Welcome to the Hopkins Interactive Guest Blog. For five years now, each week we feature a different Johns Hopkins student. To showcase the variety of posts featured here, we have built a Guest Blog Map dotted with each author’s hometown. We hope you’ll browse through and enjoy finding entries you may have never otherwise come across.

View Hopkins Interactive Guest Blog in a larger map

It’s Winter Break at Hopkins, and it’s Winter Break for the Guest Blog too! Here’s a listing of all the wonderful entries we posted this semester, and check back at the end of January, when the Guest Blog returns with new entries.

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August 1, 2011 – Olivia Cusimano – Hopes, Fears, and Anecdotal Evidence as to Why My Family Believes I Will Die in College
“All of these people on the Facebook page aren’t just random people – they are my classmates, they will share these next four years with me. These people will be the ones who laugh at me when I turn all my laundry pink, who bust out the fire extinguisher when I light the toaster on fire, and who teach me whether or not I can shower during a thunderstorm.”

August 2, 2011– Kathleen Naymon – The Things We Carry
“The Class of 2015 is arriving with baggage—literally and figuratively.”

August 3, 2011 – Kevin Cryan – The Declaration of Kevin Cryan, Blue Jay
“When, in the course of a human life, it becomes necessary for a person to dissolve the ties that have, for approximately 18 years, connected them to their hometown, their house, many of their friends and essentially all they ever knew, they must declare their independence and state the actions they have taken in crafting their new home at the Johns Hopkins University.”

August 4, 2011 – Andrea Fields – When Andrea Met Hopkins
“Whoever said there was no such thing as love at first sight has obviously never been on a tour of Johns Hopkins University.”

August 5, 2011 – Lisa Ni – I am From
“ This is what will keep us connected, and make us a part of each other’s homes. I am from The Johns Hopkins University.”

August 6, 2011 – Maria Luisa Navarro – A Recipe from Home
“That’s why I learned how to cook, and why I’ve altered my palate to appreciate the sting of spicy food.  Sincerely, I’m scared of the things I won’t know when I get to college, and so I’ve learned to appreciate the things that I know now, and that make me who I am. I’m excited about meeting people with different backgrounds and perspectives, and so I’ve begun to value my own background.”

August 7, 2011 – Jacqueline Morea – Midway on Our Life’s Journey
“I will make the absolute most of what I’ve just been handed: a four-year golden ticket to whatever I chose. I’m not stuck in Limbo anymore. I know where I’m headed next.”

September 5, 2011– Thomas Smith – Building a Business at JHU
“This spirit, combined with resources like the ones we found at CLE and in the broader Hopkins and Baltimore communities, make this a great place for the budding entrepreneur, not just the budding physician or scientist.”

September 8, 2011 – Katherine Simeon – Reading All About It
“Campus publications give great insight to what is going on at the university, both academically and socially. They reveal the interests, values, and opinions of the students.”

September 12, 2011 – Neil Philip O’Donnell – How a BME Became Entralled with Business
“In fact, my blossoming interest in business has even helped me with my lab research. As a lab researcher in the biomaterials laboratory, I have been entrusted with creating a provisional patent to protect our innovative strategy for enhancing gene therapy.”

September 15, 2011– Saznin Mehta – It’s Always Sunny in South Africa
“I know I’ll make it back some day, but I’m determined to do so with a camera crew to record yet another amazing experience for my loyal viewers at home. Watch your back, Bourdain.”

September 19, 2011 – Ariel Meranus– Preparation for the Business World
“I had reservations about how a liberal arts major would prepare me for the business world, but I soon found out that Hopkins provides many opportunities for students to get business experience.”

September 22, 2011 – Brian Shell – What I Did Last Summer
“Each year, tons of Hopkins students head out to internships – whether they’re based in Baltimore or Botswana. I was fortunate enough to obtain an engineering intern position at AECOM in Laurel, Maryland.”

September 26, 2011 – Akshay Krishnaswamy  – A Few Pieces of Advice that have Served Me Well
“Wrapping up, I’d just reiterate one thing: allow yourself to be flexible.  College has turned out to be a pretty unpredictable experience so far (in good ways, mostly).  If I had been particularly attached to the detailed mental plan I had going into freshman year, I probably wouldn’t have experienced any of the things I mentioned in this post.”

September 29, 2011 – Greco Song – That 

“I think I had too much pride before I came to Hopkins, trying to learn it all by myself. I rode it for two seconds then I would fall to the ground. Again for another few seconds, and fall again. I didn’t allow anyone to hold my bike and help me, and I ended up with some scars here and there, and beat myself up for it. But I learned to let people come in and be part of my life and just observe – observe how they interact with others, how they keep their friendships, how they approach personal problems, and how they fight.”

October 3, 2011 – Ava Scheininger–CLE Experiences
“Adams explained that he too was an Economics major, but throughout his college career he had mastered the strange art of transforming nothing into something.”The Center for Leadership Education has provided me with many of the necessary skills to do just that.”

October 6, 2011 – Joe Nugent – Tales of a Resident Advisor
“Three years ago, if you asked me where I’d be living at the start of my junior year, I’d tell you that I’d be in an off-campus apartment with some of my best friends. Ever since I saw how big some of the off-campus apartments were I knew that was where I wanted to live.”

October 10, 2011– Laura Elsener – Senior Year?
“Though it may seem like the last three years have flown by, I’ve accomplished a lot, made some unforgettable friends, and learned valuable lessons both inside and outside the classroom.”

October 13, 2011– Noah Guiberson– Learn More, See More, SAAB’More
“In it, she and I (I am her cohost) seek out the best of Baltimore and bring it to you, the Hopkins prospective, in order to show you what it’s like to live in Charm City (branded as “The Greatest City In America”) and to study at Johns Hopkins (which, if you ask us, should be rebranded as “The Best University in the World”).”

October 17, 2011– Brett Schwartz – Where Did the Time Go?
“The things I have really enjoyed about Hopkins is the opportunities this school provides you.  I was ecstatic to hear that I could go abroad for the spring semester, and be involved with all of my organization and still have plenty of credits to graduate in four years. .”

October 20, 2011– Khurram Ali - Getting To Know Someone: The Perspective of a Johns Hopkins Ismaili
“I wish I could tell you all about my friends and the cool things that they do—but then I would never be able to stop writing. I will say this: one thing that all my closest friends here have in common is a strong desire to learn from others.”

October 24, 2011– Ariel Rosen – Giving Back to Baltimore
“You should definitely take advantage of all that Hopkins has to offer. The Center for Social Concern is loaded with incredible opportunities to give back to Baltimore, and it truly makes Hopkins a unique, one-of-a-kind university.”

October 27, 2011 – Richard Kumapley – The Blue Jay Take-Away: Showcasing  Music from Homewood
“My idea was to show off Hopkins students performing their own songs with the beautiful Homewood campus as the backdrop, kind of like our own version of Vincent Moon’s take-away shows. I wanted to find the most interesting places and stick a band in that space and have them do what they did best while the camera just tries to capture it all.”

October 31, 2011– Allie Fink – One Campus, Many Paths
“Having a twin sister is great, but what’s even better is being able to be two very different individuals while still being able to share the connection that is unique to twins.  Johns Hopkins has provided us both with a world of interests and opportunities that have taken us on very separate paths.”

November 3,  2011– Kimmy Hilson – The Cove is Anything but Common(s)!
“I know that I can speak for my suitemates when I say that living in McCoy has turned out to be a more exciting experience than we had anticipated. I am so happy to be living in McCoy, and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my sophomore year anywhere else with anyone else.”

November 7, 2011- Jessie Koljonen- Still Living the Not-So-Real Life in Madrid
“I’m so glad I make the decision to study abroad. I feel like I’m so much more cultured, know so much more about Spain and the world, and have experienced new things and tried new food that I would never have thought that I would try.”

November 10, 2011– Andrea Fields – To Writing Sems or Not to Writing Sems
“ Even though I thought I knew myself better than anyone, I now realize there’s nothing wrong with not knowing exactly what I want to do with my year or my life.   College is for self-exploration and while getting to know myself better. I’ve met so many amazing friends and accomplished professors who manage to teach classes while still periodically publishing papers.”

November 14,  2011– Bridget Harkness – How to Fail A  Freshman Room Inspection: How an Only  Child Learned  to Love a Roommate
“There was a small coffee maker that I rarely used because it was noisy and she slept late. There was a red lamp beside her bed because the overhead light was bright and I went to bed early. On my nightstand I had black eye masks and neon green earplugs. There was a Dali painting of elephants above my bed – that always made people go sort of quiet and say “That’s really cool”.”

November 17, 2011- Corey Adams – Senior Year
“I know I have to figure it out and time is of the essence, but part of me wants to put this monumental decision off for a few more weeks (or months). As much as I want to figure out my life after graduation, enjoying my senior year is of the utmost importance to me.”

November 21, 2011– Liz Mauer – Heart of Homewood
“Within days of moving from home to Homewood I could no longer picture myself anywhere else, it felt like the only possible fit. Since I’ve been at Hopkins I have met some of the most diverse, interesting, and fabulous people than ever before who I am now lucky enough to see every single day.”

November 24,  2011– Alanna Olken – Saving my 21st
“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.”

December 1, 2011 – Jake Golman -Hopping Around Baltimore: JHU Family Weekend
“During their two short days with me, we visited at least 9 different Baltimore neighborhoods!”

December 5, 2011- Leah Kim- Who Needs a Car Anyways?!?
“But as broke college students, these can add up and empty our wallets so let me reveal to you my list of “Top Five Cheap Ways to Get Off Campus”. This list has taken me 3 years of personal experience to compose but I think its time that I share my tricks with you.”

December 8, 2011- Julia Allen – What Are You Waiting For?: Toughing It Out on the Hopkins Wait-List
“In the end it was worth the wait and the extra work because I got a call from my college counselor in the middle of June saying that I had been offered a spot in the Johns Hopkins Class of 2015!”

December 12, 2011- Elaine Yu – Biophysics AND East Asian Studies … What?!
“Yeah, that’s right, I have two majors and I go to Johns Hopkins University.  No, I don’t live in the library.  Yes, I have time to sleep.  No, I was not the valedictorian of my high school.  And yes, I have a life.  Any more questions?”

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We hope you enjoyed the entries this semester – check back in late January for more entries from Hopkins students! In the meantime, check out our current student blogs here.

Entry Title: Biophysics AND East Asian Studies…What?!

Name: Elaine Yu

Year: 2013

Hometown: Fremont, California

Major: Biophysics & East Asian Studies

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Yeah, that’s right, I have two majors and I go to Johns Hopkins University.  No, I don’t live in the library.  Yes, I have time to sleep.  No, I was not the valedictorian of my high school.  And yes, I have a life.  Any more questions?

As a high school senior, I’m sure you’ve heard all the stereotypes: the nerds that spend their days in the library, the jocks that live in the gym, the weird theatre kids that wear all black, the hipsters that run the campus coffee shop, and the sorority girls and frat bros that party every night of the week.  Where will you fit in?  What major should you choose so that you can be who you want to be?  Should you even apply to Johns Hopkins University?

Spring Fair at Hopkins

Well, I knew I wanted to be a film director when I grew up, so I submitted my deposit and “declared” a major in Film and Media Studies.  Fast-forward 9 months to Orientation, and I knew that I had made a mistake.  I went to a bunch of random open houses for majors that sounded interesting—film being one of them.  That’s where I realized my mistake—the scholarly approach to film that Hopkins taught wasn’t the trial-by-error, go-big-or-go-home style I had grown to love.  So, if I didn’t want to study film, what did I want to study?  Let’s just say I saw a short presentation in the hard-to-find Jenkins Hall and walked out knowing I wanted to be a biophysicist.  A what?  You know, one of those graying scientists that spends all day in a basement laboratory watching proteins wiggle under a microscope…not.  I wanted to be someone who could think critically and analyze problems by observing and applying the knowledge I had learned over time.  A pretty abstract goal, I know.

Here’s how the Hopkins Biophysics program is helping me out with that.  1: It’s a small department so you get to know all the professors really well.  They’re all really nice and a great resource.  2: You take all the classes you need to be a pre-med as part of the curriculum, so you don’t have to figure all that out on your own in case you want to be a doctor someday.  3: Biophysics majors get to take classes that combine both biology and physics so you don’t have to take those boring entry-level lectures/labs to fulfill your science requirements.  This gives you more time to take interesting upper-division courses that really help you develop the mind of a biophysicist.  4: If you’re worried about finding a research lab, don’t worry.  You’re required to do 2 semesters of research so you’re basically guaranteed a year of experience and you already have a foot in the door if you want to continue.  A plus is that you can do anything in a bio lab as long as there’s a physics aspect and vice-versa, so you’ve got lots of options to explore your interests.  5: Free food.  Lots of it.  All the time.  Need I say more?

Okay, enough about Biophysics.  What’s the story behind East Asian Studies?  Let’s just say that I wanted to keep up my Chinese and found that Hopkins has an awesome “Heritage” language curriculum that allows native speakers who are illiterate to learn in a faster-paced environment.  The East Asian Studies department also offers a lot of interesting courses discussing anything from ancient history to current political issues in Asia.  An extra plus is that these courses often are deemed “writing intensive” and can help fulfill the 4 required “writing” classes for Arts/Sciences students.  Sweet, right?

Alright, now I’m really gonna blow your minds.  Every science major requires you to take a bunch of “humanities” classes to make sure you’re getting a well-rounded education.  On the flipside, every humanities major requires you to take a bunch of “science” courses to achieve the same effect.  So when you combine a science and a humanities major, you’re able to build a schedule where classes fulfill the core requirements of one major and the distribution requirements of the other.  Are you confused yet?  Let me put it simply: I take 5 classes a semester, am very involved in 3 on-campus clubs, work 2 campus jobs, and am part of a research team.  If there’s one thing that Hopkins helped me realize, you can do pretty much anything you want here…or elsewhere, for that matter.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in China studying Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Between the two majors, I didn’t really have the time to spend an entire semester abroad, but I knew I wanted that experience.  Somehow, it worked out.  The two courses I took fulfilled my East Asian Studies major requirements and I was able (for the first time) to “shadow” doctors in a hospital setting.  It was quite the eye-opening experience and I highly encourage everyone to go abroad at least once in his/her college career.  Not only did I get to meet a great group of new people from elsewhere in the US, I also got to see first-hand how people in other countries lived their daily lives.  In turn, I came to appreciate so much more the American lifestyle I was raised in, and, how great a school Hopkins is.

Have I answered all your questions yet?  Yes, you should definitely apply to Hopkins.  Here, you can choose whatever major(s) and minor(s) you’d like.  The academic advising’s office provides really handy checklists (http://www.advising.jhu.edu/degree_checklist.php) for each major/minor so you can see all the required courses and plan out your semesters accordingly.  These lists were really handy for me when I was trying to figure out what classes to take which semester.

It’s also really important to join a lot of clubs/organizations.  Everyone needs breaks, breaks from studying, breaks from hanging out with your housemates/floormates, breaks from being on the Hopkins campus.  Take breaks with people in different clubs.  Branch out, do something fun, get off campus.  There are plenty of opportunities to explore Baltimore and the rest of Maryland while making great friends.  Some of my best friends are in the outdoors clubs.  If you decide on Hopkins, you should definitely sign up for Pre-Orientation (www.jhu.edu/preo).  It’s a week of fun-filled activities while camping out in the wilderness before Orientation and where I met a lot of my closest friends.

Climbing Sugar Loaf

One day, I want to start a nonprofit organization that brings onsite emergency patient care to attendees at large music festivals and local shows.  I also want to spend time abroad researching ways to close the gap between Eastern and Western medicine.  When I retire, I want to work for the local ski patrol.  Where do I fit in?  Wherever I want.  Where will you fit in?  Wherever you want.  You can be whoever you want to be here.  You can choose whatever major fits your interests…or make your own (see “Interdisciplinary Major” checklist).

Here at Hopkins you will find, define, and become the person you were destined to be.  So what are you waiting for?  Apply now!  I can’t wait to see you on campus.

Name: Julia Allen

Year: Class of 2015

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Majors: Economics, International Studies

Minor: History

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About a year ago I was right in the middle of the college application process and everything seemed overwhelming. Sifting through the mountains of information about all the different universities as well as the advice on how to get into these schools was just as exciting as it was exhausting. I spent weeks perfecting my essays for the Common Application supplements, months meeting with my college counselor, and years working my hardest in high school to get the grades I would need for the application process. I’m sure this sounds familiar to most of you who are currently battling through the world of college admissions right now, and the good news is that it will eventually be over and hopefully you will find yourself at a school that’s right for you. What might not sound as familiar to you guys is the wait-listing process, which I had to go through this past summer. This is what I would like to share because even if you are not placed on the wait-list (fingers crossed!), I think you might be able to learn from my experience.

The essays were tough, the standardized testing was tough, and the paper work was tough, but for me, the most difficult part of the college process came after all of my friends had come to terms with their rejection letters, celebrated their admittance letters, and committed to a school of their choice. I had been accepted to Boston University (which was definitely one of the top schools on my list), but I was also informed that I would be put on the Johns Hopkins wait-list. At first I was excited because I was not rejected, but the wait-list status put me in a state of limbo that made the end of my senior year and first half of my summer really stressful. On one hand I knew that I should focus on getting myself excited about all the opportunities at BU, but on the other hand I knew that I still had a chance to get into Hopkins and I wanted to do everything I could to make it happen. It was hard to get myself pumped for a year at BU while at the same time I was writing essays and crossing my fingers for a chance to get into my #1 choice.

In the end it was worth the wait and the extra work because I got a call from my college counselor in the middle of June saying that I had been offered a spot in the Johns Hopkins Class of 2015! I was really surprised because I didn’t think that they would take anyone off the wait-list that late into the summer, but, needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to enroll in the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. At the time when I found out about the good news I was at the lake with all of my friends from high school.  Many of us had committed to schools in the Boston area for college so it was a little bit scary to leave that all behind after I had gotten myself so pumped about BU, but Johns Hopkins had everything I wanted academically and I wasn’t about to let that opportunity go out the door. I committed to Johns Hopkins the next day without hesitation because the International Studies program fit perfectly with my interests. I really wanted the opportunity to focus in Security Studies and even apply for the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) during my sophomore year, so I gathered up some courage, called the Admissions Office, and committed to four years away from the friends that I had known for basically my entire life.

Now that I think about it, I am incredibly lucky. Having never visited campus or looked into the social life here before committing, I realize that I could have been unpleasantly surprised if it were any other school. I came here because I am passionate about Security Studies and International Politics, but now I realize I have a lot more to love about Hopkins than just the academic life. One of the most surprising aspects of Hopkins for me when I first arrived was the campus. I was expecting a very scattered, dangerous, urban campus but I was surprised to find that this is not the case. The grassy quads and the Beach are some of my favorite places to chill outside with my friends! The brick buildings are beautiful and the security here makes walking around campus safe even after an all-nighter in “Club MSE” (also known as the one and only Milton S. Eisenhower Library where SAAB superstar Ruthie C. is known to party all night long! It’s BYOB… bring your own books, duh).

Since I have been here, I have had the chance to get involved in some great clubs around campus. I just became a staff writer for the JHU Politik (click here if you want to check out some of the stuff we do! http://jhupolitik.org/), which has been a great experience for me. I also had fun trying out field hockey for the first time this semester with the girls’ club team, and I am in the process of signing up to volunteer at the Veteran’s Center with the Support Our Troops club. Reaching out and making friends has also been a big part of my first semester here at Hopkins, and the social scene here makes it easy to meet new people. Whether you are looking to get involved in Greek life or you want to do your own thing (As of now, I am not certain what I will end up doing), there are plenty of ways to have a good time with the friends you make here.

My advice to all of you who are considering applying to Hopkins is to come visit the campus and take a tour to get a feel of this place. There is so much more here than just academics, and maybe if you have a chance to see how beautiful the campus is and how passionate and fun the people are, your decision will be easier. The wait-listing process was tough, but 100% worth the time spent in limbo, writing essays, and wringing my hands. The chances that any of you guys find yourselves in the same position that I was in last summer are slim to none, but hopefully you can take away some of the reasons why I chose to come to Hopkins and why I love it here.

Name: Leah

Hometown: Bowie, Maryland

Class:  Class of 2012

Majors: Biology and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology

Hello everyone! My name is Leah and I am currently a senior in the class of 2012 at Hopkins and pre-med, double majoring in Biology and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology.

I grew up in the suburbs of Maryland and driving around with my friends was one of my favorite things to do in high school. So when I visited the campus and a Hopkins tour guide told me there wasn’t official student parking, a part of my soul literally died. I thought to myself, “What on earth could you do without a car?!.” (Now for those prospectives either chuckling at my pitiful story or reaching for a Kleenex because you know exactly what I mean, let me just stop you because there is a happy ending.)

What I learned is that I had been deceived by the campus—in a good way.  In other words, the beautiful campus with its federal-style architecture of red brick buildings, marble steps, and grand white columns made me believe that I was in the middle of no where. In fact, I had completely forgotten that this illustrious campus was in the bustling city of Baltimore and that I had ways to get off campus that didn’t make me wonder if my car’s side mirrors would be there in the morning!

By being in the city, we have access to taxis, city buses, and even water ferries. But as broke college students, these can add up and empty our wallets so let me reveal to you my list of “Top Five Cheap Ways to Get Off Campus”. This list has taken me 3 years of personal experience to compose but I think its time that I share my tricks with you. (Disclaimer: All the places that I mention below are in no way a complete comprehensive list of all the possible things to do in Baltimore. They merely scratch the surface so you’ll have a chance to be adventurous and discover new corners and coves to pass on to future “prospies”. )

Now, starting from the bottom and workup upwards, the Maryland Light Rail is a train that shuttles throughout Baltimore and its surrounding cities. For only $1.60 you can hop on the Light Rail and go to Camden Yards for an Oriole’s baseball game, BWI airport to catch a plane ride home for the holidays, or Hunt Valley Towne Center to see a movie and grab dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, Noodles and Company, Outback, and much more! This beats taking a cab to the Inner Harbor which can rack up to $14 one way or to the airport which can cost almost $50! As a hungry college student, I always think in terms Chipotle burritos so by saving you $50 that’s worth like six steak burritos with guacamole.

Moving on to the next option is Zip Car—a membership-based car sharing company providing automobile rental to its members. The best part is that you only need to be 18 years old and have a safe driving record to join. Zip Car has parked dozens of new Honda Civics, Toyota Priuses, Mazdas, and more throughout the city and around campus. Depending on the car, it can cost as low as $7.25 to rent the car for an hour, and it includes free gas! These are perfect for doing large grocery runs or maybe even a day trip to the beach with friends!

Third on my list is the Collegetown shuttle and one of many reasons is the “f word”. No not that word. I’m talking about the word “FREE”. The word “free” rings sweet bells in anyone’s ears college student or not. This shuttle takes students to any of the half dozen universities in the area while also taking them to Towson Mall for some shopping or the Inner Harbor for a nice dinner and movie.

Now, I must admit that the top two on my list—the JHMI shuttle and the Charm City Circulator—tie and I’ll explain why. First of all, they’re both free but they are each fantastic in their own way and I can’t actually place one above the other. (Can you tell how my list is getting cheaper and cheaper as we reach the top?)

The JHMI shuttle stands for the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute Shuttle and it takes both students and faculty to the Hopkins School of Nursing, School of Public Health, Peabody School of Music, and the Pennsylvania train station. (In case you’re wondering, the train station is not located in Pennsylvania. It’s actually just a few blocks down the street.) Thanks to it being timely and free, the best word to describe the JHMI shuttle is “reliable” and it allows students to take classes at Peabody, conduct research at the Medical school, take classes at the Public Health school, and much more. By going to the train station with the JHMI, you can catch a $7 commuter train to visit Washington D.C. for the day or take the Bolt bus with your friends to check out New York City. To satisfy your fine arts palate, a short walk from the train station will take you to the Joseph Meyerhoff for a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performance or the Lyric Opera House. If you’re not into classical performances, then don’t worry because the Meyerhoff also hosts events like “Shaolin Monk Showdown”, “tribute to John Williams”, “Drumline Live!”, and so much more. (Student rush tickets are only $5!)

Meanwhile, the Charm City Circulator (CCC) is a fleet of 21 free eco-friendly hybrid shuttles that travel three routes in Baltimore City, serving the city residents and tourists. With the circulator, students can explore the fun coves of Baltimore. The shuttle comes every 15 minutes to each stop and it can take you to Fell’s Point—a historic maritime district—for a great bite to eat and people watching, Federal Hill—a historic brick neighborhood—for a beautiful view of the city, and Harbor East for fine dining and a movie!

And there you have it—my thousand-word crash course on all the great, cheap, and easy ways to get off campus and explore the wonderful city of Baltimore! Now, get out there and try my list!

Name: Jake Golman

Year: Class of 2014

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Major: Economics

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The weekend of October 14, 2011 was family weekend at Hopkins.  This year, my youngest brother Hank (15) and uncle Greg came to visit.  My brother had never spent significant time on a college campus and my uncle had not spent much time on one in over 30 years!  They both were excited (or so they said) to see Hopkins and me.  Since we planned to drive a lot and parking can be a bit of a hassle, I reserved a Zipcar for the weekend.  They came straight to campus from the airport.  Right off the bat we went shopping to restock on supplies – Giant, Target and Staples.  We bought so much that it took the three of us two trips to get everything to my room.  THANK YOU UNCLE GREG!!  We then went to the famous Woodberry Kitchen for dinner.  Have you heard of it??  Woodberry was featured on Food Network.  Although all of its dishes are spectacular, Woodberry is best known for their C.M.P. dessert, described on the menu as “Malt ice cream, chocolate sauce, marshmallow fluff, wet peanuts.” I think a better description would be “heaven in a cup!”  My uncle was amazed.  Sometimes I go to Woodberry Kitchen just for the dessert!  I highly recommend this restaurant – it’s only 10 minutes from campus – but you need to make reservations weeks in advance.

Eating the CMP!

We started the next morning at another Food Network dive, Blue Moon Café, located in Fells Point.  Words of advice from a Blue Moon regular – go early to avoid a VERY long wait.  We ordered the famous Cap’n Crunch French Toast and some pumpkin pancakes.  Huge portions, great food.  After breakfast, the real touring commenced!  We first stopped on the Homewood campus.  Our tour of Homewood included a guided tour of the Baltimore Museum of Art which has on permanent exhibit one of the largest Matisse collections in the world as well as several Picassos, Degas, and Monets among others.  During the summer before I started at Hopkins, I went with my uncle to Europe and visited many well-known art museums.  He has seen his fair share of art over the years and even collects it.  His was quite impressed by the depth and variety of the BMA’s collection, especially for a museum on a college campus.   I am a Hopkins tour guide and gave them an unofficial tour of the Homewood campus after visiting the museum.

The Blue Moon Cafe

My brother absolutely loved the Da Vinci machine in Hackerman Hall and enjoyed reliving parts of the “Social Network” which was partially filmed on campus.  My brother and uncle both thought the school would be “older looking” but quickly concluded that most of the buildings are pretty new.  The campus buildings really flow together, one of the reasons that I loved Homewood from the beginning!  We concluded the tour by walking around Charles Village. I showed them my places- Charles Street Market, University Market, Eddies Grocery Store, Maxies Pizza and my fraternity house.

The Breezeway

We grabbed a quick bite to eat in Hampden, a kooky neighborhood a few blocks from campus that not many people seem to know about, and then headed over to the Peabody Campus.  Although I know several people who attend Peabody, I had never been on the campus so I thought this would be a perfect time to check it out.  The Mount Vernon area has a very different feel than Charles Village.  Although our stay was short, I saw one thing I wanted to see, the George Peabody Library.  The Peabody Library, which has mostly old books, gets rave reviews and is regularly written up as one of the most impressive college libraries in the country.  We then zipped through Little Italy and, after grabbing a cannoli as a snack, headed to the Inner Harbor and the Babe Ruth Museum near Camden yards.  The Inner Harbor was packed!  Many people had ran in the Baltimore marathon earlier in the day while others were simply enjoying the beautiful afternoon.

Peabody Library

Our last stop before dinner was the Hopkins Hospital.  My uncle has been a doctor in a major city for 30 years but was astonished by the sheer size of the hospital.  Being from Texas where almost everything is bigger, my brother said, “This place is bigger than Jerry World (the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium).”  After a long day of touring, we had dinner at a little joint in Canton and called it a night.  On Sunday morning, the only thing on our schedule was breakfast at Paper Moon Café (5 minutes from campus).  My uncle could not stop talking about the restaurant’s décor!  It was finally time for them to go back home.

During their two short days with me, we visited at least 9 different Baltimore neighborhoods!  They had an awesome trip (although too short L), and I really enjoyed showing off Hopkins and the city of Baltimore to my family!

Name: Alanna Olken

Year: Class of 2013

Hometown: New York City, NY

Major: International Studies

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October 11^th 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 21^st 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 11^th 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!

Name: Liz Mauer

Year: Class of 2014

Hometown: Weston, CT

Major: International Studies

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Hi everyone! My name is Liz and I’m a sophomore here at JHU. Here on campus I am really active in the Blue Key Society, which is the group of tour guides here. As part of Blue Key I have some administrative duties but my most important role is giving a weekly tour. I always start my tour by talking about what I’m involved in here at Hopkins and then proceed take the group on the scenic tour of the campus. I always try to end the tour by talking about why I chose Hopkins but inevitably before I get there, a curious parent or prospective student stops me and asks, “Why, over every other school in the country, did you choose Hopkins?”. At this point I always pause, not because I don’t have an answer, not because I don’t want to say why, but because it is nearly impossible to say what I love about Hopkins in just one sentence.

First of all, the easy answer is this campus. Growing up in the northeast, I wanted a taste of home with the colorful fall and four seasons, with the benefit of a city near by. Honestly, what could be more perfect than Homewood, a suburban oasis in the heart of a city? Nothing.

Out to dinner with my roommates!

What drew me here next were the options for International Studies. I knew that was what I wanted to major in (don’t worry if you have no idea, so many people come undecided) and Hopkins has one of the most impressive programs in the country. I am given the opportunity to take classes across many departments (political science, history, economics, and more) to fulfill my major requirements, rather than staying within one. I also loved the importance Hopkins puts on study abroad, something I have always wanted to do.

Me (middle) with Alexis and Hannah from my awesome sorority, Phi Mu!

What I think is more important than why I came to Hopkins, is what kept me at Hopkins. Within days of moving from home to Homewood I could no longer picture myself anywhere else, it felt like the only possible fit. Since I’ve been at Hopkins I have met some of the most diverse, interesting, and fabulous people than ever before who I am now lucky enough to see every single day.

Some friends and me (pink scarf) in the FFC Freshman Year!!

Oh, and this hardly even begins to answer that question.

Name: Corey Adams

Year: Class of 2012

Hometown: Cedar Grove, New Jersey

Major: Political Science

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As a senior in high school, I was extremely happy that I was accepted into Hopkins nice and early. I was able to simply enjoy my senior fall while others were stressing about applications, win my high school’s first soccer state championship, and then, much to the chagrin of my parents, coast through senior spring. The only problem with this was the amount of questions I got from students, friends, and family members. Over the course of my senior year, I was asked the question: “You’re going to Hopkins, are you going pre-med?” While this annoyed me at first, considering I knew that Hopkins has much more to offer than pre-med courses, I took the opportunity to explain this fact to them after telling them I wasn’t going to major in a science related field. Over time, however, I realized that Hopkins is well known for its medical program and that this was the first thing people thought about when Johns Hopkins came up in conversation. I became accustomed to the question and was completely fine with answering it– as long as they gave me the chance to praise the other non-scientific departments of the school as well, of course. But, in my past four years here at Hopkins, I’ve realized that many people, in their earlier years of college, have trouble deciding what they are going to major in during their four years. Sometimes people even attempt to double major in completely opposite subjects– writing seminars and biology may seem like an unlikely pair, but it happens more than you’d think.

You may be asking yourself right now, where am I going with this? Fast forward four years and I’m getting a different type of question as a senior in college. This question is different because it has far more important implications than what major I was going to pursue in college. I can’t even begin to explain how many times I’ve been asked by friends, professors, coaches, family members, and most importantly, my parents: “Have you figured out what you’re going to do with your life after graduation?”

Let me answer that question for you. At the moment, I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to do next year. I have some ideas, but nothing solid. It’s reassuring to know that I am not alone, as most seniors don’t have solid plans at this point either. For a few weeks, I took part in resume drops and had a few interviews, some going better than others, but then I started to second guess that route. I’m not sure if I want to jump right in to working full time. Sure, some consistent income would be great, but I have to be happy with going to work everyday or I know I’ll regret taking the job. Grad school seems like a better option some days while working interests me more on others. It’s a never ending cycle.

I know I have to figure it out and time is of the essence, but part of me wants to put this monumental decision off for a few more weeks (or months). As much as I want to figure out my life after graduation, enjoying my senior year is of the utmost importance to me. I’m confident that I will come to a decision and be happy with it, but I plan on enjoying my last year atHopkins. Four years ago, I wanted to make a decision early. After spending three great years atHopkins, I’m not rushing to leave.

Name: Bridget Harkness

Year: Class of 2014

Hometown: Boise, ID

Majors: Writing Seminars and Public Health

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Jennings, Room 188 became The Lair. There was a green grape at the bottom of our refrigerator that we watched slowly become a raisin. There were round pillows, and patchwork blankets, and a warped ResLife measuring cup that someone once put in the oven, and I was too afraid to return. There was a temperamental printer that I named Oliver that printed everything slanted so it just became a jewelry holder. There was a small coffee maker that I rarely used because it was noisy and she slept late. There was a red lamp beside her bed because the overhead light was bright and I went to bed early. On my nightstand I had black eye masks and neon green earplugs. There was a Dali painting of elephants above my bed – that always made people go sort of quiet and say “That’s really cool”. There was a knitted turtleneck sweater with a dog head from her Aunt, and it wasn’t cool, but it made us laugh so I wore it anyway. There were HealWell antibiotics for my sinuses, sore from humidity and wind. There were herbal pills from her mother, skeptical of medicine or vaccines. We shared tissue boxes like sickness, commiserating. There were oversized suitcases. We traveled alone between the coasts by plane, coming together to lament the lack of Mexican food. There were Yiddish refrigerator magnets, ‘Oy Vey Bagel Shiksa’. That was me. There were Broadway tickets, and soundtracks, ‘Take Me or Leave Me’. That was her. There were glass dishes that sat dirty so long in my closet that one day I just threw them all to the bottom of a big recycling bin by the baseball field. I listened to the echoes of them breaking. There was a large cloth patterned like the Andean Flag pinned to the backboard of my desk. There was a painting of the dark mark hanging from her bed for use in the Quidditch music video. There were piles of work shopped poems, and stacks of college ruled Calculus problems. There were booby traps of books. There were labyrinths of computer cables. There were drawings and letters from a little girl she babysat in Tucson. There were pictures. My sweaty gym shorts, and worn out running shoes made my half of the room reek like rotting cornstarch. I made her go to spinning class and we bought air freshener that smelled like rain.  There were letters from my grandma and friends from High School tacked in circles. There was a candle we never lit. Our lights were always off – first because we were hot, then because we were lazy, eventually because we were used to it.

We had a saying, ”It has gone into the void,”

meaning you might not find it now

but it will show up eventually.