JETS NEDC

Ok. So every year, I do this JETS T-E-A-M-S thing where we take a team to NJIT and solve problem sets relating to real life. Which I absolutely enjoy. But when I heard about JETS' NEDC competition, where kids actually get the opportunity to build something to help out others, I jumped on it. I got a team adviser, and signed lots of kids on.

I had no idea what I was taking on.

It's only been a couple of weeks, and already I've learned so much. Here's what I got so far:

1. Engineering isn't only math. There is actual talking and communication going on that refers to real-life problems that people have. It actually helps to have good writing and speaking skills.

2. Not all teachers will yell at you if you zoom down the hallway in a swivel chair (see video). Especially if he's the head of the Physics department.

3. Drawing skills are not necessary to design things. Boxes and stick figures are awesome.

4. Sleep is overrated. Especially when you're researching something amazing.

5. Coffee is good.

Yup, that's it. I also learned that in this competition, there is little room for error. Your design has to be almost perfect, because there is very little time to build it before the deadline. It's certainly a large task, but I think "The Masters of the Tools" (our team name) can handle it. I mean really. Can you travel that fast on a swivel chair?

First Blog Post

So yay. Here's my first blog post. I'm Shantini, I like to talk. I love violas, winter, music, rain, reading, and being an overall dork.

Recently, my newest obsession has been with getting into college. I know I can get into a lot of places, but it's not the many that I care about. It's the few where I have very little chance of getting in.

One in particular - MIT.

I've wanted to go there, no joke, since I was five. Why? Because I've never been able to find people who love learning as much as I do. It's a very lonely place to be. I've managed to find a group of amazing friends who have a lot in common with me, but for once, I need to be somewhere where people understand exactly why I'll wake up at 3 AM just because I had a great idea of how to solve a math problem, and need to write it down.

So, MIT is my dream school. Isn't that what MIT is all about? Learning for the sake of learning, and applying it to the real world? Well that's the place for me.

One problem though - the SAT.

I never got along well with standardized tests. And now it's come back to bite me.

Ah well. Who knows? Maybe I have something else that can compensate for sucky scores and a less-than-4.5 (who gets that?) GPA.

I certainly hope so.