<p>I find it strange that you don’t know anyone who does math or science problems for fun, fizix. I know plenty of people that do–whether it means competing in math competitions, or trying to solve mathematical puzzles (one going around my house a couple of weeks ago about prisoners or something) and my house has substantially fewer actual math majors than yours does. </p>
<p>Likewise, many people participate in research for reasons beyond just finding work–it may not be homework problems but it’s definitely solving problems of math and science. I personally love my research, and I know a lot of other people that do as well.</p>
<p>You’re missing the key aspect of Caltech–it’s not that people always have fun doing their work, or that people here like science and math so much that it never seems like work–work is work. It’s that people love the work enough that it is at least partially enjoyable, and definitely fulfilling. </p>
<p>Yes, we go to the beach, and go out to eat, and do “normal things” but we do these things far less than other college students because we made a conscious decision to sacrifice the time we would have spent on these activities to immerse ourselves in math and science.</p>
<p>I’m totally with what I guess is your intent, fizix, which is to show a side of Caltech that is stereotypically not understood or recognized. There are a lot of people here who are not traditionally nerdy (including myself) and they enjoy a lot of the same things that students at other colleges enjoy. But even these people have made the decision to focus their passion–and for those that aren’t truly passionate about Math/science/engineering this place can be absolutely miserable. I’m not saying someone who loves playing sports needs to give up their love, but I am saying they need to be prepared to give up a large majority of time spent in that pursuit to focus on math, science, engineering.</p>
<p>That being said, you should really think hard about the methods you use to accomplish your goals. You have time and time again misrepresented Caltech (the most obvious example being in the thread regarding how long homework sets take students). You have spent one year here and now you are attempting to transfer. According to your posts about the house system, your social experience was not typical. I really wish you would think a little more about the things you’re saying, and how you say them. While what you’re saying is usually partially true, by only giving one side of the story you’re presenting the impression that “normal people” can come to Caltech and be happy, which really isn’t true. I would say that anyone who cares deeply enough to want to pursue math/science/engineering over sleep, a big social life, or other extracurricular activities is not normal, even if they are not outwardly geeky–and yet these are the people who love Caltech. </p>
<p>Don’t try to portray Tech as somewhere that anyone with 5s on AP exams and high SAT scores would enjoy. It’s not. For the people it is right for, it is amazing–but it’s definitely not for everyone. </p>
<p>To everyone else: Yes, Caltech can be great even if you love sports or going to parties or playing an instrument or painting–but only if you’re ready to let Caltech take priority over these things. You still can pursue your passions outside of Math, Science, and Engineering, but coming to Caltech makes it much harder than it would be anywhere else. If you’re willing to trade a very deep, rigorous, intense experience learning math/science/engineering for that ability to freely pursue other interests, great! If not, think hard.</p>