Are you ready for the question?

Second Year Stories

2011-05-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday concluded my second year at MIT. What an exciting year has passed by. I learned a lot over the past year in terms of relationships, academics, myself. Seniors are graduating in two weeks and I am going to miss them so much! The knowledge they have imparted on me in terms of career and life in general has been simply invaluable. However, instead of complaining about the ends, I want to highlight the things to look forward to in the upcoming year!

Classes: I can now take more classes focused on specific neural pathways
Bhangra: I get to challenge my creativity and work with two other talented individuals to come up with a great Bhangra performance.
APHA: I am "spear-heading" two exciting new projects within APHA. I have meetings lined up soon and am excited to get that these projects on the floor soon!

This summer year itself, is a very critical year for me. I want to focus on my work and what I love to determine what I really want to pursue in the future. Let's see how much of what all I want can actually be achieved.

New Chapter: MIT!

2011-04-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

I totally forgot about this blog until I recently started reading other people's blog and realizing that I had one of my own! I want to use this to document my incites, experiences, and random thoughts in cyber space to access anywhere I want! So here I am now Year 2 of MIT. So many things have changed : I have changed, my life change, my goals changed, my friends changed. Through all of this, the one thing that didn't change was my family. My sister and parents always remained there for me. In fact, I acquired a new family coming to MIT consisting of close friends and my sorority sisters (yeah Im in a sorority!). Initially, my ego got crushed coming to MIT amongst the most brilliant minds on this planet =( However, I have learned to accept my abilities and to never give up on what I was really want achieve in life.

Things I have learned about thus far at MIT:

Relationships. Outside of classroom, the one thing I have learned to value are relationships. Residing in a dorm, forces me to live on daily basis with people I build relationships with. I grew to trust people more and learned how to read people better.

Passion. No matter how much you motivate yourself, only those who pursue their true passions will be truly happy in the end. While putting your mind to anything can help you accomplish goals, it will not lead to your ultimate happiness.

Relentless Spirit. MIT is really good at drilling the concept of "No pain, no gain" into MIT students' minds. It's true classes are hard and it's true you don't always get the scholarships/awards you want. However, nothing is worth achieving if you don't have to fight for it. This is an attitude which will help all MIT students both personally and professionally in the future.

It has been an interesting two years and I can only wait to see what happens in the next 2 years =)

Mountains Are Not Just Mountains

2009-08-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

Since I was young, I have always enjoyed traveling. I have visited many different countries and more importantly have experienced the diverse cultures. After visiting 12 countries across four continents, I visited the MOST breathtaking (quite literally, I will explain later) place in the world in my motherland, India this past summer. I travelled to Ladakh, India located in the Himalayan mountain range. Ladakh borders both Pakistan and China. I experienced entirely new terrain and the Tibetan and Buddhist cultures.

I, along with my aunt, uncle, cousins, family friends and my twin sister, stayed in the Lha-Ri-Mo Hotel in Leh, a small area in Ladakh. The altitude was about 11,000 feet above sea level. We had to rest for two full days to get acclimated with the new altitude. The woman in the yellow shirt, second from the left, became extremely short of breath in the middle of the night which was really scary for all of us. After two days of resting everyone was pretty well adjusted.

Soon after we headed towards Nubra Valley. On the way, I traveled the highest motorable road in the world and reached the highest point that can be reached via vehicle, the Khardungla Pass. This was about 18,000 ft high above sea level and in the peak summer, there was about 6 feet of snow on the peaks. I even witnessed falling snow for the very first time in India.

We traveled in a Jeep and one motorcycle, the powerful Thunderbird. This is Harley-Davidson of India. When on the motorcycle, as I approached the summit of the pass it was very cold and even more windy, but the view was absolutely amazing. "Spectacular" is the only word I can use to describe the view. At eye level there were snow capped mountains just like the ones I had seen on the Internet or on TV; below there were carved out mountains. Seeing the enormity of the peaks first hand was extremely impressive. I, myself, drove the motorcycle for a grand total of 45 seconds before I started to dangerously teeter on the road, so my uncle graciously took over rest of the way.

The most breath-taking part of the trip was the trek in Nubra Valley because it really did take my breath away for a good while. This is one of the most physically challenging activities I have ever participated in.

Not only was the rugged and slanted terrain an adversary to a novice climber like me, but also the gradual altitude increase severely hindered my breathing activity. Due to a family emergency our guide had to leave us in the middle of the trek. He left us with one piece of advice: follow the river's path to the summit.

The guide knew what he was saying because that was the only navigational tool we needed. After feeling like passing out a couple of times and after 10 bottles of water, I managed to reached the top. At the top, it was simply electrifying to look down and see how far up we had actually climbed.

In the middle of the frozen Nubra Valley desert, there are these incredible sand dunes which add a unique dimension to the landscape. Double humped camels occupy this area. You can see me getting a bit nervous by the double-humped camel. He was snapping at his neighboring camels, which made me all the more uncomfortable. The camel trainer, however, ensured that I would be safe. (TIP: Just make sure to hold on to the saddle for your dear life when the camel stands up and sits down, otherwise you will tumble right off. My aunt did. She was fine though, just a bit freaked out.) It was a fun, leisurely 45-minute ride, but my underside was really sore after.

During the whole trip we visited five Buddhist monasteries. They were all located in extremely elevated areas. The interior of the monasteries were really ornate and inimitable. Some monasteries were more than a 500 years old and have been preserved in their original state. Most monasteries didn’t allow photography as it disturbs the spiritual environment the monks try to maintain.

My favorite monastery, however, allowed photos to be taken without the flash. There was a whopping two-story Buddha at the heart of the monastery. I had to see the top and bottom from two different floors. (The head is on the left and the hands with the cloth offerings are on the right.)

A common feature amongst all the monasteries were the prayer wheels. The ranged in all sizes. The purpose was to spin all the wheels consecutively clockwise while praying for whatever you desired.

On this excursion, I learned so much about a different culture and a geographical region altogether. It was amazing to see how people can establish cities in an area where almost 90% of the supplies have to be shipped in from remote location at least three times a week. I find traveling the best way to experience cultures first hand. Anyone can read about cultures and places on the Internet. Actually visiting places can make commonly known things like mountains seem truly extraordinary. This was one of my most unforgettable experiences, because I really didn't know what to expect, making it overall really stimulating.

Harry Potter 6: Disappointing but Understandable

2009-07-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

So I enthusiastically geared up to see one of the initial showings of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince yesterday night. Not surprisingly, I was a little disappointed by the movie. While the animation features were really cool, I felt that the writers emphasized the wrong content. In the actual book there is subtle aura of romance created between the central characters. In the movie, however, the romance seems to be over emphasized, yet other important aspects were under emphasized or were altogether removed. For example, several dream sequences were removed. Dumbledore’s funeral was not even shown in the movie and the battle between the Dark Side and Dumbledore was maybe two minutes long (I imagined a much more intense and dramatic scene).

Despite these shortcomings, the scriptwriters will always have to compromise the original stories to keep within in a suitable time frame and produce only the parts of the story which can be reconstructed through plausible means. To those of use who created our own perception of Hogwarts and the mysterious events that took place within this setting, it is most definitely disappointing to see an incomplete picture of vision. Yet, knowing there are certain restrictions on the filmmakers we should all try to appreciate all what they were able to recreate for us. The 7^th book is supposedly going to be split between two movies. So look forward to that!

What's in a Real Adventure?

2009-07-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

So I have spent the past month in my motherland, India. Before leaving, I called up my Uncle and casually told him I wanted to experience a real “adventure”, whatever that meant. Little did I know what I was in store for me. My uncle, you see, is the type of person who would happily trek to Antarctica given the opportunity. The little request of mine landed me and a couple of my cousins and uncle in Leh, India. This place is right in the Himalayan mountain range on the border between India and China. It was approximately 11,000 ft above sea level. It was relatively cold there. To put that height into prospective, we had to adjust to the altitude of Leh for two whole days by simply lying down!

After 4 days we headed from the central town of Leh to Nubra Valley traveling the highest motorable road in the world and reached the highest point that can be traveled in a car, the Khardungla Pass. It was snowing up there and we saw an exotic mustard colored snow mongoose. When we got to Nubra valley, I embarked on a 6 hour mountain climb which was one of the most painful things I have ever attempted. Mind you, it gets harder and harder to breathe as the altitude increases. (We were now at 18,000 ft. above sea level.) Then on our last day we went white water rafting in frigid cold water. I even jumped into the water and, later, my lips turned blue and I eventually caught a cold. It was a stupid decision on my part, but it was all part of the experience.

On the flight back my Uncle asked me if I had a good taste of an adventure. I reminisced on our trip. It took us two whole days to become acclimated to the altitude; it was cold and our jackets fell of the moving vehicle; we visited more Buddhist monasteries then I could ever imagine; we rode double humped camels in sand dunes; I viewed absolutely gorgeous landscapes. All I could say was most definitely. I got to witness a cold desert, Buddhist culture, unique food, mountains and a whole array of things I had only seen on television or on the internet. It was an adventure because I saw truly different things for the first time in my life. I mean really where else do you see a double humped camel? Look for adventure in the place you know little about or which is drastically different from where you live now.

The dawning of a new era

2009-05-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Many high school seniors across the country are slowly feeling the typical "senior slide". Advance Placement tests and IB exams are coming to an end. With brand new college memorabilia, seniors traverse the busy hallways daydreaming about their next four years to come. You honestly have the right to do this. We have all worked really hard for the past four years and deserve a break and easy transition to graduation.

Two tips to embrace a new chapter in our lives:

TIP #1: ENJOY your summer before college. College is going to be ridiculously fun, but at the same time it is going to be extremely challenging mentally and otherwise. So relax, take a brake, and fuel up for the next four years.

TIP #2: RESEARCH the opportunities available at your new (college) home. College is what you make of it and not exploiting the opportunities given to you is a real shame. Look into activities that interest you and be prepared to visit those activities when you reach campus this fall.

Graduating Class of 2009, high school is coming to an end. Part happily and gear up for (hopefully) an amazing 4 years at whichever institute of higher learning you chose!

So I Survived It

2009-02-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

I woke up feeling slightly cold, something quite unusual considering I had been sleeping under three blankets. I walked into my parents room and checked the thermostat. 60 degrees Fahrenheit. What the heck? We lost power. No TV. No refrigerator. No warm water. Worst of all NO heat.

So what happened? A colossal ice storm hit Kentucky last week, reeking indescribable havoc. A continuous downpour of ice, rain, and snow turned into an absolute mess the following morning. I even witnessed tranformers on fire near my backyard! This storm caused the largest power outage in Kentucky’s history, leaving nearly 600,000 people without power in this cold weather.
This storm ultimately translated into: no school for a week, a series of sleepovers, fun in the snow, and lots of hot chocolate. I learned a lot over the past week and have come up with some simple survival tips for an ice storm.

TIP #1: Have a cell phone handy. Cell phones are the ultimate savior in case of a power outage. Not to mention the list of contacts I had available. They definitely helped as I needed a warm place to stay! I spent two nights with one friend who had power and the following two nights with another. Keeping my cell phone charged, I could keep my parents posted on my whereabout and still had contact with the outside world.

TIP #2: Seriously, Don’t Drive. The roads were clearing up, but my friends and I still decided to hang out. Bad decision. A small road to one of my friends house had not been cleared and I was in a two-wheel drive vehicle with my friend. My friend was driving. He was turning the car around, when of course, the car gets stuck. So, first I push and he steers and then vice versa. That failed. Then I reverse the car and hit the accelerator miraculously freeing the car from the snow and ice. That was pure luck. Moral of the story: don’t drive. If you absolutely must, then PLEASE carry a heavy duty shovel because you never know where you will be stuck.

TIP #3: No heels. Really. I chose flats and tennis shoes in this rugged situation, but some of my other friends just had to exhibit their fashion sense. I can’t even count the number of tumbles those folks took. At one time I received a call from really good friend. She told me that she was stuck in a ditch right off the highway, but couldn’t do anything because she was in heels. Bummer. I gather a group of guys (they really help) and we all head off to dig her out. Overall, it is simply too dangerous and inconvenient to wear heels in ice. Wear flat shoes and then change into your heels.

TIP #4: Wear a helmet. As if the ice taking out my power wasn’t bad enough, it was even worse when the ice started melting. When the ice melts, the icicles hanging on the trees and such come crashing down. I was standing under this huge trees, when all of the sudden a series of sharp, cold ice pellets hit my head. One icicle nearly took my ear off! So either you should wear a helmet when the ice starts to melt or avoid standing under trees. Your pick.

My power did eventually come back. The roads started to clear out. And I’m sure school will commence soon enough. I have had so much fun over this unexpected break, but have learned some very valuable survival lessons. Take note of some of these tips, as I hope they help in the future.

Scholarships... are they really worth it?

2009-01-17T08:02:00.001-08:00

So my twin sister was recently awarded the Vogt Scholarship for $10,000. It is a local scholarship given to 1 student from each school in our district. So while we were all very excited, my sister and I came across two things.

10K isn't very significant for the 200K she would have to pay for college. It is some aid nonetheless.

Most colleges take away financial aid from scholarships. Although some colleges will allow let it be used for the student contribution.

So we deduced that unless your total scholarship money > than your financial aid, scholarships don’t help. After further discussion with counselors and peers we found out really depends on the college and how you negotiate. My tip: apply for scholarships anyways. Let the colleges decide what they are going to do with the scholarships later on.

For those in need of scholarship check out Zinch.com’s Sweet-diggity-dawg Scholarship worth $20,000.

The party is back and you’re invited

2009-01-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

The Golden Globe Awards is back and ready to throw the party of the century. Barry Adelman, an executive with the Globe’s producer boasts "We're back, we're bigger, we're better than ever." So what happened last year? If I recall correctly it was the…infamous writer’s strike which completely shut down the Golden Globes.

Never mind that now because the 66th Golden Globes is all ready to set the television screens on fire tonight. While some proclaim the frivolity of these awards, the Golden Globe Awards remains one of the most popular televised honors.

The big contenders to watch out for will of course be my personal favorite “The Dark Knight” and the very successful “Milk”. The Globes have also lined up a series of Big Screen personalities: Drew Barrymore, Pierce Brosnan, Sandra Bullock, Sean Combs, Patrick Dempsey, Johnny Depp, Cameron Diaz, David Duchovny, Aaron Eckhart, Zac Efron, Megan Fox, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Mendes, Demi Moore, Hayden Panettiere, and even the Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Don’t miss this party…cause you all are invited.

Sunday Jan 11 2009,
8-11 pm
Be there.

Tune into NBC for some wicked entertainment.

Potential Surgeon General May Create History

2009-01-09T13:28:00.000-08:00

CNN’s very own medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta has been offered the position of Surgeon General—the most esteemed medical position in the US government.

Mind you, Gupta is no stranger to the White House. In the late 1990s he was even a White House fellow who wrote speeches and formulated policies for Hilary Clinton. Gupta is very excited by this offer, but has yet to sort out the financial and logistical details of this huge transition. He will have to move himself and his family from Atlanta to Washington D.C.

Michigan-born Gupta has always had a knack for medical science and has taken medical journalism to new heights. He launched a special series called “Fit Nation” on CNN trying to draw attention to the ever increasing obesity problem. His success has led him to become a truly established medical journalist.

Gupta’s appointment would make him the first prominent official of South Asian descent. It is speculated, however, that Gupta is apprehensive about this offer. A salary plunge would take affect if he were to accept this nomination. Earning as a lucrative surgeon and as a reputable journalist significantly outweigh that of the wage of a government official. Then again, Surgeon General is a highly prestigious position.

Let’s wait and see whether Gupta will add to the history President-Elect Barack Obama already created.

Are you ready for the new Windows?

2009-01-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

After the slight failure of Windows Vista, Microsoft is determined to start of 2009 with a big bang.

CEO Steve Ballmer is very excited about Microsoft’s latest release, Windows 7. He claims that this operating system (OS) will make PC’s faster and easier to use; he even boasts that this OS will be the best yet. Latest features will include: the "peek" feature that makes open applications transparent, touch-screen capability, and for all you online shoppers side-by-side windows for comparison-shopping.

Windows 7 will be available for download starting this Friday. So see for yourself whether Windows 7 is truly Microsoft’s most revolutionary product.

Sleeplessness on a Rise

2009-01-08T18:25:00.001-08:00

Are you slightly sleepy? It’s official. Only 1 of 3 Americans get enough sleep each month. Yup, I am a victim of this increasing problem as well. So here are a few tips to make up you feel less sleepy.

1.) Prepare the night before. If you know you have to stay up late, pack your bag, and maybe pack your lunch, so you can sleep in longer in the morning.

2.) Take a shower in the morning. It’s a refreshing start to your day.

3.) Exercise is a must! You feel so much more energetic if you exercise regularly. (No I don’t mean walking form a store to the parking lot to get to your car.)

4.) Try to avoid naps or at the most take a 15 minute nap. You need to try to get as close to a continuous 8-hour sleep.

Tell me if these help.

TOP 3 MOVIES OF 2008

2009-01-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

The Dark Knight: Uncharacteristically, this sequel lived up to the enormous hype it created. With an amazing performance by Heath Ledger, the wicked Joker, laced with spectacular visual effects, this movie sure did deliver. This was a visual delicacy that is going to be savored for years to come.
Slumdog Millionaire: This rags-to-riches story was the most emotionally stimulating movie of the year. The rather clichéd topic would prevent it from being on the numero uno position in my opinion.
WALL-E: Just when you thought Pixar couldn't do any better after the sweet success of Ratatouille, it does! WALL-E delivers new graphic effects that sure were a hit. I, however, found the love story between robots a little too out-of-this-world for me.

What do you think?

The Yellowstone Scare

2009-01-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

It is often said that January 1, the first day of the new year, is reflective of the upcoming year. If that is so, then the United States is in for a grave surprise.

On Jan 1^st geologists at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) announced that they had recorded seismic irregularities underneath the Yellowstone Lake. They announced that the December readings overall have been the highest for some years now. On Dec 27 a seismic reading of 3.9 was recorded. To put that into perspective people can physically feel a tremble at a reading of 2.8.

So, why should we care? Earthquakes are just a part of tectonic plate activity, right. Yes, but we do have a lot to fear. Scientists estimate that this irregularity could instigate a hydrothermal explosion-- when steam breaks through the surface and forms a crater. At the least this sort of explosion would adversely affect 70,000-100,000 people. At worst, if this explosion were to mirror its volatile cousin 642,000 years ago then it could cover the entire United States.

Actually so much ash would be produced that the world’s climate would be distorted. Imagine the magnitude of that! So let’s hope that the New Years trend is not applicable to the earthly happenings; otherwise, we truly will be in for a life-altering year.

Introduction

2009-01-08T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hey!

I ask, are you ready for the question? When one wants to make a motion during a meeting according to Robert's Rules (the proper guide on how to conduct meetings), one asks "are you ready for a question?" This opens up the floor for debate and opinion about that motion. Just what I want to do. I will cover many topics: technology, politics, entertainment, health, science, colleges, scholarships, and everyday teen life.

So once again, I ask are you ready for the question?

Feel free to leave comments!