<p>When we visited MIT last month with our daughter the tour wasn't clear about dining options. We also couldn't tell if there were any areas where kids hang out for fun, or study groups, or where they get together to socialize. Maybe the dorms have areas but they wouldn't show us the dorms. We only saw the center area that had a little market, a Duncan Donuts, some chain food places but there weren't any cozy areas to meet with your friends, just a lot of kids scurrying around. Just wondering what the social atmosphere was like in and out of the dorms. Thanks, the mom</p>
<p>Mostly people hang out for fun in the dorms -- there are common rooms often appointed with couches and TVs (and sometimes with game consoles and pool tables). Personally, I spent the vast majority of my socialization time in the common lounge on my floor.</p>
<p>Study groups also often occur at the dorms, although a substantial number of groups that don't live together actually do meet at the Student Center. (It's more conducive to working than it looks, especially on the higher floors.)</p>
<p>As for dining options, there are a lot of lunch places to eat on campus, and each student has a dining account linked to his or her ID card -- it works like a debit card, as students put as much or as little money in as they'd like and spend it as quickly as they'd like. (Or more quickly than they'd like, often. ;)) For dinner, there are dining halls in several of the dorms, but students can also choose to eat in the same places that are open for lunch. A large number of students also choose to cook for themselves, as many of the dorms have kitchens.</p>
<p>Thanks Mollie, It's nice to have a current student response. I read your post about dining in the past. It's very helpful. I'll share it with my daughter. The tour didn't seem to cover this area. We did notice there was a cafe like area with students hanging out in the Strata building which my husband and daughter thought was cool. Now I read it may be needing repair! Good luck to you.<br>
The mom of a MIT hopeful.</p>
<p>Yeah, also, MIT is in the middle of a big city (Cambridge, OR Boston take your pick) and just keep in mind that makes a big difference in terms of where kids hang out. I spend a lot of my free time kinda out and about off campus and this is the case with most students I think. Dorms are good social hangouts since they have big common areas and kids tend to leave their doors open all day so there's always a flow of people. Also, they're fully equipped: kitchens, video games, all that. In terms of studying or doing work- I pretty much pick a different location every day, to shake things up. Right now I'm writing my physics paper on one of those wood tables outside the steam cafe on the fourth floor of the infinite...</p>
<p>People hang out in dorms and other living groups (let's not forget about the FSILGs). Not always their own - a lot of people have at least a couple of living groups other than their own in which they are a significant social presence.</p>
<p>The 4th floor of the Student Center has most of the student group offices, and depending on the group, people hang out in those - APO's, for instance, has couches, snacks, a radio, comic books, and other fun stuff to do. Study groups where the members live in different places often meet on the 5th floor of the student center, or in the old, defunct 3rd floor coffeehouse.</p>
<p>The people hanging out in Stata tend to be the ones who work there or have classes there. But, nothing wrong with that. Some departments also have student lounges.</p>
<p>I hang out in my dorm a lot, but that's probably just because I've recently acquired a taste for intellectual masturbation and my dorm tends to cater to that. I also hang out at my frat house in Boston, or in the undergrad physics lounge, or the student center, or Harvard square...</p>
<p>... really, in the greater Boston Area, you will always find places to go.</p>
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I hang out in my dorm a lot, but that's probably just because I've recently acquired a taste for intellectual masturbation and my dorm tends to cater to that.
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<p>Heh, dude, you could probably find that at any dorm. :p Or your frat, for that matter...I feel reasonably confident saying that, since I know what frat you belong to. ;) Or really, I bet the undergrad physics lounge is pretty good for that too...</p>
<p>Also, hi, haven't seen you in a while, either online or in person!</p>
<p>Oh, definitely. I'm intellectually masturbating all over the place these days.</p>
<p>I've been incredibly busy, and have kinda disappeared from the internet and IM and Facebook (can you believe it?) Speaking of which, where are you! If you're still nearby we should get together!</p>
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Speaking of which, where are you! If you're still nearby we should get together!
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<p>I live in the Davis Square area these days, work in West Cambridge. I'm still on zephyr.</p>
<p>Awesome, I'll get on zephyr more often.</p>
<p>Though how do you still get on? I thought after you graduated they put down your athena account.</p>
<p>I still have mine. ;) Technically accounts are deleted in January each year, but if you have an MIT staff member willing to vouch for you (read: benjones), you can keep yours after graduation.</p>
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I thought after you graduated they put down your athena account.
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<p>Have you paid any attention to zephyr at all? :) It's crawling with alums whose accounts are being sponsored by staff members. Also, I gather that you can get on zephyr after your account has expired, though I don't know how it works.</p>