Photo Blog! (Hoop Rolling and Other Excitements)

Hello readers :).

It’s the last day of school for Wellesley! Not my last day, since MIT has another week of classes, but we are nearing the end. Next week, Wellesley has reading period (a few days in which there are no classes, and students are solely responsible for studying for finals) and the beginning of the test period. The week after that, MIT has their test period (MIT doesn’t have reading period), Wellesley seniors have senior week, and I’ll be hanging out here until May 24^th, just missing the seniors’ Commencement. My junior year is coming to a close!

This is mainly going to be a photo blog, but I’ve a few items to get out of the way before the photo influx begins :).

First, I’m hoping this isn’t going to be my last post for the year—if all goes well, then I’ll be continuing to blog over the summer, just like the past two years. I’ll keep you updated if that happens, but if it does, send me questions, guys, so I know what to talk about when school isn’t in session! This summer I’m very excited to be doing research in Boston—I’ve been accepted into the CBMM Summer Science Program at MIT, and so I’ll be staying on-campus at M.I.T., as well as doing work at Harvard Medical School with Prof. Conway. The sequence of events that led up to this is filled with mentors who have bent over backwards to make this happen, and I’m so grateful, especially to Prof. Conway, Prof. Hildreth, and Dr. Sassanfar.

Speaking of wonderful professors, Prof. Hildreth has invited Prof. Kakavouli (who teaches CS labs), Catherine (my fellow CS tutor) and I out to lunch next week! I adore meals with professors, especially one who I appreciate as much as Prof. Hildreth. I also hope to meet with Prof. Cezair-Thompson, my English professor, next week, as she has been insanely encouraging in my pursuits as a short-story writer this semester, sticking through all my anxieties (ah! I’m not an English major (or minor) in a 300-level creative writing class! Ah!) and pushing me to write the best I can every step along the way.

Unrelatedly, last night I dreamt that my sister (who is Wellesley Class of 2018!) was assigned to live in Stone-Davis hall with me next year. That reminded me that I never congratulated the Class of 2018 for deciding after Spring Open Campus (CONGRATULATIONS!), and also to tell you that at some point during the summer you’ll get a housing form, in which you’ll fill out a short questionnaire that will help the Housing Office assign you a room and roommate for next year. There are no “first-year” dorms—the college does its best to ensure an even distribution of classes in all of our housing. You will most likely be assigned a double, though first-years also can get triples. Also, if you want to pre-select a roommate based on friendships you make on the Class of 2018 Facebook page (which I assume exists) that works, and if you want to just enter the normal lottery process that works as well. From everyone I’ve talked to, it doesn’t really seem to make a difference in roommate compatibility either way :).

Also, I’ve been accepted to be an “Ask-Me!” during Orientation 2014! Orientation takes place the week before school starts, when only the first-years are on campus. It’s designed so that you can make some friends, pick classes, become familiar with campus and the resources here, and generally get your bearings. I’m going to be one of the upperclasswomen running around hoping to help you out! I’m terribly excited to meet you all and your families :).

And now it’s time for the photo blog! Last week was a lot of fun, and included the legendary Hoop Rolling, my birthday, and my first attendance of an MIT event, the Asian Dance Team show :). They go in chronological order, with some quick context before they begin.  Happy viewing, happy Friday, and see you all next week!

Monica

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Hee :). So most of these pictures are mine, but a substantial number are also Tiffany’s. Moreover, I’m not going to label everyone in these pictures, but the majority are my friends Tiffany, Suman, Ika, Theresa, and other members of the swim team.

All right! So, Hoop Rolling is a Wellesley tradition that goes way back, when whoever was the victor got thrown in the lake and was going to be the first to get married. Since then, the winner still gets thrown in the lake, but for a while they were going to be the first to become a CEO, and now they are going to be the first to achieve success in whatever form they wish. As for what Hoop Rolling is — all of the Wellesley seniors dress up in their Commencement gowns and run about 150 meters down Tupelo Lane pushing a wooden hoop. Wellesley “Little Sisters” stake out positions for their “Big Sister” seniors by getting to the starting line early, and then everyone on campus is invited to come out at 9am on a Saturday and watch the competition :).

That was my first time attending Hoop Rolling, and I’m so glad I did :).

Moving on to Sunday, when a whole group of friends and I headed out to Boston! We successfully managed to walk to Chinatown from Hynes Convention Center, and had dimsum at Hei La Moon 🙂

One of my weirdest birthdays, as we were singing Happy Birthday in the middle of South Station amidst mostly single traveling patrons :P. But definitely a wonderful birthday :). So grateful to all of my friends!

And the Asian Dance Team performance on Sunday evening, which was great!

And a final picture, because I love this one. Wellesley’s President Bottomly, our student dean, D. DeMeis, and the Director of Residential Life, K. Niendorf, walking the finish line down to the end of Tupelo Lane :).