“How simple. How impossible. Our values disallow that. We want to know how to be better, not how to surrender. We’re very sensitive about that.”

This is so perfectly worded. I’ve had sooo many conversations like this where I acknowledge that I’m overcommitted, but can’t explain why committing less isn’t really an option. It just isn’t. If I weren’t taking 4–5 classes and participating in too many student groups, I wouldn’t be the person I am. It’s a weird, somewhat annoying part of my identity (and probably the identity of almost all MIT students).

Amazing piece.