Life Without Sound

As I was reading the many entries from the incoming freshmen of the class of 2016 for Hopkins Interactive’s annual summer blogging contest, it really struck me how many students referred to Hopkins as a journey and adventure, with some bumps in the road. I even remember myself saying the cliché phrase that there will be bumps in the road during my time at Hopkins. But I would have never imagined what kind of ups and downs I would go through and even that I would experience bumps in the first place.

Dad and I

Of course, the biggest bump was losing my mom last summer. Before entering college, I would have never thought that I would have to cope with losing a parent. It was hard not being able to simply call up my mom about what to wear, to get some boy advice, or to send me one of her recipes. But, as time went on, I realized that I’m fortunate enough to have many other people in my life that are there for me too. First and foremost, there’s my dad. Before this, we had the typical father-daughter relationship (i.e. avoiding all things about boys). But now, we talk every day about absolutely everything. And I’ve found that he actually does give good fashion and boy advice…I am also lucky to have other female figures in my life. To have four wonderful aunts. My cousins. My brother’s girlfriend. My best friends from home and school. And lastly, people from all over the country that I met through the Overnight, an overnight walk raising funds for suicide awareness and prevention.

So the other bumps that I experienced this year were miniscule in comparison. But they were still bumps. Like when my internship in California didn’t go as expected and I ended up returning to Baltimore. But, again, it still turned out to be okay. I decided to take a class, Food Politics, which turned out to be my absolutely favorite class I’ve taken so far at Hopkins.

At a wildlife preserve in Georgia with my brother's girlfriend and her sister!

To the new class of 2016, don’t let the bumps define your Hopkins experience. Embrace the moments that bring joy in your day and persevere when it gets tough. Although it will be my mom’s death anniversary in just four days, I can say with confidence that I’ve been happier than ever in my life. But it’s strange, even to me. I would have expected that such a time of difficulty and tragedy would overshadow the good times. I wouldn’t have thought that now, out of all times, I would be this happy. At home, I have a wonderful and loving family. Best friends who I’ve known for a lifetime. And a one-eyed dog. At Hopkins, I’ve made friendships that will last beyond college. I’ve fallen in love with someone. I’m taking classes of a lifetime at a world-renowned university. What more could you ask for?