A College Canvas
Peter's experiences as a Mechanical Engineer with an interest in the visual arts.
Finale
Aug 26th
So, I don’t know if I mentioned it or not, but this will be my last blog for Hopkins Interactive (unless I somehow write a guest blog in the future). I’m not going to get into why I’m not blogging anymore, however, it was a decision that I had to make, and unfortunately this is what it came down to. So mainly, I wanted my last blog to contain some parting words of advice, based off my experiences in college, and life, thus far.
I'll be a ghost of Hopkins Interactive past, kinda like Blinky!
First of all, try new things. College is a time when you learn to discover who you are. Coming into Hopkins, I was pretty much who I was in high school. I was afraid to try new things, and so I just stayed within my own comfort zone. The best thing I ever did was finally decide to step outside it. Who knew that I would love Indian food, or that I would enjoy Capoeira. The only person stopping you from doing something is you, so why not let yourself do something new? I did, and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Along those lines, learn to accept who you are. In this day and age, we all try to be like someone else, oftentimes to please others. As a result, however, we tend to lose touch with who we actually are. It’s sad, but true. In particular, when coming to terms with your sexuality, accept who you are. At first, I was very scared and would hide my sexuality, but once I came to Hopkins, I became very comfortable about it, and realized that if people really care about you, stuff like that doesn’t matter. It’s a part of who you are, and if someone can’t accept that, that’s their own problem, not yours. You shouldn’t try to change who you are just because of someone else’s opinion. I sure as hell aren’t going to become straight because of something Michele Bachmann says, haha.
My friends and I with Yara Sofia from RuPaul's Drag Race outside of Estate in Boston!
Of course, another tidbit of advice, more so pertaining to college applications and such, try to get away. I know when I applied to schools, most of my friends just decided to stay around Boston, to stay close to family and friends. I however opted to apply further away, whether it was an hour or more, and I don’t really regret the decision. Boston is a nice college town, but I really wanted something new. Low and behold, I LOVE Baltimore. Even my friends who came to visit from Boston loved it. It’s just a charming little city, especially once you’ve become accustomed to it. Maybe it’s a bit intimidating if you’ve watched the Wire, but really, most cities are like that. But definitely look into schools that are further away. Your real friends will always be there for you, as will your family, so don’t worry about it too much. Plus, you get more freedom to explore what you want to do!
Next bit of advice? Don’t lose your inner child. I’ve seen way too many college students act like they’re much older than they actually are, being way too serious for their own good. I’ve seen people lose sight of who they really are, simply to be professional. In my opinion, we all need that little spark still inside us. We have our entire life to be adults, so why not be a kid while you still can? Enjoy yourself, it’s the little things that we take for granted.
I'm still a kid and freakout whenever I go to the Nintendo Store in NYC
Also, don’t burn your bridges. Back in high school, this was probably one of the best words of advice I have ever received from one of my art teachers. In short, what goes around, comes around. If you leave somewhere, whether it be a job or some other institution, don’t ever talk smack about it. It’s just not worth it, and in the long run, it will come back to hurt you. I’ve never experienced it myself, but I’ve learned to always leave on good terms, even if it means biting your tongue. As for biting your tongue, well, I think I learnt that after being chased around my house by my mother while waving a wooden spoon.
And last, but not least, do what you want to do. I know sometimes we feel pressured into doing what we think it right, or rather what we think others would want us to do, but ultimately, it comes down to what makes you happy. It might sound depressing, but you will always be there for yourself, so why not treat yourself to something nice once in a while, maybe all the time? It’s never a bad thing to be happy. Especially when it comes to college, make sure you do something you’re passionate about. Don’t worry about whether your major will get you a high enough grossing job. If you really want something, it can be achieved, no matter what. In those famous words “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” So don’t stress about it, just go with the flow, and see where the tide takes you.
You know what really makes me happy? Dunkin Donuts <3
Well, I’m sure there could, and would, be plenty more advice, however I feel as those I’ve touched upon the major points that I wanted to make. It’s sad to be done with blogging, but when one chapter ends, another one begins. You just gotta take one step at a time, with your chin held up high.
And, with that folks, “I good you bid evening.”
-Peter
Paper Goods
Aug 9th
So, if the name of my blog wasn’t a big enough clue, I’m both an artist and an engineer. I applied to art schools as well as schools for engineering, and I still continue some studies in the arts. Art has been a passion of mine since I was a child, constantly doodling over everything. And when I mean everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I used to get yelled at in middle school for it, but complimented on it in high school. Go figure. Anyway, my family really knows that I have a passion for art, and they show it in the most random of times.
Old graphic design project from high school
For example, there have been times when I’m talking to my mother, and she says “Sometimes I wonder if I should’ve let you go to art school.” Sure, I get kind of mad since she tells me this NOW, but at the same time, I guess she had the right idea. My oldest sister ended up going to school for Graphic Design, and really didn’t end up doing much with it. I can’t say she’s not happy, she loves what she does, it’s just art school burnt her out. And my other sister went to school for Civil Engineering, and she pursued her career more, so of course my mom decided for me to go more along that path. I just want to add that the sister that’s an engineer is also feeling burnt out now, and my mom is realizing that its not because of the major, just the passion. Once you work yourself to the bone, its hard to see if there’s passion there anymore.
From left to right: Me, my sister (graphic designer), and her boyfriend
Any way, back to the point of this post. At the beginning of July, my sister (the engineer) got married, but about a year ago, she asked me if I could do her a huge favor. She asked me to design the paper goods for her wedding. Now, one would think, “Oh I just have to design the invitations and maybe 1 or 2 other things.” Nope. I had to design the Invitations, Programs, Table Numbers, Menus, Drink Menu’s, Guest Book signs, Specialty cocktail signs, etc. It was a lot more work then I thought it would entail. But in the end, she loved it, and that’s all I really cared about.
The programs were also fans!
But at the same time, it sparked some sort of revelation in me. At Hopkins, I was so busy with classes that I really didn’t have a lot of time for art. It’s sad, because it’s something I really love. So I’ve decided that this semester I’m going to try to do at least one piece of art a day, whether it be a sketch or something more intense. I think art helps get your creative juices flowing, and that can be applied elsewhere, especially in engineering. A lot of people don’t see the connection, but the main premise of engineering is problem solving. You not only have to logically solve a problem, but you need to be innovative. So, as a supplement to my studies this semester, I plan on being more artistic.
80% doodles, 20% notes
I mean, what’s there to lose in doodling all over everything, right? Except maybe a few points on a problem set, that is.
Mohawk
Jul 20th
So, if you’ve known me for the past two years, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve had a mohawk. It’s not something that you kinda just overlook, since, well, it’s on my head. It just kind of blares at you, and I think that was the point. I’ve gotten names because of my mohawk (Galo in capoeira, for instance), and professors even remembered who I was because of it (no joke). While there are other people with them, it’s something that was uniquely mine, especially at Hopkins.
Back when I had a long mohawk sophomore year
I remember when I first got my mohawk. I had wanted one for a while, but never really had the guts to do it. Then one day, I just decided to. I was going to get my hair cut anyway, so I figured, why not? I’m in college, and I like to have fun, and most people don’t know that about me. So I did it; I went to the barber and got it cut. At first I had a really long mohawk for about a year, then I figured I would need to cut it for any interviews I would have for an internship (I didn’t end up with any though), so I just cut it really short. Low and behold, I fell in love with that look now. It was nice, clean, refreshing, and I would stop having to use the Got2b Glued that I swore by (and I still swear by it, it held up an 8 inch mohawk for most of the day).
So, this summer, my sister was getting married to her now husband, and while I did a lot for her prior to the wedding (I designed pretty much every paper good with the exception of 3 things), in the end she had one final request; shave off the mohawk. I tried to resist, tried to make her feel guilty, but when I thought about it some more, I realized, hey, at least I’ve had this thing for over two years. Plus, if I really wanted it again, I could just grow it back really easily. So that was that, I shaved it off, and I stood up there at the wedding with the other groomsmen, complying with my sister’s wishes.
My sister and I on her wedding day!
But, what’s the point of this story? I think I’ve grown up because of my mohawk. Sure, at first, it might’ve seemed a little childish, but I think I needed that. I needed to let loose a bit, especially before I really became an adult. I needed to have fun, and I did. My mohawk became a staple, and I really do miss it. But I think I’m ready for another stage of my life, without my mohawk. And honestly, I do like my hair really short too, so it’s not like it’s the worst thing in the world.
My best friend Christina and I celebrating at the wedding!
Plus, can you say you’ve had a mohawk for 2+ years of your life?
Confused as to where my mohawk went
Pride
Jul 7th
Pride — (noun) a feeling of honour and self-respect; a sense of personal worth
Empire State Building during NYC Pride
So, if you weren’t aware, June is LGBT Pride month in America. June was chosen to celebrate the Stonewall riots, the events that sparked a national gay rights movement that is still in occurrence. For this year’s Pride, also my first ever Pride, I ended up going to both Boston and NYC. I had a ton of fun, and it reminded me that I actually am proud of myself, both in general, and in being gay. And going to Pride has made me realize that other people are proud of themselves too, and they’ve stopped caring about what other people think. They’re going to be who they are, whether others care or not. They’ve accepted themselves, and it’s time for others too as well.
- Gurl, work that up-do!
As I have stated before, Hopkins has played a large part in my acceptance of my sexuality, and my general being as well. College in general is a time of self-exploration, and, even though I knew my sexuality before attending Hopkins, I definitely opened up about it when I got here. Little by little, I slowly opened up to others, and now I think that I am truly “out,” with the exemption of some distant family. But the biggest part in my path to openness? Acceptance of myself.
Queen Manila Luzon!!!
Hopkins has been a roller coaster thus far for sure. As is typical with most students, I did reasonably well in high school, so when I first got back grades, I was pretty much beat up. I felt like I was in over my head, and that it really wasn’t for me. I did stick with it, however, and I’ve come to accept, and realize, that I’m not going to be the top student in my class. I’m completely fine with that, too, because, like I always tell people, I want to enjoy college. I don’t want the memories of my time here to be of my head planted in a book, or locked away in some lab doing continuous results. Instead, I’ve had a blast so far, and I really wouldn’t change that. In fact, I’d say I’m rather proud of my habits. I might not be the best, but I sure as hell am having fun and getting by, and that’s all I really want.
so... much... rainbow...
Impulse
Jun 21st
When you study physics, you cover the topic of a force. From a Newtonian standpoint, a force is simply the mass of an object multiplied by its acceleration. Continuing this, you learn about a type of force known as an impulse, which is when there is a sudden spike in the force v time spectrum. This is often represented by a Gaussian distribution in the form of a bell curve (see example here). We’ve learned that impulse is often bad, such as that of a car crash, however, sometimes impulse can be good. Not necessarily the literal force, but doing something on an impulse. I often group it together with that of shopping, such as an impulse buy. However, I’ve learned that many good things come out of an impulse.
For example, one day, I decided to just go to a Capoeira class. I fell in love with the art, and I’ve only tried to spread that joy to others. Recently, I decided to finally get my ears pierced, and I haven’t looked back on it since. But really, I think the greatest impulse I’ve had thus far was to apply to my current job at Kelly’s. It might not be the most glamorous job, but I love it anyway.
How did I go about applying there? Well, honestly, the thought of applying there never even really crossed my mind. It was one day in high school that my school decided to have a job fair, and at the time, I was unemployed, so I went. I pretty much dropped of my resume tons of places, and then finally, I saw Kelly’s. I decided, “Eh, what the hell” and talked to the guy at the table. Little did I know that the guy would end up being my future boss. Long story short, 4 years ago I started working for Kelly’s Roast Beef and Seafood after applying on a whim. Do I ever regret it?; Yes, and no. Yes, because sometimes I don’t get the best hours (today I ended up working from 11am to 10pm), or I get in a rather stingy mood with some of the other employees. But most of the time, no, I don’t regret. I do actually love my job, I love my coworkers, and I loved the person it has really made me. Even if it has made me into a sassy character with a North Shore accent who constantly smells like a mixture of onions, grease, and fry oil.
But honestly, who doesn’t love Roast Beef? I say, go out and by one on an impulse.
Bittersweet
Jun 7th
So, even though I came home roughly two months ago for a capoeira event, I still missed home. I don’t know what it was, but as I was 
driving to go to Kelly’s to get my hours for work, I started to tear up. Not literally, but that feeling that you’re about to pour buckets, you know? This is gonna be the last summer I’m home before I graduate, which is crazy. I can’t believe I only have one more year. Everything’s flown by, and few things have in fact remained stable in my life.
Of course, I’m very happy to be home. Kelly’s is the same as it always is, albeit with new management, and new employees. But still, I’m used to that. It changes, along with everything else, but plenty is still the same. My good friends are still there, and the recipes, the procedures, they’re all the same. For once, I’m glad something isn’t changing that much. It’s good to be able to rely on something stable.
But at the same time as my enjoying being home, it was really sad to leave Hopkins. I had an amazing time this year. It was a lot of fun, and I made a lot of friends outside of the Hopkins community. And while a lot of my friends at Hopkins might be leaving as well, my friends in Baltimore weren’t. So I was the one going away, while they were staying. It’s sad that I won’t see them for another two and a half months, but I think we’ll be able to handle that.
Also, what was really sad was seeing some of my best friends off. I attended graduation this year, and it was really sad to see my friends go. They’re going on to bigger and better things, but I’m just glad that I was able to share the moments I did with them. I know I’ll see them again soon, but for now, it’s sad that we’re not all together, and we won’t be this next school year. I’ll miss them a lot, that’s for sure.
I guess this post didn’t really have a theme, but really, everything in life changes, whether it’s small or big, and you have to just deal with it
“And it won’t make sense right now…”
Jun 4th
First of all, if you’re a new reader to this blog, I recommend checking out my re-introduction post, as it has some highlights and tidbits you might want to know. You can also search for my old posts on here, or you can read my profile, with links to that being in the side bar.
So, this year was fun, that’s for sure. I still can’t believe that I’m now 75% done with college, it’s really crazy. It feels like yesterday that I was moving into AMR II and starting my college experience. Time really does fly. I talk about that when I became a junior, but it’s really hitting me now. Of course, I’ve had times where I contemplated what I’m doing with my life, and then other times I realized that I just LOVE hamburgers. But in reality, I just think I need to enjoy my job, whatever I do. If all else fails, I really do enjoy cooking, so thats ok. Plus, I still need to learn how to make delicious Indian food. I should get on that as soon as possible. But in the meantime, I’ll stick to Portuguese Sweet Bread.
I started off after sophomore year by watching the World Cup. I love football (or soccer if you prefer), and its a lot of fun to watch, since it actually takes skill to acquire points, unlike most sports. So over the summer, I was a followed the games, and really wanted Portugal to win. Even though they didn’t, I was very glad that our Iberian neighbors did. It was an amazing World Cup, to say the least. Plus, they had it playing at the gym, and it was in english (I only had it on Univision at home, and I don’t speak Spanish), so it was even more incentive to continue my running.
I also brought up on the blogs my applications to art school, something that you don’t see coming from an engineering student, at least not that often. I shared some of my portfolio, and then I also talked about one of my favorite art forms, which is graffiti, and revealed that I love Banksy. There’s nothing really new there, but art is really important to me, so I figured I’s share. of course, I love engineering as well, hence why I want to go into Robotics. Oh, and engineering ingenuity has saved me from a lot of sticky situations.
I’ve also realized what an impact Hopkins has had in my life, at least regarding LGBT issues. I started to watch Will & Grace, and really connected with the show when I came to Hopkins, as I became much more open about my sexuality in college. Also, being the Director of Administration for DSAGA, I really helped push many of the LGBT events on campus into the spotlight, such as Bmore Proud. I also came to realize how accepting Hopkins really is, as more and more young LGBT people were committing suicide due to harassment. I just managed to be very lucky to have grown up in an accepting community. I know a lot of people weren’t. All in all, I am proud to be gay, and Hopkins helped me realize that.
As far as capoeira, that continued as well. I participated in my first batizado, and finally got my beginner cord. It was super exciting, and since then, I have tried to go to every Batizado that I could. It’s a lot of fun, and there’s so much energy, it’s crazy. I even went to a different group’s event, and it was interesting to learn about some of the different techniques that they use. In fact, I might train with them this summer when I’m home, since they’re so close to my house.
As the new year came, I also developed some resolutions, which were actually just some goals, and I think I completed all of them pretty well. I ended up making it through the semester, into a full filled month of May. Of course, I missed my friends a lot that semester, and it didn’t help that my friend found her old archive of photos from high school. The memories are still flowing back as I type this. Oh, and did I mention that I got to see my favorite artist AGAIN this semester? Front and center, like always. I truly do love Robyn.
But all in all, it was a good year, and I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.
“Sashay, Shante! Panther on the Runway”
May 8th
Well, it’s already May, and with May comes a few things that I’m excited, and not so excited for. it seems like this whole year has just flown by, and I can’t believe that in less than two weeks I’ll be done with my junior year. It’s *cue Britney voice* craaaaaaaazy. So what’s on the agenda for this month?
Lots of books, glad that paper's done!
End of classes: Actually, this already happened, but I’m gonna mention it anyway. Classes ended this past Friday, and all my classes managed to wrap up pretty well. And, I did manage to make it to more classes than last semester (I got sick last semester, and thus, my grades suffered a lil bit), so thats always a plus. And I was really interested in my classes this semester, except for a few requirements. But I made the most of it, and decided to just suck it up. And it paid off. My grades are (hopefully) considerably better, and I had fun at the same time. Honestly, It’s sad to see the semester almost over, but I am ready for whatever it brings senior year.
My Birthday: I’m finally turning 21! It seriously feels like just yesterday that I turned 20, and now I’m finally gonna be 21. It’s nice, and I can’t wait to celebrate it with my friends when I go back home. In fact, I can’t wait for the summer either. Even though I doubt that any of my internship applications will go through, I’m gonna have a blast, and I know it. It might just consist of working as a frycook, but you have no idea how fun that is until you try it.
Our blimp stabilizes itself!
Finals: So, luckily, I technically only have 2 finals, but that means that all the rest are final projects or papers. One’s already out of the way, and I wrote a really interesting paper on HIV/AIDS in Brazil. It was really eye opening to see how much of an issue it is, considering how much Brazil is growing and becoming more of a major country in the world. Other than that, one of my final projects is just a larger problem set, which is nice. And then I finally have a project for my mechatronics course, which I’ve been working on for the past two months. That project is an autonomous blimp, which is really interesting, and a lot harder than it seems.
New Apartment: And last but not least, I’m moving! So, my current roommates are all graduating or have already graduated, so next year I’m living with JHU_Cate and her current roommate Amanda. We’ve secured a really nice apartment, so at the end of the month we’re moving over. It’s refreshing, a change of pace. Just a nice change for my last year. Sometimes you just need a clean slate, you know?
But yeah, it’s gonna be a busy month to say the least. Oh, and did I mention I’m contemplating trying out for RuPaul’s Drag Race? SICKENING!
“Wha-Wha-What did you say, huh? You’re breaking up on me”
Apr 21st
So, as you may know, I am actually an engineer. And what’s the main role of an engineer? Problem solving of course. When given a project, you’re often given a definite problem that you need to solve. However, how you go about it is very open-ended; there’s more than one solution to a problem. Sometimes you need to think outside of the box, and just use what you have available. So, here’s my story of how the engineering thought process saved my phone.
Now, I don’t know if it’s just me, but whenever I walk by a sewage drain, I’m always afraid of dropping something that would fall in. So this past weekend, I went out to the club with my roommates, and we all shared a cab back. However, as I was exiting the cab, my phone that was in my pocket fell out, and literally fell RIGHT into the sewage drain. Of course, I started freaking out. What was I supposed to do without my phone? It had a bunch of pictures, contacts, etc on it. So while my roommates tried to think of something, I ran upstairs to get something to help me.
The thing was, the phone wasn’t wet or anything. It was just at the bottom (you can see my excellently drawn diagram here), and it was just out of reach. So, when I ran upstairs to my apartment, I thought about different solutions. One was to get a bag, push the phone in, and then lift the bag up, sort of like an elevator. However, my clothes hangers aren’t metal, and thus I wasn’t sure if it would reach. Instead, another idea struck me. When I was moving into my apartment, my dad installed my air conditioner in the window, and had used wood to help support it so it wouldn’t fall. As such, he left extra wood around because some of my windows don’t stay open by themselves. So I saw the piece of wood, grabbed it, and ran back downstairs.
Soon, I was on the ground, reaching into the drain with my stick. I thankfully could reach the phone, so I pushed it against the wall. Using leverage and force, I started to slide the phone up the wall. As I was doing this, my roommate reached down and, just barely, grabbed my phone. My phone was safe, and I didn’t have to worry about getting a new one or anything! And of course we exchanged high-fives and hugs and were all happy, since it was a team effort. And clearly, my use of an engineering mindset helped save my phone from the wrath of the sewers.
“Call me Anastasia Beaverhausen”
Apr 12th
So, a few weeks ago, I finished watching one of my TV shows, ever. Seeing as RuPaul’s Drag Race is still running (and it’s getting good with only three girls left!), I’m talking about Will and Grace. Now, I’m not a huge television person, as I don’t have extended cable back in Boston, and I rarely watch TV. However, I started watching WIll and Grace from the beginning starting my freshmen year at Hopkins. In short, the series is tied in with memories of Hopkins.
Now, why did I love the show so much? Well, for one, it’s one of the few shows that can always cheer me up. I could be in the worst mood after doing horribly on an exam, but a simple episode of Will and Grace will change my mood completely. I’ll be extra chipper after simply watching an episode, laughing at the majority of the quick remarks made, understanding most of the subtle jokes that are targeted towards the LGBT community. It’s a show that lasted for a long time, and in my opinion, could have gone on longer than it did. However, the last season got me, in particular the last episode. I don’t know why, but as I was watching the show, tears were streaming down my face. I didn’t know if I could continue watching it after the first 5 minutes. It’s not that the finale was sad though, 
which was odd, considering how many boxes of tissues I had to go through while watching. I think that the reason I was so sad was that while it was an ending of an excellent show, it was also the ending of a very important part of my life.
Will & Grace sometimes gets a bad rep for misrepresenting the LGBT community, providing very blatant stereotypes. I can see where that argument is coming from, however, one must remember that it is primarily a comedy, and comedies often fall on stereotypes for jokes. Why’s that? Well, because they’re often blatantly true. I know many gay friends who fit into the roles of the different characters, as well as those who support the gay community. On the other side of the argument, I personally believe this show is one of the greatest assets the LGBT community has. Not only was it a success in the LGBT market, I know a ton of non-LGBT people who love the show. It promotes LGBT awareness, and opens people eyes. Plus, it helped a lot of people, including myself, come to terms with their sexuality. I wasn’t truly “out” when I began watching the show, and by the time I finished, I was openly gay. Even though the characters are fictional, they’re so real. I realized that being gay was just another part of my personality, of who I am, and that I 
shouldn’t necessarily hide it. The characters on the show are successful after all, regardless of their sexuality. They continue their life, regardless. I realized that just because I’m gay, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be successful, that I don’t have any potential. In fact, it’s the opposite, it adds character. And after coming out, I’ve definitely come out of my shell and my self-esteem has increased.
But back to why I was sad that Will and Grace ended. The show pretty much described my life. I see these stereotypes and live these situations daily. You might think, “Oh that was a very cleverly written script, but I can never picture that happening in real life.” But it does, and it happens a lot. Back in Boston, I have a core group of friends. It consists of my friends Stephen, Christina, Liz, and I, and in a sense, we’re Will, Grace, Karen, and Jack. It’s not something we planned either, we were like that for as long as I can remember. It just fit perfectly.
However, the finale did end on a sad note. In it, Will and Grace drift apart with their respective families, and don’t see each other for a good twenty years. This part in particular really made me sad. Why? I didn’t want this to happen with my friends and I, particularly Christina and I. We’re so close, that when I went home this past weekend, she was looking forward to it for weeks. We had a blast that night, and I was so glad we could see each other. However, as time moves on, people do drift apart. I really just didn’t want that to happen with us. I brought this up to my group of friends, and Christina posted this remark, which really helped me with the thought:
“Anyway, just like everyone always says, you lose touch with most of your friends, but there are usually a few that will become your friends for life. If we haven’t managed to fall out of touch going to 4 different schools, being in different states (or countries), almost 3 years after graduation, then I’m not worried. I love you guys.”
And she’s right, and she calmed my nerves for sure. So, as you guys are preparing to decide on a college, don’t worry about distance from home, or how much you’ll miss your friends later. Cherish the moments you have together, you’ll have them for life.
Oh, and go watch some episodes of Will and Grace. You definitely won’t regret that decision.
Name: Peter C.
