The Unlikely Tragic Hero Essay Example for Free

The Unlikely Tragic Hero Essay In his exposition on catastrophe, Arthur Miller once composed the awful inclination is evoked in us when we are within the sight of a character who is prepared to set out his life, if need be, to make sure about one thinghis feeling of individual poise. This clever perspective on the regular keeps an eye on capacity to be an appalling legend is significant of the female hero, Mrs. Alving, in Henrik Ibsens disputable dramatization Ghosts. In her battle to arrange her family and become the original spouse Mrs. Alving learns of lifes disasters she loses all that she cherishes and all she has worked for the sake of respect. Despite the injurious inner impacts on her mind, Mrs. Alving secures and maintain her qualities. She regards marriage; she realized her significant other was unfaithful, yet Mrs. Alving didn't cut off the association as she needed to maintain her wedding pledges. She reviews before long, I heard Alving come in as well. I heard him state something delicately to her. And afterward I heard goodness! it despite everything sounds in my ears, so contemptuous but then so absurd I heard my own hireling house cleaner murmur, Let me go, Mr. Alving! Leave me alone!' (1.405). In spite of the fact that she battles to comprehend reality, she has respectably held her tongue to spare her kid and let her significant other pass on decently. In spite of the fact that she trusts it is an ill-conceived notion to leave the recently fabricated halfway house uninsured, she shields Manders from open ire by conforming to his enemy of protection thought; this turns into a deplorable choice when the shelter burns to the ground. She despite everything regards Manders capacity to work under the laws of society, yet when he makes note of the despicable dynamic books she has been understanding Mrs. Alving gets protective. She clarifies, here, in my forlornness, I have gone to a similar perspective, Pastor Manders. Be that as it may, I have never set out to state anything (1.351). While she has a solid faith in dynamic thoughts, Mrs. Alving could never disgrace her family by ostensibly communicating them. Mrs. Alving regards her family enough to acknowledge they will be harmed in the event that she doesn't hold everything together. She bestows just affectionate recollections of Mr. Alving to her child Oswald and helps him to remember the familial ties which they should live by. As Oswald alludes to his dad saying, but then he figured out how to accomplish such a great deal on the planet; so much that was acceptable and valuable; despite the fact that he kicked the bucket so early the peruser acknowledges how whimsical his vision of his dad is (1.295). Profoundly obliged to both her child and her late spouse, Mrs. Alving battles to conceal reality of her marriage and give the best to her child, endeavoring to ensure his guiltlessness and profound quality. She accepts she can spare her child from anything, however as her conjugal circumstance declined she was unable to hold up under the idea of keeping her child in such a domain, she discloses I needed to tolerate it for my sons purpose. Be that as it may, when the last affront was included; when my own hireling servant; at that point I vowed to myself: This will reach a conclusion! (1.411). She didn't need him to experience the ill effects of the activities of his dad, therefore she sends him to another country. Ceaselessly battling to ensure people around her, Mrs. Alving just damages herself all the while. She welcomes Captain Alvings lovechild, Regina, to live and work in their home to guarantee she gets a reasonable instruction. It is just later that she gets mindful of her child and Reginas relations-an incestual relationship made conceivable by Mrs. Alvings thoughtfulness to the youthful Regina by letting her live in their home. In acting under the cultural rules and disregarding her spouses contemptible activities, Mrs. Alving just drove him further away. The nonappearance of an unwavering spouse made an unending dejection in Mrs. Alving and however she discovered significant serenity in sending her child Oswald to another country, his nonappearance crushed her and their relationship could never be fixed. Tormented by the inward blame of her spouses unfaithfulness, Mrs. Alving presumes that their condition pushed her to turn into the cultural faã §ade of a spouse. By review life through societys vantage point, Mrs Alving turned into a devoted spouse, who sadly fell into the repairman movements of a wifes everyday obligations. After understanding her flaw, she is sorry to her child saying, they had shown me a lot about obligations, etc, which I went on tenaciously putting stock in. Everything was set apart out into obligations into my obligations, and his obligations, and I am apprehensive I made his home excruciating for your poor dad, Oswald(3.122). Mrs. Alving perceives how she added to her spouses misery and along these lines attempts to compensate for his bad behaviors. She commits the halfway house to him, despite the fact that he was unfaithful to her. She puts stock in indicating admiration, and ensuring her better half is recalled in the light which others knew him. She accepts she will have fixed everything once she frees herself and her group of the genuine recollections of her significant other. The ethical quality of societys capacity to force the nuclear family to work under generally satisfactory conditions has been addressed from the beginning of time. Henrik Ibsen empowers his perusers to get mindful of the unpleasant certainties that lie away from plain view in his petulant 1881 Norwegian dramatization, Ghosts. Mrs. Alving experiences the contention between the outer weights of society doing combating what she accepts is good. Her cultural preparing has shown her how to nimbly deal with any circumstance hide your difficulties away from plain view and hang tight for them to crawl out when you are generally defenseless. The shocking occasions she faces all through this play bring about the domino impact which originates from the complex trap of society-satisfying untruths she has spun since wedding Captain Alving. In the long run Mrs. Alving goes to the understanding that cultural respect isn't a panacea; ones capacity to finish the undertakings of a loyal spouse won't spare a marriage, won't show a kid love, nor will it make a fantasy finishing. Mrs. Alving doesn't live joyfully ever after, rather she is left separated. She will proceed in her honorable friendless condition of living.

Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule Essay Example

Melatonin is a pervasive atom Essay Presentation Melatonin ( N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine ) is a ubiquitous atom, incorporated mainly in the pineal secretory organ, auxiliary beginnings are in the retina, the GI land parcel, covering, bone marrow and lymphocytes.1 It was first portrayed after its segregation from bovid pineal secretory organs and basically distinguished in 1958 by Lerner et al.2 The development of melatonin ( Fig. 1 ) clarifies its assorted variety concerning its maps. The two practical gatherings characterize the particle s amphiphilitic nature and explicitness of receptor binding.3 Because of melatonin being both lipid and H2O dissolvable, it is non bound to one cell compartment. Exogenously included melatonin can promptly experience through the blood-mind hindrance and be simple dispersed to all subcellular compartments, which makes this atom truly versatile.4 We will compose a custom article test on Melatonin is a universal atom explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom paper test on Melatonin is an omnipresent particle explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom article test on Melatonin is a universal atom explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer Melatonin has grouped maps ; it is of import as a file of clasp and day of the month and is viewed as the natural structure s sequential pacemaker.1 It is other than known to be an extremely useful cancer prevention agent, has resistant improving belongingss, is cytoprotective, has against apoptotic flagging guide each piece great as oncostatic properties.1 The commitment of melatonin in such a wide extent of basic maps in the natural structure makes it pharmacologically a truly fascinating compound, however melatonin is sold as a supplement addendum and is non-patentable orchestrating to the US FDA as a result. Along these lines melatonergic agonists or melatonin matches that are patentable are of more noteworthy contribution to the pharmacological industry.5 Pharmacological as well as organic movement Review In pinealocytes ( cells of the pineal secretory organ ) tryptophan is changed over to serotonin by means of 5-hydroxytryptophan after which it is acetylated to sort out N-acetylserotonin by arylakylamine N-acetyltransferase ( AA-NAT ) . By the activity of Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase ( HIOMT ) N-Acetylserotonin can be changed over to melatonin.1 Alternatively, melatonin can be shaped by N-acetylation of 5-methoxytryptamine. In many articles AA-NAT is supposed to be the rate-constraining enzyme3,7,8, however it is recommended that HIOMT may be a rate limiting catalyst in some cases6. Melatonin biogenesis is for the most part managed by the light/dim musicality by means of the suprachiasmatic karyon ( SCN ) in the nerve center. Particular nerve cells in the eyes react to obvious radiation and reassign the message to the SCN. The message is transduced in an indirect tract to the pineal secretory organ. Melatonin combination is activated by obscurity. Norepinephrine is discharged during evening time and teams to beta-adrenergic receptors. This outcomes in camp arrangement lastly incitement of arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase ( AA-NAT ) .7 Extrapineal melatonin is non controlled by circadian beat, by the by and it is conjectured that it is created as an office of security in light of specific stressors, eg. Bright radiation, toxins, contaminations and so forth that may result in oxidative accentuation or inflammation.6 Go arounding melatonin is essentially utilized by cytochrome P450 catalysts, CYP1A2, CYP1A1 and CYP2C19 in the liver or CYP1B1 at extrahepatic sites.6 Resulting 6-hydroxymelatonin by CYP1A, CYP1A2 or CYP1B1 can be conjugated with sulfate ( and glucoronide to a lesser degree ) to sort out an increasingly hydrophilic compound, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin ( aMT6S ) , which can be discharged in piss by the kidney.1 CYP2C19 or CYP1A2 are cytochromes associated with the demethylation of melatonin to N-acetylserotonin. 6-Hydroxymelatonin is non just framed through enzymatic offices as expressed above, yet close to through the communication of melatonin with responsive O species ( ROS ) and receptive N species ( RNS ) .6 Melatonin can kill free gatherings, ROS and RNS each piece great as invigorate antioxidative chemicals, for example, superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) , catalase ( CAT ) , glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-Px ) and glutathione reductase ( GSH-Rd ) .4,9 Different metabolites of melatonin incorporate 2-hydroxymelatonin, which is proposed to be a product of melatonin s response with ROS/RNS,6 each piece great as cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin ( C3-OHM ) , N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine ( AFMK ) and N-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine ( AMK ) . The parent endocrine, melatonin, and its metabolites are of import in shielding cells from hurt by free gatherings and responsive O and receptive N species. Melatonin transformation by cytochrome P450 compounds Pineal melatonin is processed to 6-hydroxymelatonin essentially and it was discovered that CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1 and CYP2C19 are the compounds answerable for the creation of this metabolite.1,6,10 Melatonin can other than be changed over into N-acetylserotonin which is other than an antecedent for its amalgamation ( fig.1 ) 1. Both 6-hydroxymelatonin and N-acetylserotonin can be discharged in the piss after intersection with sulfate and additionally glucoronide. An overview led by Facciola et Al. ( 2001 ) 11 decided CYP1A2 to be the central cytochrome P450 compound liable for 6-hydroxylation of melatonin. In an overview that was directed by Ma et Al. ( 2005 ) 10, melatonin 6-hydroxylation and O-demethylation rates were estimated to gauge the conceivable capacity of 11 cDNA-communicated human cytochrome P450 catalysts in melatonin transformation ( figure 2 ) 10. It was discovered that 6-hydroxylation was essentially completed by CYP1A2, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 and to a lesser degree CYP2C19 ( fig.2 A ) wherease O-demethylation happened about primarily because of the activity of CYP2C19 and to an insignificant evaluation by CYP1A2 ( fig.2 B ) . Inhibitory activity of melatonin on human cytochrome P450 proteins CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 In an ongoing review by Chang et Al. ( 2010 ) 12 the theory that melatonin restrains reactant movement of CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 alongside CYP2A6 was tried, alongside its outcome on the difference in human CYP1 cistron look and on the action of the human aryl hydrocarbon receptor ( AhR ) . A significant outcome could turn out utile during dangerous neoplastic malady treatment since these proteins were seen as procarcinogen-bioactivating catalysts of benzo [ a ] pyrene or 7,12-dimethyl-benz [ a ] anthracene. Restraint of look or diminishing in reactant action of these cytochrome P450 isozymes may chop down the creation of cancer-causing metabolites from these substrates. As portrayed in the old development, melatonin is used by CYPs 1A1, 1A2 and 1B1. Accordingly, its severe result might be because of it viing with the procarcinogenic substrate for the chemicals dynamic locales, in spite of the fact that the specific system of concealment is poorly characterized. The study referenced that endogenous melatonin does non practice harsh impacts and resultingly a pharmacological intensity in creating equals of melatonin that might stifle these proteins and forestall CYP1 intervened carcinogenesis is created.12 Movement of melatonin with AhR and melatonin s result on CYP1 cistron look was seen as undistinguished. Fluvoxamine and melatonin Fluvoxamine ( FLU ) , a stimulant, was found to expand serum melatonin degrees and an overview was led by von Bahr et Al. ( 2000 ) 13 to discover whether citalopram ( CIT ) other than influences these degrees. The article reasoned that CIT in truth does non hold a similar result as FLU does. It did in any case set up an away from between the degrees of melatonin and convergences of FLU in the plasma of the subjects.13 Influenza is an inhibitor of CYP1A2 and CYP2C19 and in this manner keeps these catalysts from utilizing melatonin into its metabolites ; resultantly an expansion in the degrees of serum melatonin was seen. Melatonin as a free radical forager and cancer prevention agent Melatonin and its metabolites have the conceivable to move as free fanatic foragers and can kill receptive O species ( ROS ) and responsive N species ( RNS ) each piece great as up-manage antioxidative proteins, superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) , catalase ( CAT ) , glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-Px ) and glutathione reductase ( GSH-Rd ) .4 The free radical dioxide ( O2-) can be created because of cell breath, because of ecological variables or oxidative blast of macrophages. The poisonousness of the O2-is viewed as low 9 however on the off chance that it responds with azotic oxide ( NO†¢ ) it can deliver ONOO-fit for making atomic damage. Grass changes over dioxide to hydrogen peroxide ( H2O2 ) which is non really a free gathering, however on the off chance that non catabolised to sort out H2O and O2 by means of CAT or to H2O through GSH-Px, can be used to the exceptionally poisonous hydroxyl radical ( †¢OH ) . As can be found in the figure, this free gathering can welcome on DNA hurt, lipid peroxidation or make mischief to proteins. Melatonin can be changed over into a metabolite cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin when it responds with two hydroxyl gatherings, which has been seen as discharged in the urine.1,9 An AFMK tract ( figure 5 ) 1 other than exists that is obvious equipped for searching up to 10 ROS/RNS.6 AFMK and AMK are ground-breaking free radical foragers and safeguards against oxidative accentuation, however adjacent to has calming and immunoregulatory impacts by smothering tumor embarrassment factor-alpha ( TNFa ) and interleukin-8 arrangement ( IL-8 ) and amalgamation of prostaglandins.6 The main metabolite of melatonin, 6-hydroxymelatonin, can other than be created in melatonin s response with ROS/RNS, each piece great as another melatonin metabolite, 2-hydroxymelatonin.6 Melatonin and its chronobio

Maseeh Hall Pros and Cons

Maseeh Hall Pros and Cons The summer before freshman year, I remember the struggle I had trying to decide which dorm I wanted to live in for my first year at MIT. I must confess that it was a short struggle. The plethora of options was so overwhelming that I essentially gave up and ranked the dorms by seemingly arbitrary criteria without doing any research into them. Here were my rankings and thoughts: 1) Baker: because I was hosted here for CPW and thought it was awesome that the rooms had sinks in them. 2) Maseeh: because it looks clean and it’s close to everything. 3) I can’t even remember what I ranked past number 2 because I didn’t have any strong opinions either way. I do, however, remember ranking Next House last because the only thing I knew about it was that I thought it was really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really far from everything (debatable, if Im being honest with myself). Things turned out fine for me. I ended up in Maseeh and I liked it so much, I have stayed here all four years on the same floor, and in the same room for three of those four years. However, I’m sure not everyone is ok with this wily-nily method of making housing arrangements. I have compiled a list of the pros and cons of living in Maseeh that I hope you will find useful, whether you are reading this because you might be looking to move here in the future, or because you are just interested to know more about Maseeh Hall, or because you are a pros and cons list connoisseur, or because you meant to click on a different link but then accidentally clicked on this one so here you are now. Anyway, in an attempt to make this blog post as representative as possible, I not only included my own thoughts and opinions, but I also interviewed some current residents regarding their experiences here in Maseeh. Note: This is not meant to be the definitive guide to Maseeh, but rather a student perspective on what we like and dont like about living at Maseeh. More neutral facts, like the fact that Maseeh participates in Residential Associate Advising might not be reflected in this list if I or the students interviewed did not have strong opinions about them either way. You can check out the MITs page on housing for more information:  https://housing.mit.edu/node/5476. Pros and Cons List:   Pros: 1. Convenient location on campus â€" Maseeh is located in the middle of campus, which means it’s close to virtually everywhere, including the student center, the Z Center (The Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center), Massachusetts Avenue, and classes. 2. Clean and new â€" Opened in 2011, Maseeh is the newest dorm, which means it hasn’t been subject to as much wear and tear as some of the other, older dorms. 3. Has culture (contrary to popular belief) â€" See appendix. 4. Has a dining hall: serves lunch â€" The Howard Dining Hall in Maseeh is the only dining hall that serves lunch, in addition to breakfast, dinner, and late night (which is the meal you eat late at night because you have stayed up so late past dinner, your stomach thinks it is mealtime again. or its the meal you have because you are craving french fries at midnight). 5. Lots of freshmen â€" In 2015, The Tech reported that Maseeh was the most popular choice for housing among freshman, with 277 students choosing Maseeh in the housing lottery. That means if you’re a freshmen looking to hang out with your fellow classmates or work on GIR psets together, Maseeh is the place to be. Here is the article if youre interested:  http://tech.mit.edu/V135/N22/fyre2015.html) 6. Convenient location on campus: See number 1. 7. Pretty big rooms â€" If you end up with a single, double or triple in Maseeh, chances are you’ll be impressed/satisfied with the amount of space you get. I live in a double that’s 257 square feet and that’s enough space to fit our beds, desks, closets, a futon, a small refrigerator, and an area rug, without it feeling cramped at all. 8. Flat walls that are fairly soundproof â€" As I was interviewing people for this post, someone listed “flat walls” as a pro and I was at first baffled by this response. But then I remembered that the walls in Baker are brick â€" which makes it harder to hang things on your wall â€" and the walls in Simmons can be undulating and curvy. The person I interviewed had actually FYRE’d from Simmons to Maseeh and had been somewhat peeved by the fact that her curved walls in Simmons prevented her from putting a refrigerator flush against the wall. 9. Amazing GRTs â€" I’m sure GRTs in the other dorms are amazing too, but from personal experience and my own biased perspective, the ones in Maseeh are the most amazing ones. Each floor (except the basement and floor 1, which are each half a floor) has two GRTs who have open door policies for students to come to them if they ever need any help or just need someone to talk to. They also host weekly study breaks where they whip up some delicious, homemade food (i.e. pancakes, cookies, kale chips, cake, hot chocolate, etc.) and encourage the floor to take a break from their work to hangout and socialize for a bit. 10. No snow in the windows â€" This was a comment someone made specifically in reference to Burton Conner. Apparently some of the windows in BC (only some in the hallway, I have been informed by an actual BC resident) are not snow proof, so if it’s extremely windy and snowy, little piles of snow will accumulate on the inside of the window. 11. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 6. 12. Bright and airy rooms â€" The brightness and “airiness” is probably closely related to it’s also being clean and new. The lighting is good and the walls are white, which lend a bright aura to the dorm as a whole. Plus, the windows are large and let in a lot of light (during the non-sad, non-the-darkness-of-winter-is-crushing-my-soul seasons). Plus, plus, the ceilings in the basement and the 1st floor are extra high, so the rooms feel even more spacious. 13. Handicap accessible â€" Not all dorms have elevators. Equipped with elevators that reach every floor, a ramp that leads up to the front entrance, and handicap accessible rooms and bathrooms, Maseeh has made an effort to keep the dorm open to all who might want to visit or live here. 14. Well-funded â€" Maseeh has money. Not only are GRTs given money to host study breaks and each floor is given a certain amount of money to spend on whatever the floor wants (i.e. more furniture, study breaks, or student outings), but the executive council of Maseeh (MHEC) is also extremely open to funding events, groups, and clubs that residents show interest in. Past and current clubs include: movie club, nail painting club, baking club, Theremin club, knitting club, etc. MHEC also holds a Maseeh boat cruise each year and they also recently started holding biweekly study breaks in the Maseeh lobby. 15. Home of the bestest choco chip cookies ever â€" Our associate heads of house, Cullen and Donielle Buie also hold study breaks in their room every few weeks. In my opinion as a humble cookie-eater, I can confidently say that they are some of the best, if not the best cookies I have ever eaten. This may be in part because they are served toasty fresh out of the oven with a cool glass of lactose-free milk (which I have discovered is delicious). Sometimes, they will also set up their Michael Jackson: The Experience Nintendo Wii video game and you can dance to your heart’s content while stuffing your face full of chocolate chip cookies and milk. 16. Close to Boston â€" Similar to the way that it is conveniently located to many important places on campus, Maseeh is also the closest dorm to the Harvard Bridge, which, unlike its name suggests, leads to Boston, not Harvard. By “closest”, I mean right next to. Just walk out the back door of Maseeh and you’re there, now only a short 364.4 smoot walk across the bridge to Boston. Also, like many dorms on dorm row, you can get a great view of the Charles River (if you’re lucky enough to end up on the right side of the building that is). 17. Air-conditioned hallways â€" Though the rooms themselves are not air-conditioned, at least the hallways are, which not all dorms can boast. This might not mean diddlysquat to you right now, but when the terror that is the stiflingly humid summer weeks at the start of the semester hit you full force, you’ll be grateful that at least some part of your dorm can be a safe haven from the dizzying heat. I speak from the greatly exaggerated perspective of someone who is an avid dissenter against moist, hot air. 18. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 11. 19. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 18. 20. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 19. 21. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 20. 22. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 21. 23. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 22. Cons: 1. Potentially more expensive â€" According to MIT’s guide to residences (http://mitguidetoresidences.mit.edu/map/maseeh-hall), the cost of living at Maseeh ranges from $5,120 $3,575. For reference, compare that to Burton Conner ($4,780 $3,785) or Next House ($4,780 $3,785). Consider also the cost of the required meal plan that you would be forced to pay if you lived in Maseeh or any other dorm that requires a meal plan. 2. One terrible kitchen for all 500+ students â€" Direct quote from a resident: “The kitchen is not even a kitchen”. While this is (probably) a hyperbole, it is true that there is only one kitchen in all of Maseeh, despite it having the largest number of students living there. While we should be thankful that we even have kitchen facilities at all, the facilities themselves aren’t anything to write home about. The stoves work fine but the ovens are never hot enough and it may or may not take you 1.5+ hours to bake a frozen pie that should only take 40 minutes. If there are more than one or two people in there cooking at a time, it can also start to feel a bit cramped. 3. Has no culture (according to popular belief) â€" See appendix 4. Has a dining hall: mandatory meal plan â€" As a freshman, you are required to be on the Any 19 meal plan which means breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday-Friday as well as brunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays (Note: recently Maseeh, like Simmons, has also started offering Late Night). Unfortunately, due to the nature of the dining system, any meals you do not eat in a week do not roll over and the money you spent is essentially flushed down a metaphorical toilet. Even as a junior and senior, the lowest you can go is Any 10, which means 10 meal swipes for any meal of your choosing during the week. I personally chafed quite a bit against this meal plan mandate and it was probably the one aspect of Maseeh that I disliked the most. 5. High turnover rate year to year â€" I don’t have any statistics on this, but every year there seems to be a significant exodus out of Maseeh, either from people moving into other dorms or into other FSILGs. This can either be viewed as a con, in the sense that not many people stick around year to year, or as a pro, in the sense that you get to meet a lot of new people every year. Up to you. This isn’t to say that people don’t stay at all. There are a few seniors who, like me have lived on Maseeh 2 for all four years and as a consequence, we have become a part of a community. 6. Not many large common spaces â€" Yes, we have floor lounges that are great places for floor mates to get together and socialize, but Maseeh also lacks dorm wide spaces to hold larger events in. 7. Pretty small rooms (if you are in a quad) â€" The quads here are extremely cramped. Considering that my double is 257 square feet, it seems odd that the smallest quad would only be 325 square feet. It’s also a little weird because the rooms that are quads are, on certain floors, designated as doubles. This seems entirely unfair. But it is what it is. Luckily (or perhaps unluckily for the freshmen), you will only ever be forced into a quad as a freshman. As a sophomore and onwards, you are virtually guaranteed to lottery into a single or double, or at the very least a triple. Appendix â€" Student Testimonials: Alex L. 17 On picking Maseeh: “I picked Maseeh initially because several people on the swim team lived there when I was an incoming freshman. On my recruiting visit, I loved how clean, new, and quiet it was. I thought each floor had a unique culture and Maseeh is also most conveniently located to athletics, classes, and the student center. I’m still living here because Maseeh is the best environment for me, and a lot of my friends are still living here too.” On the stereotypes of Maseeh: “A stereotype that I hear is that Maseeh is not social. Totally false. Haters gonna hate! We have floor outings, interfloor events, and awesome study breaks. You might seem people randomly gathering in the lounge to play cards, board games, watch a movie, “The Bachelor”, or some other show. Also, food study breaks here are the best.” On advice for students: “Be friendly, and take a few minutes out of your busy days to say “hi” and get to know people you see in the lounge. They may become your close friends for the next 4 years. Get to know GRTs and feel free to talk to them about anything. I love our GRTs! Try lots of things to find out what you love and make the most of your 4 years. As I reflect, time has absolutely flown by.” Niki T. 17 On picking Maseeh: “I picked Maseeh mostly because I stayed here during CPW and really liked it. During CPW I met a lot of people who lived here by hanging out in the lounge, and I thought that I would fit in well. I also knew a few other freshmen who wanted to live here. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s so close to everything!” On the stereotypes of Maseeh: “A lot of people say Maseeh has no culture, which is so wrong. It’s true that Maseeh is probably one of the most varied dorms â€" people are in FSILGs, different clubs, and usually have a lot of friends outside of Maseeh. But that’s one of the things I love about living here. You can always find other people who are interested in what you’re interested in, and we all hang out and become one awesome, huge family.” On living in Maseeh: “I’ve been in Maseeh all four years (on the same floor too!). I just love Maseeh. Nearly all of my closest friends have lived on my floor at some point, and I’ve always felt so comfortable and welcomed here. Freshmen and sophomore year we would all hang out in the lounge all the time, schedule movie nights or game nights and go out together. Now, people who have moved off the floor always come back to hang out in our rooms. We just got a picture at a senior event of all the people who were on our floor freshman year, so even a few years later, we’ve all stayed in contact and try to reunite every once in a while.” More anonymous comments “They say that Maseeh is boring, but I don’t see it that way. It’s more like people do their own thing and it’s chill that way.” “They say it [Maseeh] has no culture. This is pretty much true. It seems less like a family compared to other dorms, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.” “People think Maseeh has no culture. That’s not necessarily true. I think it has a less obvious culture.” “Other dorms have more of a community, but I also have a lot of great friends living on my floor.” “Dining sucked. At first I was excited for dining, but now I’m not.” “If you value cleanliness, Maseeh is the place to be.” Post Tagged #Charles River #Maseeh Hall

Maseeh Hall Pros and Cons

Maseeh Hall Pros and Cons The summer before freshman year, I remember the struggle I had trying to decide which dorm I wanted to live in for my first year at MIT. I must confess that it was a short struggle. The plethora of options was so overwhelming that I essentially gave up and ranked the dorms by seemingly arbitrary criteria without doing any research into them. Here were my rankings and thoughts: 1) Baker: because I was hosted here for CPW and thought it was awesome that the rooms had sinks in them. 2) Maseeh: because it looks clean and it’s close to everything. 3) I can’t even remember what I ranked past number 2 because I didn’t have any strong opinions either way. I do, however, remember ranking Next House last because the only thing I knew about it was that I thought it was really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really far from everything (debatable, if Im being honest with myself). Things turned out fine for me. I ended up in Maseeh and I liked it so much, I have stayed here all four years on the same floor, and in the same room for three of those four years. However, I’m sure not everyone is ok with this wily-nily method of making housing arrangements. I have compiled a list of the pros and cons of living in Maseeh that I hope you will find useful, whether you are reading this because you might be looking to move here in the future, or because you are just interested to know more about Maseeh Hall, or because you are a pros and cons list connoisseur, or because you meant to click on a different link but then accidentally clicked on this one so here you are now. Anyway, in an attempt to make this blog post as representative as possible, I not only included my own thoughts and opinions, but I also interviewed some current residents regarding their experiences here in Maseeh. Note: This is not meant to be the definitive guide to Maseeh, but rather a student perspective on what we like and dont like about living at Maseeh. More neutral facts, like the fact that Maseeh participates in Residential Associate Advising might not be reflected in this list if I or the students interviewed did not have strong opinions about them either way. You can check out the MITs page on housing for more information:  https://housing.mit.edu/node/5476. Pros and Cons List:   Pros: 1. Convenient location on campus â€" Maseeh is located in the middle of campus, which means it’s close to virtually everywhere, including the student center, the Z Center (The Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center), Massachusetts Avenue, and classes. 2. Clean and new â€" Opened in 2011, Maseeh is the newest dorm, which means it hasn’t been subject to as much wear and tear as some of the other, older dorms. 3. Has culture (contrary to popular belief) â€" See appendix. 4. Has a dining hall: serves lunch â€" The Howard Dining Hall in Maseeh is the only dining hall that serves lunch, in addition to breakfast, dinner, and late night (which is the meal you eat late at night because you have stayed up so late past dinner, your stomach thinks it is mealtime again. or its the meal you have because you are craving french fries at midnight). 5. Lots of freshmen â€" In 2015, The Tech reported that Maseeh was the most popular choice for housing among freshman, with 277 students choosing Maseeh in the housing lottery. That means if you’re a freshmen looking to hang out with your fellow classmates or work on GIR psets together, Maseeh is the place to be. Here is the article if youre interested:  http://tech.mit.edu/V135/N22/fyre2015.html) 6. Convenient location on campus: See number 1. 7. Pretty big rooms â€" If you end up with a single, double or triple in Maseeh, chances are you’ll be impressed/satisfied with the amount of space you get. I live in a double that’s 257 square feet and that’s enough space to fit our beds, desks, closets, a futon, a small refrigerator, and an area rug, without it feeling cramped at all. 8. Flat walls that are fairly soundproof â€" As I was interviewing people for this post, someone listed “flat walls” as a pro and I was at first baffled by this response. But then I remembered that the walls in Baker are brick â€" which makes it harder to hang things on your wall â€" and the walls in Simmons can be undulating and curvy. The person I interviewed had actually FYRE’d from Simmons to Maseeh and had been somewhat peeved by the fact that her curved walls in Simmons prevented her from putting a refrigerator flush against the wall. 9. Amazing GRTs â€" I’m sure GRTs in the other dorms are amazing too, but from personal experience and my own biased perspective, the ones in Maseeh are the most amazing ones. Each floor (except the basement and floor 1, which are each half a floor) has two GRTs who have open door policies for students to come to them if they ever need any help or just need someone to talk to. They also host weekly study breaks where they whip up some delicious, homemade food (i.e. pancakes, cookies, kale chips, cake, hot chocolate, etc.) and encourage the floor to take a break from their work to hangout and socialize for a bit. 10. No snow in the windows â€" This was a comment someone made specifically in reference to Burton Conner. Apparently some of the windows in BC (only some in the hallway, I have been informed by an actual BC resident) are not snow proof, so if it’s extremely windy and snowy, little piles of snow will accumulate on the inside of the window. 11. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 6. 12. Bright and airy rooms â€" The brightness and “airiness” is probably closely related to it’s also being clean and new. The lighting is good and the walls are white, which lend a bright aura to the dorm as a whole. Plus, the windows are large and let in a lot of light (during the non-sad, non-the-darkness-of-winter-is-crushing-my-soul seasons). Plus, plus, the ceilings in the basement and the 1st floor are extra high, so the rooms feel even more spacious. 13. Handicap accessible â€" Not all dorms have elevators. Equipped with elevators that reach every floor, a ramp that leads up to the front entrance, and handicap accessible rooms and bathrooms, Maseeh has made an effort to keep the dorm open to all who might want to visit or live here. 14. Well-funded â€" Maseeh has money. Not only are GRTs given money to host study breaks and each floor is given a certain amount of money to spend on whatever the floor wants (i.e. more furniture, study breaks, or student outings), but the executive council of Maseeh (MHEC) is also extremely open to funding events, groups, and clubs that residents show interest in. Past and current clubs include: movie club, nail painting club, baking club, Theremin club, knitting club, etc. MHEC also holds a Maseeh boat cruise each year and they also recently started holding biweekly study breaks in the Maseeh lobby. 15. Home of the bestest choco chip cookies ever â€" Our associate heads of house, Cullen and Donielle Buie also hold study breaks in their room every few weeks. In my opinion as a humble cookie-eater, I can confidently say that they are some of the best, if not the best cookies I have ever eaten. This may be in part because they are served toasty fresh out of the oven with a cool glass of lactose-free milk (which I have discovered is delicious). Sometimes, they will also set up their Michael Jackson: The Experience Nintendo Wii video game and you can dance to your heart’s content while stuffing your face full of chocolate chip cookies and milk. 16. Close to Boston â€" Similar to the way that it is conveniently located to many important places on campus, Maseeh is also the closest dorm to the Harvard Bridge, which, unlike its name suggests, leads to Boston, not Harvard. By “closest”, I mean right next to. Just walk out the back door of Maseeh and you’re there, now only a short 364.4 smoot walk across the bridge to Boston. Also, like many dorms on dorm row, you can get a great view of the Charles River (if you’re lucky enough to end up on the right side of the building that is). 17. Air-conditioned hallways â€" Though the rooms themselves are not air-conditioned, at least the hallways are, which not all dorms can boast. This might not mean diddlysquat to you right now, but when the terror that is the stiflingly humid summer weeks at the start of the semester hit you full force, you’ll be grateful that at least some part of your dorm can be a safe haven from the dizzying heat. I speak from the greatly exaggerated perspective of someone who is an avid dissenter against moist, hot air. 18. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 11. 19. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 18. 20. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 19. 21. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 20. 22. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 21. 23. Convenient location on campus â€" See number 22. Cons: 1. Potentially more expensive â€" According to MIT’s guide to residences (http://mitguidetoresidences.mit.edu/map/maseeh-hall), the cost of living at Maseeh ranges from $5,120 $3,575. For reference, compare that to Burton Conner ($4,780 $3,785) or Next House ($4,780 $3,785). Consider also the cost of the required meal plan that you would be forced to pay if you lived in Maseeh or any other dorm that requires a meal plan. 2. One terrible kitchen for all 500+ students â€" Direct quote from a resident: “The kitchen is not even a kitchen”. While this is (probably) a hyperbole, it is true that there is only one kitchen in all of Maseeh, despite it having the largest number of students living there. While we should be thankful that we even have kitchen facilities at all, the facilities themselves aren’t anything to write home about. The stoves work fine but the ovens are never hot enough and it may or may not take you 1.5+ hours to bake a frozen pie that should only take 40 minutes. If there are more than one or two people in there cooking at a time, it can also start to feel a bit cramped. 3. Has no culture (according to popular belief) â€" See appendix 4. Has a dining hall: mandatory meal plan â€" As a freshman, you are required to be on the Any 19 meal plan which means breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday-Friday as well as brunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays (Note: recently Maseeh, like Simmons, has also started offering Late Night). Unfortunately, due to the nature of the dining system, any meals you do not eat in a week do not roll over and the money you spent is essentially flushed down a metaphorical toilet. Even as a junior and senior, the lowest you can go is Any 10, which means 10 meal swipes for any meal of your choosing during the week. I personally chafed quite a bit against this meal plan mandate and it was probably the one aspect of Maseeh that I disliked the most. 5. High turnover rate year to year â€" I don’t have any statistics on this, but every year there seems to be a significant exodus out of Maseeh, either from people moving into other dorms or into other FSILGs. This can either be viewed as a con, in the sense that not many people stick around year to year, or as a pro, in the sense that you get to meet a lot of new people every year. Up to you. This isn’t to say that people don’t stay at all. There are a few seniors who, like me have lived on Maseeh 2 for all four years and as a consequence, we have become a part of a community. 6. Not many large common spaces â€" Yes, we have floor lounges that are great places for floor mates to get together and socialize, but Maseeh also lacks dorm wide spaces to hold larger events in. 7. Pretty small rooms (if you are in a quad) â€" The quads here are extremely cramped. Considering that my double is 257 square feet, it seems odd that the smallest quad would only be 325 square feet. It’s also a little weird because the rooms that are quads are, on certain floors, designated as doubles. This seems entirely unfair. But it is what it is. Luckily (or perhaps unluckily for the freshmen), you will only ever be forced into a quad as a freshman. As a sophomore and onwards, you are virtually guaranteed to lottery into a single or double, or at the very least a triple. Appendix â€" Student Testimonials: Alex L. 17 On picking Maseeh: “I picked Maseeh initially because several people on the swim team lived there when I was an incoming freshman. On my recruiting visit, I loved how clean, new, and quiet it was. I thought each floor had a unique culture and Maseeh is also most conveniently located to athletics, classes, and the student center. I’m still living here because Maseeh is the best environment for me, and a lot of my friends are still living here too.” On the stereotypes of Maseeh: “A stereotype that I hear is that Maseeh is not social. Totally false. Haters gonna hate! We have floor outings, interfloor events, and awesome study breaks. You might seem people randomly gathering in the lounge to play cards, board games, watch a movie, “The Bachelor”, or some other show. Also, food study breaks here are the best.” On advice for students: “Be friendly, and take a few minutes out of your busy days to say “hi” and get to know people you see in the lounge. They may become your close friends for the next 4 years. Get to know GRTs and feel free to talk to them about anything. I love our GRTs! Try lots of things to find out what you love and make the most of your 4 years. As I reflect, time has absolutely flown by.” Niki T. 17 On picking Maseeh: “I picked Maseeh mostly because I stayed here during CPW and really liked it. During CPW I met a lot of people who lived here by hanging out in the lounge, and I thought that I would fit in well. I also knew a few other freshmen who wanted to live here. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s so close to everything!” On the stereotypes of Maseeh: “A lot of people say Maseeh has no culture, which is so wrong. It’s true that Maseeh is probably one of the most varied dorms â€" people are in FSILGs, different clubs, and usually have a lot of friends outside of Maseeh. But that’s one of the things I love about living here. You can always find other people who are interested in what you’re interested in, and we all hang out and become one awesome, huge family.” On living in Maseeh: “I’ve been in Maseeh all four years (on the same floor too!). I just love Maseeh. Nearly all of my closest friends have lived on my floor at some point, and I’ve always felt so comfortable and welcomed here. Freshmen and sophomore year we would all hang out in the lounge all the time, schedule movie nights or game nights and go out together. Now, people who have moved off the floor always come back to hang out in our rooms. We just got a picture at a senior event of all the people who were on our floor freshman year, so even a few years later, we’ve all stayed in contact and try to reunite every once in a while.” More anonymous comments “They say that Maseeh is boring, but I don’t see it that way. It’s more like people do their own thing and it’s chill that way.” “They say it [Maseeh] has no culture. This is pretty much true. It seems less like a family compared to other dorms, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.” “People think Maseeh has no culture. That’s not necessarily true. I think it has a less obvious culture.” “Other dorms have more of a community, but I also have a lot of great friends living on my floor.” “Dining sucked. At first I was excited for dining, but now I’m not.” “If you value cleanliness, Maseeh is the place to be.” Post Tagged #Charles River #Maseeh Hall