User Profile
BraMM
Brandeis University '12
Majoring in Biology
Member since 6/10/2009
I'm a freshman, so who knows how...
I'm a freshman, so who knows how I'll feel in a few years, but I absolutely adore Brandeis. Most of the time the classes are wonderful, and every now and then the professors are truly inspiring human beings. Really, it's the student body that makes this place great. Brandeis students have the intelligence and accomplishments of an Ivy-league student body but are also remarkably down to earth. I have had the experience of knowing a friend here for months before suddenly finding out that he is a United States fencing champion or she is a violinist who has played Carnegie Hall. In my first week here, I learned more about the state of society in Africa from my South African hallmate than I ever have from any form of institutionalized education. You will make friends with truly astonishing human beings, and I love Brandeis for making that happen.
Mar 21, 2009
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I get the sense that everyone...
I get the sense that everyone feels quite safe here. For whatever reason, the BranPo, or Brandeis Police, are the butt of a lot of jokes, but they must do their job well because nothing ever gets stolen here. Lock your doors and keep track of your stuff—be sensible—but you can feel quite safe here. There's also a blue-light system, but I've never heard of anyone using it, so I don't know how effective it would actually be.
Mar 21, 2009
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B+
As Good as I've Ever Needed
The computers on campus tend to be in decent repair, and you can easily find the OS of your choice. There's wireless connectivity throughout the campus. The only issue I've had is that the wireless can be spotty in some of the dorm rooms, which is occasionally a real issue (if you want internet anywhere, you want it in your room).
Jan 24, 2011
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B-
You Can (Usually) Get Where You Need to Go
Given that we only live 9 miles outside of Boston, it can be surprisingly hard to get into the city. There's a free bus that runs into Cambridge and Boston on Thursday through Sundays, but that's only in the afternoons and evenings--it IS great that it's free. If you want to go in any other time, your only other option is the commuter rail, which is infrequent and mildly expensive (if you know the public buses well you can opt to use those, as well, but they're a bit complicated and take a lot of time). For getting into Waltham there is a free shuttle all the time (good!) that you need to reserve a spot on, which would be no problem except that the line you call to reserve the spot occasionally seems unattended.
Jan 24, 2011
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C
Cold.
Case in point: it was -7 F outside when I left my dorm this morning (that's fairly unusual, but still). We get a lot of snow and ice, so you need to bundle up and walk carefully. It's Massachusetts, so we don't get the nice snow day payoff, either. It's just something you get used to. In the summerier months, though, it's really lovely.
Jan 24, 2011
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