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)

My freshman dorm - cleaning isn't really my strong point.

With only 27 days left until my highly anticipated return to the Charm City, I have already started packing for my move back in to Hopkins. I have loved being home here in Ridgewood with my friends and family, am having the best time at my internship at Teen Vogue, and got some much needed relaxation this summer – but I am ready for the school year to start again. I miss my friends from Hopkins, have the perfect schedule of classes lined up for Fall Semester and am positively itching to be back on campus again. August 21^st really just can’t come soon enough.

Organizing what stuff will be coming with me down to Baltimore got me thinking about what items were really essential to my existence as a college student. I remember worrying last August about matters like would I have enough staples in my room, wondering what items I would need to get me through this upcoming year. With two semesters of college behind me, I have finally figured out what I need to “live on my own”.

So, to help give you perspective/incoming students some direction in your pre-college shopping, I have decided to dedicate this blog to 10 Things in my Dorm I Could Not Live Without.

1. Rain boots.
   

   Thanks to these, puddles were never an issue while walking to class.

   Girls this one is mainly directed at you, but fashion-forward guys, pay attention. There is no worse feeling than sitting in lecture, unable to concentrate because you are thinking about the on setting hypothermia in your cold wet toes, or how you just ruined that new pair of shoes in the rain. Invest in a pair of rain boots prior to your arrival, and you (and your feet!) will thank yourself later. Along the same lines, make sure you bring a waterproof coat as well.

2. Picture frames. Although my adjustment to Hopkins and college life in general was about as smooth as possibly imaginable, there were times that I felt homesick and really missed my loved ones from home. I found that decorating my room with pictures of my friends and family not only helped me with adjust to being away from them, and also made my dorm room feel cozier and more like my own. So make sure to take some time before you leave to flip through some photo albums and pack a few of your favorite pictures to put up in your new room.
3. DVDs. Having movie nights with friends is one of my favorite ways to relax at college. Bring a few classics from your family’s DVD collection, because there will be the odd Friday when no one feels like going out and a night in watching Step Brothers seems needed. Popping in an episode of Sex and the City was one of my favorite ways to take a short study break – the episodes are the perfect length of time to regain the mental strength needed to get back to the books.
4. Jansport backpack.
   

   Some of my favorite picture frames.

   Some of my friends have the supernatural ability to fit their laptops, textbooks and notebooks into these tiny, cute shoulder bags, but I have never mastered that art. I need a giant backpack to fit all of my stuff and I am not ashamed to say I love it. Though not particularly chic, the practicality of a backpack really just cannot be beat so I highly advise you all to bring a double-pocketed backpack with you to school.

5. iHome. I set up my iHome speakers in our suite’s bathroom so I could rather inconsiderately blast music while I showered. My best friend and suitemate Amanda can attest to the fact that I am quite the shower singer.
6. Blow-dryer. In those chilly Baltimore winters, it is impossible for girls to go outside with wet hair, so I highly advise investing in a blow-dryer so your hair does not freeze (fact: that has happened to me).
7. Surge protector. In my epic Bed Bath and Beyond trip last August, I purchased a long surge protector with seven different outlets. I proceeded to place this under my desk at school, and though I only realized it in retrospect, it was an integral part of my existence. In it, I plugged my cell phone and laptop chargers, my lamp, my blow-dryer and my iron. With the way dorm furniture is often set up, it can be difficult to access wall outlets, so a surge protector with several outlets is a complete necessity.
8. Nalgene.
   

   My favorite DVDs.

   The best way to stay hydrated in college is to carry around a reusable water bottle with you so you can refill it at any water fountain around campus. I never left the room without my Hopkins Nalgene.

9. Mattress pad. I can honestly say that my college existence was significantly happier, because of the wonder that is my mattress pad. Nothing makes me grouchier than having a bad night’s sleep, and the airy perfection that I slept on every night ensured that never happened. My advice is that if you are going to splurge on any pre-college purchase, treat yourself to a really gorgeous mattress pad. You will be thanking yourself all year long.
10. Bounce dryer sheets. Although I can never get my laundry at school to smell as good as when my mom does it for me at home, using Bounce dryer sheets definitely helps. My best friend Amanda insists on putting five dryer sheets in per load because she wants her towels and clothes to smell “delicious” but I find one or two usually does the trick.

Loving every minute of Hopkins!

When I started my college search process almost two and a half years I had no idea what kind of school I was looking for, which is maybe how some of you prospective students are feeling now. The entire process can be extremely overwhelming, and in the beginning it is difficult to discern what features of an institution are important to you.

I found that the only way I could discover what characteristics I was looking for in a university was to actually visit the campus itself. So, after seeing 26 schools (!!!) with my family, I had finally formulated a list in my mind of what I valued most in a college. With that in mind, I made my 27^th and final college visit to Johns Hopkins University.

As I toured the campus on that December day of my senior year of high school, I was delighted to find that Hopkins fit every aspect of my extremely specific/odd criteria. As it turned out, it took seeing 26 versions of what I didn’t want in a college to what I did want. I have decided to dedicate this blog to outlining some of the features of Hopkins made it my dream school.

A breathtaking campus.

Building Uniformity. This might sound like a silly thing to put on my list, but I found after visiting several schools that I needed the buildings around the campus to have some sort of cohesion. It was aesthetically confusing and upsetting for me to be on campuses where two building right next to each other drew inspiration from completely different styles and periods of architecture. On the Homewood campus however, I immediately noticed the stunning consistency that is our Federal styled buildings with red brick and marble trim. I love being on a campus where its beauty is notable, even when I am walking to 9AM class first thing on a Monday morning. A fun fact about the buildings at Homewood is that it is the campus featured in the movie The Social Network!

Campus. This requirement goes hand in hand with the previous in that I decided that the college must have a campus. I looked at several schools in cities where there were not defined campuses, and I soon discovered that being on a campus was something very important to me. I loved the feel of a community that being on a campus brings, and the sense of unity of all being Blue Jays that one gets from living on Homewood.

One of the perks of living in Bmore - going to Orioles games!

City. However, despite my desire for a campus, I was also sure that I wanted to go to a college in a city, or in an area very close to a city. Although I am a product of suburban New Jersey, my house was also fifteen minutes from New York City, which made me confident I wanted to stay close to an urban environment. I worried that attending a school that was more remote would eventually feel somewhat suffocating to me, and I liked all the opportunities living in close proximity to a city provided. Baltimore has proven to be a fantastic place to live in, and I can’t wait to continue my exploration of its different neighborhoods.

School Colors. Another moderately ridiculous stipulation I had for my dream university was that it had school colors that worked with my skin tone. Now all three of my brothers laughed in my face when I shared this with them, but I maintain that it is an important factor to consider as you will be spending four years decked out in these colors. Fortunately, the Hopkins athletic colors are Columbia blue and black, which are extremely classy and look good on all skin tones. The Barnes and Noble Hopkins school store has an excellent collection of Blue Jay gear, and I always drag my parents there when they visit.

Everyone looks good in our school colors!

These were just a few reasons I fell in love with Hopkins – there were many other factors highlighted in previous blogs that made it my dream school, such as the emphasis on undergraduate research, the passionate student population, the excellent food options and the great study abroad opportunities. All in all, I was hooked on Hopkins from my first day on campus, and that enthusiasm for the school has only grown since.

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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"

A lot of the people at Hopkins this summer are taking classes, but I have been working in Dr. Wirtz’s Lab in the Center for Oncology in Engineering.  It has been a lot of fun working in this lab. I’ve learned a lot too! So, if my research work was a semester of school, these would be the classes:

Cellular Devices

I’ve learned so much about cells in my five weeks here. I learned how to pass, plate, and fix and stain. I’ve learned all about the cell- I can even give a tour of it! I’ve gotten to use some really interesting tools, including a very expensive microscope and a pipette that you just press a button and you get the exact amount you wanted. It’s really awesome. That’s one of the great things about research at Hopkins. My friend who’s here for a REU from another university said that she doesn’t want to go back to her school because we have great resources here to work on projects.

My very own lab notebook

What is Cancer?
I’ve learned a lot about what cancer is. My research project is finding physical markers in cancer cells to see if we can better diagnose cancer. My lab also has semi-weekly meetings where I get to learn all about other people’s projects; it’s really cool. I’ve become more attuned to cancer articles as well. I actually read this really interesting article the other day about how fasting before chemotherapy may help lessen the side effects.

The Art of Microscopy Photography
One of my favorite things to do is to take pictures on this very high-tech microscope. It takes a lot of work to get the picture, but the pictures are really clear and super interesting. I even found a heart shaped cell once!

My Personal Camera (Credit: Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Electives:

Compound Cryptography

When I entered the lab, I saw all this crazy letters. I didn’t know what anything stood for, so it all looked like Greek to me. Luckily, my grad student is very helpful in giving me the answer to these codes. Wikipedia is super helpful as well.

Tetris Addiction 101

On a less serious note, I also learned how addicting tetris is from one of my friends at lab. I learned the terminology: hard drop, soft trap, and T-spin. I actually learned that you can actually get addicted to tetris because the game increases your brain’s consumption of glucose. Weird, huh?

Addiction at its finest...

But, like Hopkins, my favorite part of this experience is the people. I really like my co-workers and Dr. Wirtz is a really great professor. He always comes around the lab to see how we are doing. When I did research at another school, I didn’t even see the professor once! The grad students are really nice as well; I fist bump one of them every time I see. Everyone was really welcoming into the lab and I am super grateful for that.

Research definitely is a big part of Hopkins as over 75% of students do get involved in some shape or form during their time here. Since there is such awesome research going on, we have a lot of opportunities to get involved. When I was talking to my friend from another university in the lab, he said that it is very difficult to get into labs at his home school and that only 10-15 kids per major will be involved. I am very happy to be at a university that allows me to get involved with this interesting research.

——————————————————–
Eureka! I think I found it!
Scientist JHU_Kate

College is the time of your life. A time where you will experience many things for the first time. During my freshman year, I experienced many new things like all incoming college students do – living away from home, meeting people from all over, and attending a completely brand new school.

But Hopkins is different. Not only you experience all of that, but even more. The things I’ve experienced here will always stay with me, for a lifetime. Over the past month here in Baltimore, I’ve been keeping a list of things and events that I experienced for the first time to just give you a sample. Here goes:

1. I’ve always read this item on many menus but it was just yesterday that I actually had it in Baltimore: Maryland crab soup. My boyfriend and I went to Gertrude’s at the Baltimore Museum of Art for lunch after his class and before my class. Two words: absolutely delicious.
2. July 4th fireworks over the Inner Harbor. It was my first time celebrating Independence Day away from home. My friends and I went to the Inner Harbor, had dinner at La Tasca (a cool place that serves Spanish tapas) and then saw the fireworks afterwards. I had never seen the Inner Harbor so crowded before!
   

   Fireworks! (Credit goes to my friend Suzy)

3. I attended my first Charles Village festival, a popular neighborhood festival that takes place in June where vendors from nearby gather and live bands provide entertainment.
4. First Baltimore storm!
   

   The downpour created a little river behind my apartment!

5. When my boyfriend and I were on our way to dinner in Towson, we came across the Towson Block Party, a street party that Towson holds every Friday night. It was neat seeing people of all ages and races – that’s one thing you will definitely notice here in Baltimore – the city is very diverse.
6. I went to my first rotating sushi bar in Towson – Kyodai Rotating Sushi Bar. You sit at a “bar” and the chefs are in the middle and they put their freshly made sushi on a “conveyor belt” that goes by and you pick what looks yummy. The price is determined by the color of the plate. It was so cool!
   

   Yum.

7. Because my boyfriend is from California, he saw his first lightning bug just recently. He continues to be completely fascinated by them!
8. He also experienced drinking out of a GLASS coke bottle for the first time at Carma’s (which has, by the way, the most delicious coffee and breakfasts). While I rarely see glass coke bottles served at cafés and restaurants back home, it seems to be pretty common in Baltimore.
   

   Aaron enjoying some old fashioned Coca Cola!

9. And last but not least, I’ve been cooking full meals for the first time. I’ve found it to be very fun and love to cook whenever I can. It’s definitely much harder when your time and budget is limited. I’ve found that it’s really helpful if I double my recipes – that way, I have leftovers for lunch and dinner. Additionally, it’s always handy to have the following ingredients on hand: onions, meat – such as chicken and turkey, beans, canned tomatoes, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, rice, pasta, and an assortment of vegetables, both fresh and frozen. Here’s some of the meals I’ve cooked so far:
   

   A favorite - turkey chili, which can be served with rice too

   

   Spaghetti with meatballs and sausage and the remaining sauce was frozen for future meals

   

   Mini pizzas on flatbread - a favorite one is pesto sauce with chicken, artichokes, and tomatoes (credit goes to my boyfriend!)

   

   Tomato bisque with Gruyere dijon mustard cheese toasts

   

   A favorite - chicken tikka masala with naan bread

   

   Fried rice (credit goes to my boyfriend!)

   

   And don't forget the dessert - pineapple upside down cake!

That’s all for now. In the end, Baltimore is truly a place to experience many unique firsts. My experiences may seem insignificant, but they mean the world to me. I’ll always cherish them. Most of all, I will always cherish the times I spent with my boyfriend and friends experiencing these things. So, with that being said, to all the future Blue Jays – get ready for the time of your life.

This post is completely dedicated to all my gorgeous friends who have either just graduated from high school or are  just beginning their college searches. I went home this week to take a break from Orgo and had the opportunity to finally spend time with some of my closest high school friends, all of whom have been questioning me endlessly about my freshman year. Since a number of my friends are just about to go off to school for the first time, they’re nervous about fitting in, making friends, and creating all new lives for themselves away from Ithaca. My friends still in high school are struggling to find colleges that fit them and figuring out how to condense their lives into the Common Application. Since I’ve had some heart to hearts about everything from roommate trouble to Greek Life with my friends Lily, Kelly, Cassie, and Gelly, here is my official advice blog regarding freshman fall with the issues I realize are most poignant for incoming freshmen.

My little prodigies, Cassie, Kelly, Lily, and I at my graduation last year!

1. Even if you really don’t feel like it, always say yes to doing something social. I have never, in my entire Hopkins career, regretted going to a party or meeting my friends for dinner. While I’d love nothing better than to stay in my pajamas and watch netflix all weekend, it’s important to take advantage of social life wherever you go to school because there is no other experience like college. It’s definitely important to find a balance between school, activities, and social life; but especially in the early days, every social event presents potential for new friends and a ton of fun.

2. If everyone on campus knows who you are after first semester, you’re doing something wrong. I know it sounds weird, but as I was telling my friend Cassie, never underestimate the power of being under the radar – especially at first. I know I came from a high school where I was a big fish, so it was definitely a shock to suddenly be one of many big fish in a gigantic pond, but there there’s something really great about going about your life with at least some anonymity. I like that I have carved out a little life for myself where I do have a large community of friends and acquaintances who think highly of me, but I’m still meeting new people all the time who don’t raise their eyebrows when I introduce myself or somehow already know my name (I hope, discerning reader, that you know what I’m getting at). At a school as large as Hopkins, there are very few ways to have the majority of the student body recognize your name, and I can’t really think of any that are positive.

3. Freshman year friendships mimic elementary, middle, and high school ones. O week is completely like elementary school, where the people you are around become your best friends. Then, like middle school, during the rest of the semester you might develop another set of friends that, while based on concrete qualities, might be much more shallow than significant. However, by the Spring, your friendships are similar to the ones you had senior year of high school. They are meaningful and feel as if they make sense; you click in more ways than just having similar clothing styles or a favorite fraternity to frequent, and you feel comfortable and entertained whenever you’re around them. The best part of the whole progression is that it’s something almost everyone goes through, so there’s very little awkwardness involved with the friends you didn’t stay close with after the first few months of school.

Kelly and Lily, my two best friends who just graduated Ithaca High School!

4. Wait to go back to school clothes shopping until you’ve evaluated what clothing you’ll actually need for college. I didn’t realize how many going out and formal outfits I would need (thank you Facebook for documenting every weekend outfit so I can never repeat a dress or skirt!) and I was so glad that I’d saved money so I could go shopping a number of times during the fall. Also, as unfortunate as it sounds, you might gain weight freshman year and you’re going to want to be able to buy clothes that actually fit. It’s a fact of life that most people gain weight in college and there’s nothing wrong with it; there is a huge problem, however, when you’re wearing jeans two sizes two small or a shirt that doesn’t cover your bra!

5. There is absolutely no reason you should be looking for a relationship. I was in a number of serious relationships throughout high school, so I really wanted the opportunity to see if I could operate on my own in college. However, I have friends who were basically on “boyfriend searches,” something that tended not to go so well for them. My mom has a saying “With love is like health insurance, the ones who want it the most can’t get it.” If you’re actively on the prowl, ask yourself why? You have the rest of your life to be operating in tandem with someone else. Enjoy the first few months (or years!) of college independently. Establish your own routine before adding someone else’s wants and needs into the mix. And, there’s nothing more annoying than that friend that’s always complaining about not having any boys in her life; DON’T BE THAT FRIEND!

6. Make every effort to stay in touch with your friends from home, but don’t stress if you don’t talk daily or even weekly or monthly. I have some friends, like Chaney, who I talk to every single day, no questions asked. But then friends like Jacob or James, I don’t need to talk to all the time to know we’re  going to still be close and when we’re hanging out, it’s like nothing has changed at all. As long as you put in the effort to see each other over breaks and have a good friendship foundation to begin with, you should have NO trouble staying close.

7. If you’re wondering if you made the right decision to not go to school near home, think about this. There is something so special about creating your OWN life for yourself in a new city; finding that coffee shop where they always know your order, discovering tiny tapas bars or a frozen yogurt place that you could recommend to anyone, being able to make jokes about certain local customs that you’d have to explain to friends. You want to be able to be the one giving the directions when your parents come to visit and the one telling your friends about the cute neighborhoods you go on runs in. You’ll always be able to go back to your hometown and know that, no matter what, it’s still your base. But don’t underestimate the wonder in knowing TWO cities inside and out and having a life that is completely separate from the one you grew up with. Sometimes I’m a little jealous that my friends from Cornell get to sleep at home whenever they want or have their mom still do their laundry. But then I realize they also are eating at the same places they’ve been eating at for the last eighteen years, still getting their coffee at Collegetown Bagels, shopping at Urban Outfitters on the Commons. That’s not really growth, is it? Obviously while you’re away, a few things might change and you might forget all the shortcuts to your friends’ houses. But your hometown will ALWAYS be there; you don’t need to be there every day to make sure it doesn’t disappear.

Chaney, my best friend, and I still talk more or less continuously, every single day.

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.

When I was in second grade, I wanted to be a pasta maker. I was over being a teacher or dancer or an engineer; I read a book about making pasta and fell in love with the profession. This may have been a noble profession for me, but I have to let you in on a secret. I am not a skilled cook; unfortunately the skills fairy sprinkled a sixth sense for cookie locations instead of the ability to create them. I’ve kind of been in denial about this for a while, but I finally came to face the facts today when I made some cookies for my lab. What is this mysterious lab? I’ve been working in Dr. Wirtz’s Lab in the Engineering in Oncology Lab. I took a few weeks after my finals to relax, but then I returned to Hopkins, but not to study, but to work.

Very high quality picture of my cookies

Back to one of my favorite topics: cookies. These cookies have a very weird consistency and are oily at the bottom, but gooey at the top. They’re weird tasting and they took me 2 hours to make. This took me back to my FFC days where I ate numerous cookies that were warm and moist and delicious and available whenever I wanted them. I brought them to the lab, but I wasn’t proud of them. (Everyone in the lab said they were good, but that’s one of the things I like about my lab, they are all very nice). One of my projects this summer will be to learn how to make good cookies, now that I’m not living in the dorms.

Since I’m staying here till August, I needed to find housing (since the university only has housing during June and July). I looked at Craig’s List and Padmapper. I also looked at the Hopkins Off-Campus Facebook Page and registry which was really helpful in connecting me with Hopkins students that were willing to sublet for the summer. I contacted a bunch of people, visited, and signed my first sublet/lease papers. I learned the farther in advance you plan, the more options and time you’ll have to figure out the housing situation which will help me when I look for housing next year. It’s different living in an apartment than the dorms. In the dorms, your RA was there to answer questions and unlock your door.

Also, I’ve gone grocery shopping for my parents, but it’s completely different shopping for yourself on your own budget. You cannot shop when you’re hungry or you’ll buy everything that you see. I learned to not buy all carbs or protein or fats because you need a balance of all (my first shopping trip contained the produce section and nothing else). I learned to buy some things that don’t need to be prepared or take little time for those days when I am absolutely exhausted. I also learned that Giant is more expensive than Eddie’s (and yes, I actually went to each store and wrote down the prices to see which was cheaper).

When I think about it, it’s a good transition. After I finished my freshman year, I asked my dad what surprised them about Hopkins. My dad said that he was surprised that Hopkins became my starting point for all my adventures. Hopkins has provided me with many resources to go off and do awesome stuff. However, the thing I like most about these opportunities is that we’re given choices. I am starting to prepare for the real world.

I Can Dress Like A Hon if I Want To, I Can Leave My Cares Behind

Let’s be real. Most people think summertime is a chance to be unrelentingly lazy. I completely support this ideology. As such, I have become an avid “stumbler” in my spare time. For those of you who don’t know, stumbleupon.com is just about the coolest site in the world. After choosing some basic interests, stumbling allows one to explore the internet and arrive at random sites. Stumbleupon is essentially the force of fate connecting you to the coolest websites ever. It has completely changed my life…sort of. After stumbling across (it sounds more sophisticating than it actually is) an 8-track of Kid Cudi mashups, I have decided to go to his concert for The Cud Life Tour in Baltimore!

On a smaller scale, stumbleupon allows you to like or dislike websites so your browsing experience can be tailored to exactly what you want to look at. Over the course of the summer, my stumbleupon consists of blogs, shoe websites, and dessert recipes…(you can take what you want from that). Anyways, yesterday I stumbled to a blog called The Burning House. It asks people to send in pictures of around 10 things they would take with them if their house was burning down. I loved seeing the differences among peoples’ posts: age, gender, nationality, etc all determined what items a person would bring. Most of them were far from practical, like taking your entire collection of Harry Potter paraphernalia. I started to collect of all the things that were sentimentally important to me: photos of family, the fam itself, the dog, my phone, some clothes, etc.

I stopped when I saw the one response by a man whose house had actually burned down, and he decided to take only 3 things: tekite (a rock) , his parrot, and laptop with a hard drive. He went on to say that he would even just take the parrot if he didn’t have any time. So that’s when I decided to completely change my perspective. Choosing what is truly important to you is extremely difficult. Assuming EVERYTHING you own, besides around 10 items, is completely destroyed, it is hardly an easy task to decide what you want to keep and what to leave behind. So I had to filter down my immense collection of random crap.

This is what I ended up with.

Epic modeling by the dog.

Besides my family…
1. THE DOG
2. Phone- it contains almost my entire life.
3. Laptop- it ACTUALLY contains my entire life, but actually.
4. Keys to my 1999 Honda Accord (lovingly called Swaggerwheelz).
5. Wallet (with ID, $$, etc)
6. Watches- even though I would probably already be wearing one ‘cuz I loves me a watch.
7. Books- The Genius of Andy Warhol and Alfred Hitchcock’s Biography It’s Only a Movie (I’m really into biographies at the moment).
8. Running Shoes- DID YOU RUN ON NATIONAL RUNNING DAY (June 1st?!)
9. Purse- already holding a clip for ma hair, my fav shades, my magic wallet with train and Lax game stubs, and my all important gloss/ lip balm.
10. Moleskins and a pen- to write all the stuff that goes on in my mind.

I have never considered myself a very emotional person, but I have to say that this was rather difficult. However, I think that being a minimalist is one of the most valuable characteristics a person can have. Simplicity, in other words, is more practical and beautiful. Being able to confidently say that the 10 items I chose are a condensed version of me, was really satisfying. I am sure that my current collection of items would be starkly different from the items I would have chosen last summer (when I didn’t even have my license, and would probably forgo my book for a copy of Anchorman-which remains one of my favorite movies). I guess that means that I can safely go on in life and continue to add more to it. The premise of The Burning House is intriguing, and it made me think for the first time in a while since the beginning of this summer. Thank you stumbleupon.com.

For fun, I also asked my little brother to do the same thing. His 13 year-old self chose the following:

he clearly doesn't need ANYTHING else.

1. Laptop

2. Phone

3. Spikes

4. iPod

5. Soccer ball- he’s obsessed

6. Lax stick

7. Duck that he sewed in class

8. Xbox

9. Soccer Jersey (like I said, he’s obsessed)

10. Hat

ENJOY THE HEAT!

P.S: I got the first Daily Announcement email from Hopkins in a while and alls I can say is that: I MISS YOU JOHNNY HOP!

MISS YOU!!