Class of 2014: Freshman Blog

With summer winding down, most of my friends are getting excited about returning to college or going away for the first time. When the inevitable college talk starts, you tend to quickly realize that while the school you go to seems like the absolute most unique and incredible one in the entire world, there are a lot of similarities within the top schools. While they may be called different things, my friend Kelly will be leaving for the Cornell version of Pre-O on Wednesday; Lily’s “core” at Georgetown is eerily similar to our distribution requirements; and Iain has been sending the students in his “Orientation Leader” group emails just like the ones I sent to my “Peer Ambassador” group kids. All this has made me wonder, what does make a college special? Is there anything that is truly unique to Hopkins? Obviously my classmates and faculty are a huge factor in making Hop one of a kind, but that’s true for any university! However, I know there’s a reason I chose Hopkins over every other school in the country. Here are some of the things that make Hopkins absolutely unique:

1. Top graduate and professional schools with full-access for undergrads: I’ve never heard of a medical school with faculty so willing to let undergraduates participate in research, not even to mention that it’s one of the best programs in the country! At Homewood, it seems like the research question for pre-meds is “when” not “where” or “how.” Everyone I know who has wanted to work in a lab has had the opportunity to do so, which is ridiculously impressive! Several of the grad schools, like Bloomberg and SAIS, allow undergrads to take classes with graduate students; the Public Health major even requires it! Nowhere else have I seen such collaboration and continuity between all the schools.
2. Intersession: While most schools go back to school in January, our winter session is totally optional and pass-fail! And not only are these three-week courses much more relaxed, but they’re also about really interesting topics like “The Science of Cooking” or “Inventing Language.” There are also opportunities to go abroad to places like Ghana, Spain, or Italy; and freshmen have their own comprehensive courses (B’More) where they explore Baltimore and combine academic subjects with the city and community. Intersession is totally free as well (including housing and dining), so it’s one of the best orchestrated and most fun programs I’ve ever seen at a college.
3. Covered Grades: The fall of freshman year, all grades are Pass/Fail, although professors still grade you as if your transcript will have a letter grade on it. I could talk for days about how wonderful the covered grades program is, but that wouldn’t make for the most fascinating blog post. All I can say is that there is no further proof that the Hopkins administration cares about its students than covered grades. While critics may say that freshmen goof off as a result of covered grades, I think this claim is immensely unfounded. No one wants to start college getting C’s, even if no one sees them. Instead, it gives freshmen the flexibility to not be cautious in joining clubs and organization, making lots of friends, and exploring Baltimore. It doesn’t give you a “by” on studying; it just means that if it’s a choice between spending all day studying and taking lunch off to eat with that girl from down the hall who complimented your shoes during the RA meeting, you can, since it doesn’t matter if you get a 93 or a 92, like it does during non-covered grades. I learned exactly what study techniques work for me, which rooms and library levels I study best in, and how much time it takes me to do different types of assignments. My grades second semester were better than my first semester ones because I was lucky enough to get a “dress rehearsal.” All my friends from home are so jealous of my covered grades AND all the amazing experiences I was able to have because of them.
4. JHMI Shuttle: This free bus service runs every 5-10 minutes and takes Hopkins students all around Baltimore to each of the Hopkins campuses: Peabody, JHMI, and Bloomberg, as well as Penn Station. There are also shuttles to the different medical campuses associated with JHMI, including Bayview and Mt. Washington, so students can get to their research jobs for free. You can also hop on to go to Mt. Vernon for dinner or in order to get a much cheaper taxi ride to the Inner Harbor for one of the more Southern stops.
5. Seminars: While every school has both lecture and seminar offerings, Johns Hopkins was founded on the seminar style of learning. As a result, every major has its own seminars for every grade level. Last semester I took four seminars and this semester I’m taking two! I love the individual attention and the discussion format. Over 65% of Hopkins classes have under 20 students, so it’s clear that we still place serious value on this form of teaching!

“Game after game after game, I realize now what’s most important in my life: Hopkins Soccer. Show me something more thrilling than a perfect volley; tell me you’ve never dreamed of the immaculate strike and been part of that moment when Homewood Stadium holds its breath. Tell me that soccer is not our one common language, when the whole planet stops for ninety minutes to bear witness to that one thing we all understand…”

75 years ago, the first Johns Hopkins Men’s Soccer team took the field against all odds. Those men began a tradition of excellence that continues unadulterated to this day.

14 NCAA tournament appearances, 24 All-Americans, and 8 Centennial Conference championships in 10 years of membership.

In 2011, THE Johns Hopkins University Men’s Soccer team is poised on the precipice of greatness. Never in the storied history of this team have we been so close to a National Championship.

“…This game is ecstasy, anguish, joy and despair. It’s part of our history, part of our culture, and it will be part of our future. It’s theatre, art, war and love. It should be predictable, but never is. It’s a feeling that can’t be explained, but we spend our lives explaining it. It’s our religion. We do not apologize for it, and we do not deny it. This is our team, our family and our University…”

One month left. 31 days until it begins; the season we’ll all remember as THAT season, the one that changed everything.

This team knows what it’s like to fight and fight and come up short. There’s no overconfidence left, no extant hubris. We know that we’re better than good, and we have everything right in front of us. But we’ve had greatness within our grasp before, and were left grasping. Not this time. Not this year. This season, our great University’s 75th on the soccer pitch, marks the beginning of a new era of Johns Hopkins Soccer. Get ready.

(Click here to see video of what it’s like to be in the huddle: HOPKINS @ THE NCAAs: SWEET SIXTEEN PREGAME)

“…Yeah, you could tell me I’m wrong; some may say it’s just a game, but this is about heroes and tribes, loyalties and devotion; it’s our commitment and our passion, our battle and our belief; this is our faith. Now, feel the fever of the crowd, hear the roar of the faithful…This is the beautiful game. This is Johns Hopkins Soccer.“

2011-2012 HOME SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent / Event	Location	Time / Result
09/20/11	vs. York (PA)	Baltimore, MD	7:00 p.m. ET
09/23/11	vs. Muhlenberg	Baltimore, MD	7:00 p.m. ET
10/15/11	vs. Dickinson	Baltimore, MD	4:00 p.m. ET
10/18/11	vs. Neumann	Baltimore, MD	7:00 p.m. ET
10/25/11	vs. McDaniel College	Baltimore, MD	7:00 p.m. ET
10/28/11	vs. Washington (Md.)	Baltimore, MD	7:00 p.m. ET

As a member of Blue Key, I spend every Monday from 11-12:30 showing prospective students and parents around Homewood campus. While we receive formal training and a handbook about each location on the tour, each guide makes their tour unique, putting their own spin on Hopkins’ landmarks. I know my tours are fueled by the experiences I’ve had this year, and as my freshman year is coming to a close, I want to write about the personal touches I have on my tours.

My Big and I at Homecoming!

1. The Glass Pavilion- This building is not only one of the most interesting architectural landmarks on campus, but it’s also a place where one of the most important parts of my Hopkins experience started. This hall is often lent out to student groups for large events; it holds career fairs, fundraisers, conferences, etc. It also it one of the rooms used often in sorority recruitment and is the room in which bids are revealed. In February, I sat nervously in the Glass Pavilion in a white dress with an envelope taped to the back of my chair, hoping desperately that the invitation inside was red and silver. Finding out that I was a part of Alpha Phi was by far one of my best experiences at Hopkins and I can’t wait for three more years of watching my new sisters scream and celebrate in the Glass Pav.

2. The Beach- My friends from L.A. say that this grass circle in front of MSE Library is nothing like a real beach, but for an Upstate NY Local, it’s about as good as it gets. I never thought I’d have so much fun sitting on a towel on a grassy lawn and yet I do it all the time, during Spring Fair, Homecoming, and nearly every other day of the Spring.

3. The Rec Center- The JHU Recreation Center is one of the nicest athletic buildings I’ve seen on a college campus. Everything is bright, modern, and new and there’s always enough equipment and space to go around. So many memorable events have been held here including Lupe Fiasco, Milkman, and Hood Internet concerts, Spring Fair’s Blackout Party, and even the Student Activities Fair the first week of school where I signed up for all the activities in which I participate now. Something I plan to use to the freshmen in my Peer Ambassador group to attend the Fair is that I met my boyfriend there when he was DJing for WJHU and we’ve dated the entire school year!

My Boyfriend and I at my formal this Spring

4. MSE Library- Everyone has their own feelings about the library but I have to be honest, this might be my favorite place on campus. There’s a level to meet my every need, Cafe Q has the best food (especially chocolate covered rice krispy treats!), and there’s nothing funnier than being interrupted by the 11:45 PM announcement that the Circulation Desk is about to close. I socialize at the library, study at the library, feast at the library, and though I’ve yet to actually sleep there, I’m sure that within three years I will accomplish that as well.

5. FFC-The Fresh Food Cafe has definitely become the focal point of the freshman class. Where else would you be able to get a waffle with the Johns Hopkins emblem on it or go back for a twelfth plate? The FFC is not just the freshman cafeteria, it’s our lounge, student union, study area. I’m severely going to miss seeing everyone I know at meal times or being able to eat at any hour of the day (Nolan’s only opens at 5… :( ).

These are just a few of the places at Hopkins that I especially enjoy discussing on my campus tours. Next week I’ll be discussing finals and going back to Ithaca for summer break!

So as long as you are not living under a rock, you probably heard about the Royal Wedding this week. Unlike most people, this wedding made me sad! If you have read any of my other blogs, I aspire to marry a rich prince and this meant one more is now unavailable. To distract myself from this horrible news, I kept myself pretty busy.

Friday Afternoon-

After an interesting process analysis class, I met up with a Class of 1971 graduate to give him a tour of AMR II (the dorm where I live). Interestingly enough, he said it hadn’t changed much in 50 years. He told me a lot about some of the old traditions at Hopkins; for example, we used to have housemasters in the AMR houses.

I then went with my friend Nora to the Baltimore Museum of Art. I needed to write a French paper on an art piece and she’s taken a bunch of art history classes, so we walked to the BMA and looked at some pieces. If you’re an artisty person, the BMA is on campus and free to the public, so you can go look at beautiful artwork all the time.

Baltimore Museum of Art

I picked a piece called “Child with A Hoop” by Renoir. I then learned that Renoir wanted to have a girl so badly that he normally drew pictures of his son as a girl. He didn’t even let his son cut his hair (despite the fact that he was teased about it).

Nora and I then went to go to the Foreign Affairs Symposium where we heard from two Nobel Prize winners about their experiences. They introduced a really cool thing called “science diplomacy”; one of the researchers visited scientists in North Korea and Cuba and explained their peaceful exchange over their mutual love of science.

After that, we were invited to go to a Battle of the a Cappella groups. Some of the groups were JHU_Lucie’s Mental Notes, JHU_Greco’s Vocal Chords, the Octopodes, Kranti (a South Asian American fusion group), and the All-Nighters. It was really fun; my favorite song of the night was “One Semester of Spanish Love Song” sung by the Mental Notes.

After that, we headed back to the AMRs. On the way, we passed Relay for Life. For some reason, I thought that Relay for Life was a 4K run. However, Relay for Life is really awesome; people form teams and walk for 12 hours. One person from the team has to be on the track at all times. Sydney and I didn’t sign up, but we decided to go for a walk anyway.

A crystal-clear picture of Sydney walking with some friends

Since I was so hungry from all that walking and sitting and watching and French art analysis, I decided to get one of the most delicious cupcakes that one of the booths was selling. They were true JHU_Sydney’s blog to find out more.

YAY food!

After that, I went with the Center for Social Concern and volunteered at the Mini Day of Service at a local farm in Baltimore. It was really fun and  the time went very quickly. I even forgot about Prince William for a while.

So, it was a fun weekend! I learned that I eat a lot of cupcakes and like opening my mouth in pictures! And as my lovely roommate said, Prince Harry’s cuter.

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It’s Friday, Friday, Friday— gotta get down on Friday!

JHU_Kate T.

ONE WEEK LEFT! I can’t believe that this term is almost over; I am almost a sophomore! Exactly one year ago, I was studying for A.P exams and getting excited about coming to Hopkins. I had no idea what to expect; college seemed like a dream at the time. What should I bring? What do I need to buy? Who do I need to say goodbye to before I leave? There was so much to do before I left for Baltimore last August, and I enjoyed every minute of that summer. I will be working for most of this summer, but I am still really excited to go home and catch up with all my friends.

With the term about to end, I feel like I have so much to do! I have a lot of work, but there are also a lot of fun events going on! First off, yesterday was the Homecoming game. We played Loyola- and won! GO HOP! Every student sits in “The Nest,” the student section. President Daniels was there too (he was helping the Blue Jay shoot t-shirts into the stands…you know, normal President stuff).

President Daniels with the Blue Jay!

On Friday, there is an a cappella concert and the Beach Party! Hoodie Allen is performing- check out Pep Rally!

Then, reading period starts, followed by finals. I leave on the 19^th. I can’t imagine my room being empty again- my Royce House room has been home for an entire year! I love every inch of it- even though I should probably get around to doing some spring-cleaning…

Stalking the mascot, nbd

Even though I am getting a little emotional about leaving, the one thing I am happy to be done with is Physics. It has been the bane of my existence since the year began, and our ongoing battle it almost over. I think I might even appreciate it a little more once I’m done. Some people love Physics…I wish I understood how that is possible. Regardless, getting rid of my enormous Physics textbook is something I am seriously looking forward to (even though that means replacing it with an Organic Chemistry textbook, but that’s an entirely different story).

GO HOP!

There are so many elements to the college experience, that it’s a little hard sometimes to decide what I enjoy the most about it. I love all the people here, the campus, the classes (most of them), and the professors. What’s even harder is deciding what I am going to miss the most over the summer. I think I am going to miss being around all my friends all the time, maybe even the FFC a little!!

Spring Fair fun!

Anyway, making the college decision is probably one of the most difficult decisions you will make. For me, I just felt a great connection to Hopkins when I came to visit, and I knew that this was the place for me. While some people may not have felt that, it is important to go to the school that you could see yourself. So far, Hopkins has been an amazing experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Good luck on your decision day- hope to see you in the fall!

Hey y’all! I’m back, and ready to tell you about the best day of the Johns Hopkins food year-Sterling Brunch!

So on a couple special days of the year, FFC goes out of its way to be classy. Yup, at Hopkins, we’re classy. This involves many delicious foods that satisfy every delicious craving!

For those with a sweet tooth:

Milkshakes! -I got a chocolate milkshake and put some oreo pieces in it! Scrumptious?!?!?!? I think so.

Milkshake-yummmmmmmm :)

Cupcakes! – A lovely display. Including chocolate, vanilla, and the un-frosted variety (though, who eats un-frosted cupcakes? For real. If you’re gonna have a cupcake, you might as well go all out.)

JHU_Kate had a cupcake with her smoked salmon!

Donuts!- As my friend Stephen just said, “Mmmmm. Donutssssss.” FFC actually has these everyday for breakfast, along with a wonderful assortment of other breakfast pastries that will help you achieve your dreams of the freshman 15!

For those who are reallllll classy:

Shrimp!- Every Sterling Brunch there is a variety of seafood. This time it included Grilled Swordfish, Oyster Soup, Smoked Salmon, and Peel & Eat Shrimp!

Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice!- FFC is really good at listening to requests. At the beginning of the year, someone requested fresh-squeezed orange juice, and my oh my, they got a huge juicer machine! FFC orange juice makes juice classy.

Me enjoying mah juiceeee.

For those who want soul food:

Music!- Ok. I guess I lied a little about this one. The food wasn’t soul food, but there was a jazz trio to provide us with some entertainment, and it surely hits your soul!

Like my creeper pic of part of the band? Lolz.

So that was my morning of good eatin’. I’m pleased to say that FFC is probably superior to most college cafeterias, and this just proves it. So keep your food classy and come to Hopkins. :)

Marie Antoinette said, “LET THEM EAT CAKE.”

What Johnny Hop said was soooooo much better.

Ready to hear about something cool? Good. Because I was going to tell you anyway.

So recently, Hopkins hosted a brand new festival called the Hopkins Art Festival, and here is literally what happened: Stephen, Aisha, and I walked into the Mattin Center, our arts-centered building, and they told us “Well, in this room is cake decorating…” and we ran into the room. I mean, the lady was still talking, but we were WAY too excited. So what did we do? We each got to decorate our own cake for FREE. Yes, I said FREE. My suitemate (for this year and next year)  had the coolest dinosaur cake ever. I was sooo jealous. I like my cake, too. And Stephen…is…erm…original. Hahaha (But he is actually the best chef out of all three of us. He’s made our suite crepes before).

Then after that, Stephen went to learn calligraphy while Aisha and I learned how to sew a foldable book. Aisha and I were pretty unsuccessful…but we tried! Then all three of us tried the craft table run by the on-campus group SHINE.  Aisha and I made roses out of duct tape. They were so simple to make and they turned out really cool! We actually decided to join the group SHINE because we like to craft and like what the group stands for. They actually sell or donate all the crafts they make. For instance, the duct tape roses are going to be given to cancer survivors at Relay for Life.

Duct Tape Rose

My cake

We didn’t even have time to try to do every craft. There were bracelets and pins and sooo much more. JHU_Kate even went to a wearable art fashion show. Hopkins isn’t really known for the arts (even though we have the best art history program in the country), and I like that it is trying to expand in the right direction. Want to see it expand more? Well then, silly goose, come to Hopkins! I honestly can’t wait to see where it is going to be by senior year!

A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog about the “hidden gems” of Hopkins that I had recently discovered (check it out here: http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/2014/2011/02/hidden-gems/). Well, I have discovered many more gems already! If you ever get a chance, maybe at SOHOP or when you’re in the area, try to see the gems for yourself.

- One World Café. Many SAABers have raved about this place so I decided to check it out. It is right across the lacrosse field, a short walk from the AMRs and rec center. I absolutely loved it. The food was so unbelievably good and I loved the bohemian vibe. One World Café is actually vegetarian and vegan, and almost everything is organic. I love how this place has many healthy options (helps you avoid the freshman 15!) at such an affordable price. The coffee is fair trade too. If you ever get the chance to go there, be sure to try go on the weekends – brunch all day long!  Check out their website here: http://www.one-world-cafe.com/.

One World Café

- Ever worry about getting refills or prescriptions from a pharmacy? Many students don’t know that there is actually a pharmacy (Rite Aid) on campus. It’s in the basement of Wyman Park Building, which is right next to Mason Hall, the admissions building. I’ve found it to be very convenient. It’s definitely a lot better and easier than taking a cab/bus to go to a nearby pharmacy.

- AMR II Gildersleeve provides a fantastic view of the baseball field. Several of my friends live in Gildersleeve and sometimes I end up going to their room to watch the baseball game right outside their window. You basically get a front row’s seat without the risk of getting hit by a baseball!

A perfect view

- Tamber’s. If you ever have a craving of some authentic, good Indian food, then Tamber’s is the answer. As a matter of fact, JHU_Tess wrote a blog on it (http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/2014/2010/11/breaking-bread-in-b-town/). I believe it was JHU_Tess that got JHU_Clint addicted to it, and it was JHU_Clint who has made me Tamber’s number one fan! As a matter of fact, JHU_Clint had brought some chicken tikka masala to a SAAB meeting and ever since then, I have chicken tikka masala at least once a week (with that being said, try the chicken tikka masala). You can see their menu here: http://www.tambersrestaurant.com/.

- The cherry blossom trees. Hopkins is laden with the pink trees in the spring. They are such a beautiful sight. If you visit Hopkins in the months of April and ay, you are sure to see and smell them!

The cherry blossom trees

- SPRING FAIR. I would say this is the biggest gem of Hopkins. As a freshman, I had no idea what to expect. On Thursday, vendors began to show up. I saw booths for funnel cakes, Philly cheesesteaks, and so many different ethnic foods. I felt like a five year old kid again. Memories came back: when I was little, my family always went to the nearby county fairs. Of course, I went straight to the funnel cakes. Spring Fair is still going on as I write. So far, we’ve had so many events: Chiddy Bang, a rave party, a mechanical bull, fireworks, and so much food!

So much food!

Philly cheesesteaks, cheese fries, and fried oreos = heaven

Spring’s a perfect time to explore Hopkins and discover the many hidden gems. With the beautiful weather and the cherry blossom trees, you’re bound to fall in love with Hopkins like I did.

FRONT ROW!

Fried oreos, great weather, and a MOON BOUNCE. Ah yes, Spring Fair 2011 has arrived. It’s the most exciting event on campus, and makes you want to run out from classes like you were 5 years old. Vendors have set up their stands all over campus with adorable handcrafted jewelry and knick-knacks. Most importantly, there are Human Hamster Balls set up somewhere…I just need to find them (and I’m not exactly sure why we even have them).

Booths on Gilman Quad

Spring Fair is the perfect way to indulge the Spring Fever that has been setting in for all of us lately. It seems as though everyone is on the beach whenever they get the chance. It’s a great way for all of us to bond and have fun. On Thursday night, there was an amazing fireworks show near Mason Hall. Thursday was also the first day of SOHOP (Student Open House Overnight Program) on campus, so tons of newly admitted students were perusing the campus, and got to see that Hopkins really is a great place where students love to have fun!

Enjoying Spring Fair food!

With all these distractions coming up this weekend, I have really had to prioritize my work. I have forced myself to finish as much work as possible to be able to enjoy myself in the coming days. Last night there was an a cappella concert and Chiddy Bang is came (I LOVE their Kids Remix!). I FIST POUNDED CHIDDY BANG.  El Clasico is also today (Barcelona vs. Real Madrid soccer game) and my friends and I are going to watch it. Needless to say, there seems to be just TOO much to do on campus right now!

FRONT ROW!

It is the best break ever from the waning days of yet another round of midterms. I am so excited to be able to just relax and be able to enjoy just how gorgeous campus is right now. I can’t believe that my freshman year is almost over. I think I am ready for summer to be here though!

We picked classes yesterday!

Fall 2011:
Organic Chemistry 1
Nervous Systems 1
Organic Chemistry Lab
Intro to Psychology
Research

Hope you enjoy my Spring Fair pictures!

NEWS FLASH: Johns Hopkins is adding another S to the university name. Sick and tired of the misspellings and the constant confusion, President Ron Daniels confirmed he was going to add another S to the end of “Johns”. The new formal name will be “Johnss Hopkins University”. This name change will start today as they start painting the new JHU signs.

They even enlisted students to help change the signs

The bookstore is putting any piece of clothing with the word “Johns” on sale at a highly discounted price. Anything with just the word “Hopkins” will stay in the store at regular price. The new products with the new “Johnss Hopkins” logo will start to phase in throughout April, so that the newly admitted students can buy the official and correct JHU gear before they start classes in August 2011.

New gear at the Bookstore

New Sweatshirt

Many students and faculty were confused about the change. “Why are we adding a S when people tend to forget the other one in the first place?” rambles H. Gemma Wells, a writing seminars and physics double major, “It’s also a bit awkward. I kinda have to hiss at people when saying our name. Try it: Johnss Hopkins. Maybe we’ll have more snakes on campus. Gross.”

Hermonie Frange, a history, biology, and chemistry triple major with a double minor in french and art history, said that it was quite abrupt. She says, “I was just reading Today’s Announcements when I saw that there was a new name. It was a bit bizarre.”

Infamous Today's Announcements

Ron Daniels, the president of Johnss Hopkins University, states, “The adding of the “s” encourages students to really state that “s” when they are speaking. I really like it. I’m actually thinking of adding it to my name. Ron Danielss- I like the sound of that.” When asked about the possibility of people writing the original university name, he quotes Meatloaf “2/3 [of the "s"s] ain’t bad”.

Applicants for the class of 2016 are frantically calling the admissions office, wondering which spelling to use in their application. Admissions_Daniel, an admission officer and the head of the Student Admissions Advisory Board (or SAAB for short), states, “Use Johnss Hopkins. It shows that you read the news about JHU.” An insider tip says including Rebecca Black in your admissions essay will improve your chances of getting in.

Since this will require a lot of time and effort, they are starting the changes today, April 1st, and it will take 4 to 1 weeks to complete.

April FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats to the Class of 2015! We’re so excited to meet you!