My mom is here!

My mom is here! Well, Parents Weekend was last weekend, but my mom is unconventional (read: cheap; there were no cheap tickets from Columbus to Boston last weekend) and decided to create her own Parents Weekend this weekend. She left my brother (age 16) and my father (still not old enough to cook for himself) back in Ohio to fend for themselves. Perhaps they will have to hunt wild game or poach a cow from a nearby farm. (Actually, I think the only farms we have near our house are sheep farms. But whatever. Cow poaching just sounds cool.) My mom arrived in Boston at 5 PM, just in time to eat an oh-so-healthy college student meal of pizza ordered on the internet. (Seriously, Adam and I cook for ourselves all the time. But were both busy and we havent had time to go grocery shopping in a while, and fresh vegetables dont just grow on trees, people. Ahem.) After dinner, she came to cheerleading practice with me she was a cheerleader in high school, so coming to practice with me makes her happy. (Aside: My mom was a cheerleader in high school. My dad was a football/basketball/baseball star. In stark contrast, I was in marching band and on the quiz team in high school when my sports-crazy parents used to take me to sporting events in elementary/middle school, I would take a book, sit in an unoccupied section, and read. I really think my mom was quite relieved when I came to MIT and joined the cheerleading squad; it assured her that I hadnt been switched at birth.) Tomorrow, Mom is going to come to 5.60 (chemical thermodynamics) with me. Adam offered to take her to 16.07 (dynamics; basically rocket science physics and math), but she declined, as she only passed high school geometry by cheating off my dad. She came to 18.02 (multivariable calc) with me one time my freshman year. The only thing she got out of it was that the variable used to represent the third dimension is z. Basically, I think were going to have to sit in the back in 5.60 tomorrow so she can goof off. But after 5.60, Mom and I are taking full advantage of the magnificent shopping opportunities in Boston the Pru, Newbury Street, Copley Place brand new winter wardrobe, here I come! And after Mom leaves on Saturday, I need to tackle some grad school and fellowship applications so I dont have to survive on ramen alone in my first year of grad school next year. (I hear that if you only eat ramen, you get scurvy.) Oh, and I have to write a paper for 21A.260 and a pset for 5.60. And lead a dorm review session for Macgregor kids in intro biology. Mmmm MIT life. Questions, answered: 1. thekeri asked how much course 9 relates to psychology. Keeping in mind that Im doing entirely molecular/cellular neuroscience, my understanding is that cognitive science = psychology. The MIT cog sci department is, to the best of my knowledge, particularly strong in psycholinguistics. The cognitive neuroscience/systems neuroscience people are focused on using tools like fMRI to find out information about the way people think and learn. I hope this helps and if it doesnt, I can try to fumble my way through a better explanation! 2. Jessie, in a moment of pedantry (:-P) correctly noted that course 9 students also have to take 2 restricted electives arranged with the advisor (although its fall of my senior year, and my advisor has yet to breathe a word about this requirement to me!), and that other classes, including easy-A Harvard classes, can be taken in lieu of 9.07. Yup. 3. Robb and Eric both enthused about the OCW site, and how much fun it is to do MIT psets. Hey, Ive got some real MIT psets you can do, if youve got the itch :) (Actually, Im completely putting words in Robbs mouth. Hee.) 4. (Your question here.)