Simply Serendipitous

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.

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).

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!

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?

With our first above-fifty-degrees day, it’s hard to ignore the fact that spring is rapidly approaching.  Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m thrilled at the prospect of warmer weather and fewer layers (because, really, two shirts and a sweater is getting to be a bit smothering – not to mention the laundry back-up from all those clothes).  I’m all about the warmer weather.

But for both high school and college seniors, spring brings a lot of big decision-making.  You and I are now getting closer to the decision – we applied to our schools, some of them will make it easier on us (either by completely removing themselves as an option – more on that in a later entry – or by admitting us if they’re our absolute dream school).  But most likely, you’ll end up with a few more acceptances than you expected (remember all those “safety” schools your counselor wanted you to apply to? ) and a sudden realization that you have no idea where you’ll be in six months’ time.

My upcoming trips are taking me up and down and out and back!

For me, this big impending scary thing is coming up sooner than I’d like.  I have to make my first deposit to law school(s) by April 1 – at least you high school seniors have until May!  Because springtime always flies by, I know this deadline (mine and yours) will creep up before we know it.

Okay, enough of me inciting fear.  We all know that we’re going to have to make some tough decisions but how are we going to do it?

You tell me.  (No, really.  If you have any great advice, I’d love to hear it.  I only applied to one college!)  Here’s my approach – and if you have thoughts/suggestions/want to offer up your own ideas, PLEASE DO!

1. Make lists.  I have this little spreadsheet put together for my top few schools (of the schools I’ve already been admitted to) – I tried to put the most important information in one place, and it forced me to read up on the schools beyond just their view books.  Your criteria could (and should) be any number of things, but mine included percent of graduates employed in particular regions, estimated cost of attendance, and size, to name a few.
2. VISIT!  I just finished arranging the next three weekends, which will take me to New York City, St. Louis, and Chapel Hill/Durham.  I’m going for various admitted student events and for other less-formal programs to finally see the schools for myself, and knowing me, probably make my decision even harder.
3. Learn from my admissions experience:  Now that I’m giving information sessions four times each week, I’m learning how important it is not to base your entire impression of a school on one person you meet.  Maybe you don’t like your information session – go on a tour!  Most likely, the tour will be led by someone other than the session, so try to get multiple perspectives.  Or, if you absolutely loved your information session and your tour, still take the time to walk around campus, eat in a dining hall, or do something else that isn’t centered on the admissions perspective.
4. Decide what matters to you.  I’m starting to realize that while my choice will inevitably shape the rest of my life (as will yours), it’s not the be-all, end-all.  What’s going to make the difference is what you do, more so than where you are.   Of course, my list of what matters is very long and it seems like there’s always some trade off or another.

So what do you think?  I guess I’m kind of keeping everything very internal at this point (thinking way too much about the same little things), but I’m very excited for my upcoming trips and visits!  I’ve loved talking with visitors to our campus every day, and I’m excited to go through that process myself.  As I mentioned, Johns Hopkins is the only school I actually applied to – as an ED applicant, I had a few other schools in mind if I didn’t get a favorable result on December 15, but after being admitted, I was done.  So for those of you who applied to a handful of schools, I finally know how you feel (I applied to fourteen law schools).

Let me know what your approach to “the big decision” is so far and I promise to keep you posted as I’m working on mine.

Remember that time I had a periodic table in my dorm room and was a chemistry major? ...yeah, me neither.

With 18 days left before I’m done with my undergraduate education, I’m starting to get a little reflective.  It’s hard to believe that I started as pre-med and that I made it through two semesters of both physics and orgo.  I hardly remember those “hell weeks” that I thought I’d never make it through, mostly because I did make it through and I am still in one piece.  But you know what I do remember?  Absolutely hating my walk all the way up to Bloomberg for physics.  Struggling to make it to a 9:00 class once a week.  Weighing the pros/cons of attending one Friday afternoon class.

Now that I’ve made myself sound like a terrible student, I want to give you a very simple piece of advice that I wish I had taken to heart much earlier.  DON’T BE LAZY.

Sure, I mean don’t be lazy in the typical sense:  get up for class, walk to the dining hall instead of skipping breakfast, and go to that event that’s on the other side of the campus.  But this wouldn’t be one of my signature blog entries if I left it at that.

What I mean is, don’t let yourself get too comfortable.  Don’t get lazy and just go with the flow.  I did that for almost a year and a half before I snapped out of it and realized I was going to be very unhappy if I didn’t consider other options.  Don’t take the easiest way out every time – take a chance on that upper level class and if it doesn’t result in a little sparkle on your transcript, so what?  You will have worked too hard to get to college to just breeze through without taking any risks.  So, take risks!  Chances are, your undergraduate years are the best chance you’ll have at taking completely irrelevant classes; enjoy it.  (I have).

It seemed only appropriate to throw in some kind of graduation picture -- high school will do!

Looking back on my almost-complete undergraduate education, I can truthfully say I have no regrets.  Yes, it would have been nice if I’d done a couple of things differently or if I forced myself into the early-morning routine I have now (you’d be amazed how attentive I can be at 8:00 these days.  Just don’t ask how early I go to bed).  But everything I’ve done – every class I’ve taken, every less-than-stellar grade I’ve gotten, every event I’ve gone to or skipped – has made the Johns Hopkins experience unique to me.  And when I get home after finishing my very last classes and finals, I’ll know that my education has been so much more than I could ever imagine, even while I was in the middle of it and trudging along.

That said, I’m so excited for all of you future Hopkins students (and you current students who still have a ways to go).  I hope you’ll constantly question yourself and your goals and make sure you’re not getting lazy, either mentally or physically.   But at the same time, be proud of everything you do; yes, you always could’ve/would’ve/should’ve done something differently, but it’s important to be happy with what you did do.  That’s the best mindset I can think of to get you through college.

Of course, having just sent off my (hopefully) last law school applications, it’s easy to sit here and wish I had done better in a class (or several).  But I’ve realized that I worked for every single one of my grades and in that sense, I’m incredibly proud of them all.   Even that unbelievably annoying C+ in Elements of Microeconomics.  Yes I went there – what can I say? I’m graduating…time to put it all out there.

P.S. This is my 100th entry!  Thanks for sticking with me along the way.

For the next couple of weeks, all of the Hopkins Interactive bloggers will be writing on a common theme:  our thoughts and reflections on the college application process.  We’ve all been exactly where you are now and hope that sharing our experiences will help you through this momentous (but challenging!) time in your life.

This and the other photo in this entry are from my first visit to Hopkins!

Just over four years ago, I made my first visit to Johns Hopkins and left knowing that I’d be submitting my early decision application within a few weeks’ time.  I struggled to even finish my application to in-state schools (they were plans B and C); I was so dead-set on coming to Hopkins that I didn’t even want to think about applying to other schools.

Now that I’m going through another application process and preparing for my graduation in about six weeks, I’m becoming strangely nostalgic.  I’ve been thinking back to the last time I did this and what I want to do differently or things I should keep in mind to stay sane.  In other words:  I feel your pain.  I’ve been scouring the web looking for any source of reassurance I can find as I’m considering between 18-23 schools.

So, that said, here are my thoughts on the process you’re going through, unique to applying to college (I’ll do my best to keep my law school experience at a minimum).  I do know, however, that at this point in the process, my interest in what law school life is like at a particular school is minimal – my main concern is “how do I get in?!” and I’ll wait until after hearing back from schools to get super-excited about what my experience might be like.  Chances are, you’re feeling the same way!  My point in telling you all of this?  I feel your pain.

For starters, my high school experience:  I went to a school of about 400 students (slightly fewer; there were about 85 students in my graduating class) where I took a pretty standard curriculum.  I used my electives to take extra science classes or for free periods to get everything done.  I was a cheerleader and the statistician for the baseball team.  I knew from the outset of my college application process that I wanted to go to Hopkins.  I wanted to be a neuroscience major (and would only consider schools with a neuro program) and I wanted to be pre-med.  I loved Baltimore and the idea of moving to a mid-sized city far enough from home that I couldn’t run back.

I applied Early Decision to Hopkins and I applied to two other schools “just in case.”  I had a list of other options (also as a “just in case”), but I didn’t want to fill out the applications unless it was necessary.  My parents were extremely supportive during the entire process, initially struggling with the considerations of financing a private education when a very strong public university was not too far from home.  However, in the end, they wanted me to do what I thought was best.  In retrospect, I should have been more mindful of the practical considerations, but I had tunnel vision and couldn’t think of being anywhere other than Hopkins and I’m extremely grateful to be here.

Obviously, as I’m sitting here just several weeks away from finishing my coursework, I couldn’t be happier with my experiences.  (And I think my parents feel similarly).  Hopkins has opened me up to so many new experiences and opportunities that are simply unparalleled.

Although I was lucky enough to have everything work out perfectly, there are some things I could recommend.  Most importantly, don’t choose your college for just one reason. By this I mean: you’re 16/17/18 years old.  It’s hard to be sure of what you want to do for the rest of your life at this point.  Make sure you end up somewhere with lots of options, just in case.  You could end up like me, going in pre-med neuroscience and graduating public health while applying to law school.  Thankfully I had a lot of good options to back me up when I realized I was completely wrong in my early goals.  A student I met recently put it quite nicely when he said that no single thing will make or break your college experience.  For him, Hopkins merged everything he wanted, but it wasn’t one single stand out factor that was making it his first choice – it was the combination.  I think this is a great approach and a wonderful mindset.

I’ll finish up by sharing another unique perspective I have.  I have worked in the admissions office for over a year and have volunteered here for over three years.  I’ve seen and heard a lot, as you might imagine, both through my paid job and my volunteering as a blogger and interviewer.  I thought I’d close with a few of the biggest admissions pet peeves, in no particular order. DISCLAIMER: these are my own and do not represent the opinions of Johns Hopkins in any way.  (I’m already in a pretend lawyerly mode, apparently).

1. JOHNS HOPKINS. Not John Hopkins, not John Hopkin, not John’s Hopkins.  JOHNS is a first name, albeit a slightly unfortunate one.  Spell the name correctly and don’t invent apostrophes where they don’t belong.  This applies to other schools, too!  And while we’re on the topic, check all of your application materials to be sure you have the correct school name.  While it’s nice to hear how interested you are in some other school’s English department, we don’t find it particularly relevant.
2. Big words versus big thoughts. I hate to say it, but anyone can right click in Word and change “important” into “tantamount.”  (Believe me, I was tempted to do things like that in my personal statement, and had a conversation with my mom about that exact set of words).  But do you actually write like that?  If you do, hey, more power to you for your fancy words.   But if it doesn’t sound like you, your essay will reflect that.  I know you want your essay to sound eloquent and reflect great writing, but sometimes eloquence comes from simplicity.  Don’t let big words muddle your thoughts into something incomprehensible.
3. I wanna major in pre-med! No, you don’t.  At Johns Hopkins, pre-med is not a major; it is an advising program that you follow on top of any major you want.  A great advising program, but again, not a major.  Enough said.
4. Do your research. If you have a question, ask away!  But think about Googling it first.  We’re happy to help, but I’m always impressed by a student who asks things beyond the basic “Do you have a pre-med major?”  (Sorry, couldn’t resist).  But this applies to point #3 as well – don’t gush to a school about a major they don’t have.

Those are my biggest suggestions, but I’m sure there are countless other things to keep in mind.  My best advice at this point?  Breathe, relax, enjoy yourself.  It’s easy to get so caught up in this process that you fly through a few months without even realizing it.  Don’t forget to enjoy the experience of your senior year and this unique process.

While many of you are currently in the throes of college applications, I’m staring at a list of twenty law schools to which I am applying.  I finally have a working version of my personal statement (after nixing twelve previous attempts) and I’m assembling all of the other required pieces (transcripts, letters of recommendation).  It’s exciting and it’s scary and it’s overwhelming.  But if anyone is interested in learning more about the law school application process, I’ll surely be dedicating an entire blog entry to that at least once in these coming months.

A screenshot from my LSAC account -- I already have several applications in the works!

For now, I wanted to offer some advice acquired from my wise old age.  Having gone through the exact process you’re going through, and then basically doing it again right now, I thought I’d offer my opinion on the processes and share my approach/mindset.

I should start by saying my law school approach is MUCH different from my college approach.  When I was applying to college, I completed out three applications:  ED at Johns Hopkins and two others that I withdrew after that magical day on December 15 when I knew I was going to Hopkins.  I had a fourth application in the works, in case my admissions decision wasn’t what I’d hoped, but that ended up being unnecessary (thankfully!).  But really, I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to do it.

Law school?  I’m applying to twenty of them.  Many are on the east coast, some are in the Midwest, and a couple of California schools snuck their way in there as well.  I have no idea where I want to live, what exactly I want to study (obviously I’m studying law, but I don’t know if I’ll specialize) and I haven’t had an official visit to any law schools.  I don’t have a clear picture in my head since I have no idea where I’ll be, so it’s really just this abstract thing floating around in my head.

That said I am still trying to do this “right.”  I’m about to set the course for my career path and it’s important to do so carefully and thoughtfully.  So, with the benefit of retrospect and the experience of doing it all again, here are my major pieces of advice in approaching the application process.   (Added after writing: it was surprisingly helpful to write all of that out and remind myself to keep it all in perspective!)

• 

  This is from one of the law schools I wandered around on my own during a visit home last year.

  Learn what makes each school unique.  It will help you get excited about the application for each school, whether you’re completing five or fifteen. When I was applying to college, I actually enjoyed writing my applications because I had a clear idea of each school and some vague notions of what my life could be like there.  Now that I’m applying to twenty law schools, it starts to feel like I’m drudging along.  The solution I came up with?  Do my applications in cycles – five or so at a time.  By focusing on a small list of schools at any given time, I can keep my head clearer and be less likely to submit my NYU supplemental essay to UCLA.

• Be open-minded.  What you want right now might be very different from what you end up doing. Honestly, I could be the Hopkins poster child for changing majors and career tracks.  I came here with the strongest belief that I’d major in neuroscience and then become a neurologist, but two changes in majors later, I’m public health and applying to law school.  I was really lucky to pick a school that is strong in so many different disciplines; otherwise I could’ve been stuck on a course that wasn’t right.  Lesson learned – I’m not applying to law schools because of strength in any single area, but rather solid programs across the board.
• 

  Off-the-record advice: don't let your love of a particular college basketball team sway you too much. (Hey - I'm not applying JUST because of their basketball team and the fact that I could get tickets more easily...)

  Do your own research. Sure, if you have a question, contact Admissions.  If you really, really want to, read any of those college guidebooks out there.  But spending time going through schools’ websites, finding your own answers (Google is your friend), and discovering things you never even thought of is so helpful.  This kind of goes along with the first point of learning what makes schools unique – but spending time getting “acquainted” with the schools via the information they provide is an important step to help you decide for yourself if the school is a good fit.

• Make a list of “demands” or “deal-breakers.”  Be realistic, but know what factors are really important to you. These can be as simple as “not within a 300-mile radius of home” or as particular as “must have professors studying gene 41gsa3109 so I can work on solving the mystery of the appendix.”  (Can you tell I know nothing about genes and/or biology?)  Know what you want in a college and then seek schools that fit your profile, rather than trying to fit yourself into certain schools just because of a reputation.  Of course I always preach that you might change your mind about these things, but if something’s important to you, don’t settle.

Whew – so here it is.  Whether you’re like I was and you have that one school held above all others, or whether you’re like I am now and have no idea what you’re doing with yourself, I hope this is helpful!  I think the hardest (but most important) thing is to try to enjoy the process; it’s such a special time for you and for your family and it’s easy to forget all of that when you’re plagued with writer’s block or worried about getting that extra letter of recommendation.  I promise (everyone keeps reminding me of this, too) that everything will work out and you (we) will be happy wherever you (we) end up.

Can you tell this was rather cathartic for me?

Every year when classes start up, the oldest students (high school, college, whatever) are often heard saying variations of the following:  “I can’t believe I’m starting my last year here!”   And I’ve smiled and nodded while thinking to myself, “Well, you did have your turn; you’ve been here for three years!’  I never really took them seriously when they talked about how the time flies by and I always thought that three years was a long time.

But here I am, a few days away from my orientation at the School of Public Health and my first graduate classes there and just over a week away from starting my last two undergraduate classes.  And I can’t help but wonder where the time went.

My first visit to Hopkins as a high school senior. PS: how incredibly green is that quad?!

Sure, I’ve had three years here, plus two summers, plus two-and-a-half intersessions.  I’ve still never pulled an all-nighter, I’ve become a pro at public transportation, and my friends joke that I’m practically a local.  I’ve learned to cook (somewhat), bake (a lot), and balance my checkbook.  I’ve taken 35 classes at Hopkins, five at another school, and I’m going into this semester with 119 credits.  I’ve had semesters that went surprisingly well, and I’ve had some that left quite a bruise on my transcript.  I’ve had a part-time job, and I’ve gone from being members of groups to organizing and even leading them.  I had my first trips to New York City and New England and my first spring break trip with friends.  I helped with a research project just long enough to know it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing.  I came in with one major in mind, declared another, and then changed to a third.  I’ve been pre-med, then confused, and then (now) pre-law.   And now I’m staring at the sixth version of my mostly-blank personal statement and a list of 19 schools awaiting my application.

Some incredibly early hour on the day I left for college, showing off our awesome packing job.

So, yes, to the incoming freshmen, I’ve had such an expansive college experience so far that it won’t make sense when I say that I don’t know where the time has gone.  I suppose it went to studying, working, my extracurriculars, and spending time with friends, but it all went so fast.  I’m 100% honest and serious when I say that I cannot believe I’m finishing my undergraduate education in four months.  I keep telling myself that I’m going to have it made when I’m working 9-5 and then doing whatever I want to (i.e., not studying) in the spring, but I can’t imagine what it’ll be like to not take classes when all of my friends are.

To the incoming freshmen, I know everyone tells you this, but trust me (and all of us who say it).  The next four years will fly by.  When it seems like you’re having the worst week of your life with midterms and papers, it’s over before you know it.  When you’re up to your eyeballs in reading assignments you’ve gotten behind on, the night will pass more quickly than you’d like.  And before you know it, it’ll be the end of the first semester, then spring break, then the end of the second, and so on, and so on.

By now, I probably sound like an old, nostalgic senior – which I am to some degree.  But when I’m looking back on the past three years and the one yet to come, I don’t have any regrets and I’m not wishing I could go back.  Every single experience, including those I missed out on, got me to where I am today and while I hate the uncertainty of the present, I couldn’t be happier with my experience at Hopkins so far.  I have learned so much – both in class and about myself, my limits, what drives me – that I know the past three years, quickly as they may have gone, were the best I could have asked for.

So, here’s to an amazing school year for all of us, be it the first or the last, and all of the exciting things that none of us can even imagine yet.  To the incoming freshmen, I’ll resist the urge to tell you to enjoy it while you can, because I know you will.  Best of luck to everyone in this most exciting time of the year!

It’s that time of year when the weather gets particularly wonderful, admitted students flock to campus to scope it out, and, of course, the work piles up.  It makes it a perfect time for me to tackle one of the most common topics I’ve been asked about during my involvement with admissions:  the intensity of academics at Hopkins.

Let me set the stage a little more:  I’m taking five classes, which is pretty standard for Hopkins students.  I’m also taking an LSAT class, which meets for 3.5 hours, twice weekly, with practice exams every other Saturday morning.  I’m also working part-time in admissions, staying involved with various admissions groups, and helping with interviews for next year’s ethics board.  I’m busier than I’ve ever been while at Hopkins, though there are still students who fit in much more than I do!  But I’m speaking from my own experience, so suffice it to say that this is my busiest semester yet.

The craziness that comes from my schedule isn’t because my classes are too hard or unreasonable, but rather because I don’t want to give up on any of my activities or sacrifice my social life.  Sure, this means less sleep sometimes, but with as fast as the weeks are going by, I can’t stand the thought of missing out on a single thing (perhaps sleep excluded).

My classes this semester are pretty reading-intensive and don’t have a whole lot of checkpoints along the way to keep me doing the work steadily, so I’ve gotten into this bad habit of focusing on one or two classes in a given week, then playing catch-up with the others the following week, and so on, based on exam/paper schedules.  This is exactly

why study inside when you can study on the beach?

what you should NOT do as a student at any rigorous university—constantly playing catch-up is only going to make you feel perpetually behind (mostly because you are) and, from experience, you get much less out of your classes this way.   At this point in the semester, it’s hard to break the cycle, but I’m working on it and trying to get back to my good habits from less-busy times, namely, doing a little bit of work for each class every day.  Regardless, everything manages to get done one way or another.

Of course, there are days/weeks when it’s particularly difficult to keep a reasonable perspective on things—it’s quite easy to get caught up in my to-do lists that never get finished and what seems like an impossible amount of reading that somehow has to be done in just a few weeks’ time.  But when I stop to think about it, there’s not a single thing I’d want to give up to make my life “easier,” and, perhaps most of interest to anyone reading this, I still find time to have fun.

So is Hopkins intense?  In my experience, which is all I can speak from, it’s only as intense as you make it.  The semesters when I have taken a more level headed approach to my classes and not considered them the be-all-end-all of everything that ever was, I’ve actually done much better (and enjoyed them more, too).  My extracurricular commitments certainly make my schedule busier, but also more enjoyable and make for a nice break from classwork/LSAT studies.  Finding a balance is crucial, and I don’t claim to have struck up the perfect one, but knowing your limits and priorities will keep you from being overwhelmed by your studies, regardless of the school.