Class of 2014: Freshman Blog

“Read a book!” If you had suggested I do that during my senior year of high school, I probably would have laughed in your face.  It’s not that I wasn’t a good reader—come on, I was in the highest reading level in 2^nd grade!—it’s just that I didn’t enjoy reading as a pasttime.  The idea of sitting down and reading a book was less appealing to me than the thought of staring at a blank wall.  Then again, why should I have enjoyed reading?  It’s not like I’d read anything good since Goodnight Moon.

Everywhere I went I would see people reading, their eyes glued to their books.  “What on Earth is so interesting in there?!” I wanted to shout.  On the outside, these people looked uninspired…little did I know, they may have been watching a phenomenal book unfold inside of their minds in the form of a zillion vivid and magical little pictures that, when put together, could surpass even one of Hollywood’s greatest films.

The book that changed everything

Today, I am an avid reader.  How did I get this way?  Well, it all started with one little book.  Ok, maybe “little” isn’t the right word; the book is over a thousand pages long.  Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell.  When my mom recommended it to me the summer after my senior year, I reluctantly agreed to give it a try.  As I read the first couple of pages, all I could think about was the pain in my wrist from holding this gigantic novel, which seemed to weigh more than I did.  As I flipped through the first few pages, I still didn’t know that I was reading my way into a brilliant and extravagant world of glowing orange sunsets, endless cotton plantations, ancestral soil, ornate dresses, gorgeous southern belles, war-ridden gentlemen, a vast supply of gold, and, the inevitable, poverty and dirt.  Once I entered this world, there was no getting out of it.

It's pretty thick...

My parents had to tear me away from the book so we could have family dinners.  I’d miss episodes of my beloved TV series, “The Bachelorette,” because Scarlett O’Hara’s quest for love was a lot more entertaining.  Long story short, I found the secret ingredient that makes reading enjoyable—a well-written book.

After Gone With the Wind, I decided to listen to all of my mom’s future book recommendations—even if those books were a bit different from the ones I’d previously enjoyed.  She handed me The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  This young adult science-fiction novel about a post-apocalyptic society in a made-up country is the last book I could have ever imagined I’d read after finishing all of Augusten Burroughs’ eccentric memoirs.  I loved it.  When I finished it, my adventure was far from over; that book was only number one in the Hunger Games trilogy.  After Catching Fire, and Mockingjay, I was eager to read a fourth.

Augusten Burroughs is my favorite author

If I hadn’t tried something new, I would never have understood how much pleasure and excitement books could bring.  My life, my vocabulary, and my imagination have all been enriched by this new passion, and all because I gave it a try.  Reading books always looked dull and tedious, but guess what I’ve learned?  Don’t judge a book by its cover.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This will be my last post on the Class of 2014 shared blog.  I am moving onwards and upwards and I now have my very own blog page: http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/lucie/. “The Lucie Show.” I will post all future blogs to that new site. Check it out and tell me what you think!

JHU_Lucie’s reading recommendations in no particular order (you can thank my mom for this list…)

1. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
3. Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison (Augusten Burroughs’ brother)
4. Dry by Augusten Burroughs
5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (definitely don’t judge this book by its cover)
6. Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs
7. A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
9. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
10. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
11. All I Can Handle by Kim Stagliano
12. Sit, Ubu, Sit by Gary David Goldberg (see my blog titled “The Screenplay of My Life” for more information about this book)
13. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
14. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
15. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
16. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Definitely see the movie too!)
17. Room by Emma Donoghue (Thank Julie Rebecca Leff esquire)

Woodpeckers.  Those birds used to drill their long, sharp beaks into the wooden boards on the outside of my house.  They’d show up occasionally and the sounds they’d make would reverberate through my house, body, and brain.  They sounded like power tools.  A nuisance.  Rather annoying, actually.  The light gray paint on a few of the wooden planks was starting to chip off.  Sometimes, when we heard the birds pecking away, we’d just ignore them (that was hard, because they were really irritating!) Other times, we’d get so fed up that my dad would climb onto the roof and attach one of his many bandanas to a pole (he even made a scarecrow once)—in the wind, this rag would whip against the side of the house and scare away any woodpeckers at work.

Me smiling in a kayak because I'm successfully avoiding woodpeckers!

The summer before I went away to college, my parents decided to fix up the outside of the house.  Most of the boards were replaced, every single hole was filled, and the entire house was painted a darker gray.  We hoped that this darker color would be less inviting to the woodpeckers—maybe they’d leave us alone now.

Well, it worked for a little bit.  But then, just this morning, we had an unwanted visitor.  I was sitting in my kitchen enjoying a delicious breakfast waffle.  All of a sudden, I heard a loud series of patters.  My dad ran outside just in time to catch the flutter of the wooderpecker’s wings as it flew up and away into the treetops.

“You better get out of here, Bro!” My dad called to the bird—as if speaking to it colloquially would help his case.  The woodpeckers were back.

So, I bet you’re wondering…what extended metaphor could JHU_Lucie possibly be trying to create with these long-beaked, feathery flappers?

Don't worry, be happy! :) --photo by JHU_Joe

I associate woodpeckers with the people in life who simply detract.  Those who act as deterrents or degraders.  A woodpecker could be the girl in your homeroom who made a mean comment about your shirt.  A woodpecker could be the boy at lunch who wouldn’t invite you to sit with him and his friends.  A woodpecker could be the professor that gave you three exams in one week, or the boss that made you fetch her a coffee and later asked you to return it, claiming there was too much soy milk in it.

We’ve all probably been targeted by a woodpecker throughout high school at one point or another.  They’re unnecessary and irritating, but they’re there nonetheless.  My house needed slight repairs from the damage of the woodpeckers, just as you yourself might need some “re-patching.”

Making the transition from high school to college is the perfect time to make these renovations.  Fill in some of the cracks and apply a fresh coat of paint.

Stay away, woodpeckers!!!!--photo by JHU_Joe, again

So, where am I going with this?  Well…just as the woodpecker returned to my house, woodpeckers will most definitely come back to you.  Going off to college doesn’t mean you’re moving to Australia, where there are no woodpeckers (side-note: Australia does not have woodpeckers and nobody knows why!)  Then again, maybe you are going to Australia—to the University of Sydney—where you won’t ever stumble across those pecking pains.  What you will find, however, at any university (yes, including JHU) is the human version of woodpeckers.  Those detractors, deterrents, and degraders.  They’re out there.  Now, I’m not sitting here telling you that Hopkins is full of them (because it most certainly is NOT), but going to college means entering the real world, and entering the real world means opening yourself up to woodpeckers.  Be ready to overcome whatever social and/or academic challenges these woodpeckers may throw at you.

How should you go about this?  Just as we fixed up our house, you should tend to yourself; make sure you’re not scarred from any past peckers.  Making relationships, building confidence, acquiring new knowledge, involving yourself beyond the classroom, and immersing yourself in your environment will help to fortify your character and make you less susceptible to long-term woodpecker damage.  Then what?  Maintain!  Work hard to quickly patch up any fractures, always have a can of fresh “paint” handy, and be ready for whatever flies your way.

At Straight Up Films, the company I’m interning for this summer, I spend my days reading and critiquing screenplays.  One day I’ll read a romantic-comedy.  The next, I’ll pick up a murder mystery, or even a zombie western (I’m not kidding).  It’s always been a dream of mine to write a screenplay—perhaps I’d even base it on my own life.  The problem is, although I have an idea of the direction that my life is going, I’m still unsure of where life’s path will eventually take me.

I came into Hopkins as a Neuroscience major, planning to go on the pre-med track and eventually attend medical school.  Or did I want to become a plastic surgeon?  Within two months, I had changed my major to Film and Media Studies.  When I took my Introduction to Fiction and Poetry Writing course, I switched over to the Writing Seminars department.  Indecisive.  I know.

The way my schedule would look next semester if I were to add Chemistry to my courseload

A few days ago, I came up with the idea that I wanted to become a dermatological surgeon.  I quickly signed up for Chemistry to fulfill the first of my pre-med requirements.  The next day, I dropped the class.  Indecisive, again.  I know.  I realized that dermatology was more of a hobby in my eyes, and, as my mom says, “Medicine is not a hobby, it is a lifelong commitment.”

Me (left) and Rose...one of my friends from Hopkins who knew that she has wanted to be a doctor since before she was in middle school

On some days, I’m sure that I want to get my own agent and try out for commercials.  On other days, I want to be that agent.  One week, I want to be the host of a reality TV show.  The next week, I want to write the TV show’s script.  Soon after, I want to star in it.  Do I want to be on screen or behind the scenes?  Do I want to write a script or be written in to a script?  Do I want to produce?  Direct?  Or am I destined to work in Las Vegas and be the bartender at the Hard Rock Café?  (I am a certified bartender, you know.)  These are questions that I ask myself every day.  My parents tell me that many people who end up on TV didn’t necessarily dream of being famous—maybe they started as a radio personality.  Or a lawyer.  Or a seismic activity expert.  Does the fact that, at the age of 18, I know I want to entertain mean that I’ll never make it there?  Does it mean I will make it?

A school like Hopkins has the tendency to scare people. The students are incredibly driven.  Many of my friends knew what career they’ve wanted since they were in middle school.  I, however, did not. I’ve switched my course load many times (ask my academic advisor, he’ll vouch for me), yet I still don’t know exactly what I want to be.

Read it.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t know.  I’m not ready to decide.  And you know what?  That’s perfectly OK.  My summer film internship will help me determine if I’m more interested in reading scripts or working on the production of movies.  The book I’ve been reading, Sit, Ubu, Sit by Gary David Goldberg (the creator and writer of the hit NBC TV show, “Family Ties”), has given me some insight into the television industry. Maybe the fact that I get jealous of performers in the NYC subway systems means that I’m destined to perform.  Maybe the fact that after reading Goldberg’s book and learning of his 14 million dollar syndication packages, I’m suddenly (gee, I wonder why) inspired to write a TV series, means that I’m destined to create—who knows?!

The world will have to wait for the screenplay of my life to become a major motion picture—I simply haven’t come up with an ending yet.

A screenshot of me and my friend Julie in Cobra Starship's new music video, "You Make Me Feel"

Most high school students know that, come summertime, their schedules completely open up.  What a relaxing time compared to their 8:30AM-3:00PM high school class schedules, right?  Now that I’m a college student, summertime hasn’t become any less relaxing for me; the difference is that my school year has become so much more relaxing, that the dividing line between school and summer is quickly becoming imperceptible to me.

Something that most first-year college students find incredible is the amount of free time that is available to them on a normal weekday.  Sure, they have class for the occasional 3-4 hours, but it’s nothing compared to high school’s grueling seven-hour-straight workday.

JHU_Lucie’s first semester at Hopkins: I took five courses. Three days a week, I only had two short classes.

JHU_Lucie’s second semester at Hopkins:  I also took five courses.  My classes were a bit more spread out than they were first semester.  Occasionally, I’d only have class for a mere two and a half hours a day!

Here's my schedule for next semester

And here I am, going into my first semester of sophomore year, and I think I’ve finally got it right.  Since I came into Hopkins with a few AP credits, I can afford to take four classes next semester.  Three out of five days a week, I have class for less than two hours.  Two of those days, I only have one class! And, get this: I’ve learned how to make my course schedule fit with my body’s schedule.  I am a huge night owl (most days of the week, I don’t go to sleep until about 2 or 3AM).  I know that I have a hard time functioning early in the morning.  Therefore, the earliest class that I signed up for starts at 10:30AM, and I’m not taking any nighttime courses since I have A cappella rehearsals at night (and also, I hate to miss my weekly Stressbusters on Monday nights!).

Being home for summer definitely feels different—living in a house is nothing like living in a college dorm, NY is nothing like Baltimore, and, of course, I miss all of my crazy friends from Hopkins.  What’s not too different, though, is the amount of stress that I have.  Check out this line-graph displaying the difference in my stress in high school vs. college (not really sure what the stress-scale is measured in…)

My stress chart (click to enlarge)

Notice how in high school, my stress-level fluctuated like a rollercoaster!  Hopkins has given me the ability to ‘HOP’ off of that rollercoaster.

Summer is no longer a quickly-fleeting, long-awaited fairytale.  In fact, Hopkins is becoming that quickly-fleeting, long-awaited fairytale.  In fact, I’ve done the calculations, and I’m actually working more hours over the summer at my internship than I would be spending in class if I were at school!  I can’t wait to get back.

Summer is a time for fun, relaxation, catching up on lost sleep, oh…and job applications.  As much as I don’t want to face the facts, I know that I have reached the time in my life where I should strive for a job or an internship over the summer.  One year ago from today, this was my biggest fear.  I had no idea how to go about applying for a job.  Writing a cover letter or a resume? Forget about it.  I was totally in the dark.

The textbook that I am keeping forever!

During my first semester at Hopkins, I took a course called Professional Communications.  In this class of less than twenty students, I mock applied for a job and was required to write a complete cover letter and to put together my resume.  The course’s textbook, Successful Writing at Work by Philip C. Kolin, is officially the only textbook that I’ve bought at the JHU Barnes and Noble and have decided to keep as opposed to sell back.  I recommended the class to a few of my friends, as well, and I’m a strong advocate that the course should be required for all Hopkins students in general.

Second semester, I took Oral Presentations.  In this course, I learned how to deliver concise yet informational extemporaneous as well as prepared presentations—a skill that I will absolutely need to master before I enter the job scene.  Additionally, the class’ TA conducted mock job interviews with the students.  Each speech and mock interview was followed up with constructive criticism from classmates and a feedback form from the professor.  The course also used an interactive video program to record each of our presentations online so that we could watch them in the privacy of our own rooms and evaluate our performance.

Don't worry...even though I'm applying for internships, I'm still enjoying my summer and seeing my Hopkins friends!

This week, as I prepare for my upcoming interviews, I’ve opened my notebooks from these two courses and have spread my notes all over my bedroom floor.  I went back to my Professional Communications folder on my computer, opened my resume assignment, and pressed print.  In addition, I’ve reviewed my oral presentations that were recorded online.  And now, I am ready.  All I can do is put my newfound skills to the test. Wish me luck!

Mental Notes friends

Well, I’m back in New York.  I’ve officially completed my freshman year at Hopkins, and I’m in Scarsdale for the summer.  What’s strange is that even when I am home in NY, I find myself inadvertently referring to Hopkins as “home.”  I’ll never forget when I came home for winter break and my mom asked me where I had put my winter coat.  “Oh, woops, I left it at home!”  She gave me “the look”—“I’m sorry, Mom,” I pleaded, “I didn’t mean to leave it!”  She didn’t care that I had left the coat; she was simply stunned that I had referred to my room in AMR II as “home.”  She wasn’t mad, just surprised.  Well, I can’t hold it back: Johns Hopkins is a home.  And now that I’m back in NY for the summer, my house here is my home away from home.

"Learn More, See More, B'More" family

Me with some of my best friends!

With home comes family.  I have my family in NY, but at Hopkins I’ve acquired a handful of new families as well.  I have my Mental Notes family, my SAAB family, my “Learn More, See More, B’More” family, my Phi Mu family, my actual Phi Mu phamily, my family of friends, and so much more.  Each of these groups has their own forte—the Mental Notes can (obviously) make me laugh hysterically, SAAB members share my passion for promoting Hopkins to prospective students, the cast and crew of “Learn More, See More, B’More” have all been so helpful in making this video idea of mine a reality, my sorority, Phi Mu, has introduced me to girls with values and behaviors similar to mine, my pham in Phi Mu has given me an actual family with one person in each grade who I know I can always count on, and the friends that I’ve found at Hopkins have gone above and beyond all of my expectations.

My extended Phi Mu phamily

Some Phi Mu sisters

Of course, there are also other families that I’ve become a part of as well.  In each class that I took, for example, the students joined together and formed a family.  I was told that classes would be competitive—one student vs. another student, trying to make the teacher like him or her better.  In all truth, the classes proved to be a lot more like high school in terms of teacher/student relationships as well as the overall classroom atmosphere.  Students were constantly defending one another, sharing notes and study guides, and working together to make the workload lighter for the entire class—not only for themselves.

Some of best friends on Phi Mu initiation day!

Me with some friends :)

As I left for summer and said goodbye to my new families, I wasn’t heartbroken.  I know that each year, as I return to Hopkins, these families will be waiting for me.  They will shrink every spring as older members graduate, and they’ll grow every fall with the addition of new students, but they will always mean the same things to me.  I also know that in three years from now, I’ll join another family—perhaps the largest of all—the Johns Hopkins University alumni family.

My last day of freshman year at Hopkins officially marked the date of my television debut. That’s right, I was on TV!  My a cappella group, The Mental Notes, recently starred in a promo for Fox 45 WBFF Baltimore.  How did we get this opportunity?  A senior in the Mental Notes has an internship at Fox 45, and when she found out that the station was going to create a new promo for late night TV on Fox 45, she instantly volunteered The Mental Notes for the job!

The reason I’m blogging about this is because I’m truly amazed at the opportunities that can come from being a Hopkins student.  Living in Baltimore is an advantage in itself, as the city boasts a wide variety of businesses that love offering jobs and internships to Hopkins students.  I know tons of people at Hopkins with jobs/internships in various neighborhoods of Baltimore who use free city transportation (the Charm City Circulator, the Baltimore Collegetown Shuttle, and the JHMI Shuttle, etc.) to commute.  Going to college is a time to reach out for new opportunities, take advantage of resources, and try new things.  Explore, be prepared for rejection and failure, and when one door closes, open another.  If you don’t fail, you’re not trying.  I, myself, hope to pursue an internship at Fox 45 Baltimore in the future.  And now, I’m on my way out the door to be a part of a Cobra Starship music video in New York City.  My next opportunity has presented itself!

This is a true story, but I will not mention the name of the university that I am actually talking about.  Instead, for the purpose of this blog, I will call the school NotMy University.

me (left) and two of my Mental Notes sisters during our spring a cappella concert!

I’m fairly certain that I haven’t mentioned this in any of my blogs this year: Johns Hopkins University was not my first choice school.  NotMy University was.  I’m not sure what made NotMy University so appealing to me—maybe it was the big name, or the fact that it’s an Ivy League school—I don’t exactly know.  Either way, I wanted to go there, and I applied Early Decision.

me (right) and my Phi Mu phamily :)

I got deferred.  I was devastated.  I knew I still had a shot of getting in Regular Decision, so I waited anxiously during my senior year spring break for a letter of acceptance or denial.  It turns out that I didn’t get either of those letters.  Instead, I got a letter offering a guaranteed transfer; this means that if I took a year off, or spent a year at another school, I could automatically transfer into NotMy University in the fall of 2011.  Although I was upset about not getting accepted right away, I decided that things would be alright—I would go to another university for one year, and then I’d transfer into NotMy University!

me (left) and some of my best friends :)

I chose Johns Hopkins for all of two reasons: it’s beautiful and it’s relatively close to my hometown.  When I arrived in late August, I didn’t intend to stay here.  So, right about now, May of 2011, I should be beginning to end my time at Hopkins.  I should be wrapping up my new friendships, organizing next year’s housing at NotMy University, and getting forms signed to transfer my course credits.  Am I doing all of that? No. Am I leaving Hopkins? No.

me (left) and my GREAT friend Michelle

I got to Hopkins on August 26^th…it took me until the 29^th to realize that there was absolutely no way I was going to leave.  I made friends instantly, and had plans to work for the admissions office, audition for an a cappella group, and join a sorority.  Hopkins is about one third the size of NotMy University, and now that I’m here, I cannot imagine being at a school that has three times as many people as Hopkins does.  It took being at Hopkins and seeing how life is with this many students for me to realize that I would not be as happy at a school with many more students than this.

me (middle) with more friendly people!!

What I’m getting at here is that I’m a firm believer in the idea that most college students end up really loving the school that they chose to attend.  Sure, there are always those who aren’t enjoying their experience and end up transferring, but I’d say for the most part, students end up wondering how they could ever thrive at a college or university that isn’t the one they go to. Consider this an open letter to NotMy University:

To whom this may concern,

Thank you for offering me a guaranteed transfer to NotMy University for the fall of 2011.  I will not be attending.  I have found everything that I am looking for at Johns Hopkins University, and you are simply Not My University.

Signed,

JHU_Lucie

A snapshot from the "Learn More, See More, B'More" series -- a quick look at what I've been doing...partially the reason why I don't have time to become a tour guide

I had always dreamed that I would work for my college’s admissions office as a tour-guide.  When applications were released, however, I had so much on my plate already—an a cappella group, the Student Admissions Advisory Board, my new video project called “Learn More, See More, B’More,” the Hopkins Hosting Society, and upcoming sorority recruitment.  There was no way I’d have time to attend the mandatory training sessions or to memorize the entire Blue Key Society Tour Guide Manual.

On the other hand, my twin sister, Allie, saved enough time and was excited when her Blue Key Society application had been accepted—I’ve been living my tour-guiding dream through her, ever since.  She’s had to memorize everything in the manual from the history of Hopkins to statistics about athletics, academics, and student life.  The “Fun Facts” page is my personal favorite; I’ve learned some awesome things about Johns Hopkins University that I bet most of the student body doesn’t even know.  I’m going to share with you (my personal favorite) ten cool facts!

My Favorite Fun Facts About JHU:

1. The Hubble Space Telescope is controlled right behind Bloomberg (Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Physics and Astronomy) at the Space Telescope Science Institute.
2. Albert Einstein turned down an invitation to join the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1927, claiming that he did not deserve the high salary that he was offered.
3. Johns Hopkins University took the first color photograph of the whole earth from space.
4. Johns Hopkins University’s eighth president, Milton S. Eisenhower, advised eight U.S. Presidents: Coolidge, Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Truman, Dwight Eisenhower (his brother), Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon.
5. The Cambridge Arms Apartments, now Wolman Hall, was once the home of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.
6. Woodrow Wilson is the only U.S. president to have an earned Ph.D., which was bestowed on him by Johns Hopkins in 1886.
7. The university’s Peabody Institute, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007, was the first academy of music established in America.
8. The Da Vinci machine, which allows surgeons to perform surgery from off-site locations, is currently being developed in one of the mock operating rooms in Hackerman Hall on the Homewood campus.
9. The ashes of Hopkins’ first chemistry professor, Ira Remsen, are stored behind a plaque in Remsen Hall; it is said that if you rub the plaque before a chemistry test, you’ll get an A.
10. There is a mummy in an archaeological exhibit in the basement of Gilman Hall.  At first, it was thought to be a boy so was named Boris.  Hopkins students, being as curious as ever, wanted to know more, so they put the mummy through a CT scan and found out it was a girl—her new name is Lotis.

Allie is an EXCELLENT tour guide!  If you’re a prospective student and she gives you a campus tour, tell her that you’ve read this blog!

Me (left) and Allie the tour guide!

During the next several days, each blogger will be sharing his or her thoughts on the following questions.  Here are my responses:

Get to Know JHU_Lucie:

1. Birthplace and current hometown: Scarsdale, New York.
2. Major(s)/Minor(s): Writing Seminars Major—I’m unsure of any minors.
3. When I grow up I want to: work in the entertainment industry.
4. Favorite place to eat in Baltimore: Cinghiale in the Inner Harbor.
5. Favorite stop on the Homewood campus: My dorm room.
6. Favorite TV show: Modern Family.
7. Favorite color: Green.
8. Favorite sports team: The New York Yankees.

My Hopkins Experience:

When did you know Hopkins was right for you?

After getting a “guaranteed transfer” to the university I applied ED to (which means that I would be able to automatically transfer into the program I wanted at that school after one academic year), I looked at all of my options.  I discovered that Hopkins was the perfect size for me, and was a great distance from my house—about a 3-hour train ride…far enough that I wouldn’t be going home every weekend, but close enough that I could get home rather quickly if need be.

What is one thing that would surprise your friends/family about Hopkins?

I bet you wouldn’t believe me if I told you that almost every weekend, students from Loyola University and Towson University come to Hopkins to party!  It seems strange because most people equate those universities with “party schools”—but every Friday night I see busloads of students from those universities flooding the Hopkins frats and bars!

If you were the University President, what is the first thing you would do or change?

I would build more dorms for juniors and seniors because, as of now, they don’t have guaranteed on-campus housing.  This isn’t that big of an issue, since all off-campus living is relatively close (within walking distance), but this change would make me a bit happier and less nervous about finding housing for my last two years here.

If you could go back and choose your college again, would you pick Hopkins? Why?

Absolutely.  Something that I love about this school is its lack of a core curriculum.  I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying that I can take classes in a broad array of subjects (and need to for distribution requirements), but am not required to take classes like chemistry or biology.  I firmly believe that if you are not studying a subject that requires chemistry or biology, you should not be required to take those classes—distribution requirements in the Natural Sciences should suffice.

Me (right) and some of my smiley friends

What was your perception about Hopkins before enrolling and how has it changed since then?

I won’t lie—I believed the rumors.  I thought that Hopkins had no social life.  I visited during my senior year of high school and my perception changed a little bit.  It was Homecoming weekend and there was a lacrosse tailgate party!  I was still a little skeptical and couldn’t help worrying…“Maybe it was just fun when I visited because it was homecoming weekend.”  Of course, I was completely wrong.  Hopkins is anything but unsocial!

What is/was your favorite class?

My favorite class was a course I took first semester called Introduction to Cognitive Neuropsychology.  I honestly found the information so interesting, that when my boyfriend came to Hopkins to visit me, one of the main topics at our dinner conversation was what I had learned in that class.

Describe your funniest memory or experience at Hopkins:

To be honest, each Mental Notes rehearsal is funnier than the one preceding it and I always end up laughing my head off.  The Mental Notes is JHU’s comedy a cappella group…so you can only imagine what a rehearsal is like.

Me with my friend, Rose! (Another reason my life would be different if I didn't go to Hopkins!)

How would your college experience be different if you hadn’t chosen Hopkins?

If I hadn’t chosen Hopkins, not only would my college experience be different, but also my entire life would be different.  I didn’t realize this before I got here, but Hopkins is the perfect size school for me, and if I had gone to a much bigger school I would not have been given as many opportunities to get involved on campus.  Hopkins Alumni have already been in contact with me for my work in the Admissions Office (specifically “Learn More, See More, B’More”–see the next question for more information)—this is an opportunity I’m convinced I wouldn’t have been given at a bigger school.

The "Learn More, See More, B'More" Crew!

What has your greatest contribution been during your time at Hopkins, or what do you hope to accomplish before graduating?

When I first became a member of SAAB, I wanted to contribute more…I wanted do something else for prospective students to help them decide if Hopkins was right for them.  I asked Admissions_Daniel if I could begin my own video show for the Admissions Website called “Learn More, See More, B’More”—a series about Baltimore and what it has to offer for students.  JHU_Noah and I have become the show’s co-hosts.

What advice would you give a high school senior choosing their college?

Don’t listen to stereotypes about colleges/universities!  Students have told me that their high school deans have told them not to look at Hopkins because it’s anti-social.  Don’t listen to anybody but yourself in the college decision process.  Visit schools, stay over for a night, and then make your own judgment call!