Saving my 21st
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Posted by: Hopkins Insider | 
November 24 2011 | 
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Name: Alanna Olken
Year: Class of 2013
Hometown: New York City, NY
Major: International Studies
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October 11th as a birthday has served me well my entire life. I have always been a proud Libra and thankful that my birthday is always somewhere around Columbus Day, which has always meant a long and luxurious three-day weekend to celebrate. This year, however, it was as though all the negative karma I’ve accumulated in my entire 21 years on earth came flying at me in a whirlwind that was the worst 21st birthday ever. I thought the memory of my 21st birthday was going to be forever tainted.
21 came the same day as not one, not two, but three midterms. I had two midterms in the morning, economics and history, and then a small break for lunch, followed by a political science midterm. After spending the three day weekend moping, studying, and drinking too much coffee, all I wanted was for Tuesday the 11th to be over. Who cares about 21, all I wanted was to feel sorry for myself in my bed.
Once the disastrous day was finally over and I had slept from 6 pm until the next morning at 10am, it hit me how depressing my life had been. Sure, Hopkins is a stressful place once in a while, but I had allowed work to consume my entire life and hadn’t made any plans to celebrate my big day. Thinking that the opportunity had passed and I would have to wait another 364 until I could do it right, I gave up.
The next day, I came home from class still slightly delirious from everything, but feeling better. I opened by door to see three of my good friends standing in my kitchen, all appearing to be cooking something delicious and surrounded by grocery bags all over the counters.
“What’s going on,” I inquired, confused as to how they even got in and why my entire house smelled like a food truck.
“We’re making you a birthday dinner tonight. It’s at our house, the guest list and everything is taken care of. All you need to do it show up and get out of the kitchen.” With that, three boys shoved me out of the kitchen and stayed there until 8 pm, whipping up a delicious feast in my honor.
At 8:30 I arrived to a fully decorated with all my 15 close friends there to cheer me up. I walked into a table adorned with candles and covered with homemade dinner: short ribs over egg noodles, hasselback potatoes, brie and blueberry puffed pastries, Israeli cous cous and a delicious flourless chocolate cake for dessert. My friends had all come together to create a memorable and beautiful dinner for me; everyone pitched in in their own way to make the night special and to help me erase the horrible memory of the day before. Suddenly, my midterm stress melted away with each bite of the short ribs and the exhaustion that had consumed my life turned into appreciation for the wonderful friends I’ve made here at Hopkins.
The moral is that, sure, Hopkins can get crazy sometimes. It’s a rigorous school and throws you situations that are over your head once in a while. What is important is pushing through those moments, trying your best, and then forgetting them as soon as possible with great friends that you have made here. The support system you can create at Hopkins is invaluable, and what I’ve achieved here is a camaraderie that is rare and special. Five years from now when I remember my birthday, I know I won’t see an image of myself with thousands of coffee cups surrounding me at a table on C level, but instead remember the dinner that my friends so generously prepared and organized for me that saved the day!
