The Tiny guide to MIT

The Tiny guide to MIT:

The Internet:

Zero restrictions, the only limit is a 15 GB per month one. Pretty fast when no one is in the hostel, ex: weekday afternoons.

Dress code:

Official word: Full pants anywhere in the academic area, no collarless T-Shirts or sleeveless.

What really happens: As long as nothing offensive is written on your T-Shirt, any kind is okay. Full pants are a must though.

The Manipal bug:

Only well into my first semester did I find out that the famed 'Manipal bug' was not a metaphor and that it was a deadly insect! It's very rare and there's certainly nothing to worry about, just close the nets in your rooms at night. Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paederus_dermatitis

The rain:

It doesn't rain in Manipal the usual way. You know, a short drizzle at first, a slow increase in the rain and then a slow decrease till it stops? Nope. In Manipal, there's a switch for the rain. It goes from no rain to a raging torrent of frothing cold water in two seconds. That's Manipal for you folks, and the lesson of the day is this: your best friend in Manipal is not a human, it's a long and strong umbrella (or a person with one).

The clubs and organizations:

There is a ban that prevents you from talking directly to us seniors for a couple of months. That usually lifts around October and that's when every club in MIT will be trying to canvass you to join them. The highly popular ones have grueling selections that more than 500 people apply for! This process goes on throughout the rest of the semester and if you keep looking at this group regularly, you won't miss a thing. There are some pretty awesome clubs out there, but you have got to know which ones you really like because they take up quite a lot of time. The work is rewarding however and you get to work with some great people! Oh and don't forget, joining a club is as important as your academics here. Your communication skills need to amazing at the end of four years and joining a club is the first and easiest step towards that goal.

Swimming: 

There's a pretty awesome swimming pool near central MIT. Open to all and has a membership at almost no cost.

The 16th and 17th blocks:

Yes, they're really far away. However, for a first year guy there could be no better place for a thriving community. There's guys of all kinds here and you develop a huge circle of friends. In the end, when I look back at a year of trudging the distance from the hostel to college, it was all worth it! Also if you're lazy (like me) AND do no other physical work AND eat a lot AND want to stay fit, 16th block it is, the walk alone keeps you so!

Ragging:

Unless you're Telugu, there's absolutely zero ragging here. (Apart from the pathetic attempts we make on the group here.) For my Telugu friends, well, good luck!

Information and guidance:

Manipal The Talk.Net Our Facebook page or our website, your source for all things Manipal. Any personal doubts you have, stuff to tell us or so on, just send us a message! We'll be your closest friends throughout your four years and who knows, if you love to write and take pictures, maybe you'll even join our family! Check out our page, follow us and never miss a thing! 

Well, that's about it for now. Any questions and you know where to ask! :)

Welcome to the wonderful world of Manipal! 

Vishnu