Quality has been a popular subject in my Affect: Biological, Psychological, and Social Aspects of “Feelings”* class this semester. Not just the quality of a product, or a building, or a piece of art, but also the quality of the abstract. By quality of the abstract I mean things that are difficult to “objectify” or “define,” like the quality of life or the quality of education. Up to this point, I’ve attributed the measurement of quality to objects, products, and things. I’ve now learned that those few categories are only a subset of what can be qualitatively measured. Consequently, I’m measuring the quality of most aspects of my life.

A Snowy MIT

My education at MIT has elements of quality - quality of the abstract. It’s interesting because there are many “College Ranking” systems and MIT is usually high in these rankings. I’m sure there are a variety of metrics used to rank colleges but many - if not, all - of these rankings are based on quantitative metrics, not qualitative. This makes sense because quality is hard to measure; it’s subjective. But that doesn’t mean quality doesn’t exist at MIT. I believe MIT is thoughtful in creating an education that is high quality.

During my time at MIT I have been exposed to various curriculums, departments, classes, professors, administrators, students, labs, living groups, clubs, and ways of thinking. Despite different implementations of quality, all of my MIT experiences have emphasized the striving for quality. It’s not enough to get something done because it must be done well. I think that’s a big part of what makes MIT different than many other schools and organizations: MIT-ers aren’t just expected to get things done, they are expected to strive for quality and get things done well.

Again, quality is subjective. For some, “striving for quality” might mean getting a program to run faster, or a circuit to use less power, or a mechanism to look prettier. There is no “one” definition for quality - especially at MIT. And MIT knows that quality is subjective; as a result they emphasize the quality potential; what is possible in striving for quality.

Blue and White Exhibit at Boston MFA

For me, MIT has done a pretty good job at teaching me how to look for quality and how to define quality for myself. Interestingly, how I look for quality and how I define quality are constantly changing. The more I learn, the more I reflect, the more I think all contribute to how I see and define quality in my life, my world, and my universe. I want to live a life of high quality and I am constantly trying to raise my quality of life, liberty, and happiness. MIT and all of its associations have been a great influence in helping me strive for quality, both in the quality of things and quality of the abstract.