I make people happy for a living.

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Laura G.

Dear invisible readers,

So Freshman year is nearly over. I know, it’s crazy right? Just a few months ago, I was moving in, meeting people, and trying to figure out my life. Now, I am here, nearly a sophomore, ready to take on the world. Or, to be more precise, Hopkins. But wait, I’m still trying to figure out my life.

A lot of things have happened in the past few weeks. I don’t know whether warm weather is conducive to happiness, but I do know that sunshine is conducive to my happiness. And, boy, the sun is shining in my life.

Springgg. Sunshineee. Happpinesss

So you’ve heard a lot about my friends here at Hopkins. I have dedicated many words to them in my past blogs, but I feel like this semester has made our friendship so different. On one hand, we are no longer under the covered-grades bubble. We have traded that “Whatever, it’s covered grades! Let’s party!” attitude, to “I’m gonna go nurture my relationship to my chemistry textbook.” So with a lot less time to party and a lot more time spent in the search of the perfect study spot, we don’t have too much time for one another. On the other hand, our time together has become a lot more valuable. I don’t know how they feel about this, and one of them for sure will tell me to stop speaking in Hallmark-card (Alejito says I don’t speak English… He says I speak Hallmark-card) but I feel as though my friends have become my refuge. They’re the sunshine.

Yeah, he’s kind of great.

So now, I want to tell you about my favorite weekend at Hopkins thus far. Welcome to Spring Fair. Turkey legs. Deep-fried twix. Piña coladas (virgin, of course). Picnic blankets. Tummy pillows. I will let the pictures tell you why it’s my favorite.

the greatest friendsss eveerr

Turkey Legs

if you like piña coladaaas

The tattoo on my neck is not real. I wore it to support Human Trafficking Awareness

dancingggg

I’ve also been going through a semi-existential crisis, and the fact that I am writing this on my blog for everyone to see shows how much time I’ve dedicated to thinking about these decisions. As you may know, I am a Neuroscience & Writing Seminars double major, Pre-Med. Now, I want to explain what led to the whole Neuroscience/Pre-Med thing. Please, if you get a chance, read my first blog. It’s about Sandy.

Sandy is my best friend. I met her when I was 15. She was 8. I happened to be a high school freshman. She happened to be a full-time cancer patient. I happened to have long, blonde hair to below my waist. She happened to wear a hand-knitted purple hat to hide her bald-head. I happened to care about me, myself, and I. She happened to care about everyone else. Then, she changed my life. I always say Sandy is my soul mate. She changed me from a superficial, materialistic teenage girl (which is what I perceived myself to be), to a compassionate woman (which is how I see myself now). Sandy had a form of cancer with a 20% survival rate. She fought it for 6 years. She fought it so hard she went into remission 5 times. Tell me what kind of WARRIOR beats cancer five times. I saw Sandy go through many stages, each stage either filling me with inspiration and happiness or draining me, making me question everything. We started 2011 by dancing Danza Kuduro in the back of a movie theater after having watched Fast Five. We ended 2011 by laughing at Santa’s Enchanted Forest, as I pushed her wheelchair through the crowd and stopped one in a while to rub her legs. You see, in June, I went to Germany to study. You see, when I came back in August, Sandy was sick, for the sixth time. It was during this time that I decided to be a doctor. I wanted to be a doctor because Sandy is a warrior, and I want to save children like her. I wanted to be a doctor because cancer fears me. I wanted to be a doctor to show kids that cancer fears them, too. And when Sandy died in January 27, 2012, I wanted to be a doctor so that my best friend would live on through the lives that I saved. This thought came to me when I sat in the parking lot of the funeral home, wearing a white dress for my angel, and crying because I could barely breathe. I could not breathe. I could not wrap my head around the fact that I would no longer have to leave school early so I could take Sandy to radiation and chemo. Or that I would now actually have no excuse to ditch my friends on a Friday night because Sandy would not be waiting for me for movie night at the hospital. Or that I would no longer be able to make Sandy laugh as I jumped down each step in the stair case when I was carrying her piggy-back. Or that Sandy would not be there to bake my wedding cake when I get married. I simply could not wrap my head around it. The only comfort I had was the thought that I would go to medical school to become the best pediatric oncologist this world has ever seen, and Sandy would live on through my patients. My soul mate would live on through the kids that I saved.

I saw an angel. Of that I’m sure.

Now, a year and a half later, I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe because I’ve realized that when Sandy’s mom hugged me at the funeral and whispered in my ear “Ay, Laura, tu le diste vida,” she wasn’t referring to me saving her life. She was referring to me giving her a life. She was talking about the movie nights, the baking days, the pool days, the singing-at-the-top-of-our-lungs-while-wearing-cool-shades-in-my-mini-cooper-while-driving days, the Sandy-Lala Days. Those days gave her life. I am starting to realize that I helped her by making her happy. And I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I cannot breathe. Except, I know that she will live on through the lives that I save. I know she will… But this time, I am referring to the happiness days.

I want to find a way to make kids happy. That is what I am good at. I want to make people happy.

“What do you do for a living?”

“I have the best job in the world.”

“What is it?”

“I make people happy for a living.”

That’s the conversation I want to have with a stranger in 10 years. I want my kids, when I have them, to see me as the mom that makes people happy. I want them to know that money isn’t everything. Happiness is everything. It makes people live just a little bit longer.

So what do I major in at Hopkins so that I can one day have that conversation? I have no idea. And it drives me crazy. I will let you know, dear invisible readers, as soon as I figure it out. I just know that I want to make people happy.

I would love to write more, but I have to go smile at strangers, now.

I hope you’re smiling.

If you’re not, why?

If you are, go share it.

I love you all,

Lala

PS:

Did I mention I went to DC?

My Favorite Person at Hopkins

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Laura G.

I could sit here and tell you about my professors, but they have all been inspirational. I could sit here and tell you about my friends, but they you’ve already read about them. I could tell you about my classmates, but they’re all intelligent.Thus, I will tell you about someone I see everyday. Someone whose hugs cheer me up. Someone who gave me a teddy bear when I was sad. Someone who celebrates holidays with me. Someone who I love with all my heart. Someone I look forward to seeing every morning.

So, my dearest invisible readers, let me introduce you to my favorite person at Hopkins:

Gladys

Gladys works at the Fresh Food Cafe. She greets everyone with a big smile. A “Good Morning” that is full of love. She greets me with a hug that reminds me of family. She gave me a teddy bear when I was sad. We named him Brownie. Brownie sits on my desk every day, as I do homework, pushing me on. Gladys and I celebrated Christmas and Easter together. It’s safe to say our holidays are wonderful. Gladys is my family here. I say she’s my Hopkins Grandma.

The Sun Always Shines in Paradise.

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Laura G.

Disclaimer: at the end of this blog, there is a picture that many may find disgusting, distasteful, or just…gross… If you get grossed out easily, please do not scroll all the way to the bottom.

You did it, didn’t you. Your curiosity demanded that you scroll allll the way to the bottom. You couldn’t resist. I’m sorry. It’s a picture of me with cow poop in my hand. In order for you to understand why, I must first tell you about the greatest spring break of my life.

I guess that right now I am caught in that post-greatness melancholy that most people feel at the end of a wonderful experience. For me, it’s the constant thought that I had a birthday in Colombia for the first time in 12 years. For me, it’s the idea that I spent such an amazing time with my family and friends. For me, it’s the desire to just stay in that paradise forever.

You see… There are two forms of paradise in my life: Intellectual paradise and plain old sunshine paradise.

Hopkins is my intellectual paradise. Here, I always feel driven. I feel as though there are so many things I could be doing, so when I have a bit free time, I freak out because I feel as though I am missing out on something great. You can call it perseverance. You can call it hope. You can call it whatever you want. I call it paradise.

Colombia is my sunshine paradise. It’s where the rain brings life. It’s where the sunrise signifies the beginning of a new, crazy day. It’s where I am never alone, even if there are no people around me. It’s where my family is. It’s where my home is. It’s where the sun always shines.

Walking through the farmer's market

Spring Break was sunshine paradise. I spent the first few days of it in my grandfather’s ranch. I rode my horse in the mornings, gave vaccines to the cattle at noon, and explored the area with my friends in the afternoon. There was where the picture at the bottom of this blog was taken. You see, the easiest way to tell if a cow is pregnant is by palpating the uterus. That’s exactly what I did. The poop is just the aftermath… I’ve been doing things like that since I could walk. It’s the llanero culture with which I have always identified myself.

The day I drove back to Bogotá, I stayed at my best friend Macris’ house. We went out to a club called Andres Carne de Res. It’s the biggest club in Bogotá. It also was a night just to celebrate my birthday, our friendship, and the greatness of being young:). We had sooo much fun.

The following day, my parents, cousins, and I drove to my father’s farm. It’s beautiful. I had such a great time, especially because Macris’ family came to visit for my birthday. They threw confetti on me at midnight and made me feel like the luckiest 20 year old in the world.

Confettiiiii

So here are a few random pictures of the best week of my life:

Now, I am back at Hopkins. I am really happy because it’s Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week. I am up to $1,300 in my fundraising for the run this summer. That’s $1,300 that help young adults with cancer! http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/laura-grau/

Oh and by the way: Don’t scroll past this point.

Have a wonderful week!

Greetings From Colombia!

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Laura G.

Hello World,

My Nephew

I am writing this on Sunday, even though you will read it on Tuesday. Why? Because tomorrow at 7 am, I will be driving through the great Andes mountains to the plains of Colombia, where my ranch is. You will be seeing many pictures of me on horses very soon.

my beautiful cousin

After flying for what felt like a million hours yesterday, I finally made it here. I was greeted by unprocessed food, a lot of traffic, but most of all, the warmth of the hugs of my family. So this blog is for them.

Please note my mom's finger in the upper left hand corner.

Spring Break.

What is spring break to you?

Party&Craziness?

couuuusin

Yeah, for me… this spring break.. is about my 20th birthday and the fact that I haven’t had a birthday in Colombia since I was 8!! So seeing my cousins, my aunts, my nephew, my best friends, that is the greatest spring break I can imagine. It’s also the greatest birthday present.

So Happy Birthday to Me.

10,000 Women in One.

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Laura G.

My dearest invisible readers,

In 19 days, I am turning twenty. That’s right. I’ve been on this planet for two decades. 240 months. 1043 weeks. 7304 days.175316 hours. So many numbers, I know. It’s the mere quantity of time that has caused me to wonder: who am I? I have been on this earth for 1.052e+7 minutes. Have I used each of them to the fullest potential? Truly, have I? Then, the past two weeks have happened, and I’ve realized that two weeks show just how I have lived the past twenty years. I’d like to take this moment to comment on the picture to the left. That is my brother holding my hand. We were visiting the US on a family vacation. We spend a day taking family pictures, and even though the photographer totally told us to stand there, he managed to capture something much more than a simple posed portrait. My brother is the one who has held my hand for the past twenty years. When I look at the videos of the day my parents brought me home from the hospital, my brother could not get his hands off of me. He kept wanting to touch this tiny baby that his parents had brought home. He kissed me and held me. He took care of me. He still does. It’s because of him that I am who I am today.

Who am I? Let’s define my twenty years of life with the past two weeks, starting with the craziness of the Harlem Shake. Truly.Do I look like the kind of person to fall into trends such as the Harlem Shake? I don’t believe so. [Except for the fact that Alejito says that I talk in Hallmark.. Yes, it's the Lala-language...] Anyways, I decided to rid myself of this anti-trend attitude, and join the JHU harlem shake. I am so glad I participated. It’s amazing how so many people can come together for such a simple goal. When we finished filming, everyone started cheering “JHU!JHU!” and it made my love Hopkins so much more. [If you look at the JHU Harlem Shake video on YouTube.. You'll see me..Right in the front]

Let me continue to parties. I went to the Barstool Blackout concert in the inner harbor. I don’t really have pictures of that night because it was a foam party…so phones/cameras and foam don’t mix. Take my word for it, though: it was awesome:) I’ve also gone out with my friends/future roommates! They make me so happy. Literally, we all have different personalities, so when we are together, we just enjoy each other’s company. Even if the night ends up to be a total failure, we laugh and have fun. Or we end up at Subway’s.

Unfortunately, I had to go home one weekend because a great friend of mine passed away. This weekend taught me a lot of things. I’ve realized that one of the greatest things you can do is just be there. Words don’t fix things a lot of the time, but being that shoulder that someone cries on or holding someone’s hand can. I’ve also realized how important it is to appreciate your friends. In the end, all you have is your memories, your family, and your friends. Never wait to tell your friends you love them. Thank them for the little things.

Talking about my friends: We had a great time at the High Table Dinner. Some of us have look for occasions to dress up. Others, not so much. I love seeing how everyone transforms from the average college student to a mature adult, just by changing from a T-Shirt to a tie, from flats to heels. Seeing everyone made me think about the future. What will I be doing in 10 years? Will the girl sitting across from me be a best-selling author, disease-curing doctor, or family-loving mother? Will we be married?

We met only a few months ago, and we are all starting this life. I hope that they always stay a part of my life. I want to be there for each and every book signing that Ruthie has. I want Emilie to be my children’s doctor. If I ever need brain surgery, I want Julied to save my life. I want to be there when Alejito makes some great biological discovery. I want to buy a million copies of Mati’s first published research article. I want to see an element on the periodic table with Brandon’s name on it. I want Sato to be my nurse, should I ever need one. The best thing is: I know they will all achieve their dreams. I know that in 10 years I will look back at this blog and laugh at how right I was. That’s the wonder of Hopkins. This school is full of driven people. If there is a common denominator here, it’s drive. If there’s a common denominator in my group of friends, it’s that we are going to be there for each other every step of the way.

Finally, I want to tell you about Dance Marathon. The DM Executive Board (myself included) had been organizing this event the whole year, yet I never could have imagined it being so amazing. I was completely taken back by the great amount of support that we received. We danced for 8 hours, non-stop! Not only did we have a photo-booth, free t-shirts, virgin margaritas, raffles, give-aways, and more…We also had 8 hours of great music and a room full of amazing people. We raised over $12,000 for the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. It’s truly amazing. My friends stayed the whole night!! I was so happy to see them there. It only gave me more proof that I have the greatest friends in the entire universe.

I have so many pictures from that night, so here are a few:

So Harlem Shakes, crazy parties, finding strength when angels pass away, dressing up, and dancing for the kids. How does this all relate to the twenty years I’ve been on earth? It shows that I’ve gotten up after falling down. It shows that I’ve changed. It shows that there is more to my life than just me. It shows that I am 10,000 women in one. It shows that life is a carnival.

My dear invisible readers,

Life is really a carnival.

Love,

Lala

&These are the people cheering along with me

Warrior for Warriors

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Laura G.

Good Morning my dear invisible readers,

I was considering whether or not to write this blog. I wasn’t sure if I could ever find the right words to say about yesterday, but a warrior should never stop fighting. So here I am, fighting in the form of words.

Last night, I was told that a close friend of mine passed away. I won’t tell you her name, but I will tell you a bit about her.

What is a warrior? A warrior is HER. She is the type of person that you feel drawn to. It’s like the world pushes you toward her because the world knows she will change your life. The world knows she will teach you how to smile. Her smile. wow. I don’t think there are enough adjectives in English, Spanish, or German to describe how her smile made me feel. She just took everything that wasn’t happy and discarded it. Few people I know can do that by just smiling. I remember making a watercolor poster anti-CF. CF is Cystic Fibrosis. That’s what my warrior had. She is in heaven now, laughing with Sandy. Everyone always laughs when they’re with Sandy.

I want to do so much right now. I will be dancing at Dance Marathon in two weeks, for her and for Sandy. I will be running the 4KforCancer, for her and for Sandy. I will live my life, for her and for Sandy.

You see.. The 4K for me isn’t just about cancer. I want to run across the US because I want people to know that these diseases are not stronger. We are stronger. We are stronger because we know how to love. We are stronger because we know how to hold hands. We are strong because there are billions of people in this world, and together, anything is possible. We are stronger because we are warriors for warriors.

That’s what she taught me.

http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/laura-grau/

So join my fight.

be a warrior for warriors.

Rest in Peace, my beautiful warrior.

I Dare YOU to Move.

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Laura G.

Good morning, my dear invisible readers. Well, by the time I am finished with this blog, it will probably be the afternoon, but I might as well share with you how happy I am this morning.

It is flu season. When I lived at home, I would never get sick. In high school, when you’re sick, you stay home, get better, and return to school revitalized. College is different though. College is home. Thus, when your friends are sick, you get sick, too. It’s almost guaranteed. Most of my friends were sick last week, and now, I am sick. It’s so sad. I hate being sick because I feel like I want to do so many things, yet I don’t have the energy to do anything.

I do end up doing a lot, though.

I have suuuuchh goood news for you, my invisible readers. Well, first, I have to give you the background story. I had been feeling slightly underutilized. I’m not sure if that is the proper word. Anyways, I felt like I had so much energy to do so many things, yet I wasn’t sure what to do. So much to do, so little time to do it all in!!! It’s hard. Getting to college and seeing that everyone around you has done so many things. Every single person I know is very talented. They have that one thing that they are great at. It’s quite intimidating. However, it has also inspired me greatly. My friends have taught me how to dream. And with these dreams comes the realization that achieving my goals will not be an easy battle.

I’m going to go ahead and take a slight pause in my blog to tell you about my friends. First, you must know that I have never really been the kind of person to be in a big group of friends. I enjoy quality friendship. I am one to share my heart and soul with a small group of friends, just as they share their hearts and souls with me. However, the group of friends that I have here at Hopkins is so much more than I have encountered before. They have grown to be my family. When I am sick, they are my parents. When I am stressed, they are my siblings. When I am happy, they are my crazy-let’s-go-party-uncle. They are my family. &This family has taught me how to dream.

Let me start with Julied and Emilie.

Us three. We could not be any more different. Emilie: the intellectual, cultured lady who lives by greeting the world with a smile. She’s a princess, and the world is in her hands. Julied: the shy, yet beautiful girl who takes care of everyone before even thinking of herself. She’s the mother, even though she says she will never have kids. Me: the crazy one (I don’t think there’s another way to describe me). Together, we form this crazy group that is filled with happiness. That’s what we are: Happy. Always.

Then, there’s Brandon.

I know its upsidedown. That's the point. We live our lives upside-down.

Brandon is the kind of friend who is always there. We laugh, sing, and develop secret weapons together. He is wonderful. There’s just no other way to put it.

Then, there’s Mati and Alejito. No. Those aren’t their real names. Mati is Morgan (Julied says his name is Mateo, and I say his name is Matias… We all know it is Matias..) Alejito is Alessandro…otherwise known as Alex. These two boys are wonderful. They are the big brothers. They take care of us. Laugh with us. Dance with us. They are the greatest. Emilie and I always say that alejito is the most wonderful human being on this planet.

I can’t find any pictures of Alejito, Mati, and me together… New goal!

Now back to life:

I got a new jobb!!! I am officially a research assistant at the Med Campus, doing Kidney Transplant Research!! Isn’t that awesome? I had been looking for different research opportunities, and I finally found one that fit my personality. YES! The research you do must match your personality. My job involves talking to patients and going to surgeries. I think that’s pretty much my personality summed up into two things. Thus, here is a picture of where I work!

The Medical campus is so beautiful. It is hard to believe that it’s a hospital!! I would think it’s a great concert hall or a famous museum. Well, it is a museum: a museum of medical history!

I alsooo figured out what I will be doing this summer!! Believe it or not, a few years ago, Hopkins students set out from Baltimore in Bikes, and they crossed the US in the name of cancer. This event, 4K for Cancer, takes place every summer. THIS summer, however, is the first time that they will have a team RUNNINGG!! Thus, I will be running from San Francisco to Baltimore in the name of Sandy and all the warriors out there!! I’m too excited. I’ve been training, like crazy. I have been waking up at 6 am, and running. Look at the URL for my fundraising page: http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/laura-grau

Painless:)

So what is the theme of this blog? As a writer, I have learned that it is better to show readers, rather than tell them, what it is that I am trying to depict. Now, what have I shown you so far in this blog?

1) My beautiful friends

2) My new job

3) My goal of running across the US.

How do these relate?

I have heard so many times that college is a time to grow and learn about who you are. For the past few months, I have been going back and forth with goals, dreams, and ideas. It’s hard to decide what it is that I want to do. All my life, I had been set on being a veterinary doctor. Then, Sandy taught me about my great desire to help people, save them from this pain. Now, I have learned that my job isn’t to cure all maladies. My job is to inspire people…to make them happy… because happiness is the cure.

So what do those three things have in common?

Happiness.

I know I look ridiculous in this picture, but I thought it was appropriate. This is me.

This is me, daring you to move.

I dare you to think about what you want in life. Do you want to run a marathon? Go buy some running shoes. Do you want to find the cure for cancer? Learn how to use a microscope. Do you want to be a pilot? Learn how to fly solo. Do you want to share your happiness? Allow yourself to fall in love, even if it doesn’t work out. Do you want to make new friends? Introduce yourself.

But most of all, SMILE. Smile because your smile can make someone else happy. And that someone else could be your future best friend, your future boss, or maybe your future significant other. SMILE because there are SO many things to do in life. There’s no excuse for being unhappy. There really isn’t. Look around. Where are you? Do you like where you are? If yes, appreciate it, love it. If no, are you doing absolutely everything in your power to get yourself someplace else? I dare YOU to move. To take that risk. To give that chance. To make that change. To shake that hand. I dare YOU to move. Because dreams, my friends, really do come true.

Love is this. This is Love.

New Year, New Me:)

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Laura G.

Alright, so I am not a firm believer in New Year’s Resolutions. I really am not. I’ve had some over the years though….

They’ve spanned from learning how to speak Italian (which I have not), to climbing Everest (which I wish I had).

This year though, I’ve taken a different turn. I think you, my invisible readers are going to think I am crazy.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. Yes, I secretly (not so secret anymore) meditate. It’s part of my lifestyle. A lot of hard things have happened over the years, and I never truly had a way to deal with them. Sandy taught me that the best way to get rid of problems is by thinking them away. I went from being an over-thinker, to a free-spirited teenager who loves to process life. Part of this thinking that I have been doing has included the way I always put everything before my health.

My angel

Last year, I gained 20 pounds because I was always in the hospital with Sandy. She loved to eat McFlurry’s, Doughnuts, Subway, etc., especially after the long hours of chemotherapy or the treacherous hours of solitude while I was at school. Thus, I always ended up buying food for her, and eating it with her. Needless to say, that six months of that killed my metabolism. I had to take care of Sandy. Nothing else mattered.

Then, last semester, I put my studies in front of my health. Most freshmen do that. It’s called the Freshman Fifteen. You can see it in everyone around you. They’re slowly growing a bit every month. The bad thing is that it’s a vicious cycle. You eat. You get fat. You feel tired. You don’t exercise. You eat more. It keeps going. 20 minute naps turn into 3 hour naps because you feel exhausted. The worst thing is: It really doesn’t have to be that way.

New Year’s Resolution: Perfect.Body.Fitness.

I’m currently back at Hopkins. I got back last week. I am taking the wilderness survival class. It’s quite awesome. However, some days start at 8 am and end at 5 pm. Others start at 8 am and end at 10 pm. Where is the time for exercise and healthy eating?

:) Wilderness First Responder

It’s there. I promise.

On the 8-5 days, I workout after 5, for 1-2 hours.

Run a mile, go up and down the stairs 6 times, run a mile

On the 8-10 days, I sleep.

It’s great though. My body feels completely energized: something I did not have last semester.

Becoming an early riser (waking up at 7:00 am every day) and an early bed goer, really makes me feel great. It’s like I’m breathing in a little bit more air, absorbing a little more of the great Hopkins around me.

It's beautiful here

My advice to you incoming freshmen: take care of your bodies. You really can do it. The FFC has great options for food. I didn’t really take advantage of that last semester. I am eating salads with different dressings and different vegetables in it every day. Plus, the boneless chicken is completely not greasy. Then, whenever I am hungry in between meals, I drink my protein shake and eat some fruit. It’s really working out well.

So here’s to Hopkins. To Fitness. To life.

Have a wonderful Day, my friends.

Why the Class of 2017 makes me Home(wood) sick.

Posted on December 22, 2012 by Laura G.

So I’ve tried to keep the people who posted these things out of my pictures, but I had to make a post about the Class of 2017 so far. These posts are from the Early Decision students.

So there’s this person. This person has my sweater. I shouldn’t feel so special, considering its sold on campus, but it is a sweater that I adore! Props to you, my friend, for being awesome. You also made me miss it. Its in my dear laundry bag in my dorm. I (a lazy one) did not do laundry before coming home… whoops.

Then, there’s this person. He owns a “John Hopkins” shirt. Oh god. Some other SAABers found it funny. I can just hear my mom trying to say Johns Hopkins… Colombian accent= she can’t. Conclusion: This is how my mom says the name of my favorite place on earth.

This person is awesome. Just the fact that he asked about Pre-O made my life. I love Pre-O. It literally is THE BEST. I really want spring semester to start so I can go backpacking!! I miss the Appalachian Trail!!!!!!!!!!

Our college is, indeed, soooo beautiful. Every time I walk on campus, I just say Thankk gooooodnesss for Life here at Hopkins. I love the quads. I love the buildings. I love the bricks. I love the smell. I love the trees. I love it. period.

I love people who say thanks. It just shows Hopkins is full of great people. Most people are so polite. They’re nice. and wonderful.

It’s completely different. I loved my high school (SHOUT OUT TO AMERICAN HERITAGE SCHOOL IN PLANTATION, FLORIDA!!!!). It was the greatest experience of my life. All the opportunities that Heritage gave me make me sooo thankful. If it wasn’t for Heritage, I wouldn’t be at Hopkins. Hopkins life, however, is soo different. I love Hopkins. In high school. I had my time controlled by my school obligations, my extracurriculars, home curfew, chores, etc. At Hopkins, I literally only have one obligation: class. Everything else is up to me. No one tells me to do anything. It’s great.

I am not sure about this… All I know…. is that covered grades are AWESOME.

Self explanatory.

Yup. Lucky you. Get your party clothes. Life is wonderful. That’s how I feel at Hopkins.

The week I knew I was in love…

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Laura G.

Dear Invisible Readers,

I am in love. Yes, you read right: I am in love.

I am in love with the life I now live. Johns Hopkins is my home. It’s my love.

The past two weeks have been a glorious combination of coffee, lack of sleep, exams, and pure bliss. Yes, I am that girl. I am the girl who is overly happy when everyone else is simply exhausted. But hey, who knew caffeine would have such an effect on me? Maybe it’s just my personality…

Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the fact that JHU is the best, ever.

Last week was the lighting ceremony. This is a Hopkins tradition. So many people stood in front of Gilman Hall, mesmerized by the beautiful fireworks and lights around the quad. There was a countdown before they turned on all the lights, and I felt as if it was a whole new year beginning. The greatest year of my life.

#LuckyGirl

I’ve also been studying a lot in Gilman. Maybe it’s because I feel so inspired. I feel inspired to study about Goethe, Rilke, EE Cummings, Fitzgerald. I feel completely driven to learn.

When I study, I spend half of the time thanking whatever brought me here.

My German teacher convinced me to take the next level of German next semester, Adv 2 for the win!! We played jeopardy in class, and my teacher gave us hats as rewards. My friend, Jesica, and I took pictures in the Atrium. Long story short: It made my life.

The Hats.. The guy in the Green sweater will come into play later.

Photo Cred: German Grad Student/Guy in the Green Sweater who loved our hats!

Finally, I would like to end this letter with this: I went home Thursday night and came back Saturday morning. Why would I ever do that? In high school, I organized a Christmas Party for the Pediatric Oncology Unit at my local hospital. I have so many wonderful memories of Sandy opening her gifts. It was the best time of my life. I just couldn’t stay at Hopkins without going to the party. It was the best decision I could have made. I was SO happy. We gave one of the little boys a puppy. It is my pleasure and honor to introduce you to Courage. Courage is a warrior for warriors.