The History of surgical Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The History of careful Technology - Essay Example Then again, slicing of the stone alludes to perineal lithotomy, suprapubic lithotomy, and transurethral lithotomy. Hippocrates established the framework for the act of present day medication. His work On Injuries of the Head composed clinical and careful information during the fifth century BC with his unique perceptions and filled in as a critical manual for specialists for two centuries. Thus, Hippocrates was loved as the â€Å"Father of Medicine†. Another old specialist, Galen, widely expounded on medical procedure during the primary century BC, especially in Tumors Against Nature, viewed as his most noteworthy treatise (Wilkins, 1992; Zimmerman and Veith, 1993) Lambert (n. d.) and , in any case, uncovered there were some genuine mistakes in Galen’s works. During the medieval times, hair stylist specialists thrived as a hairdressers were prepared to make ointments (I. e., clinical treatment), dress injuries and drain, despite the fact that Wadd (1827) contended that these specialists drove themselves forward much into the act of medical procedure. In the mid-fourteenth century, some clinical schools were allowed to perform analyzations of the human body (Lambert, n. d.). Da Vinci (1982) performed both creature and human analyzations around the sixteenth century and made point by point portrays in his acclaimed journals. In the mean time, Andreas Vesalius separated himself in the investigation of human life structures, dismemberment, and as educator of life structures. His masterpeice De Humani Corporis Fabrica discredited and revised a large number of Galen’s speculations (Rutkow, 2008). Another Renaissance specialist, acclaimed as the most celebrated of his time as Ambroise Pare. Pare, himself a hair stylist specialist, was additionally viewed as the â€Å"Father of Modern Surgery†, in spite of the fact that the eighteenth century specialist John Hunter is likewise being given the accolate. Among his outstanding accomplishments w ere: the creation of careful instruments such the hemostat clasp; fake appendages and eyes; and the support for use in hernia patients (Zimmerman and Veith, 1993; Lambert, n. d.; Kelly, 2009). Nineteenth century medical procedure experienced a lot of welcome enhancements with the revelation of sedatives with the consolidated endeavors of Humphry Davy, Henry H. Morgan, and James Simpson. Cocaine (1884) and novocaine (1905) were likewise utilized for their sedative properties. Joseph Lister presented clean medical procedure. Robert Lawson Tait effectively spared a ladies experiencing ectopic pregnancy by carefully expelling the fallopian tube. The century finished with another critical revelation by Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen, the X-beam (Lambert, n. d.). More walks in medical procedure were made in the twentieth century with the recognizable proof of the diverse blood classifications; the creation of the pacemaker and laser; and a progression of firsts in careful history: heart transpla nt, fake heart and lung transplant, eye medical procedure, reattachment medical procedure (Lambert, n. d.). The careful technologist: a more up to date expansion to the careful group Ryan-Flynn (2009) depicted careful technologists as â€Å"health experts who work in the careful suite with specialists, anesthesiologists, enrolled medical attendants and other careful faculty conveying careful patient care† (p. 352). The extent of work of a careful technologist traverses three zones: preoperative (before medical procedure), intraoperative (during medical procedure) and postoperative (after

Reward Management for Cavendish Hall Hotel - myassignmenthelp

Question: Talk about theReward Management for Cavendish Hall Hotel. Answer: Presentation Prizes are given to the workers of any association dependent on the exhibitions. These prizes ought to be lined up with the hierarchical objectives. At the point when an association accomplishes its objective with commitment of a worker, the prize is given for accomplishing the objective of an association (Shields et al., 2015). In the report a specific contextual analysis is given, in which the Cavendish Hall Hotel presented an individual exhibition related compensation conspire. The recently named work force director Daphne Jones will explore and survey the adequacy of the plan. The fundamental reason for the report is to assess basically the general comprehension of the prize administration standards, practices, strategies and dynamic in an association with regards to the Cavendish Hall Hotel contextual analysis. The administrator Daphne Jones will set up this administration report. The report will examine on Individual Performance Related Pay (IPRP) plot and the purpose behind its disappointment in the association. The report will likewise dissect the preferences and weaknesses and the boundaries of actualizing the IPRP framework. It will be closed with summing up all the significant focuses. The report will suggest about an elective types of remuneration approach that can be executed in the lodging. Execution Management System Singular Performance Related Pay (IPRP) The individual execution related compensation is a standard-based framework by which a representative is assessed in an association by their presentation in that association. It is connected with expanded installment to the representatives or groups in associations who are performed better in the authoritative framework. A worker is assessed dependent on his work and that is appropriate for setting the compensations of the representatives. This is the piece of remuneration vital framework the board in business activity. Those workers who have helped in contributing the hierarchical achievement are considered in the individual execution related installment framework. Along these lines, it very well may be said that singular execution related compensation is a procedure of overseeing and controlling the installment of a worker by relating their pay movement to the individual execution appraisal, which are estimated by pre-concurred objectives or targets of the association (Shields et a l., 2015). There are various plans in execution related compensation; be that as it may, its adequacy in the hierarchical work process stays an inquiry. IPRP in Organizational Performance The individual execution related installment framework could be useful in improving the general execution in an association. As PRP is connected with money related installment, it could be useful in social change and work process in the association. It could get changes the work culture and empower the individual and accordingly hierarchical exhibitions. It was begun from United Kingdom and now it is acknowledged by numerous associations everywhere throughout the globe as a piece of authoritative prize methodologies (Gerhart and Fang, 2014). It tends to be applied as persuasive systems to empower the laborers in an association. In this technique, cash is utilized as a conceivably amazing arrangement of motivations that would impact the exertion that a representative put in the authoritative work process. It tends to be useful in making proper conduct as cash works itself as an objective as accepted by certain scholars. It is important to the representatives, which functions as an out side superficial point of interest and interior acknowledgment for them. Nonetheless, a few pundits accept that the arrangement of individual execution related compensation make separation among workers and go about as hostile to inspirational instrument as not many representatives are superior workers in contrast with all out number of representatives. This framework even subverts the value in an association. Hypothesis and Research The speculations and research works depend on the connection among conduct and pay and the proportion of fulfillment in the association and representatives. The most widely recognized hypothesis identified with singular execution related compensation is Expectancy Theory. The ongoing writing has named this kind of system as the Performance Management (PM), which is additionally talked about. Hope Theory Hope Theory is fundamentally clarified by Vroom in 1964. The hypothesis depends on the assumption that laborers would be persuaded in work when they would expect that they would accomplish the associations prerequisites and this exertion would be compensated in type of cash or impetuses (Parijat and Bagga, 2014). Notwithstanding, the assumption depends on theory that the laborers are the discerning being and they realize what they need to perform to accomplish the prizes. In anticipation hypothesis, the inspirational power relies on three factors, which are hope, which is the desire that a workers exertion would bring about their exhibitions, instrumentality, which dependent on the prize instrument as per ones execution and valance, which is the apparent incentive to the beneficiary with respect to the prizes. Execution Management The exhibition the executives is identified with improve and advance compelling of thee representatives. It is collective and consistent procedure from part of the representatives and chiefs to design control and view a workers destinations of the work and their general commitment to satisfy those targets. Be that as it may, the vast majority of the present literary works put an alert to actualize IPRP framework in detachment. it needs to apply with supporting framework. It ought to be treated as a basic piece of the more extensive administration technique that envelops destinations of the association and individual commitment inside the work process of the association. As expressed in ongoing writing, the IPRP ought to be considered in more extensive structure of Performance Management framework (Buckingham and Goodall, 2015). Appropriateness of IPRP to Hotel Business The appropriateness of IPRP to lodging business would be depicted dependent on the contextual investigation. In Cavendish Hall Hotel, the IPRP framework is dynamic. It has been begun three years back. The new chief Daphne Jones checked on assessments of the staffs. It is seen that the staffs are content with the prize framework and 38% of the all out staffs concurred with reasonable prize framework contrast with others in comparable employment structure. Be that as it may, the feeling of individual achievement from the work is beneath 35%. It could be said from this information that the representatives don't work for individual achievement, subsequently, the feeling of fulfillment from the work just is less. In any case, as the individuals in the inn are content with the new plan, it is appropriate from their point of view, however the inn is experiencing poor degree of client support. In this way, one might say that the general usage of the IPRP plot I not effective as it couldn't i mprove the business administration of the inn. Focal points of IPRP System The upsides of the IPRP depend on hypothesis of inspiration. It could be gainful as it has ability to impact the people exhibitions. Be that as it may, this focal points are talked about by the inspirational scholars. For instance, the objective setting and anticipation scholars offer significance to cognizance thought method, which is the choice individuals would take dependent on how far they need to take part in the workforce (Lichtenberg, Lachmann and Fosshage, 2016). The objective scholars expressed that the foreseen results or objectives could be utilized as compelling and inspiration apparatus. Be that as it may, these speculations infer that there is no compelling reason to play out a monetary prize framework; rather, the administration needs to set an objective, which would fill in as inspirational apparatus for the representatives. In any case, the IPRP framework could be useful for executing the individual exhibitions such that a few destinations should set for acquiring an augmentation. Cash has its own influence to propel individuals as laborers work for picking up cash. In this way, in this arrangement of monitory prize, objectives should be set (Bach, 2012). Detriments of IPRP System There are numerous detriments of the IPRP framework inside an association. The execution of the IPRP framework itself could be a weakness as the procedure is relied upon the nature of the judgment considered by the chiefs of the association. It limits the compensation value and this could itself act like difficulties to execute the IPRP framework (Kim and Hong, 2013). It could influence the association as the center movements from formative need to the budgetary award as occurred in the Cavendish Hall Hotel case. The representatives could be de-persuaded if the objectives are difficult to such an extent that they can't accomplish. The organization ought to be arranged heretofore in putting away parcel of cash and time to execute the IPRP; else, it could turn into a drawback. From representatives perspective, the accomplishment of IPRP should be relentless, as it requires more extensive information interior and outside information about the companys condition (Frey, Homberg and Osterl oh, 2013). Different disservices incorporate clear and reasonable prize framework for all the representatives and the compelling target measures. Obstructions to the Effect of IPRP System The primary obstructions to the execution of the IPRP framework could be connected with two principle rules. One is absence of workers support and other one is disintegration of reasonableness and trust. The greater part of the representatives in an association are normal or center range entertainer. It could be expressed that the 10% representatives are top entertainers and 5% are the poor entertainers. In this way, the complete 85% of the workers are the normal entertainers (Cohen et al., 2013). For the normal entertainer, the IPRP framework has no worth. In this manner, they are less steady to actualize the IPRP framework, as it could be weaknesses for them and could produce poor level intensity and de-inspiration among the workers. As the IPRP framework depends on the chiefs critical aptitudes, they have to fabricate trust and decency in the assessment procedure among the representatives. Something else

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Espresso and Starbucks Essay The general objective of Starbucks Management was to make an American form of the Italian cafés that Howard Schultz had encountered direct in Milan. He accepted that Starbucks should work as a significant piece of the network, as a gathering place for its clients. He needed Starbucks to turn into an encounter that would separate itself from its rivals. One of their key procedures in meeting this objective is an emphasis on client care so as to make an encounter for its buyers. Another of their techniques is to touch off their enthusiastic connection with customers. They additionally have a pledge to improving their business through better preparing, devices, and items and to focus on store-level financial aspects and working productivity. These are prongs to their technique that will permit Starbucks the board to transform Starbucks into an area where individuals don’t simply go to get espresso, yet to encounter the air of an Italian café. Another prong to their methodology is to offer a wide range of items and to disperse them among an assortment of appropriation techniques. Which one of the five nonexclusive serious systems talked about in Chapter 5 most intently approximates the serious methodology that Starbucks is utilizing? There are five nonexclusive serious techniques that can be utilized and they are minimal effort supplier procedure, expansive separation system, concentrated ease methodology, centered separation methodology, and best-cost supplier system. The methodology that Starbucks utilizes is expansive separation where they try to separate their item contributions from rivals’ with ascribes that will engage a huge assortment of buyers. The key market trademark for the methodology of separation to work is that buyers’ needs and inclinations are differing and can't be happy with a normalized item offering. This is an obvious attribute of the market since customers all have various inclinations in transit they like their espresso. Which is the motivation behind why Starbucks offers a wide range of item alternatives like lattes, thin lattes, espresso, frosted beverages, mixed beverages, and so forth. They additionally offer natural product cups, water, and pastry kitchen things to give considerably more choices to their buyers. In the event that a separation procedure is effectively actualized the firm will have the option to do one of the accompanying: order a top notch cost for its items, increment unit deals, as well as addition purchaser reliability to its image. Starbucks has the absolute most significant expenses for the sort of items they offer and individuals will in general be very faithful to whatever espresso they are accustomed to buying, since they trust the quality. Strategies to improve separation 1. Make predominant item highlights, plan, and execution Starbucks has an unrivaled information on espresso and a promise to furnishing clients with quality espressos. Giving top-quality, new cooked entire bean espresso was the company’s separating highlight and a guiding principle since the start of its establishing. Love seats, chimneys, papers, pass through windows, booths in grocery stores and other open spots were included to areas depending what might increase the value of their buyers. Because of their attention on giving an alternate encounter contingent upon the area of the store, their global methodology is a multi-local methodology. The center qualities of each new store depended on neighborhood materials and craftsmanship, an emphasis on reused and reused materials and introduction of auxiliary trustworthiness and genuine roots. Generally significant of all they accepted that espresso ought to be focal and that interruptions ought to be evacuated. They accepted that the blend of every one of these components should recount to a story that would draw in the consumer’s five detects and give them adaptability to address the issues of the a wide range of purchasers that would be pulled in to Starbucks. 2. Improving client support or including extra highlights When Howard Schultz first turned out to be a piece of the organization he understood that one key issue Starbucks was having was that first-time customers regularly felt uncomfortable with their nonattendance of information about top notch espresso. An extra issue was that the workers put on a show of being presumptuous and inaccessible. He at that point worked with representatives to train them about cordial client care and made a flyer to show new clients espresso. He additionally started to offer low maintenance representatives medical coverage and an investment opportunity plan for all workers, since he accepted that in the event that an organization treated their representatives well, at that point they would thusly treat their shoppers well. The extra highlights that Starbucks offers are chimneys, lounge chairs, music, Wi-Fi get to, capacity to utilize paid destinations and administrations like Wall Street Journal’s webpage, select substance and reviews, free downloads, nearby network news, and exercises. 3. Seeking after creation RD exercises Starbucks is continually fermenting new flavors and mixes to offer their purchasers an assortment of espresso to attempt. Flavors are pivoted day by day or week by week to offer steady assortment. They likewise test new item contributions like Frappuccino’s, Lattes, Skinny Lattes, and regular beverages. 4. Taking a stab at development and mechanical advances One way that Starbucks had the option to continually take a stab at development was by controlling the expense of opening and remodeling stores by bringing together purchasing, creating standard agreements and fixed charges for specific things, and merging work under those temporary workers who showed great cost-control rehearses. Starbucks retail activities bunch plot the base measure of hardware each store would require. This implied standard things could be requested from sellers in volume at 20 to 30 percent limits. The things would then be conveyed to the site from a distribution center or from the merchant. An innovative development was that they utilized program to assemble store formats that would ascertain costs as the structure advanced. This cut expenses by a huge sum and abbreviated the way toward opening a store to 18 weeks. 5. Expanding power of showcasing and deals exercises Originally, Starbucks didn’t spend a ton of cash on promoting, in light of the fact that they depended for the most part on informal. In 2008 McDonald’s ventured up their promoting to feature their McCafe espresso drinks. So as to counter this Starbucks embraced the biggest promoting effort ever. 6. Searching out excellent sources of info Starbucks advances ecologically economical practices in espresso development techniques and have explicit rules they follow called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices that help ranchers to develop top notch espressos earth useful ways. In 2000 they started buying their espresso naturally and a developing level of their espressos developed naturally just as Fair Trade Certified. 7. Improving representative expertise, information, and experience Starbucks has a pledge to preparing their workers with the goal that they are better ready to serve their clients. All accomplices and baristas get in any event 24 hours of preparing in their initial two to about a month on themes, for example, espresso history, drink planning, espresso information, client assistance (for a sum of 4 hours), and retail aptitudes. Baristas specifically are required to figure out how to pound beans, steam milk, pull ideal shots of coffee, remember plans, rehearsing how to blend beverages, and how to redo drinks. Meetings likewise incorporate how to work the sales register, clean the milk wand, clarify the Italian beverage names, and looking at clients. The executives students are required to go to classes for 8-12 weeks and find out about store activities, practices, and systems. At the point when another store is opened a Star Team of experienced representatives are sent to ensure everything runs easily. Every once in a while, Starbucks conducts exceptional preparing programs, including an espresso aces program, administration preparing project, and profession programs for accomplices in a wide range of occupations. When does a separation system work best? A separation methodology works best when purchaser needs and employments of the item are assorted, there are numerous approaches to separate the item or administration that have an incentive to purchasers, not many opponent firms are following an equivalent separation approach, and innovative change is quick paced and rivalry rotates around quickly developing item includes. Starbucks’ activities to separate their product offering They have extended their item contributions along a wide range of circulation channels by gaining by their developing image name and mindfulness. First they had the option to showcase their item to cafés, aircrafts, lodgings, colleges, clinics, business workplaces, nation clubs, and select retailers. Joined Airlines, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson, Westin inns, and Wells Fargo all started to serve Starbucks espresso. A joint endeavor with PepsiCo accompanied the offer of a packaged form of the Frappucino drink and Starbucks Doubleshot coffee drinks. In 2008, they collaborated with Suntory to offer prepared to-drink Doubleshot drinks in Japan. In 2010 an association with Arla Foods spread Doubleshot items and Starbucks chilled mug espressos retail locations in the UK. A 1995 organization with Dryers made another line of espresso dessert under Starbucks names that was later disbanded in 2008. As of now the rights to make, advertise, and disperse Starbucks frozen yogurt was given to Unilever. In 1998 Kraft Foods started showcasing and circulating entire bean and ground espresso to grocery stores in the US. Tazo Tea was gained by Starbucks in 1999 and in 2005 they obtained Ethos Water. An organization with Jim Beam Brands made Starbucks Coffee Liqueur in 2004 and Starbucks Cream Liqueur in 2005. So as to offer more advantageous alternatives they started offering thin lattes, banana pecan bread, natural product cups, yog

Character Analysis of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider Franchise Essay

This ‘attention to detail’ would appear to help the portrayal of Lara Croft as a digital airhead as there is a solid accentuation on her being a ‘sex symbol’. This view point is upheld by the general media, notwithstanding the maker of Lara Croft (Toby Gards) goals for her to be attractive â€Å"only on account of her power†. This can be seen through Robert Ashley of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine portrayal of Lara Croft as the main computer game character straightforwardly thought of as hot in addition to also Publications like Play, GameTrailers, and PlayStation Magazine recorded enormous bosoms as one of the character’s most popular traits. Her sex claim is incredible to such an extent that male players act in-game activities to make Lara Croft over and over state expressions and view nearer camera edges of her bust, while sex entertainment highlighting the character has been appropriated through the web. This review isn't helped by the garments she wears all through the games. An opossitional chauvinist see emerges from the way that she is even sexualised through her clothing while participating in the activity of the game. Throught the different Lara Croft games her outfits change correspondlingly to the missions, all uncovering accentuation on the thighs and legs, turning out to be increasingly uncovering. Outfits, for example, the ‘Dressing gown’ ‘Bikini’ and ‘Evening Gown’ specifically help give proper respect to her ‘unobtainable’ attriubtes which make her such an errotic charcter. This contrasts greatley from the other male gaming heroes by and large in the media, for example, Max Payne or Hitman. Where we see it the standard for lara to march around shooting individuals in nearly her clothing it would be a totally different story if contract killer went up to his strategic just fighters rather than his notorious suit. My own opinnion on Lara fluctuates in the setting wherein she is depicted. I accept components of the idea of Lara Croft infer the ramifications of Sex consequently fitting one of the perspectives as her being a ‘Cyber Bimbo’. Anyway the facts demonstrate that alot of her qualities and activities can likewise show her in an increasingly positive light as a ‘Feminist Icon’. Lara is an extreme, free lady, and a traveler, who confidenly jump from battling men. Her side interests comprise of free climbing and shooting, which are exceptional and liberated for a lady and she along these lines splits from conventional sexual orientation jobs. Many can say she more closeley fits a characteristically male job, which might be expected to the orignal character idea being a male. Her prosperity might be a consequence of her body being so unreasonably overstated subsequently giving a case of how ladies are being decreased to relative animals who must be characterized by their connection to men. Anyway it would be an out of line contention to just nail her prosperity to her ‘enourmous boobs’ and overlook the other characterizing highlights of this affable character. Lara Croft as a game from numerous points of view can be as a good item. being one of the principal female heroes she extended the market to a more extensive crowd, welcoming progressively female gamers. Most of the ‘Cyber bimbo’ critizism created from the product which showed up as a major aspect of the Tomb Raider establishment, for example, magazine distributions wearing lara in an explicitly provacitive manner, which was critized by the games creators and the commericials she includes in, not simply the game.

Hey VMars fans

Hey VMars fans Oh my God. I was peacefully watching Veronica Mars last week, when Wallace Fennel exposited that he wants to be a mechanical engineer. And that totally made my day. Engineers rock. Of course, Wallace is failing MechE and then cheated, like an idiot! So of course he got caught, and I’m supremely disappointed in his lack of judgment. Still. Mechanical engineering! So awesome! On that note, what does everyone think of the new season? I dont think anything could ever possibly compete with season 1, and Im just going to have to accept that. Still, I could use a little more snark in my life, you think? Responses to Comments Nur asked: Just out curiosity, how does one join RingComm? Towards the end of your freshman year, the freshman class council will email the class, asking for people who are interested in joining RingComm. Those interested people send in applications, and the class council does some magical process to determine the members of RingComm. Elizabeth asked: Stupid question: I hear that sometimes when you apply online, you have to keep your essays under the word limit because if you go over itll just stop printing at the 500th word. Will that happen to mine? If I have a really good 505-word essay should I just submit it on paper? Avril said: elizabeth The MIT online application does not cut you off after 500 words, or at all as far as I can tell. In your MyMIT account, if you go to Section 8 of Part Two, you can view a PDF preview of what your application will look like on paper. UmI have never heard of such a thing. 505 words is perfectly acceptable and will not be cut off- just check the pdf preview of the essay before submitting it to make sure everything turned out the way you expected- which you should do anyway! Shabie asked: Well that really was a good post Laura but from what I have seen, what really matters to these people is academic record especially in the case of international students. I am also an international student from Pakistan. I know people who got into MIT as international students. They really had not much in my opinion as compared to the things selection committee sees but an exceptionally good record of academics. Perhaps they do consider that in a country like Pakistan there isnt much opportunities for students to excel in different areas. Pakistan is very very different from USA. What do you think? Faizan asked: Moreover, I have also heard that almost ALL of international students at MIT have earned some form of regional, national or international distinction. Well, you’re exactly right that international admissions is super competitive, even more so than domestic admissions. And you’re also right that a large percentage of internationals have really awesome awards and accomplishments, but I certainly wouldn’t say all. Also, of course your academic record is important. No one is saying that MIT students aren’t smart, excellent students. What I’m saying is that there’s a lot more to life than getting all your homework right, and those are the things that will make the difference. Thuita Maina asked:: I sat for SAT 1 and I messed up in one section in Critical reading I left out one question and went ahead filling the answer of the question in the space of the question I had left and I went ahead that way. I realised the mistake last minute and I could not correct. I feel I might not score highly in critical reading as I had anticipated. Is there a way MIT admissions officers can get to know about this so that they dont think I am an international armed with inadequate English? Yikes! In cases like that, can’t you cancel the score? I think you should have spoken to the proctor at the time, but I guess it’s too late for that. I would definitely explain this on your application, and maybe also contact the collegeboard and see if they have any advice for you. Rohan Malik asked: Im Rohan Malik, a science and economics IB kid considering applying to MITI really love the sciences, but Ive heard and read (on your site) stuff that suggest that MIT is sort of high on pressure. is that true? Like did you ever get too many physicists in your first year, or feel like everything was academically orientedthat some people were too competitive? Because I really enjoy working with people who are a lot smarter than I am, but it may just become an overdose if thats 80% of them proving it all dayitd be nice if there was a mix of people, some of whom were good at the arts, or stuff that wasnt academic. does that happen? Do you find the group of students friendly and supportive? I was just wondering what you thought Well, first of all, MIT is hard. So is there a lot of pressure? I’d say so. If you’re worried about doing well, and stuck in the middle of a problem set late at night, you will certainly feel a lot of pressure. At the same time, there are plenty of other things to do to occupy your time. People here are good at all kinds of things- music, theatre, sports, random skills like origami. =) You really shouldn’t have a problem finding people with varied interests. Just last night I went to see The Tempest performed by MIT’s Shakespeare Ensemble, and it rocked pretty hard, in my own personal opinion. Most importantly, people here are not competitive! I promise you I mean it, because that was one of my own biggest concerns about coming to MIT. I went to a pretty competitive high school, and it drove me insane to listen to my classmates argue with our teachers to get 2 points back on a test where they already had a 97. As the saying goes, MIT is so hard that people are too busy trying to survive to worry about impressing each other. Problem sets are usually designed to be collaborative (i.e., professors expect you to work together to do the homework, so they make it appropriately hard). Collaboration is a big theme at MIT. Of course everyone wants to do well, and no one minds beating their ex on an exam, but seriously- if you need help, you can find it. A few weeks ago, a couple of freshmen were up late at night, working on an 18.02 problem set. They asked me a simple question about Matlab, and I soon realized that they were struggling through a problem set that I remember making m e utterly miserable just last semester. So I sat down with them and helped them figure it out. (It took a bit of remembering on my part.) The bottom line is, they went to bed several hours sooner than I did the night I had the same pset.