so much about. It was an event for the book "What lies across the water" by Stephen Kimber but on panel was Noam Chomsky. I would've missed this one too just like I missed the Dalai Lama visit if it weren't for my drifting glance at the old man standing inside right under the dome distributing pamphlets, I shuffled about for 2 secs considering whether I should give in to his unsaid request to pick up the brochure. Me being me I felt obliged to do it because I am the nice girl that doesn't like to be rude in most occasions. I still would've just folded the pamphlet and let it sink right to the bottom of my handbag but instead I looked at it and it paid. An event where I could potentially meet Prof. Noam Chomsky. There was no way I was going to miss that.

I can bet that most of the audience was there just to get a glimpse of Prof. Chomsky. As he walked in, I wondered if he would speak at all tonight because I saw an 84 year old man that could barely sit comfortably without the occasional

It was a great session with everybody talking passionately about how we should fight for the cause of the Cuban 5 and similar causes that Western Hemisphere and the Left from MIT where supporting. As expected there was the man with a banner about Syria attacks and a man with a crazy hat full of badges and a tshirt that read "we are all palestinians!". My point being, MIT and other universities of the same caliber give so many opportunities for you to meet influential people like Noam Chomsky that it changes you in parts, and I guess that is a huge part of what business school does to you as well. Before you realize, you've learnt so much more than you would've expected to.

Earlier today, I attended a Google product management info session for Sloan, and I kept thinking about how it felt weird being on the other side. It also reminded me of the amazing opportunities we had to meet and listen to accomplished people like Jane Goodall, APJ Kalam, & Vint Cerf. Social activists within India like Amala, & Sunitha Krishnan.

It's experiences like these that make going to a business school and working on ridiculous assignments truly worth it!

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