Mealplan
The easiest way to get involved in pika is to join our mealplan. Email yfnkm@mit.edu to sign up!
Continuous Rush
pika practices "continuous rush", meaning that we are always welcoming new pikans. Our process is pretty unique. Currently we are encouraging you to come in person to pika and/or fill out an online application. The online application is optional if you can come in person. We would love to get to know you!
In Person Rush Process
- Come over a couple of times! Meet some of the cool people who live here! Dinner and rush are some of the best times to enjoy some free food, meet us, and learn how pika functions. We cook every night during term! Email us at pika-questions@mit.edu with a brief introduction so we can get to know you, and we'll tell you a good day to come for dinner and meet the most pikans!
- Get a house tour! Hear some of the crazy stories, and see the unbelievable for yourself (yes, that is a three story firepole!) Ask anyone for a tour. All of us have some great stories to share. (Take a sneak peak at the house on our Virtual House Tour, too.)
- Let one of us know that you might be interested in living here. Even if you're not sure, don't be afraid. Just say it. Hopefully, they'll ask you at the end of your housetour and make it easy for you.
- Once you've let us know that you're interested, we have a vote; if everything works out, we'll give you a bid. (Yay!) This, first and foremost, means pikans think you are AWESOME! This also means that you can move into pika any time in the next two years so long as you are still an MIT student (grad, undergrad, whatever). Or you can just keep hanging out with us - there's no pressure to choose instantly.
- You move in as soon as you like - if there's room in the house, you can move in even in the middle of a term! (Unfortunately, due to MIT regulations freshmen cannot live in the house, but they can still let us know that they will move in next year!)
Online Application
- This mostly began due to the pandemic and the need for a virtual application process. However, we thought a lot about the questions and really enjoy the responses we get. So we are continuing online applications as well—although they are optional. Please come in person to dinner or a social event if you can though! The application is here.
Exchange Students and Other Travellers
- If you're coming to MIT as an exchange student or otherwise can't be around to hang out at pika, but want to move in, please fill out the online appplication above. We'd also love to set up an informal video call to get to know you. To start this process, email pika-rush@mit.edu
FSILG Rush
Once a term or so, we have a rush period, where we have all sorts of fun events. From hair dying to juggling, playing with trash compactors to telephone pictionary (if you haven't played, you haven't lived!) there's always something fun going on. (Of course, you're welcome to come meet us any time, not just during rush!)
Visit our rush website at rush.pikans.org.
Summer
During the summer, we open up the house to the wider community, which means you can live at pika without having a bid from pika. We like to think of it as a time for people to find out if pika might be right for them.
During the summer, we can house non-MIT students!
We'll send out emails to our social lists and dorm mailing lists when we're ready to accept applicants for summer. If you're not on those lists, email pika-rush at mit.edu to get a "rush survey" (our quirky version of an application).