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--- imported_by: wikihub-q7gz scraped_at: 2026-01-30 source_gdoc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GnL0XczS1CWIWJPMsXNjTDd3e-WhF49rBAQEmc0lvuY source_url: http://thingsyoudidntknowexistedatmit.jacobcole.net title: Things You Didn't Know Existed at MIT visibility: public --- Things You Didn’t Know Existed at MIT [mitdoc.jacobcole.net](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bT_ncm0h-zrZZsAmmaNrieVM9LrhNQbBX5TZnGDPMBg/edit) \> [[thingsyoudidntknowexisted]] \> [[thingsyoudidntknowexistedatmit]] [[systematicawesome|http://systematicawesome.jacobcole.net]] Contribute to the list at top! \#connectordoc started by jcole@mit.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ### Notice: does anyone want to help me make a web app for this? If so, email me at jcole@mit.edu ### Table of Contents 1. [Misc](#id.72xu6dbwltty) 2. [Athletic/Outdoor/Physical](#id.jwvwtom2kewe) <!-- --> 1. [Snow](#id.93kpcwt6tkfh) <!-- --> 3. [Professors](#id.86g60avk87mf) 4. [Classes](#id.trhn4hwrc2td) 5. [Restaurants](#id.iladxa7n3lm0) <!-- --> 1. [“Every Day”](#id.iladxa7n3lm0) 2. [“Special Occasion”](#id.9nbc8rwdv7ui) 3. [Bars](#kix.45cl8kxeptil) <!-- --> 6. [Arts](#kix.wrv7d9vexu11) \* (3/27/13) 7. [Computer Science (CS)](#id.pzku9zo9xvrx) 8. [Funds for Cool Projects and Other Such Things](#id.i75t30h556lf) 9. [Events Calendars for MIT/Harvard/Cambridge/Boston etc.](#id.exxq2lxwuci0) 10. [People’s Tags/Homepages/Emails](#id.udv5wwkge5vj) 11. [Meta](#id.xa9wcivryy46) <!-- --> 1. Contributors 2. Discussion Box \* means recently updated <span id="id.72xu6dbwltty"></span> Misc: Add resource here! Add resource here! Boston Public Library is beautiful Mobile version of MIT people search (browser preview of MIT mobile app) <http://m.mit.edu/home/> Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology <http://web.mit.edu/cmrae/> [Budget Rental](http://budget.com/) <sup><a href="#cmnt1" id="cmnt_ref1">[a]</a></sup>-- Did you know MIT has a deal with Budget rental? Use your MIT ID and you can rent a car at normal prices at the young age of 18. Use the Sydney Street location. [Stanford-MIT Wormhole](http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2011/08/22/wormhole_links_mit_and_stanford/) - in Stata Cafe. We need to make a higher quality one! [bathroom.mit.edu](http://bathroom.mit.edu/) [Student Loan Art Program](http://listart.mit.edu/student_loan_art_collection) - borrow art for your room! Saferide Shuttle Schedule [nextbus.mit.edu](http://nextbus.mit.edu) [Lynda](http://lynda.mit.edu/) -- FREE tutorials (paid for by MIT) in tons of software from Excel to Photoshop. (Harvard gets this too) [Events on Campus](http://events.mit.edu/) -- More than you could ever attend, but check it out if you ever have a free day. [MBTA Passes](https://commuting.mit.edu/parking/index.html) -- Did you know MIT students get 50% off monthly passes? You just have to go to the basement of student center and book 1mo in advance Free entry to Boston Museum of Science Free entry to Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)!! Majors: [Comparative Media Studies](http://cms.mit.edu/) (CMS)/[Media Arts and Sciences](http://web.mit.edu/catalog/degre.archi.media.html) (MAS; grad) [Center for Collective Intelligence](http://cci.mit.edu/) - uses internet to organize people [W3C](http://www.csail.mit.edu/csailspotlights/feature6) (world wide web consortium) interdisciplinary group in CSAIL [MITDocs.tk](http://mitdocs.tk/) -- All the collaborative docs organizing the MIT community [MITSuggestionBox.tk](http://mitsuggestionbox.tk/) (alpha) - submit what you want to have changed/improved! [MITProgressBars.tk](http://mitprogressbars.tk/) (pre-alpha) - What student government/administration are actually doing! MIT Shakespeare ensemble open auditions for plays [MIT Glass Lab](http://web.mit.edu/glasslab/) and glassblowing classes! Lottery Blacksmithing classes over IAP [MIT Laboratory for chocolate science](http://video.mit.edu/watch/chock-full-of-fun-the-laboratory-for-chocolate-science-13670/) Cooking class at Harvard Coffeehouse in Student Center 3rd Floor [Live Music in Coffeehouse](https://www.facebook.com/groups/177287351479/) every Thursday during the semester Mint tea + hot chocolate is really tasty Really nice course plicker/planner apps: [planner.mit.edu](http://planner.mit.edu/); [courseroad.mit.edu](http://courseroad.mit.edu/). Regi, which has social functionality, \<[baguette.herokuapp.com](https://baguette.herokuapp.com/)\> is currently glitchy. For cross-reg at Harvard, [courses.cs50.net](http://courses.cs50.net/courses), [coursecatalog.harvard.edu](http://coursecatalog.harvard.edu) +1 Massage Chair in Burton Conner TV Lounge [StartLabs](http://www.startlabs.org/) -- get-together to code (esp. web) and hardware hack on cool ideas every Wednesday 7-11:30pm. Free good food! [MITERS](http://miters.mit.edu/) - MIT Electronic Research Society! Offers build grants! [HackathonProjects.tk](http://hackathonprojects.tk/) -- collaborative Google doc with really good hackathon project ideas. [IdeaOverflow.tk](http://ideaoverflow.tk/) -- database of people’s skills, interests, and emails, and soon to be much more. ~<jcole@mit.edu>, jinpan@MIT.EDU [dot.tk](http://my.dot.tk/cgi-bin/index.taloha) -- .tk domains; completely free! - not directly mit-related :C +11 Places: PCR and Graduate Math Lounge, CTP (Center for Theoretical Physics) and Colored tiles (6C), Barker 8th floor Good Pianos on 4th floor in student center (just swipe your ID to get into the rooms. There are 3 of them; one next to band room on opposite side). Bosendorfer 290 (make sure its plugged in when you leave) isTech article that n the basement of the List Visual Arts Center, aka OLD Media Lab (E15). Also if you ask the music office, you can get access to 8 pianos in building 4 practice rooms. LEGO Lab in MIT Media Lab. If you ask nicely you can go play with LEGOs! Lego Mindstorms robotics were invented at MIT Media lab in the Lifelong Kindergarten group by the likes of Seymour Papert and Mitchell Resnick and others LEGO Robotics Competition/miniclass over IAP [6.270](http://scripts.mit.edu/~6.270/) Yo-Yo club! (not active right now... check back in 2013 fall) The former [\#3 Yoyoer in the nation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQkJ2H1_djA) (for 2010) is an undergrad here and runs it! Email johnchow@MIT.EDU. Also check out [Boston Throwers](http://www.facebook.com/groups/106101266176048/) Dorms: Maseeh - Mostly freshmen. Mostly doubles. Also has triples and quads. McCormick- All girls dorm. Singles in East tower, Doubles and Singles in West tower. Has Dance studio and big living rooms. Nice kitchens on every floor Baker - Mostly quiet on floors 2-4/5. Sinks in every room. Bexley - Biggest rooms on campus. Bexment. \*Closed for renovations 2013-6 \*Might get demolished as om 10/21/13 BC - Massage Chair in Burton Conner TV Lounge Simmons - Nice to go onto terraces between towers EC - Sinks in (almost) every room. Hall cultures varied. Weekly parties. [ec-party@mit](mailto:ec-party@mit.edu).edu Senior Haus - Great LGBT community. Random Hall Bathroom.mit.edu -- online server showing occupancy status of Random Hall bathrooms Emergency Pizza Button in East Campus - Not functional anymore :( [AdmitSphere.org](http://admitsphere.org) -- collaborative wiki started by current MIT students to share college essays/advice with younger friends [http://MITHomepages.tk](http://mithomepages.tk) -- a google doc of people’s really awesome homepages! [http://MITDocs.tk](http://mitdocs.tk) -- All the collaborative docs organizing MIT community. [The Entrepreneurship Center](http://entrepreneurship.mit.edu/) [Beehive](http://beehive.mit.edu/) Startup Accelerator/Space (like Stanford StartX). Also pays you seed money if you get in. Relatedly, MIT \$40k founder skills accelerator [HackSphere](https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/HackSphere) -- intercollegiate google group of interesting people who build/code cool projects. Request an invite or ask a friend in the group! [MIT Unmanned Air Vehicle Club](https://www.facebook.com/mituav?sid=0.5430439314804971) -- club with amazing potential for growth. Build quadrotors that do your laundry! <span id="id.jwvwtom2kewe"></span> ### Athletics/Outdoor/Physical: <span id="id.93kpcwt6tkfh"></span> Snow! The Stata amphitheatre steps can be made into a giant sled track with enough snow! You can rent skate-style cross-country skis at the [Weston Ski Track](http://www.skiboston.com/skitrack/skitrack.php) off the green line -- they’re open all winter! Trick to building snow shelter: make big, packed mound of snow, stick sticks in 8in deep, then tunnel in and hollow it out from inside until you reach sticks Trick for warming hands: put arms by sides, straighten elbows, flex wrists, and move shoulders up and down. You will feel dramatic pumping sensation in hands Free tai chi/qigong classes at MIT! One class, run by I think the MIT Traditional Medicine Society, Ashdown Tai Chi Workshop is 3:30-5:00pm on Sundays during term in the Hulsizer Room in Ashdown. Email <tms-exec@mit.edu> or <cyx@mit.edu>. Yoga World-class yoga nearby -- Some of the best-known Iyengar-style yoga teachers in the US, Patricia Walden and Jarvis Chen. Jarvis Chen’s Class meets at First Parish Church, 3 Church Street in Harvard Square, Cambridge Level I/II with Jarvis Chen Thursdays, 6:00 - 7:30 pm <http://www.yoganow.net/Jarvis_Classes.html> He's a jolly researcher at Harvard Medical School, and he's a really clever and perceptive yoga teacher.). I go to them occasionally and I always ask myself "why don't I do this more often?" after. Patricia’s classes -- Down Under Yoga Brookline <http://www.yoganow.net/> [Yoga24x7](http://www.yoga24x7.org/) - Club at MIT that offers free yoga classes + philosophy discussions (Spring 2013: Monday night 6:15pm-7:15 class, 7:15- philosophy at 66-168). Bring own mat. Rock Climbing Wall (bouldering) -- in [3rd Walker](http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=50); [Hours](http://scripts.mit.edu/~mitoc/wall/) Gymnastics Club in Z-Center Dupont 2nd floor. Open nights on Wednesdays 5-7. MIT Outing Club (with [Winter School](http://mit.edu/~mitoc/www/#events/ws.shtml) during IAP) - Climb mountains, see great views, and feel extreme during the winter [MIT Snowriders](http://snowriders.mit.edu/) [MIT Pistol and Rifle club and range](http://web.mit.edu/mitprc/www/index.html) - practice and learn marksmanship and gun safety Surf Club [Mailing List](http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/surfers), [FB Group](http://www.facebook.com/groups/448330808545553/490760137635953/?notif_t=group_activity) Open swing dance lessons (to public!) in Lobdell (in Student center 2nd floor) Wednesdays 8pm [Ice Rink](http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/skate.htm) (open winter quarters) -- [schedule](http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/skateschedule.pdf); rentals \$5 Exercise bikes hooked up to racing video game on second floor in Z-center. Could use improvement but really cool! <span id="id.86g60avk87mf"></span> ### Professors: MIT Faculty-Student Dinners - groups of 3 to 6 undergraduates can invite a faculty member to dinner and the UA will reimburse you. ([Spring 2013 Signup Link](https://ua.scripts.mit.edu:444/dinners/register/2013-spring-faculty/)) Prof. Junot Diaz - Literature/CMS professor, Pulitzer prize winner, MacArthur fellow, amazing teacher Prof. Joe Haldeman - Hugo and Nubula award winner, teaches Sci-fi writing. It’s amazing to watch his brain spin stories! Prof. Noam Chomsky<sup><a href="#cmnt2" id="cmnt_ref2">[b]</a></sup> - Father of Linguistics. Political activist Prof. Seymour Papert - Cognitive Psychologist, author of Mindstorms Prof. Marvin Minsky - Father of AI. Teaches class Society of Mind! - his lectures can be like literature -- he manages to tie them up with just the right words, e.g. ‘joke” society of mind 2013 2nd or 3rd lecture Prof. Walter Lewin - legendary teacher, occasionally still lectures Prof. John Harbison - most famous living American composer, winner of Pulitzer prize in music and McArthur Genius grant <span id="id.trhn4hwrc2td"></span> ### Classes: [See collaborative classes doc:](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PwURbKznBHZy1bhwP3wjRi35uivD2KuiH9b0O5zBbTs/edit#) [MITClasses.tk](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PwURbKznBHZy1bhwP3wjRi35uivD2KuiH9b0O5zBbTs/edit#) \<<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PwURbKznBHZy1bhwP3wjRi35uivD2KuiH9b0O5zBbTs/edit#>\> [ExperimentGuide.tk](http://experimentguide.tk/) The Experiment Guide to Harvard Courses -- A selection of courses for the curious and passionate Engineers, Entrepreneurs and Designers in Cambridge, MA who want to build world-changing companies. t Restaurants <span id="id.iladxa7n3lm0"></span> ### Nearby “Every Day” Restaurants: Thelonious Monkfish -- the best, wildest avant-garde sushi you've ever had -- I like the Red Riding Hood Roll, which includes strawberries. Also has excellent regular sushi, nonsushi asian fusion, and vegetarian options; bacon pad-thai Moqueca -- an AWESOME Brazillian restaurant. Inman Sq (East of central) Life Alive -- a wonderful, beautiful, hippy-friendly organic foodsy restaurant that makes me :D. In Central Clover -- another wonderfully tasty health-foody restaurant in Harvard/Inman squares. Also my favorite food truck in Kendall. 100% vegetarian Asmara -- nice eritrean (ESSENTIALLY ETHIOPIAN) place. Comment: -1 from ethiopian friend Flour -- phenomenal breakfast/lunch food. Just on Mass Ave towards Random Hall. Pretty expensive Om Restaurant -- (Harvard Sq) Fire and Ice -- a terrific Mongolian BBQ (Harvard Sq and Back Bay) O Sullivan’s -- AWESOME burgers. about \$10 but definitely worth it. On beacon street. Beantown Taqueria -- a lot of very good Mexican food for reasonable prices on Mass Ave Technique [The Breakfast Club](http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-breakfast-club-allston)[ ](http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-breakfast-club-allston)-- Allston. Phenomenal, affordable breakfast and lunch not too far from Pika! Excellent non-bitter coffee! The Friendly Toast -- awesome breakfast-all-day restaurant in Tech square, best described as being similar to “a warm hug” Sebastians -- best salads/sandwiches/lunch crepes in Kendall [Brookline Lunch](http://www.yelp.com/biz/brookline-lunch-cambridge) (in Central Sq) - \$6 steak and eggs. mound of awesome veggies and homefries Emma’s Pizza -- wacky and normal pizzas made to order (Potato, cranberry, bacon?) Ole -- mexican breakfast in inman sq. cactus. Sichuan Garden -- (Brookline Village) best Sichuanese food in the state; really authentic, delicious, and dangerously spicy; easily accessible via Green Line; ask for the Chinese-only menu if they don’t give it to you (has English descriptions on it now-a-days) Mary Chung’s -- real chinese food. make sure to ask for Alice. she’ll tell you what to order on the menu. Over 20 years old and alums love the “suan la chow sho” Moody’s Falafel palace -- open late. incredible wraps and plates. super cheap. only takes cash. Pepper Sky -- awesome. awesome. thai food. way better than thailand cafe. Cambridge Brewing Co. -- (Kendall) interesting in-house brews and well-done locally sourced bar food InsomniaCookies.com -- near Harvard, but delivers Kika Tapas.com -- Kendall Square Veggie Galaxy - 100% vegetarian, super hipster, down Mass Ave a block past Tosci’s <span id="id.9nbc8rwdv7ui"></span> Nearby “Special Occasion” Restaurants (in order from least to most expensive): Green St. -- (Central) awesome american food and great bar, classy hole in the wall Rendezvous -- (Central) Great Northern African-contemporary fusion for a reasonable price; prix fixe and Monday night tapas at the bar Blue Room -- (Kendall) run by the same people as Central Bottle; fusion cuisine with a focus on grilled; Sunday all-you-can-eat brunch buffet is incredible West Bridge -- (Kendall) affordable, exciting contemporary cuisine (ask for the bread); amazing mixed drinks Oleana -- (Kendall) astonishingly good Middle Eastern; must book well in advance Bondir -- (Kendall) locally sourced collages of ingredients you’ve never dreamed of; ultimate date night; book well in advance Salts -- (Central) high French cuisine; super romantic Cuchi Cuchi (Central) Around-the-world small plates, very charming prohibition-era decorations and great (non-)alcoholic drinks Craigie on Main -- (Central) fantastic contemporary American cuisine, though on the pricy side; amazing bar for mixed drinks, head bartender is Jared Sadoian ‘09; best burger in Massachusetts L’Espalier -- (Prudential) perhaps the best restaurant in Boston; expensive, but aim for the more affordable Wine Mondays: \$65 for 4 course prix fixe + wine pairing O Ya -- (Financial District) astonishing sushi and Japanese small plates; very expensive but will be one of the most memorable meals of your life \[food\] [Pika](http://pikans.org/) independent living group (a few blocks past Simmons) offers a meal plan/half meal plan w/ great healthy food, 1st quarter free! Great people from all over come! Oftentimes people play music (piano, guitar, ukulele) and sing after dinner! \[food\] MIT Sloan Cafeteria <span id="kix.9gbodhn8588m"></span> Good places to ORDER food from: [Pad Thai Cafe](http://padthaicafe.com/) - Probably only delivers in Boston. [Insomnia Cookies](https://insomniacookies.com/) - For late night stress eating :D \ Bar<span id="kix.45cl8kxeptil"></span>s: Muddy Charles -- (Inside Walker Memorial) MIT students/affiliates only - great place for cheap beer Lord Hobo -- (Kendall) have burgers until 1am. great drinks. lots o beer. Brick and Mortar -- (Central) Really incredible drinks Craigie on Main -- (Central) incredible mixed drinks, run by Jared Sadoian ‘09 Green Street -- (Central) ask specifically for the full mixed drink menu (it’s 6 full pages long) Bukowskis -- (Inman) Awesome drinks. Great beer selection and late food. Miracle of Science -- (Central) fun environment; good burger and veggie burger Mead Hall -- (Kendall) 120 beers on tap. expensive food. awesome beers Crossroads -- (Beacon St, Boston) MIT home base. will take any ID. (Going out of business) Asgard -- (Next to Random) Awesome 10 cent wings every Monday night Art<span id="kix.wrv7d9vexu11"></span>s: [Student Loan Art Program](http://listart.mit.edu/student_loan_art_collection) - borrow art for your room! Arts council -- free tickets to all kinds of performance and shows in Boston (arts.mit.edu) SAA -- student arts association, awesome studios and classes Ryles Jazz Club -- Inman sq. awesome Scullers Jazz Club --- Allston. Awesome. BSO College Card -- free/very cheap symphony tickets Bell ringing <span id="id.pzku9zo9xvrx"></span> Computer Science (CS): xvm.mit.edu -- free VM hosting scripts.mit.edu -- free web/scripts hosting [dot.tk](http://my.dot.tk/cgi-bin/index.taloha) -- .tk domains; completely free! - not directly mit-related :C <span id="id.i75t30h556lf"></span> ### Funds for Cool Projects and Other Such Things The Bulova Fund -- scholarship to help students with disabilities obtain assistive technologies MIT ATIC -- if you got carpal tunnel they will fix your problems http://web.mit.edu/atic/www/ Eloranta Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships - \$6k MITERS - Offers build grants! Summer Travel Grant, Summer Housing Grant -- if you’re volunteering as a penniless samaritan they will cover housing/travel costs Public Service Center - Ideas Competition - Grants for “public service” - Expedition grants Legatum Center (can become Legatum Fellow) -- entrepreneurship in international development MIT Founder Skills Accelerator - \$20k (!) to start a company over the summer (serious, competitive) Super UROPs/UROPs -- you can convince people to let you do your own thing if you’re smart and clever - MIT Edgerton Center -- will fund projects/give you UROP 6.S196 - Principles and Practices of Assistive Technology -- funds you, but limited in choices TBP Fellowship MIT AITI/MISTI/ Sloan SEID -- if you like developing countries they can fund lots of ideas DeFlores Fund for Humor -- funds things that are funny for campus \<3 People to talk to to get started: Start with anyone! And then leapfrog and network until you find what you need. S3, MITEI, Anne Hunter, Danny Freeman can be good places to start. Keep looking and you will find it. =D <span id="id.exxq2lxwuci0"></span> Events Calendars for MIT/Harvard/Cambridge/Boston etc. [events.mit.edu](http://events.mit.edu/) [entrepreneurship.mit.edu /calendar](http://entrepreneurship.mit.edu/calendar) [hackerleague.org/hackathons](https://www.hackerleague.org/hackathons) Course 6 JobsList (has hackathons/events) <jobslist@altoids.mit.edu>, email admin Anne Hunter anneh@mit.edu <span id="id.udv5wwkge5vj"></span> People’s Tags/Emails/Homepages [mithomepages.tk](http://mithomepages.tk) [mitpeople.tk](http://mitpeople.tk) -- people’s keywords, their tags [minimalisthomepages.tk](http://minimalisthomepages.tk/) -- quick workflow to make a centerpoint for yourself on the web <span id="id.xa9wcivryy46"></span> Meta Contributors <jcole@mit.edu> (started), … and many others. Add your emails! Discussion Box hey guys ;) hi This is pretty freaking awesome!! kusu -YAAAAAAAY! ~jcole <div> <a href="#cmnt_ref1" id="cmnt1">[a]</a>We also have deals with Avis http://vpf.mit.edu/site/insurance/policies_procedures/automobile/automobile_rentals </div> <div> <a href="#cmnt_ref2" id="cmnt2">[b]</a>Who didn't know he was a professor? </div> --- *Source: <http://thingsyoudidntknowexistedatmit.jacobcole.net>* *Google Doc: <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GnL0XczS1CWIWJPMsXNjTDd3e-WhF49rBAQEmc0lvuY>* *Scraped: 2026-01-30*