Credits: Image: Adam Glanzman
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“Good night, Kev. Think big.” His father smiled, tucking him in and closing the door. The next day, 13-year-old Kevin Costello III arrived for the first time to MIT. But his visit wasn’t for the average campus tour. Costello, a three-time Rubik’s Cube national champion, had come to compete.
Tension grew in the competition room as the final round approached. Costello knew he had less than six seconds to solve the cube drawing from the 300 solving algorithms he had memorized. To stay calm, he turned toward a reliable source of comfort music. Popping in his headphones, he felt his chest relax as he gained the confidence to pull off another win.