Simply Serendipitous

I remember back in middle school when we had our first “relationships” and “break-ups,” girls started posting this on their AIM profiles or away messages: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”  As a pre-teen sobbing over an online break-up, this seems like the single most sage piece of advice ever given.  As I got a bit older and would see this pop up in places, I rolled my eyes (partly because of its association with silly middle school antics, but also because it just sounds melodramatic).

However, every time I found myself at some sort of crossroads or goodbye, this stupid little saying popped into my head.  No matter how annoying I find it to be, it is cliché for a reason – because it’s true in a sense.  Now, I’m not going to say that this is something to live by, because it’s obviously not.  The countless times over the past few weeks (and right now) that I found myself on the brink of sadness over the upcoming goodbyes – after trying my hardest to keep it under control and failing miserably every time – I just let it happen.   Yes, I’m sad, but it’s because I’ve had the most wonderful four years that positively flew by.

I’ve done a lot of things to prepare for writing this entry: procrastinated, looked through old pictures, re-read my first blog entry, cried a little bit more, and started several drafts.  Perhaps the biggest one was participating in commencement – though I finished my studies and had my degree conferred in December, I wanted to be there with the classmates I met during freshman orientation (some of whom I hadn’t seen since) and hoped to get a feeling of closure.  However, as I sit here now, forcing myself to get through this most-bittersweet task, I’m feeling like that sought-after sense of closure is going to be more of an ongoing process.  (Translation: I’m crying again).

And so, dearest readers, I’m going to use you – one last time – in a way I so often have over these last four years: to put my thoughts into words and share them with the world in hopes that it will bring closure.  To be clear, it’s not that I’m looking to put my Johns Hopkins memories into some little mental box and store it away forever (although, physically, I will have a Johns Hopkins box with some of my trinkets from over the years).  My relationship with Johns Hopkins – the university and the people – will not be over just because I leave Baltimore and move on to another university.

To put it briefly, my time at Johns Hopkins has been nothing short of amazing.  It has literally amazed me, both in the moment of each experience and now as I reflect back on them.  I never (ever) could have expected to graduate from Johns Hopkins as an entirely different person than I entered.  I think the best way to reflect on my experience is to thank those who have made it what it was.

And so, bear with me for one last list – this time, a thank you to:

My friends. Whether we met during orientation and didn’t speak after intersession of freshman year or we met later on and have been friends ever since, you are the obvious, and first, to whom I owe thanks.  To my small group of closest friends, my SAAB friends, my fellow-student-worker friends, my friends from class, my friends of other friends, my boyfriend, and everyone else in between – thank you for the fun, for thinking I’m the “mature one,” for humoring me with my experimental recipes, thank you for running errands with me, thank you for the advice, and thank you for whatever our relationship is.  I honestly believe that every single person I’ve met at Hopkins has affected me in some way or another.

My “co-workers.” I worked in Mason Hall for the past five-ish months as an intern, giving information sessions and helping with the regular decision application cycle.  Though I was just an intern, I felt like I was part of the “team” at Mason Hall.  Thank you to the admissions staff for such an incredible experience.  Thank you to Admissions_Shannon for forcing me out from behind the podium and thank you to Admissions_Daniel for making all of this happen.

My advisors and mentors. I’ve changed my mind a lot since starting as a pre-med freshman, and I’ve seen a lot of academic advisors.  Starting as a freshman, with my freshman advisor, then my chemistry advisor after declaring that major, then a pre-med advisor, then a public health advisor, then a pre-law advisor – there has been a lot of advising to get me to this point.  Thank you for putting up with my dead-set indecisiveness.  Outside of the advising programs, Dean Sheppard, Associate Dean of Student Life, served as a mentor to the Ethics Board and gave me the opportunity to chair the board – a heavy responsibility that has made me a more empathetic (and assertive) person.  And of course, Admissions_Daniel, before you were even my boss you told me about your experiences and encouraged me to make the most of the opportunities at Hopkins.  You also gave me the best closing line ever, and thank you for everything (again).  Thank you also to my aunt – you’re not at Hopkins, but you were there along the way for little notes and pick-me-ups throughout the whole experience, always an encouragement.

Mom and Dad. I wouldn’t have had any of these opportunities if not for your generosity and sacrifice.  Despite the heavy burden, you made my Johns Hopkins dreams into a reality and you are the reason I have that diploma on your wall at home.  You challenged me when I wanted to switch tracks completely, and then supported me when I promised it was for the best.  Thank you for everything you have done for me.

My readers. While most of you probably fall into one of the categories above, you deserve a special thank you.  If not for this blog, I wouldn’t have been so introspective throughout the past four years and wouldn’t have forced myself to put my often-jumbled thoughts into words.  Also, how cool is it that I have a “journal” of my college years? (Very cool).

Now that I’ve finished what could be an Oscar acceptance speech, I’m back to thinking about this idea of closure.  Maybe it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be.  As I said, I’m not looking to file away the memories – all I can really ask for is to be content with the experience I’ve had.  I’ve made plenty of mistakes (such as taking Microeconomics in the first place and then not opting for the S/U option) and it’s easy to wish I had spent just a few more hours studying in hopes of a slightly higher grade (I graduated without ever pulling an all-nighter).  It’s easy to regret not taking advantage of even more opportunities – maybe I should’ve stuck with that ballet class, run for student government, or tried debate.  But, as I so often say, it is what it is.  My Johns Hopkins experience is just that – it’s mine.  And that, my dears, makes me content.

Johns Hopkins will always have a huge place in my life and I owe everything to this university for making me into who I’ve become.  Though it’s time to say goodbye, it certainly won’t be for long.  I will remember fondly the four years I spent here and the people who have been a part of it.  Look out, law school; I’ve got some big expectations of you.

And now, we move on.

Much love,
Mandy

Undeniably one of the most fun parts of the spring semester as a Hopkins senior is Senior Week.  There’s always about a week in between the last day of finals and graduation day, so seniors take this opportunity to get a little wild before we all disperse and have to behave like grown-ups.  There are a ton of different Senior Week events, but the most interesting/blog-worthy topic is the Preakness.

What, you ask, is the Preakness?  Well, it’s the second race in the Triple Crown — it’s officially known as Preakness Stakes.  (In case you’re wondering, the Kentucky Derby is the first race and the Belmont Stakes is the third).  Preakness is a tradition that Baltimoreans take very seriously –in a manner of speaking.

Preakness Infield Fest -- those big hats are actually very practical. My face didn't even get sunburned!

Although I was a delinquent senior and didn’t purchase the Senior Week ticket package, I managed to buy a ticket from a student who decided not to go to Preakness – I was unbelievably excited and immediately went hat shopping and downloaded the Preakness iPhone app.  Don’t let the big hats fool you, though, this was not your typical seersucker-wearing, mint-julep-sipping kind of event; the biggest draw for Preakness is the Infield Fest.   This year’s unofficial slogan was something along the lines of “Preakness: a ten hour party for a two-minute race.”    The inner portion of the track is gated and grassy and there are multiple stages, food vendors, and a “mug club” for those of legal drinking age.  The mascot for the Infield Fest was “Kegasus,” a centaur with long hair and a beer belly.  I hope you’re getting the picture – this really is a big outdoor party in the middle of a horse racing track.

If I haven’t sold you on it yet, I should also mention that the headlining concerts were Train and Bruno Mars.  Both were amazing performances and definitely worth the few hours in a crowded, sweaty, and shade-less standing-room-only section.  And, of course, there was the horse racing.  Sitting in the infield prevents you from getting a good view of the races, but there are those few seconds each time when they run by your corner of the track and everyone gets super-excited.  And yes, we did actually see the Preakness itself, though we had to pull out the smart phones to find out who actually won.

The actual Preakness race - as seen from the Infield. If you look closely you can see that there are actually horses there.

In case you haven’t fully grasped the Preakness experience, let me tell it another way.  The buses left around 10:00 AM for a race that was scheduled to begin at 6:18 PM, and many of my friends took cabs so they could arrive when the gates opened at 8:00 AM.  Preakness, at least for us, wasn’t about the races or the betting – it is a truly unique Baltimore experience that you can really appreciate after living in the city for nearly four years.  It’s a bit sloppy, very sweaty, and somewhat of an unpleasant picture, but it was by far one of my favorite Saturdays ever spent in Baltimore.

As some of my dearest friends are wrapping up their academic work at Hopkins, it’s finally sinking in that my time here is coming to an end.  Sure, I still have another month or so, but things are starting to feel very final.  Before I wrap up and move along, I want to share some little pearls of wisdom I’ve picked up over the years.  Think of this as things you should know before starting your time at Hopkins — or, perhaps, things I wish I’d known.

1. Bring semi-formal clothes.  Every fraternity and sorority has multiple events that will require something nice.  Even if you don’t join Greek life, chances are you’ll meet people who do.

2. Bring a blanket for the Beach.  The grass one, that is.

This walk is my favorite part of campus. Another thing to know: Homewood looks especially beautiful right after it rains in the spring.

3. Girls, no matter how expensive your taste, come to appreciate Forever 21 and H&M.  When you need a business casual outfit ASAP (go to H&M) or want a new dress for one of those aforementioned events, they’ll be there for you.  At Towson Town Center, they’re actually right across from each other.

4. On that note, it’s okay to be a poor college student.  You don’t have to impress your classmates with your thrice-daily trips to get a grande skinny latte or your fancy gadgets in your dorm room.  Live within your means.

5. Learn how to use public transportation.  Cabs can rip you off.

6. Go to the Farmer’s Market and The Book Thing.  Figure out what those are if you don’t already know.

7. Eat crabcakes, at least once.

8. Learn to appreciate Old Bay on non-crab foods (ex: French fries, corn on the cob, other vegetables, chicken, etc.)  If you don’t know what Old Bay is, you’ll soon find out.

9. Learn a bit of history about Baltimore.  Start here, it has a nice little timeline you can scroll through.  Wikipedia is another option.

10. Use Wikipedia – but not as your only source!

11. Along those lines, always question your sources (thanks to Admissions_Daniel for this lesson).

12. Get to know upperclassmen – we might act too cool at first, but we’re excited to meet new classmates and even more excited to share our sage advice.

13. Don’t buy a whole new wardrobe before getting here – your tastes and size might change.  Save some money for smaller shopping trips during the semester – you’ll thank me later.

14. Avoid the “Freshman 15” (the infamous 15-pound weight gain during the freshman year from unhealthy habits), but don’t despair if you gain a little weight or it redistributes.  They failed to mention in that middle school health class that you’re probably not done growing when you turn 18.

15. Consider setting your home page to a newspaper web site.  Even if you don’t read it daily, glimpsing at the headlines will keep you somewhat in touch with the rest of the world.

16. Invest in a Netflix account.  You’ll make friends quickly once people learn that you’re the go-to-person for movie nights.

17. Learn to share.  Another quick way to make friends is to brew a big pot of coffee or to make some cookies.  All dorms have common kitchens you can use.

18. Yes – you will make a lot of friends, but know that it’s okay to eat a meal alone.  The FFC is a very social atmosphere, but if you want to eat and your friends are all in class or otherwise busy, don’t be afraid to eat by yourself.  If you’re really nervous about it, take a book or take some notes to look over.

See what you'll miss if you don't explore Baltimore?

19. Don’t be afraid of Baltimore.  Yes, it’s a major city, and yes, like all cities it has its rough parts, but embrace it as your new hometown and explore it.  If you’re a bit extra-cautious, you can talk with campus security or your RA to get suggestions for areas to see and others to avoid.

20. Set ambitious yet realistic goals.  Learn what your limits are and make sure to sleep before an exam.  The extra hour of sleep will probably help more than the extra hour of studying – honestly!

21. Bring a little piece of home with you to college; it can be photos, a pillow, a coffee mug – whatever you want.

22. If you have the room when you’re packing, buy cold medicine and/or your preferred brand of pain reliever in bulk.  These are very expensive to buy near campus.

23. Get a water filter and reusable water bottle (perhaps a Johns Hopkins Nalgene?) because the cost of bottled water adds up! Also, you’ll meet a lot of earth-loving/plastic-hating recyclers, too.   They’ll appreciate that you’re doing your part to be green.

24. Don’t be that kid who runs to class with a big bookbag thrashing all over the place.  Get an alarm clock or whatever you need to get to where you have to be on time.

25. Don’t feel like you have to find your way into a relationship right when classes start.  Take your time.  You’re going to meet a lot of interesting people.

26. It’s okay if you don’t stay best friends with the first friends you meet.  Again, you’re going to meet a lot of people and you’ll all be working your way through the social life here.

27. As you go through college, stay in touch with old friends – both from high school and from freshman year.  It’s perfectly normal and perfectly okay if you grow apart, but being able to touch base and reconnect over the years is a wonderful thing.

28. Don’t miss big events unless you have the most legitimate excuse.  Spring Fair, Homecoming, Fall Fest, Young Alumni Weekend, etc.: these are all on the DO NOT MISS list.

29. “Do what you say you’ll do.”  This is a very simple lesson I learned last fall.  Don’t be a flake.

30. Don’t be lazy.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  And again.  And again.

It’s weird to think that I’m writing this advice to future Hopkins students who I’ll never have the chance to meet — you’ll be starting your time at Hopkins in a completely different atmosphere than when I started.  You’ll graduate before you know it and wonder how in the world the time went by SO fast.  The last thing you should know?  Enjoy every minute of it.

Between daily information sessions (ranging from one to hundreds of visitors), reading applications, participating in my first-ever college fair down in Prince Georges County, and a recruiting trip to New England, it’s safe to say that my life these past few months has revolved around undergraduate admissions.  Of course, my life has also revolved around law school admissions as well, as I was going through that process myself.  In short, my life has been admissions.

Our first SOHOP event - sporting my official polo and nametag (and feeling a bit like a camp counselor)

Despite having volunteered/worked in the Admissions Office since my freshman year, I had no idea what it actually means to be a full-time employee in the office.  Sure, I had seen Admissions_Daniel and the rest of the office get really stressed or tired or whatever else throughout the application cycle, but it was impossible to fully understand what it means to be an Admissions Counselor.  …Until I started working here full-time.

I want to dedicate this blog entry to shining a bit of light on the amazing job that college admissions counselors all over the country are doing each day.  It’s impossible to truly understand this field without spending a significant amount of time immersed in it, but I’ll do my best to show you the other side of the admissions process.

November: it begins. Early Decision applications pour in and begin flooding the counselors’ online queues as the files are completed by the operations team upstairs.

December: pause.  As Hopkins students are wrapping up the semester and finishing their final exams, the counselors are also feeling the crunch to finish up their final decisions.  Decisions are released on or around December 15 (finals this past year finished around December 17), at which point, the entire campus breathes a collective sigh of relief.  The Admissions Office then has a couple of weeks that could be best described as “the calm before the storm.”

January: the deluge. Our Regular Decision application deadline is January 1.  Happy New Year, Office of Undergraduate Admissions!  Immediately upon returning from a nice winter break (which usually involves some work with pre-deadline applications), those online queues I mentioned begin overflowing.  Okay, not literally overflowing – they are online queues.  At this point, part-time readers join the team (this is where I come in) and help prepare transcripts for review by counselors, in addition to reading some files on their own.

February: a false sense of security.  By February, the staff is buried up to their eyeballs in application work.  Whether it’s processing (by our Operations team) or reading (by our counselors and part-time readers), we’re busy.  However, the official deadline is usually the end of the month or the first week in March – so there’s somewhat of a false sense of security.  “Oh, we have a few more weeks, it’ll be fine,” or, “I can’t believe how many applications we have to get to, but at least we have a couple more weeks!”

March: crunch time. First reads are finished – the work of part-time readers is done – and counselors move into their committee review.  They have about two weeks to complete the class, a process that is constantly in flux.  While this may sound like it’s arbitrary, I can assure you that it is nothing of the sort.  Each day, there is a different task to help shape the class to be exactly what we’re looking for.  The biggest challenge at this point is making sure we’re at the number that we want – during our first reads, we’re not thinking so much about the volume of each decision, we’re going with our first thought.  March is the time to make sure we’re not going to end up with a class of 10,000.  It’s unbelievably difficult.  Our mailing process involves 4-5 checks per envelope to be beyond sure that we’re sending the right letters to the right applicants.  Then: a sigh of relief.  Throughout this process, however, we’re busy with visitors who have early spring breaks or are otherwise starting those weeks of college visits.

April: where did all of these people come from? Decisions are released.  More juniors start looking at colleges during their spring break.  Seniors start visiting the schools to which they’ve been admitted.  We run four different information sessions each day, two for prospective students and two for admitted students.  We also run a lot of other programming for our visitors.  The unique challenge during April is the combined effort to introduce juniors (and sophomores) to Hopkins and to convince our admitted seniors to choose Hopkins by their May 1 deposit deadline.  In short, it’s exhausting.  But it’s fun, too – I promise.  Just for a bit of perspective, on Good Friday, we had at least 1500 visitors to campus, and this wasn’t even our SOHOP event.

The view from my beloved rental car as I head to Boston Logan Airport to drop her off.

To complicate matters, April is time for spring travel, too.  This year, while Admissions_Daniel was busy with our second SOHOP event, I went up to New England to kick off his spring travel.   He joined me in Rhode Island on Friday after SOHOP to finish off the weekend’s events.  I arrived in New Hampshire, did two college fairs there and then headed to Providence, RI for another two events.  We moved on to Dedham, MA as a convenient location for our Explore Hopkins presentation, followed by one more (gigantic) college fair on Sunday.  What a week!

May: where did all of the people go? It’s early May and there’s a calm that’s come over the Office. Seniors have made their decisions.  Juniors/sophomores aren’t on spring break anymore.  Hopkins students are finishing up the semester, and some are looking ahead to commencement.  Where did the time go?  It’s not time to kick back and relax, though.  It is crunch time for evaluating transfer applications, a process that started back in the aforementioned hectic April.

June-August: not-so-sleepy summer.  The campus is busy with summer programs for students and our office is busy with visitors who are working on their “apply” list.  We do a lot with our incoming freshmen (primarily through a Facebook group) and work on bigger projects for prospective students through Hopkins Interactive.

September-October: on the road. As students are back to classes, the admissions counselors are back on the road.  It’s time to make sure we’re out and about telling the world everything there is to know about Johns Hopkins to help them decide if it’s a good fit and whether they should apply.  It’s also time to brace ourselves; as soon as November comes, so does another crazy cycle.

So you get the picture: it’s a rollercoaster of a job.  Keep in mind, too, that this isn’t the exhaustive list of tasks.  Every day, someone sends out tours.  Someone gives information sessions.  Someone responds to e-mails.  Someone answers the phones.  Someone coordinates interviews.  Someone processes the materials coming through mail and fax.  There are countless other tasks that are more behind-the-scenes, but are certainly no less important.  This is a crazy job, but also a thrilling one.

Whether it’s serving as a family’s first impression of Hopkins or evaluating a student’s application for admission, this is a very people-centric job.  It’s also very Hopkins-centric.  I draw from my experience of three-and-a-half years as a student, but most of my job training has been picked up on-the-go.  How many students are at Hopkins? 4,998. Can you tell me about your combined five-year bachelors/masters programs in Engineering?  Yes (I’ll spare you the details).  What carries the most weight in the application process?  Who is happiest at Hopkins?  What are the professors like?  How big are classes?  What is the percentage of students admitted to medical school?  Knowing the answers to these questions is part of my job, but it’s also second nature – the most wonderful thing about Admissions at Johns Hopkins is that we don’t have a handbook telling us what to say.  We don’t have a script for our information sessions.  We’re very honest and candid.  We take questions and we want to share our experiences.  At the end of each day, the most important thing that I do is to help students/applicants find their fit – that place where they’ll be happy for the next four years – whether it’s chatting with sophomores and juniors deciding where to apply or evaluating applications for admission.  Again: this is a crazy job, but also a thrilling one.  I can’t think of a better way to have spent my “senior spring” semester.

As you may or may not know, Baltimore is a great central location if you’re ever looking to take weekend excursions.  I’ve taken a few out-of-town trips over the last few years up along the east coast, and now that I have a car up here with me, I’ve been taking trips out to the ‘burbs more often, too.  What can you get to from Baltimore?   Well, it depends on what you’re looking for, but here are a few of my favorite excursions.

Visiting the tree at the Rockefeller Center in New York City

1. A weekend in the City:  For no more than $40 round-trip (and significantly less if you book in advance — $2 round trip, anyone?), and about four hours each way, you can get to New York City.  There are a number of great discount bus lines servicing the east coast these days, though I’m personally a fan of Bolt Bus.  With outlets and wireless, the four hours fly by.   They also have early-morning departures, so you could go up just for the day if you so chose.  Bolt Bus picks up and drops off at Penn Station (both the one in Baltimore and the one in New York), so you don’t have to worry about stepping off the bus into some random/unknown part of either city.

I’ve made the trip up there every few months this school year to visit my med school-bound boyfriend (congrats, Will!) and you could even do work on the bus – back in the fall when I was applying to law school, I wrote three application essays and my reward for the hard work was a weekend in NYC.  Perfect.

2. A day in DC:  For $8-15 each way, you can get to our nation’s capital in about an hour.  The Smithsonian museums are free and the metro makes it very easy to get around.  Wear comfortable walking shoes – trust me.   Washington has a very different feel than other cities and it’s a wonderful place to explore.  With countless great restaurants and lovely shopping options, it’s perfect for a day trip.  Of course, if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can get great deals on hotels, too.  A close friend of mine celebrated her 22^nd birthday in DC and got a hotel room to make it easier to go out and enjoy the nightlife without worrying about getting back to Baltimore in the wee hours of the morning.

At the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC

Consider planning a trip out to DC in the spring during the cherry blossom festival – the trees are absolutely gorgeous and the weather (usually) is, too.

3. White Marsh: There will come a point (if not already) when you’ll start to think it’s fun to look at furniture – especially furniture with funny names and cheap prices.  White Marsh, about 30 minutes from campus, has an Ikea.  Aside from great (cheap) furniture, you can stop in for some Swedish meatballs or $1 fat-free frozen yogurt.  When I was getting ready for my 21^st birthday, I bought champagne flutes in a six-pack for $4.50.  I guess admitting to that makes it significantly less fancy, but hey, it’s college.  White Marsh also has a decent-sized mall and a ton of outdoor shops and restaurants.  If you really want to make a day of it, you can stop by the movie theater, which is one of the best places nearby to catch a movie in IMAX.

What can I say – I was raised in suburbs and I just can’t get past their wonderful convenience of having every single store within a small radius.

4. Arundel Mills: Out near the airport is this glorious mall. If you’re a bargain-hunter or just love big, huge, suburban shopping centers, this is the place for you.  If you’re feeling a little kitschy and want to catch the Medieval Times show, you can do that, too.  If you’re missing home and want Chick-fil-a – okay maybe that’s just me – you can find one here.  There’s a Dave & Buster’s, a Lego Land, and countless stores, both standard and factory outlets.

In fact, I’m heading out that way after I finish this blog!

Okay, so I guess my short list is a little heavy on the shopping trips, but there are plenty of other places you can explore as well; Philadelphia, Annapolis, Alexandria (more shopping, admittedly), Southern Maryland (my birthplace and first hometown!), Colonial Williamsburg, Ocean City (either the one in Maryland or the one in New Jersey), the mountains, the bay, the beach – your options for weekend trips are truly great.  If you don’t have a car and want to go somewhere beyond the reach of public transportation, check out Zipcar, an affordable and easy way to rent a car as a student.

For those just tuning in, I’ve recently announced to the world that I’ll be at Washington University in St. Louis for law school in the fall.  It’s been a long year leading up to this point and as many of you are trying to decide where you’ll be going to college, I want to share my thoughts on the all-important question of “fit.”

When I was applying to Hopkins, I knew it was the best school for me.  I had “that feeling.”  You know, the one so many college students talk about when you ask them why they chose whichever school they attend:  “I just had this feeling when I visited campus.”  If the only thing you’re feeling when you’re visiting campuses now is exhaustion, don’t worry.  Not everyone has that magical bubbly feeling and it doesn’t necessarily mean that a school isn’t right for you.

So, then, how do you know?

A goofy/proud moment when I got to hold my diploma during a visit home -- and happened to be wearing the shirt of my future school!

For some of us, it takes a bit more thought and consideration before we’re sure.  And that’s okay – deciding on a college is a BIG deal and you want to think carefully about it.  When I was visiting law schools, I loved the experience (and all of the schools I saw), but I didn’t have that gut instinct about anywhere I went.  It wasn’t until I got home from my last visit that I realized the most important question: Can I see myself living here for three (or, in your case, four) years?

How you choose to answer that and what factors go into it are completely up to you.  As frivolous as it may sound, be honest with yourself about how important it is to have a pretty campus.  When you’re a stressed-out student in the middle of midterms, will it make you all the more stressed if you have to take four shuttles to get to the library?  How’s the food?  What is the earliest class time, and can you see yourself waking up for it?  Are the winters too long?  How easy is it to get home?  I’m going to be honest; college is hard, no matter where you go or what you study, and this difficulty comes from more than just the academic work.  Make sure you choose a school where you’ll actually be happy and enjoy your time.

So, then, who is happy at Hopkins, and will you be?

During my information sessions, I’ve been asked to describe a typical Hopkins student, a great question that really has no answer.  However, though I always say that there is no “typical” Hopkins student, when I think more about it, we really do all share a few traits.  Hopkins students are driven, bright, and highly motivated.  This doesn’t always manifest itself in academic qualities (i.e. there are plenty of slackers), but everyone here has something that they’re truly passionate about.  We’re all naturally curious, too, which is probably what drew us to the flexible curriculum.  Whether we have a hundred different interests or just one very focused interest, we all take advantage of academic flexibility.  Also, we’re pretty stubborn.  We don’t settle and we don’t go down without a fight.  Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but that’s my general analysis of Hopkins students, after almost four years of interacting with them and being one.

But which ones are happiest?  From what I’ve noticed, the students who are happiest here are the students who take advantage of the tremendous opportunities – whether it’s research, an internship, going to events, participating in student clubs, being a lacrosse fan, exploring Baltimore, going to professors’ office hours, taking obscure classes, studying abroad, coming back for Intersession, going out on weekends – whatever it is that suits their fancy, the happiest students here are the ones to branch out, even if just a little bit, to really stretch their boundaries and see how truly capable they are.

As you’re making your final decision, it’s okay to be torn or completely unsure.  Do everything you can to figure out where you’ll be happiest, in addition to where you can get the best education.  Wherever you go, college is what you make of it, academically and socially, and you will have to work at finding your place those first few weeks of school.  For now, best of luck as you make your decision and whatever you choose will be right for you – don’t doubt your choice and embrace it once you’ve decided, even if they do have ugly school colors or a weird mascot (or both).

First of all, a big CONGRATULATIONS to our regular decision admitted students!  Each of the Hopkins Interactive bloggers will be answering a survey to give you a quick insight into our experiences at Hopkins as you start thinking about whether or not you’ll enroll here.  To get it started, we’ve each answered a few basic introduction-type questions so you can get to know us a bit before we dive into the Hopkins experience.  We hope you enjoy these entries and that they help provide a snapshot of life at Hopkins!  As always, ask us anything you’d like in our comments section or on the Hopkins forums: (http://apply.jhu.edu/forums).

Get to know JHU_Mandy

1. Birthplace and current hometown: Born in Clinton, MD and I currently live in Cary, NC.
2. Major: Public Health Studies
3. When I grow up, I want to… Well, I’m going to law school in the fall, so I want to be a lawyer!  Though I’m not sure where and/or what type of law.
4. Favorite place to eat in Baltimore: Carma’s Café, Miss Shirley’s, anywhere in Little Italy, RA sushi.
5. Favorite spot on the Homewood campus: I love the lower quad, it’s so pretty in the springtime!
6. Favorite TV show: SNL, Law and Order, 30 Rock, and The Office
7. Favorite color: Gray, navy blue, yellow and magenta.
8. Favorite sports team: The Baltimore Orioles!

Duckpin bowling - A Baltimore tradition I still haven't quite mastered

My Hopkins Experience:

1. When did you know Hopkins was right for you? I was an early decision applicant to Hopkins and I was convinced it was the perfect fit by the middle of my junior year in high school.  I visited in October of my senior year and absolutely fell in love with the campus, helping me confirm my desire to apply early.

2. What is one thing that would surprise your friends/family about Hopkins? It was surprising to my friends and family when I decided not to be pre-med anymore.  We all thought that Hopkins’ strengths were limited to the natural science and it was a wonderful surprise to be proven wrong.

3. If you were the University President, what is the first thing you would do or change? I would love for Hopkins to have a student union.  I’d build a building that was only for student life purposes – no study rooms, no books.  Alternatively, I’d convert Charles Commons into more of a student union – opening the building and its resources to all students (not just those who are lucky enough to live there!).

Freshman Mandy in my dorm room. I was always the go-to girl for coffee on Wolman 5 East.

4. If you could go back and choose your college again, would you pick Hopkins?  Why? I would absolutely pick Hopkins again.  Hopkins has helped me get to where I am now and I honestly would choose it again in a heartbeat.  I’ve been exposed to so many different opportunities that I wouldn’t have otherwise had (more on that later) and as an alumna, it has really shaped me into the person I’ve become.

5. What was your perception about Hopkins before enrolling and how has it changed since then? Again, I thought Hopkins was PERFECT for pre-meds.  The truth is that it is a great place for pre-meds.  But it’s also a great place for any other type of student who wants access to unparalleled opportunities, a number of amazing departments, and one of the most beautiful campuses imaginable.

6. What is/was your favorite class? My favorite class was “On the Road.”  It was a freshman seminar about road trips in literature and in film – very quirky, very fun!  At the end of the semester, our professor treated us to a screening of “Into the Wild” at an artsy theater near Penn Station.

7. Describe your funniest memory or experience at Hopkins: I’ve been a part of plenty of silly antics among friends throughout the years; it’s hard to pick just one!  I guess one standout was during one of our Open House events — President Daniels came up to our Ask-a-Student table to grab a handful of candy and ask us a question as if he was a prospective student.  He even stuck around for the answer!

Taken during my first-ever visit to Hopkins. I loved that it is a park-like campus but still in the city!

8. How would your college experience be different if you hadn’t chosen Hopkins? If I hadn’t chosen Hopkins, I can’t imagine where I’d be right now.  I do know that having access to research during my freshman year helped me realize I didn’t want to continue on my pre-determined path toward med-school – instead, I started over and had so many wonderful resources to help me.  I also think I’ve really gained a lot by having left home.  Many of my high school friends stayed in-state and are all still best friends (and some are even living together).  They certainly have fun and have enjoyed their experience, but I am really glad to have been forced to branch out.

9. What has your greatest contribution been during your time at Hopkins, or what do you hope to accomplish before graduation? I don’t have a single stand-out thing, but I think my greatest accomplishment has been my own personal growth – cheesy, I know, but I’ve really grown up a lot since I started here four years ago.  I think what’s helped me get there has been my job in admissions and my work with the ethics board.  Also, I was honored to be nominated for a senior leadership award, which I never could have imagined as a timid high school senior — I’ve come a long way!

10. What advice would you give to a high school senior choosing their college? Ignore the rankings and perception of reputation – ask yourself, “Can I see myself here for four years?”  It sounds superficial, but if you don’t like the food or think the campus is ugly, it can be tough to live there and enjoy your experience.

I was very fortunate to participate in a Senior/Young Alumni Leadership Symposium last weekend – the event, in its first year, was designed to create a connection between graduating seniors and young alumni who were there to help us navigate that next step, whatever it is.  We did several interesting exercises on the themes of “connect,” “reflect,” and “pursue.”  The activity for the first theme, connect, was particularly interesting and I think it’s helpful for anyone in the position most of my readers find themselves – deciding where they’ll spend the next four years.

The activity involved big sheets of paper and markers (you’d be surprised how excited college seniors get about markers).  The task was to draw a map of our four years at Hopkins, helping illustrate how we’ve gotten to where we are, and how we’ve been directed to where we’re going.  It sounds simple enough, but when you have an 11 x 17 inch blank paper in front of you, it’s hard to get started.

The purpose was to identify and highlight the biggest factors that have directed us to where we are now.  Being the list-maker that I am, I opted for bulleted lists organized by year, rather than the fully illustrated flow charts made by some of my peers.  I had a hard time starting four years back and instead went in reverse chronological order and traced my path backwards.  What I came up with was a bit disorganized, but after thinking about it, I redid my map on my own time.  Now for the fun part: do your own!

My newly-redrawn Hopkins life map

Why am I telling you all of this?  Well, there are a few reasons.  First, it’s interesting to see how crazy the path has been.  Yes, I’m a bit unusual in that I’ve had a few different majors, but looking around the room at the symposium, I noticed most of us seniors (and the alumni) ended up in very different places than expected at the start.  Second, I think it’s a useful exercise for those of you getting ready to choose your college.  Before you settle on that decision (maybe before those decisions even come out!) trace out your high school years.  What’s been most meaningful to you along the way?  What events or realizations have helped you get to where you are now?  What kind of person have you become, and what do you value?  This self-reflection sounds very silly and cheesy, but it’s a very helpful reflection as you get ready to take that next step and go off to college.

Another one of our exercises was to “pursue,” that is, imagine where we see ourselves at age 50.  This made most of us feel a little panicked, and the overwhelming majority had no clear idea.  It’s not that we don’t have goals or drive, but rather, at age 18 we all had very different expectations for our 22-year-old selves, how could we possibly imagine 30ish years ahead?  For those of you playing along at home, maybe don’t think to age 50 – think to age 22.  You’re getting ready to graduate from college – what’s next?  What do you see yourself doing, or, where do you see yourself going?  How do you see yourself getting there?

Again, I know this little exercise sounds silly, but I encourage you all to at least think about it.  If you do end up writing it down, come back to it at the end of each year of college and see how you’ve met (or, likely, exceeded) your own expectations.

There have been several recent articles/editorials addressing the question, “Does it matter where you go to college?”  Many answer that it really doesn’t, but what actually matters is what you DO there.  These exercises were helpful as we thought back to what we’ve done at Hopkins and how we’ve made the most of our time here.  After creating our college life maps, we discussed how different our lives would be if we’d gone to another school.  For me, I felt like I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to realize I didn’t want to be pre-med, at least not so early on (research spring of my freshman year was what did me in).  It’s hard to imagine how else my life would be different, but it made me extremely grateful to have graduated from Johns Hopkins.  The most important advice I can give to college-bound seniors was given to me as I struggled to pick a law school: wherever you go will be the right choice.  (THANKS Admissions_Daniel, for that pearl of wisdom).  You can’t possibly know exactly how your college experience will play out, but I can promise you that it’ll be full of twists and turns that will leave you in a great place when it comes time to graduate.

Okay, I know I’ve been very introspective lately, but it’s been tremendously helpful as I’ve navigated my way through the law school application process.  The self-reflection is certainly not for everyone, but it worked for me; I’m very excited to announce that I’m planning my move to St. Louis and will be spending the next three years at Washington University in St. Louis.   I can’t even begin to imagine what my life will be like in three years and what that law school life map will look like!

One of the most rewarding things about my time at Hopkins is that I’ve had the privilege to meet so many incredible people, from all over.  In fact, tracing these hometowns/locations is quite fascinating.  When students arrive for orientation, it’s exciting to meet new acquaintances from hometowns you’d never have imagined – whether they’re from just down the road or across an ocean or two, you meet such an interesting group of people.  You may or may not end up as BFFs with the people you’ve met from orientation, but more likely than not, your close group of friends will come from many different places.

Once you settle into life at Hopkins, your “home” identity fades away a bit – not that it ever goes away, but it’s not the single most interesting thing about you anymore.  You and your friends begin to identify with Hopkins.  The discussions about “friends from home” when you’re getting homesick become fewer as you’re building a life in Baltimore, which becomes your new (albeit temporary) home.

How could you not feel at home here? Photo credit: JHU_Clint (borrowed from our Hopkins Interactive Flickr account!)

Then something funny happens: time flies and you enter your senior year.   You start making plans – and big ones at that.  Then comes the first friend to get a job offer/get into grad school.  It starts sinking in and you realize that your time at Hopkins is drawing to a close.  Between the emotional rollercoaster rides (“I’m so excited for what’s next” versus “I don’t want to enter the real world!”), you’ll hear of more and more students figuring out what they want to do with their lives.  Finally, you’ll realize that, just as you came from so many different places, you and your friends will likely go to many different places.

I’ll give you just a hint of the places my closest friends are going.  Two of my dear engineer friends will be sticking around to continue their studies and work toward master’s degrees.  Several of my friends are continuing in the world of education, but on the other side of things, through Teach for America.  One of my friends is biking across the country to raise money for cancer (JHU_Jessica!).  Another is completely undecided as to what she’ll be doing.  One of my roommates from sophomore year will be working in Washington, D.C., alongside other friends who are working or enrolling in grad school there.  Of course, I know several future doctors as well who are heading off to med school all over the place.  Some of my closest friends will find themselves in Baltimore, DC, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Nashville, Houston, San Francisco, Boston, North Carolina, and others yet to be determined.  As for me, I’ll likely be making my way to the Central Time zone, but I’ll count myself in that “yet to be determined” category.

It’s sad to think of my closest friends being all over the country (or, perhaps, world) so soon.   But regardless of where we’re all going, it’s exciting.  We get to start all over again, except this time, instead of “friends from home,” we’ll be boring all of our new acquaintances about our “friends from undergrad.”  Knowing that I’ll have so many truly incredible experiences that I’m going to take with me to law school is what makes me so grateful to have come to Johns Hopkins.  Just as my friends freshman year would listen to my stories from home when I was feeling homesick, I’ll apologize in advance to my law school friends who will be hearing all about these amazing experiences when I find myself getting Hopkins-sick.

Other advice: don't be shy about taking pictures. I felt like a dork doing it, but I wanted to have something to show to my friends and family! (And of course for my blog).

School visits can be exhausting.  Trust me – I just finished my second admitted student event in two weeks, involving several hundred miles of travel.  In fact, I’m currently spending my Friday evening in my hotel room in St. Louis, precisely because I’m so exhausted.  I’m going to be so bold as to declare myself an expert on school visits.  Between my own experience as a prospective (law) student, and my work with visitors every day in the Admissions office, I hope such a declaration is not too much of a stretch.

So what, then, is my expert opinion? Here’s my advice on making the most of your school visits.

1. Step one: do your research.
   The other part of this is to set your priorities.  In some cases, you may not be able to participate in every opportunity for prospective students, so decide which things are most important to you.  In a different vein, also have some idea of what you want to learn from the visit.
2. Step two: plan ahead.
   Obviously, check out the basics: transportation/parking, hotel information, and visit options and offerings.  Make sure you know the school’s visit schedule and arrive on time to make the most of their events.  Regardless of whether you’re going for a full-day event or just a few hours, make sure you leave enough time for the school you’re visiting.  Chances are, there are other interesting schools in the area, but make sure you’re setting a realistic schedule.
3. Step three: pack carefully.
   Figure out what you need.  I get dehydrated easily, so I always make sure to take a jumbo-sized bag and stuff a bottle of water in it.  Actually, I kind of have a tendency to pack like someone four times my age, and include everything from water and mints to tissues and Advil.  Small travel umbrellas are helpful (unless it’s a windy rain, in which case they’re useless and annoying.  Lesson learned in St. Louis).
4. Step four: participate in everything you can.
   Whether you’re staying for two hours or seven, take advantage of your time.  Even if you quickly get vibes that the school you’re visiting isn’t right for you, continue with the events.  Try to figure out what you don’t like – even if you end up deciding the school is not right for you, it can help you pinpoint what you are looking for.  That said, if you’re totally uninterested, don’t feel bad about leaving – presenters get self-conscious when their audience is clearly bored!
5. Step five: explore on your own.
   After the visit, check out the school/surrounding area on your own.  If you’ve heard about a great restaurant or popular hang out spot, check them out.  It helps you get a better picture of the school and can help you feel that “fit” (or not, as the case may be!).
6. Step six: decompress.
   After your visit, take some time to relax.  Think about your first thoughts (okay, maybe second thoughts, as your first ones are probably exhaustion).  But once you’ve inventoried your first impression, decompress before too much thought.  Relax, preferably with something mindless.  Then go back and think through your day and experience.
7. Step seven: follow up.
   Now that you’ve gone back to think about your day, what questions do you still have?  I like to think through the day in chronological order and replay the different events/speakers – what did they say and what was especially interesting?  If something pops out, I’ll research it a bit on my own, and then, most importantly, contact the school if you have other questions!  At Hopkins, you can pick up a card from your information session presenter (or you can go online to find the contact information for your regional counselor) – e-mail us if you have questions!  I’m sure most other admissions offices operate similarly and are happy to make sure their visitors have had a completely thorough visit.

I’m currently on #7, as the writing of this entry carried over to Saturday morning, where I’m awaiting my return flight to Baltimore.  I’ve talked the ears off anyone who picked up the phone when I called and I think I have a pretty good handle on this visit.  I have a mental list of things to look up when I get back to my apartment (where wireless doesn’t cost $7.95 per use) and despite the sleepiness, I’m very excited to have had such a thought-provoking visit.

For those of you visiting Hopkins, I hope you’ll take this advice to heart!  Explore Baltimore a bit – at least go to the inner harbor where freshmen tend to spend a lot of weekends, and consider eating in a dining hall you’d be going to every day as a student here.  Ask lots of questions during your tour and information session, and if you’re not comfortable asking in the big group, speak to someone afterwards.  Also, come say hi if I’m giving your session!

So, what’s your approach to these visits/events?  Agree/disagree with mine?