Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Missing Crickets

Posted by | Posted on August 8, 2012
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One of the valley dudes who changed my life this summer

It has taken me exactly 29 hours, 3 minutes, and 46 seconds to adjust to life back in the city. The moment of realization? Enjoying my first sip of a banana chai freeze in a vegan cafe while writing this blog and listening to Franz Ferdinand’s Take Me Out. (Incoming freshman: where can you find this experience? One World Cafe! A short walk from the freshman quad).

I’m not going to lie, my first few hours back in Baltimore yesterday made my head spin. I have spent the past three months climbing trees and playing with kids, where the loudest noise I encountered was the hum of the weed-wacker by a field of grazing cows. When I laid down for a nap after work in my friend’s apartment my first day back, a few questions began looming: how had I forgotten how noisy the city is? How long would it take me to exchange crickets and quiet nights for the jazz music and sharp laughter the city sidewalk produces?

Not to mention a few other things: my time at the valley is over. And this doesn’t only mean my time forty feet in the air surrounded by leaves and spiders and fields, this also means my time part of a loving community with many people who made this summer the best one of my life. (Not to get TOO sappy…). Of course, it is not really over. I will be working odd weekends during the fall as a facilitator for Genesee and will stay in touch with many of these great people. Plus, as cheesy as it may sound, what they have taught me will carry through into my life at Hopkins.

My last day hanging out at the valley (with my family!)

And speaking of my life at Hopkins, the creeping feeling of “it is great to be back!” did in fact overcome me in fewer than thirty hours, for there is something about Hopkins kids and this city that is undeniably unique. I am working my job as a pre-orientation director for the next eight-ish days (can’t wait to meet all you pre-o kids!), and it is hard to explain the value of a Hopkins-nerd in an office setting. Computer problem? You can bet there’s a dude next to you who speaks Mac better than the Apple Store folks themselves. On top of that, I have missed the random idiosyncracies of Baltimore-ians and the convenience of the city itself. Starbucks within a block? This is always a pro.

Though it has been a crazy turnaround, I can say these past hours have left me happy with where I am now. I get to wake up every morning, walk through a city I know and love, and hang out with some pretty awesome people all day. This upcoming semester is looking better all the time, and who knows? Maybe I’ll hear crickets outside of Charles Commons sooner than I know.

 

Blue jays, Masala, and Chai, Oh My!

Posted by | Posted on July 23, 2012
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I am super excited right now because I will be going to India next week to visit all my relatives! I have a HUGE family…about 30 first cousins and 50 second cousins and a million uncles and aunts…and only two weeks to visit all of them; it’ll be like running a marathon! A majority of my family is from South India, so I will be spending a majority of my time there, speaking nothing but Kannada (one of the hundreds of national languages of India) each day. So if I come back to Hopkins in the fall and say something to you in a strange, bazaar foreign language, it’s because I would have forgotten how to speak English. (Just kidding, that won’t happen!)

In addition to visiting family, I am very much looking forward to all the delicious, traditional, culture-rich Indian food that I will be eating every day:

Like masala flavored french fries...

...and paneer pizza...

...and not to mention, CHAI !!

Although the above are great, I was really referring to something more like this:

An Indian appetizer called "Papdi Chaat"! It is incredibly delicious!

I think I have one more blog to go, so I will definitely share about my trip to India! But for now, something far more pressing has come up. I was scrolling through the files on my computer looking for pictures to use for this blog when I came across this little gem:

candy shaped like a heart (the organ) and brain pencils!

I thought it was really cute so I thought I’d share! Back at Hopkins, during orientation week last year, we had open houses for all the academic departments where faculty from each department spoke about the classes and what each major has to offer. I got the heart-shaped candy and pencils at the Neuroscience open house. If I remember correctly, they had a bunch of other organ-shaped candies you could choose from. They also give out a ton of other cute stuff like brain-shaped stress balls and a Neuro major’s lanyard. The information session is pretty neat as well, so go to the Neuroscience open house during orientation if you’re interested!

Lastly, I took my Differential Equations final exam last week at Rutgers University! It was a pretty sentimental moment for me since it was my last pure math class EVER (from this point forward, the math I will learn will be applied to my major). Luckily, the final exam went well and I feel like I owe it all to the blue jays that sat outside the building hall where I took my exam. Yes, actual blue jays! On the day of my exam, as I was walking towards the classroom, I saw blue jays chilling at Rugters.

Oh hey there!

In the eight weeks I had taken the class, not once had I seen a blue jay walking around the campus until of course, the very last day when I saw FOUR! I was beyond convinced they were there to cheer me on or something. I am not kidding; just the sight of the blue jays gave me a bigger boost of confidence than a Starbucks doubleshot would ever have. And along with all of that, I saw them again during the exam perched outside the classroom window. I swear, I am neither going crazy nor making up superstitious claims in my favor. Those blue jays were there and they were good luck!

Wendy and the Lost Boys

Posted by | Posted on July 22, 2012
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Last Friday afternoon after work, I meandered to my mailbox and examined my camper list for the following week. My jaw almost hit the floor as I scanned the page: the list consisted of eleven adolescent boys. A lump of anxiety grew in my stomach as I considered the assortment of braces, acne, bad attitudes and raging testosterone that would approach me in two short days… How could I ever handle these  ”young men”? As far as I was concerned, 14-year old males were an entirely different species.

My younger campers completing nitro

It turns out that I wasn’t entirely wrong. The boys arrived on Monday morning, and after explaining some rules I took them to their first activity: a low element called “nitro.” The younger campers generally love nitro because of its simplicity; the goal is to get the entire group standing on a 3×3 ft wooden box by swinging over to it on a rope swing. When they are all on the box, they have to sing me a song to complete the element. Sounds easy, right? Nitro takes the younger kids about 30 minutes to complete, depending on their coordination. My boys were a different story. After half an hour of fruitless attempts (mostly because of their larger size), I aided them by allowing three hands to be on the ground in order to get everyone on the box. It wasn’t a pretty picture, but at least the boys were able to sing me a rendition of Call Me Maybe before we moved on.

Our first few moments as a group, I definitely felt like Wendy watching over a group of foreign lost boys. Yet as the days went on, our attitudes started changing. Inappropriate stories and cuss words began making their way into every conversation. Our schedule for each day soon became more like fluid guidelines for me and the boys. By Wednesday, I found myself rocking skater shorts and a backwards baseball cap while sprinting around the property playing an intense round of capture the flag. After the game, with my shirt soaked through with sweat, I came to a startling realization: Wendy had officially become one of the lost boys.

My boys' aided completion of nitro

There is something fascinating about the adjustability of leadership. On Friday, my sister came by to hang out with my group and commented: “How can you put up with them? They’re so crazy!” to which I responded “I actually think they’re pretty cool.” Though leadership is sometimes composed of strict enforcement and rules, it is more often than not reliant on fostering subtle connections so that people can have a good time. In other words, I think the week was more successful for me and the campers because we were buddies just playing around. After all, isn’t that the goal?

So, a couple of things I’ve learned in the past week: 1) adolescent men love Taco Bell more than anything on the planet, 2) high school nap time should definitely become a reality and 3) apparently I look like Justin Beiber when I wear a backwards baseball cap. I’d just like to thank those dudes for a really fun week and all of you readers too! I’ll be back in the fall with some more posts, but for now I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!

 

Tan Lines

Posted by | Posted on July 9, 2012
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Showing off our Teva/Keen tans

My skin tone is officially the darkest it has been in my almost-20 years on the planet. How do I know? Well for starters, my foundation that used to match my complexion effortlessly now makes me look like a ghost. Secondly, I have discovered a birth mark on my thigh that has only become apparent now that the skin around it is darker. And finally, I have the most insane tan lines I have ever experienced in my life.

Tan lines are strange things. Over the past few days, I have wondered whether they are badges of embarrassment or pride. On the one hand, they mark hours of sun exposure in this 100 degree northern Baltimore heat, which should be an accomplishment for anyone. However, they are also somewhat awkward, as my stomach and my forearm look like they are parts of two different organisms. So on this lovely morning reclining in my air-conditioned home, I cannot help but question: what should we think about these melanin-induced patterns that appear on our bodies?

Being a summer camp counselor is a much more demanding job than one would think. Apart from wrestling through the post-lunch haze brought on by dehydration and too much peanut butter, other challenges must be met on a day-to-day basis. For example, the feared “break down” of your 6th and 7th graders when they will absolutely refuse to get into a canoe with one another. Or the panic that your camper’s harness is just slightly out of place and they will somehow hurt themselves on the element you are climbing. Such are typical worries in a neurotic brain like mine. However, just like every obstacle, these concerns are just opportunities for great accomplishments (both for me and for my campers).

A few of my campers with their winning raft

Just the other day I had one of these moments. It was my first time ever doing archery at camp, and those of you who know me understand that I do not do hand-eye coordination sports for a reason. My fellow counselor and I went to practice before the day started (so I could at least marginally brief the activity), and with the scowling eye of an experienced archer on me, I was ecstatic to have at least hit the target (at 10 yards away…). With a sheepish amount of confidence under my belt, later in the day I went back to the field with my campers so they could try their hand at the sport. One of the kids was struggling, but with 15 minutes of patient focus and coaching he was finally able to hit the target. What a satisfying situation to have turned my diminished skill at an activity into a child’s greatest triumph.

I wonder if tan lines represent just that– the curious magic of mixing embarrassment and pride. In other words, recognizing your shortcomings but being able to use them for the betterment of others. Because though tan lines are strange, they do represent where we have come from and the things we have done with our lives. And also, just like my birthmark, they reveal parts of ourselves we weren’t sure existed.

Maybe this metaphor is a little too-extended, but all I know is that I am quite proud of these marks and have been showing them off to everyone. After all, as soon as the summer is over I will pale-up pretty quickly back at Hopkins, so why not live it up now? The moral of the story: I may be awkwardly tanned, but at least I am tan!

 

What? Planning for School Already?

Posted by | Posted on July 3, 2012
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Yes. This week, my suitemates and I have started planning for the new school year and basically brainstormed a list of all the essential and absolutely necessary things to bring for sophomore year! So far, our list consists of hair dryers, a coffee machine, a pink fuzzy rug, every Disney movie known to man, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a hammock chair, and a waffle maker. We’ve clearly sorted out our priorities. I’m actually really excited to be living with close friends this year; it’s going to be like one giant sleepover! I mean, school? What’s that?

Suitemates (and Chipotle!) on The Beach!

In planning for this year, I quickly found everything to become incredibly reminiscent of planning for my freshman year! It was actually around this time (more like mid-July) of last year that I got my roommate and housing information via email. I still remember the excitement of finding out my room number and being very eager to meet and get to know the two randomly selected people that would soon become my roommate and suitemate. We contacted each other right away, finding each other on facebook and posting on each other’s walls within minutes of getting our housing information! Soon, everyone was posting on the 2015 facebook page and looking at the dorm floor plans trying to figure out who their neighbors were. No joke, I think that entire day was spent on the facebook page figuring out who I was living near and friending everyone!

A week later, we started planning for freshman year, brainstorming a list of things to bring, much like what I’m doing right now. And even though I was planning for dorm life with two complete strangers, we were just as excited and enthusiastic as my friends and I currently are!

I even remember some of the brainstormed items! I know there is a lot of decision making involved in deciding what to bring to college, sometimes from multiple parties including yourself, parents/guardians, your roommate, even extended relatives, etc. One of the greatest dilemmas I had last year was deciding whether to bring a fridge or not. I decided against it (which was a mistake) but luckily, my roommate let me share hers! Here are some things from my freshman year list that I strongly recommend getting based on my experience:

  • A fan. If you live in the AMRs, a window fan might be convenient. If you live in the Buildings, it would be a good idea to bring a small desk fan for the winter. In my experience living in the Buildings, although it was temperature controlled, sometimes they would heat the buildings way too much in the winter. A fan definitely came in handy! I got the O2 Cool Portable Plus 5″ fan at Bed Bath and Beyond for $10.

  • Shower Shoes. There are some really nice fancy ones out there, but I just used flip flops from Old Navy. They are pretty inexpensive as well as waterproof, so they will last the full year!
  • A mini-fridge. We used this item on the list the most! My roommate rented a micro-fridge from the school and our suite shared it. If you rent from the school, it’s about $180 for the micro-fridge and about $140 if you want just the fridge. Many people split the cost among suitemates and share a fridge for the whole year. You can also find great deals elsewhere and bring your own!
  • A mini vacuum cleaner (along with other cleaning supplies). If you live in the buildings, you don’t have carpeting, so it’s really important to clean the floors frequently since they can quickly gather dust. I got the Dirt Devil Power Air Stick vacuum cleaner from Target at a sale price of $20. I did my shopping in mid-August when a lot of the back-to-school sales take place!
  • A Brita Filter water bottle. It’s not absolutely necessary since the tap water is clean and drinkable. In fact, my roommate and suitemate just used a regular water bottle. But if you are super paranoid like yours truly, you might as well invest in a Brita bottle! I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond for $10.

Of course, there were a million more things on the list; however, these were some of the items on my list that I consider super important. They definitely came in handy throughout the year!

I hope this is somewhat helpful when time comes for you to plan for freshman year! That time is coming up soon, for it’s almost mid-July:) But until then, spend your time watching fireworks, singing patriotic songs, and having a great 4th of July!

Adventures at the Valley

Posted by | Posted on June 23, 2012
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Me and some fellow counselors (after showering...)

Imagine this: you are on a lacrosse field overlooking a beautiful valley at dusk, armed with a pool noodle. Your group of campers is behind you eagerly (and rather unsuccessfully…) erecting a tent. Soon, you see a few silhouettes crest the hill on the opposite side of the field. Their faces are stained with mulberry juice as they approach you and  your campers– arms outstretched and moaning like zombies. Your fellow counselors are honing in on your campers quickly, and your heart rate increases as you chase after them and whack them with your noodle.

Such is a typical experience at the valley. My first week of counseling summer camp is over, and though my legs are bumpy with mosquito bites and I have reached a level of exhaustion unknown to me, I cannot wait for Monday to come again. For though we are “in charge” of these kids, it is quite the opposite that makes me come back each morning with a smile on my face. As evidenced by my enthusiasm running all over the property reenacting a zombie apocalypse, I am just as much of a kid as the campers I am watching over.

But there is more to this job than playing games and goofing off, which I have learned from how much I have grown as a leader over the past five days. Most of you know I am a ferocious planner and a perfectionist. However, this past Monday I began co-leading with a counselor who is the polar opposite of me: in the moment, willing to bend the rules, and completely free in spirit. As the days went on, his style of leadership wore off on me and culminated in one specific moment: the day when I pushed a kid off the big zip and dip.

The big Zip and Dip; the red circle is the sending platform!

I waited on a platform 40 feet in the air as one of my campers ascended the tree staples to join me. His anxiety was apparent as he sat down next to me and I explained some rules of zipping into the water. I unclipped him from the tree and told him he was free to scoot off whenever he was ready. No movement. I crouched next to him and tried to coax him into going for it. Still nothing. Minutes turned into more minutes, and the kids on the ground awaiting their turn began chanting his name. Soon my co-lead shouted up to the platform, “Just tell Zoe she has permission to give you some help!” I knew what it meant. Everyone knew what it meant. The camper’s wide eyes looked at me in fear. A few minutes later, with one hand on his tether and the other death-gripping the platform, the camper closed his eyes and said in the shakiest voice I have ever heard, “I give you permission, Zoe.” And that was that. I pushed the kid off the platform, and he had the best ride of his life.

Last week, chances are that I would have had that camper belayed back down the tree and he wouldn’t have conquered his fear. And neither would I! For though this child went rushing down a zip line from a tree two stories in the air, I also did something crazy: I adjusted my outlook on leadership and learned so much in the process.

I cannot wait for next week because of the fun games, the challenges, and the beautiful outdoors. As my fellow staff members and I constantly say, we have the best job in the world. But maybe the real lesson here is to not feel that I “cannot wait,” but rather to enjoy this cup of coffee in my breakfast room as I write this blog. Because maybe what the valley is really teaching me is about truly being present while calmly moving on to whatever life’s next adventures will be.

In the mean time while I learn this lesson, I am thrilled for my next foray into zombie survival or opportunity to help someone (or myself!) out of their comfort zone. I hope you are all enjoying whatever adventures this summer is throwing your way. Until next time!

 

People are wonderful.

Posted by | Posted on June 7, 2012
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HOLTing it up!

Hello again! I will start out this out by apologizing for my wrap-up blog from a month ago (I wasn’t aware at the time that we would be writing throughout the summer!). But at the same time, no apology is necessary because I get to chronicle my summer for you wonderful readers! In fact, that brings me to my next point and my main appreciation from the past month: people are wonderful.

I know you won’t believe me if a) you just got off of the highway at rush hour, b) you couldn’t get a refund for a product you were convinced would work or c) your child got a meager role in the school play. However, I will remind you of something that I am sure you already know: on the whole, people are generally quite amazing.

You may be wondering, “what brings you to this conclusion, Zoe?” and I will happily answer this question by detailing the following four experiences that have occurred in the past month. I hope your admiration for other people will be rejuvenated as you travel with me through my first month of summer.

Constructing the fountain (with trash bag pants)

1) HOLT: Picture this: You are about to begin a 10 day backpacking trip through West Virginia. You will be reliant on and isolated with 10 other people. They told you to bring 3 pairs of underwear. You will not have access to a shower. Egads! The fear! However, HOLT (Hopkins Outdoor Leadership Training) was a wild and wonderful ride. There is nothing like being in the middle of nowhere with others and reaching the point of woods crazy. Never been there? Woods crazy is like fifteen Diet Cokes (each!) and a surreal lack of inhibition. When people start crying with laughter while discussing the burial of pre-packaged chicken, you know you have connected with some funky and awesome people.

2) The Fountain: A few days after returning from HOLT, I went to the Jersey shore to visit some friends and observed a feat of epic strength: the assembling of a great fountain in my friend’s front yard. Not only was the determination and teamwork something to marvel at, but my friends’ ingenuity of using trash bags to avoid the fountain muck was something else entirely. The scene made a hilarious memory and photo simultaneously.

3) The Valley: My newest adventure brings me to Genesee Valley– a ropes course and outdoor learning center just two miles from my house. During training, I have encountered a wonderfully strange assortment of characters who are all committed to learning as much as possible while having fun (easier said than done!). In four days, our group of nine trainees and two leaders have climbed a twenty foot cargo net, robbed a bank, escaped from a chicken nugget farm and Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory (in the same morning!), and zip-lined a hundred feet in the air (to mention a few…). How can you not see the good in people after all of that?! (Though I suppose robbing a bank could detract from your opinion of someone…)

Chilling in the valley

4) Returning to Roland Park: Finally, this morning I was invited back to my high school to participate in a college search panel. When I returned, my friends at the valley asked me how it was and I had trouble conveying the amazingness of the moment. I ran cross country and track with some of these girls; I sang complex choral arrangements with some of these girls; I studied with some of these girls. Hopefully, some of them looked up to me, and there is nothing like returning to the place that truly made you who you are. I will give a shout out to them now (since they did say they stalk my blog!) and let them know that they have changed me and instructed me as much as I have (hopefully!) inspired them.

So that’s it for now! This summer is shaping up beautifully, and I can honestly say I have never felt more free and confident in my life. What’s the secret? I guess a few more months of reflection and experience will help me find out.

Some of my XC buddies (and coach on the right!) after the panel

Bentornati a New Jersey!

Posted by | Posted on June 3, 2012
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Right now I am relaxing in my back yard at home in Flemington, New Jersey, enjoying the beautifully sunny and breezy weather that only comes around at this time of year. It’s summer break for me and the rest of JHU! I am spending time with friends and family, working on some paintings, and most of all, catching up on all the TV shows I missed during the school year!

Friends from home

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Family (on Top of the Rock in NYC if you were wondering!)

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Painting

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The Office

= Epitome of awesome summer.

But wait…there’s more!

Recently I changed my major from Biology to Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, more commonly known as ChemBE. I decided to make the switch because I found that I really enjoy chemistry (if you couldn’t tell from some of my previous blogs), and the whole concept of taking raw materials and converting them into materials that are more usable simply fascinated me. It’s like Transfiguration from the world of Harry Potter (but with molecules instead of animals)!

I am really glad to have found a major that is more fitting for me and I am greatly looking forward to taking ChemBE classes next year; however, switching from Arts and Sciences to Engineering after my freshman year means there is a lot of catching up for me to do in terms of fulfilling requirements. This summer, I have enrolled in a Differential Equations class at Rutgers University, which is only a 40 minute drive from where I live. I am taking the class for credit since Differential Equations is a requirement for my new major (Many JHU students from New Jersey take summer classes at Rutgers University for credit since the credits do transfer). Taking the class over the summer allows me to fulfill one of my requirements while making room in my sophomore year schedule for other ChemBE classes to be taken on time. And I guess it also makes me feel productive and keeps me from the guilt of squandering time by having too much fun!

Feel free to ask me any questions about student life or Hopkins in general and I will answer them right away!

Also, congrats again to the Class of 2016! 3 more months to go!!

SOHOP

Posted by | Posted on April 12, 2012
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This is a post for admitted students. For those of you who did not get a chance to see the various posts by Admissions_Daniel, be sure to look at the following links:

Congratulations to all of those of you who were admitted! I will be posting my “Why Hopkins” blog in the next few days, so be sure to keep a look out for it.To those of you who did not hear as good news– keep in mind that college will be what you make of it, and I’m sure you can do well wherever you ultimately go.

SOHOP is the backronym for the open house program during the spring for admitted students here at JHU. For those of you who, like me when I was a pre-freshman, are not going to have the opportunity to be involved in this great program, I will post briefly about what it was like this year.

The initial arrival is much like freshman orientation: students are removed from cars along with their luggage and the parents drive the car to a parking lot. They are then taken to check in, and the events begin from there.

The actual day is jam-packed with campus tours, housing tours and panels of current professors, students and student groups all helping explain to you why JHU is genuinely one of the best places in the world to be a student. There is a student activities fair in which many of the prominent student activities on campus advertise what they do, and students who are definitely going to come to Hopkins can begin thinking about which they want to join from this early on.

Hopefully this great place will be your new home

There are also panels related to study abroad, internships and careers as well as one for pre-professional advising.

The newest and most fun part of SOHOP, however, is actually a night carnival that is organized on the freshman quad. Current students get to mingle with prospective admitted students and bond through a series of carnival games. There are even performances by some of Hopkins’ most prominent a-capella groups including the Vocal Chords, the Sirens and the Octopodes.

Following the carnival is one of the defining parts of SOHOP: the overnight stay with a current student. I had the privilege of hosting two very bright prospective engineers and it was a great experience for all of us. They are fairly certain after SOHOP that they will be attending Hopkins so I am extremely happy to see the success of the program and feel as though they have really gotten an understanding of what it is like to be a student here. Do not turn down the opportunity to come to SOHOP– choose Hopkins!!!

 

Why Hopkins: the Challenge

Posted by | Posted on April 7, 2012
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The challenge of being apart from your family

Because I live so close to home (about 25 minutes away to be exact…), I have the luxury of being home for Easter this weekend. This also means I have the luxury of going grocery shopping, which in my family means aimlessly wandering aisles and stopping at every (I mean every) free sample station. So, whilst I was getting my free lunch today at Sam’s club (composed of a sample of ham, blood-red oranges, and four different assortments of cheesecake) I ran into a familiar face: my high school college counselor. After briefly catching up on my life at Hopkins and how I am now volunteering for admissions, she asked me if I would visit my high school and talk to the current seniors about my experience in college. I have decided to center this post around what I would say to those seniors, and hopefully you will walk away with a firmer grasp of “Why Hopkins?”

The first thing I want to say about college is that it is exactly what you expect and exactly the opposite of what you expect at the same time. Do you plan to stay up late with your friends in your dorm hallway or cafeteria and make inappropriate jokes? Probably. And that will most likely happen. Do you expect to completely change your life and academic plan? Probably not. But, there is a good chance this might happen also. However, in both the expected and the unexpected, Hopkins is the ideal undergraduate institution for your studies.

The challenge of being a nerd

But I guess no matter what I say about college as a broad topic, the question of the hour is why Hopkins? I’ve been struggling with how to answer this question all week (and I promise it’s not cause I secretly hate Hopkins!). Instead, I feel like all the convincing reasons for you prospective students are right there as facts: we are ranked highly, we have many activities on campus, we have the support necessary to succeed… But I guess all of those facts culminate into one essential element I have found students needing as undergraduates: challenge.

I will be honest, when I look back on my past semester and 3/4 of a semester, the biggest theme that sticks out for me is challenge. If you follow my blogs over the past six months, you will see a load of subtle questions that are asking: “what am I supposed to do with my life?” (These questions generally stem from my debate over what to study academically.) You also can see the amount of commitments I have outside of schoolwork, and how I was challenged to balance exercise with everything else I was doing. College brings a waterfall of unexpected challenges, and Hopkins is the best place to provide you with them. But before you freak out, let me tell you this is not a bad thing.

The challenge of having too many new amazing friends to hang out with

When you go to a school like Hopkins, the institution will look you square in the eyes, provide you with many opportunities, and expect the best from you. It is your choice whether to take this sentiment and run with it, or to be overwhelmed or scared of what you can accomplish. I think many philosophers have said something along the lines of “without challenge, there is no true success,” and I completely believe this. If you are looking to find your limits and find out your limits are completely arbitrary, there is no better place to do that than JHU.

My first year in college, I was challenged to spend less time with my family and friends from high school. But I soon become challenged to distribute my time evenly among all of the new students whom I found so fascinating. Because of our diverse student body from different geographical areas and backgrounds, each new person will express a different view of the world to you and push you to grow. You will find many fellow nerds and find yourself making jokes about neurons or syntax. Also, you will find yourself working harder than you ever did in high school and pushing yourself to achieve the grades which used to come easily. No matter what your specific challenge is when you arrive in the fall, just remember two things: 1) there is help for you around every corner if you need it and 2) the struggle is making you a better person.

The challenge of leaving your friends from high school

So, to you seniors at my high school and those all around the country considering Hopkins, I will leave you with an extended metaphor: stroll down the aisles of the grocery store, test out the sample trail mix, and be ready to make some tough choices. But always remember, at some point you will walk out of the store with a new bag of groceries. Just make sure you tried the cheesecake. :)