Beta Theta Pi - MIT

5 The New Normal Swochchhanda Shrestha '21 Details Life on MIT's Campus during the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic I n a lot of ways, this past fall semester felt like a big reset for those living on campus. For myself and many others, our experience truly embodied the phrase "new normal" that has been floating around in no short supply since the beginning of the pandemic. Coming back to campus for the first time in roughly half a year last September, I expected to be ready for everything the semester had to throw at me. After all, I had experienced virtual learning and work for months at this point, and I was very used to living on campus––mostly in the Chapter House but also, to a lesser extent, in Simmons Hall where I would be spending the fall semester. Things were a lot different than they ever had been before, with the inclusion of twice-weekly COVID-19 testing, hybrid classes that combined virtual and in-person components, and having a single for just about the first time in my life. Right upon arrival in Cambridge, the tone was set when the very first thing any student had to do was get their initial COVID-19 test. This would be the first of dozens and set the groundwork for what would eventually become a very normal and routine aspect of on-campus life. After getting my test, I enjoyed the walk over to 119 Bay State Road to retrieve some belongings for my dorm room. Seeing several of my pledge class brothers and stepping foot back into the Chapter House made me remember what I missed most about being on campus. From there, I set up shop in my newfound single in Simmons Hall, where I had not lived since my freshman year, and honestly never planned to live in again upon moving out. As someone who very much enjoys daily little interactions with those closest to me and has actively sought out a triple in the Chapter House despite leading the housing lottery, the experience of having an entirely individual space to live in was certainly a new one. Fortunately, a group of Betas and friends of Beta had formed adjacent pods in Simmons and we were allowed to hang out together once the isolation period was over. Despite some restrictions on how we could hang out and a mid-semester positive COVID-19 test, it was a semester with lots of brotherhood highlights such as caring for our resident Bichon Frise puppy, Bean, and attending a brother's virtual wedding together. For many engineering students, the semester was also an unexpected one academically. I was all set to take THE signature MIT mechanical engineering class in 2.009, but actually ended up taking the COVID-19 adjusted 2.s009, which involved a lot less lab time and a lot more Zoom meetings. In another twist, my team developed a product for enhancing solo boxing training despite the class theme being KINDNESS. Although it was not quite the 2.009 that I expected, I was able to learn a lot about integrating engineered parts and managing a team in and out of lab time and meetings. T he familiar sound of an Android alarm clock startles me awake. I roll over and glance at the clock; it is 9 a.m. During any other semester, this would prompt a frantic flurry of activity as I spring out of bed, get dressed, and hurry my way to campus––but this is no ordinary semester. Today, my laptop is the all-encompassing portal to my academic world, sitting on my desk, 10 feet away. The famous "MIT time" means that I have a solid five minutes until the start time of my first class, which is a certifiable eternity when the journey to school is as simple as walking to the other side of my room. For a few fleeting moments, I consider whether I should try to catch up on a few precious nanoseconds of sleep before starting class at 9:05 a.m. Logging into my virtual classroom, I am greeted by a gallery of the familiar faces of my classmates, framed by the background scenery of their own homes. Zoom is my new lecture hall, replacing the familiar lecture settings of yore: 10-250, 26-100, and 4-231. The blackboard of a bygone era has been surpassed by the electronic whiteboard of today. Watching my professor scrawl equations and lecture notes on screen prompts me to wonder what the masterpieces of Van Gogh and Rembrandt would look like if their paint brushes had instead been computer mice. Focusing on the voices of professors exposes another fact of life in the post-virtual age: the audio quality that now colors our voices runs the gamut. Some of my classmates are getting by using an empty soup can and fishing line in the place of a microphone, while others speak with audio quality so crystal clear, I can't help but imagine that their night job is working as a Twitch streamer. In this brave new world, socialization takes place on Beta's own Discord server, with chat rooms that are carefully named in tribute to those of our very own house on Bay State Road: the library, living room, and even the third-floor bathroom are represented. These are spaces where I hang out with my fellow brothers: working on homework, playing the ubiquitous deception game Among Us, or arguing about whether Cyberpunk will win game of the year. Perhaps the greatest silver lining of a virtual semester is the opportunity to live with my family again. Being so close to my family allows us to support each other through a trying time and brings us together like never before. My younger brother and I reconnect through our spontaneous trips to the local Wendy's and subsequent chats over a fast-food chicken sandwich. I know that in 20 years' time, little moments like these will shine like warm candles in the foreground of a portrait of a virtual year. A Portrait of a Twenty- Something's Post-Virtual Life By Kyle Markland '22 Welcome, New Members Pedro Colon '23 San Juan, Puerto Rico Joshua Curtis Kuffour '24 Wellington, Fla. Jacob Lerma '23 Corpus Christi, Texas William Nolan '24 Gambrills, Md.

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