I want to start off by apologizing for not posting this last week as promised. I was so far behind on summer assignments that I really had to prioritize and put school first. That being said, here it is! The blog post you’ve been waiting for! My mom and I ventured up to Boston to tour MIT (my dream school). We laughed from start to finish, and experienced the danger that is driving in Massachusetts. It all started late Saturday evening after I got home from a chaotic night at work, and had still yet to pack.
As much as I wanted to throw everything into a suit case and go with little regard to my outfits, I knew the pictures would be worth it. When packing, I tried to think about the activities we’d be doing. Although we didn’t have an itinerary, I knew it would be a lot of walking and exploring, so tennis shoes it was! The forecast was rainy, so I decided jeans were a good fit. I told myself I’d grab my rain jacket on the way out the door, but of course I forgot. It was 6 AM, give me a break.
My mom and I sped through security and made it to our gate with time enough for a bagel. We had an easy direct flight with lots of laughs! I took the window seat of course, because my social media needs a few more pictures of the clouds. After landing, we headed to get our rental car, with some interesting people in line with us. My mom somehow navigated the busy streets and took us to the Prudential Center. It’s a huge mall with upscale shops like Vineyard Vines. I was sure to get my EDSFTG in Boston shirt as tradition when I travel. We spent some time in the mall, stopping for lunch in Eatly. It was an alcove of the mall full of fresh cheeses, meats, and pasta. We each got a huge slice of pizza and were off to the parking garage. It’s an understatement to say we had some trouble finding the car. A half an hour later, we were still doubled over in the garage laughing at ourselves. It was huge (so big, that the panic button didn’t reach) and we didn’t exactly remember what our rental car looked like. Somehow we made it out!
My biggest complaint about all of Boston is the lack of parking. We honestly spent more time in the car than we did enjoying the city. That rings especially true for Beacon Hill. It was a small community known for its architecture and cute shops. For at least an hour, we drove up and down one way streets in search of parking. We eventually got lucky and along the way realized the Bull & Finch was a few streets away. It was the bar Cheers was modeled after, and we lucked out with no wait at all. It’s definitely an experience to eat there, but other than the pictures, I don’t know how worth it it was.
The next morning we woke up bright and early for to tour MIT. Since I was pretty young, I knew I wanted to go to the best school I could. I longed to be surrounded my likeminded individuals who were happy to work hard. When I settled upon engineering, I knew MIT would be the school for me. Touring really validated my feelings because I didn’t learn about all the statistics and requirements, I learned about the nerdy students. My tour guide, Vivian, was so wise and well spoken. She provided great insight on managing the stress, while demonstrating that the students there are also people, not calculators. I really valued the experience, and can’t wait to apply! It’s a very tough school to get into, but I know my hard work will pay off, and I’ll end up wherever God wants me!
The rest of the day was spent traveling to Cape Cod and going out to dinner with some family friends. I tried my very first lobster roll, and loved it! We woke up early the next morning and headed to the airport, kissing Boston good bye. The trip was full of laughs and memories my mom and I won’t forget. I’m so thankful she was able to take me to tour my dream school and share the experience with me. Let me know what you do in Boston in the comments!
Stay Classy,
Maya
Classy Girl in a Whirl 