As freshmen arrived on campus for orientation, MIT Tech Talk asked a few of them about their expectations for living and studying at MIT.
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Toni Ferreira
Chicopee, MA
Prospective major: Electrical engineering.
Interests: Soccer, chorus.
Expectations: Hard work.
Fears: The workload.
Looking forward to: Living on my own.
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Charvak Karpe
Stillwater, OK
Prospective major: Aeronautical, mechanical or electrical engineering.
Interests: Bicycling. I've already joined the MIT Bicycling Team. Also saxophone, violin, outdoor activities. I hope to join a Boy Scout troop.
Expectations: A good technical education in which I learn a lot of engineering.
Fears: I haven't lived in the big city since I was two.
Looking forward to: Making a lot of friends who share the interests I have.
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Jesse Smithnosky
Eighty-Four, PA
Prospective major: Electrical engineering.
Interests: Swim team.
Expectations: For the next two weeks, I want to stay alive and get to class on time. After that, I want to see the city. I come from the middle of nowhere.
Fears: Pass/fail isn't as easy as they say it is.
Looking forward to: Starting to swim again (breaststroke and the individual medley) for the varsity team. I'm really out of shape.
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Rose Liu
Piedmont, CA
Prospective major: Computer science.
Interests: Violin, guitar.
Expectations: It will be really hard, but really fun.
Fears: I've heard stories about what students have to go through.
Looking forward to: UROP. Working with a professor on a research project would be cool.
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Reuben Cummings
Peoria, IL
Prospective major: Chemical engineering.
Interests: Computer science, clarinet.
Expectations: I figure it's going to be hard. I'll spend a lot of time studying, but I think I'll have fun and meet a lot of people.
Fears: None.
Looking forward to: Learning a lot about computers.
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Elena Smith
Oak Brook, IL
Prospective major: Electrical engineering and computer science.
Interests: Ballroom dancing, dance troupe, rowing crew, volunteering.
Expectations: To learn a lot. To be involved in what's going on at MIT and see what's going to happen in the future.
Fears: Academically, I'm scared. That's because I'm new.
Looking forward to: All the information I'm going to learn. All the people I'm going to meet.
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������Jason Martinez
Yucaipa, CA
Prospective major: Mechanical, electrical engineering or medical technology.
Interests: Rowing crew.
Expectations: When I get out, I'll be ahead of the game. This is the best place in the world. I hear you're up studying all night every night. But students say you're only up all night at the last minute. I think it's do-able... I plan to mix in social times and look for the right fraternity.
Fears: Strange place, strange world, strange people. I'm not used to the big city. Where do I go for a toothbrush in the middle of the night?
Looking forward to: Everything, pretty much. The whole experience.
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Rachel Livingston
Lexington, KY
Prospective major: Chemical engineering.
Interests: I'm an alto in the chorus.
Expectations: It's gonna be hard. Stressful but fun. I'm looking forward to meeting different kinds of people. Being from Kentucky is backwards and boring.
Fears: I'm kind of nervous because I'm walking into the unknown. I have no course schedule, no dorm room.
Looking forward to: Coming out on top.
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������Jon Hyler
Scarsdale, NY
Prospective major: Electrical engineering and computer science.
Interests: Web page design.
Expectations: Getting a great education.
Fears: Getting adjusted to a new place.
Looking forward to: I guess this is kind of dumb, but my math classes. I always liked math class.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on August 30, 2000.
