7 Things to do (in the 2 weeks) before you graduate

Hola mi casa! Or, er, salut ma maison! ;)

Behold the adventures of the freshly graduated senior. This one:

Or, I guess, not a senior anymore. I think I'm in limbo. I am not officially yet a grad student and I have definitely graduated. So something in between. There are a few things I am very happy I did before I graduated -- and I highly recommend them. So, 7 things to do in the 2 weeks before graduation, here we go!

1. Go on a MITOC trip! Already wrote plenty about it here and here. But seriously, go. It is NATURE, for super cheap. What more can anyone want? :)

2. Sunset sail on the X-Dimension. Guess what MIT owns besides all the awesome boats you can take out on the Charles right from the dock across from Killian? A 43-foot ocean racing yacht which has raced all over New England! As I approached her from the Waterboat Marina, I was immediately impressed with her grandeur and eloquence. Scott, the organizer of most evening sails out to harbor, flashed many a hearty smile as he introduced us new sailors to the boat and distributed jobs (such as tightening the sails - a multi-person job - and steering).

A leisurely sunset ride quickly can quickly turn into a stormy affair :) 

The sail began with a lazy start, with slow winds near the port. But the wind picked up once we passed Spectacle Island and sailed out into the Bay. It picked up so much that even Scott and Ryan, the regulars on the Thursday evening sail, were visibly impressed with the conditions - they were perfect - if they were any better, it would be a storm! The newbies each got to steer, and whether in low or tempestuous wind, it was lovely!

The next sunset sail is soon - check it out! Make sure you bundle up, since it does get quite chilly out on the bay! :)

3. Attend Porch Fest! A day when bands give free concerts right on their porches all over Somerville - it is a festival of music and happiness. There is something for everyone, from heavy metal to jazz to country music. It's a six hour affair, and I made it to the last part, getting to see the awesome musicians of Porter and Union Squares.

A jazzy rock band I particularly enjoyed. 

4. Procrastinate from studying for finals via sailing. Here we go again. Elisa '18 and I decided that sailing is clearly a much better past-time than being cooped up in a sweaty dorm room. :)

Warning: Selfies were never actually as effortless as they appear. 

5. Make a ridiculous amount of salmon for your senior menu. What can I say? If you are gonna splurge, you gotta make it good. :)

Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. But oh-so-delicioso! 

6. Go Moonlight Sailing! I bet you see a trend here, eh? Only at MIT does one get to go sailing in the dark, with the full moon providing most of the quaint, eerie lighting for a leisurely sail. In reality, it's all fun and games until you're steering and have to dodge a boat also coming full speed out of nowhere (see #4). Anyway, on this moonlight sail, we were joined by a couple of young alums from MIT. One of them actually lives in France and came back for the 100 Years Celebration of MIT in Cambridge, while the other turned out to be a... professor. Whoops.

7. Meet Jack Florey. He's the most adventurous and thrilling guy I have ever met. I only regret that I have not met him earlier at one of the Orange/Tangerine Tours during Freshmen Orientation (freshmen, heads up!), but I bet all this anticipation only makes me appreciate him more. :) No pictures for this one, but that's the whole point.

Next up: 5 things to do after you graduate. A bientot, mes amis, y hasta luego!