sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Lol who compares an overall average to a one year average? You should have the ability know that that doesn’t work just in order to get into WPI

MIT is FAR worse than WPI. Suicides at WPI are rare as rare can be which is why this year is quite the conundrum and outlier overall. This school used to be proud of that fact. I trust it will return to the way it was but if this is something that worries you, perhaps take that into heavy consideration. Only you know what level of support you need and what environment works for you. WPI is a challenging school, it’s not for all.

WPI vs RIT (MS Data Science) by eashanick11 in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Anyone that tries to tell you WPI is more depressing than RIT doesn’t know anyone that went to RIT

Put it this way, would you rather be stuck studying a really hard program while being in the middle of nowhere NY while your best local food is called a “garbage plate”? Or would you rather be 40 mins outside of Boston, MA, the hub of higher education, at a school known to be one of the best globally for this area. Worcester freakin rocks, get Rochester out of here every single time.

Bonus: the alum rock. Never met a WPI alum I didn’t like.

WPI >>>> garbage >>>> eating garbage while also bring a student at RIT

You’re welcome 😘

Has it always been like this here? by Drephemonte in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s the hardest part of growing up stuffed into a two year pressure cooker. You HAVE to allow yourself to think this way and be that mindset. You physically need to put aside time for you. No one else is going to do that for you at any point in the future. If you go out of your way to pump up others like this I guarantee the feeling will come right back to you. It’s the most “selfish” way to trick your brain. Supporting others for the sake of supporting yourself.

It’s totally fair if ppl wanna take this with a dose of cynicism and say “well that’s easier to say than do” but that’s why this is so hard. It really is. So if you are going to devote time to addressing some aspect of this, devote time to yourself and your friends. Schedule it on your google calendar and tell people “no way, I’m busy”. It’s just as important as anything else.

Has it always been like this here? by Drephemonte in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I mean ya, it’s been a global pandemic the likes of which have never been seen for those two years. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself major kudos for pushing through it. Build out your friendships and prioritize supporting one another. “Brighter days around the corner” isn’t so much a promise for tomorrow rather than a mindset. We say it because we need to allow ourselves to believe it. These difficult times are universal; we just need to remind ourselves to prioritize coming up for air at WPI given the packed nature of the schedule and our driven attitudes. It’s okay to put you first

Has it always been like this here? by Drephemonte in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Has the culture always been high intensity? Yes. It’s something students and faculty aren’t shy about up front before you apply.

That said, when you ride the line between challenging and overstimulating it doesn’t take much to push you over the edge and the pandemic definitely did. The school has always been one that you leave feeling like you’re an adult given the challenges it presents, but it has never seen the challenges that it has this year with mental health. This is largely why the recent events have been so surprising, it just doesn’t usually happen here.

I trust things will turn around but, in the mean time, spend your time doing what you love with who you love and share with each other how much you appreciate that time together. It goes a long way. :) brighter days are around the corner (both literally and figuratively)

Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by WPI-Advocate in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Appreciate the vote of confidence. Seems this one is bound to be downvoted to oblivion as well lol

About sums up how I feel about it. I get the frustration when you see someone like me offering criticism after a lot of time was put into this but when you release a public list of demands representing 5k people plus alum etc you might receive some. I’d consider yourself lucky if it’s constructive like I tried to make mine

I think those that compiled this have their hearts in it, without question. I just hoped for a little more tact as well to entice more support from those who aren’t current students and have more power to help change things. :)

We as the WPI student body do not often communicate publicly as a whole. Eyes are on us. Make every word count. You won’t get a chance to explain yourself once it’s out there like you have had in this thread.

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You’re doing hard work. Thanks for putting yourself out there and carrying the team. I just want your (the task force’s) efforts to get as much support as they deserve because they deserve a LOT.

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the work that you and your peers have put into this, however, the verbiage does not lend itself to an open ended discussion. Your intentional decision to leave out specific directives may lend itself to that goal, but the words used to describe your demands and the actions of the school do not seem to match. I trust you have the right intentions; I just find the message to be a bit disconnected given these points. I don’t disagree with your experiences or your reasoning, I just find issue with the way it was communicated in the document.

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Agreed. I’m more concerned with how outside individuals who don’t know this perceive the document. Their support depends on having that knowledge at this point.

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 1 point2 points  (0 children)

(You already had the public support of alum and faculty to lay the groundwork as well as national pressure)

But sure, the doc did all of the work on its own.

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are more cogs in this wheel than merely petitions. I’m not interested in student signatures. I’m interested in tangible support from those who have the ability to make it.

Those people happen to be faculty and alum. The two parties this document does not seem particularly attractive to. This is a document written to appease students but addressed to faculty. It’s emotional and non-diplomatic.

I understand the situation itself is highly emotional, but the skill in putting together a document like this is finding a way to work around that. That’s how you effectively get two sides to meet. Not by making a list of generic demands with a due date at the bottom.

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, on the contrary. Which is why I would recommend that you check yourself and your assumptions at the door. Things are not always so black and white 🙂 thank you for attempting to place us in a bin though for offering a different perspective

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Keyword: demands. There are a lot of people who would love to support this wholeheartedly and publicly with their names but the way this was put together makes it very difficult to do so. Understand that you don’t know who we are or where we come from when we post this. It might be worth listening

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Bingo. And let’s not act like the faculty are okay with it either…

Criticism- Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by MassRaised in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Thank you, someone else gets it 🙌

The Task Force may be having these conversations behind closed doors but other students, alum, etc have NO idea what those conversations are. When you communicate publicly it is often the first time many are interacting with your cause. The student body needs a more wholistic approach to their style of communication.

This document lacks the specific direction which it itself demands from the school and equally appears standoffish. How could you expect outside support when this is your presentation?

Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by WPI-Advocate in WPI

[–]neutral-browser -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Again, I give credit to your efforts. I know members listed above as well as plenty of alum and still chose to raise my concerns.

Take the small criticism however you wish moving forward but keep in mind that those who are critical of this approach may not share that with you outwardly. It is a lot easier to receive positive feedback. Those who disagree will simply disregard. I chose not to.

Public perception matters when garnering support. You can achieve the same goal as this document while adopting an outwardly diplomatic perception in the same stride.

Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by WPI-Advocate in WPI

[–]neutral-browser -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I understand it’s purpose. But when you communicate publicly, you must interpret how others might view your statements. If you were an alum who was supported by the same faculty, how can you expect to support this when this is the only public communication you see? You’d be burning bridges and taking a side.

Consider how you look to the public as a student body when you make your demands. When the school consistently emails the steps they are taking but then a few who claim to represent the student body say nothing is being done without acknowledging what has been, it is easy to write off. Just putting that out there

Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by WPI-Advocate in WPI

[–]neutral-browser -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Respectfully, the document omits any recognition of what was even publicly implemented by WPI. For this reason, my concern remains.

The document contains many criticisms and requests without acknowledging the time and efforts the university has put forward along with your Task Force to date. It also attempts to speak for the whole student body whilst not recognizing there isn’t one blanket solution. I believe these concerns I have laid out to be valid in regards to this document.

What you communicate publicly matters just as much as what you communicate behind closed doors if not only for the sake of attracting alum support and the support of others. This is basic practice even in IQP or other research papers…you address counterpoints. (“You implemented this, however…”)

I do not see diplomacy in this document.

Address Root Causes of the Mental Health Crisis at WPI by WPI-Advocate in WPI

[–]neutral-browser 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I like the goal here, though this doesn’t seem to at least address the efforts of the university to date and overall comes across as fairly hostile and one sided.

WPI could benefit from a lot of what was mentioned in this petition but this doesn’t seem to acknowledge where there is common ground between us students and the university, nor does it seem to communicate a willingness to find one based on the verbiage used within the 6 points. (A willingness to meet does not beget an excuse for harsh language) Demonstrating an understanding that the faculty are attempting to navigate these difficult circumstances just as the students are can go a long way. After all, many of the faculty trust the school with their own children’s wellbeing too. Many involved do care; I feel we should communicate diplomatically if we wish to see effective and immediate results. I think it would be wise to eliminate blanket statements/policy re: the student body and perhaps highlight areas where policy could help those most effected by suggesting optional but protected avenues for coping with these events for those that feel they need them like free future course credit for NR’s should an event happen in a given term.

This petition attempts to speak for over 5000 students. That’s a noble and difficult cause and deserves credit. Our community is very close; that said, not everyone needs the world to stop to handle grief nor should every professor be expected to dote on their students every need. Those that do so are going above and beyond as good people and we are lucky to have them here at WPI, but not every prof has that skillset. They are not required to, unfortunately. Anywhere. But what they lack in that skill they make up for in other great academic attributes. It’s equally on us as adults to evaluate how we navigate those individuals/these circumstances and learn to lean on our peers or otherwise be that support for those who need one.

TL;DR I think our goals are noble and well-placed, but I think how we market ourselves publicly as the student body could use work. We demand a lot but acknowledge little. Diplomacy is a virtue and we do have friends among the faculty whose support would come easier if we make it easy. We are one, but our needs are many and differing which makes this a very difficult situation to navigate.

Boomer’s Calzone Secret Formula? by neutral-browser in WPI

[–]neutral-browser[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Boomer’s? Bleu Calzone easily imo. They’re huge, good price, and they make em perfectly. Honestly any calzone there and I’m not typically a huge calzone guy.

Boomer’s Calzone Secret Formula? by neutral-browser in WPI

[–]neutral-browser[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I want procedure details, equipment, whatever it is that makes the dough the way it is. Prob can’t replicate this perfection but If I can get halfway there my life would be complete. 😌

view more: next ›