Why Hopkins: Opening Doors Outside the Classroom

Posted on by Tess T.
1
High school me!

High school me!

Like many of you, in high school I filled up my time (and Common App) with a variety of extra curricular activities. Like many of you, these teams and organizations meant so much more to me than empty items decorating my resume. My after school activities were a defining part of my high school existence. They enabled me to grow as a leader, they taught me the importance of teamwork, they helped me find my talents and passions. One of the hardest parts of graduating high school was saying goodbye to each of these little communities: the newspaper staff, the tennis team and the history seminar were my RHS families, and I thought they were experiences never to be recreated.

When I arrived on Homewood, I knew I wanted to take advantage of everything JHU had to offer. I didn’t want to be receiving my diploma with a cloud of regret looming over my head, so I made the conscious effort to attempt to get involved as soon as possible. With the relatively small population of 5,000 undergraduates, integrating into the Hopkins community was effortless. Within my first weeks of freshman year, I found myself involved in an activity that would come to shape my subsequent three years here: the Student Admissions Advisory Board (SAAB). This blog is dedicated to the amazing experiences I’ve had on SAAB, and why I consider joining the best decision I’ve made since placing my Hopkins deposit.

Working at admitted students' days, S.O.H.O.P.

Working at admitted students’ days, SOHOP

A little background on SAAB before I begin. SAAB is the group of current JHU students who run Hopkins-Interactive.com, the site on which you are reading this blog. The purpose of Hopkins Interactive is to allow prospective students insight into our lives as current students. We’re here to answer questions, dispel myths and shed light on the many reasons why we love being JHU undergraduates. SAAB communicates with perspective students through a number of different mediums, including blogs, Twitter, Instagram, videos, forums and more. It’s an amazing resource in helping high schoolers decide if JHU is the place for them.

I applied to SAAB the summer before coming to Hopkins after seeing a post in the JHU Class of 2014 Facebook group. When I arrived on campus, I interviewed with SAAB and was lucky enough to be accepted as one of Hopkins Interactive’s new freshman bloggers. Since then I’ve written an entry approximately every two weeks, detailing some (I like to think) interesting aspect of my life here at Hopkins. It’s amazing to have such a large body of work to show future employers, as well as an incredible chronicle of my college years. I love being able to share every week all the awesome things occurring on this campus.

My little and love, Ruthie

My little and love JHU_Ruthie

My work with SAAB hasn’t been limited to my blogging. I have been on the editorial team of The Insider’s Guide, which is an Admissions publication made by current students for perspective students. I have had the honor of being editor-in-chief of this publication for the past two years, and it has been one of my most rewarding experiences at JHU. As a prospective student, being handed The Insider’s Guide had a profound impact on me. It made me realize just how much Hopkins students love the school and love what they do here. I knew then that Homewood was an environment I wanted to be apart of, a community I wanted to join. Coming full-circle and becoming editor of the publication that made me come to Hopkins has really been an incredible experience.

From my work on SAAB, I was able to secure an on-campus job in the Admissions office, first working for the Admissions counselor Admissions_Daniel, and now work in the Communications Department for Admissions_Shelly. Both have spoiled me rotten as incredible bosses, making my future transition into working world a difficult one. What has been incredible about my Admissions job is that I am actually doing and creating real things. It’s not one of those jobs where I sit around all day and do my homework; I actually have a portfolio of professional marketing materials I designed for Hopkins Interactive. Having spent the last couple months interviewing like crazy for summer internships, I can’t express how lucky I feel to have had the chance to produce items of substance. My work in the Admissions office has created internship opportunities for me for the past two summers and for this upcoming one.

London with Kate

London with JHU_Kate

The last reason my work in SAAB and the Admissions office has been so important to me is because of the friends I’ve made since becoming involved. Not a day goes by our SAAB team of student workers, JHU_Allyssa, JHU_Kate, JHU_Miranda and JHU_Nick, doesn’t communicate. JHU_Kate and I rendez-vous’ed this summer for a couple great days in London, JHU_Kevin is the perfect escort for date parties, and most importantly, it was through SAAB that I met my little and lifelong partner-in-crime, JHU_Ruthie. She has been my constant source of laughter and support for the past two years, and I know this is a friend I will have until the day I die. Without SAAB, there is no way my life would be filled with the extraordinary people I m lucky enough to call friends.

Working on SAAB and writing this blog has truly been the most rewarding out-of-the-classroom experience I’ve had since coming to Hopkins. It has given me a multitude of career opportunities, the chance to refine and develop my skills, and most importantly provided me with the home on Homewood I so desperately wanted upon graduating from high school.

Why Hopkins?: Easy as ABC

Posted on by Tess T.
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Thursday was an important day for Johns Hopkins – we released the admissions decisions for the Class of 2017! As many of you line up your acceptance letters and formulate pro-con lists, you inevitably ask yourself is JHU the place for me? As someone who has found her home in Homewood over the past three years, I wanted to share with you how easy this decision can be. Follow my ABCs of Hopkins, and hopefully it will lead to an easy decision!

A

Abroad opportunities

During my time at Hopkins I have embarked on three different travels abroad. As a freshman during our January term Intersession, I took a three-week course on the history and culture of Spain in Madrid. I spent the summer after my sophomore year interning at an academic publishing house in London, and spent the latter part of the summer using my Woodrow Wilson Research Grant to study the effects of the Olympic Games on the six Olympic boroughs (see R: Research for more!). I returned to London the fall of my junior year for a semester abroad at King’s College London. I knew travel was something important to me coming into college, and I feel so fortunate that JHU has allowed me to have these life changing experiences!

Olympics!

B

Baltimore

One of my favorite aspects of Hopkins is how we have a beautiful campus, set in the urban environment of Baltimore. Baltimore is so easy to explore through public transportation, including free buses like the JHMI and the Charm City Circulator. The more time I spend off campus, the more I realize what a vibrant city this is. JHU_Kate is our resident expert on the subject of Baltimore, so make sure you check out her blog for facts only a seasoned local would know.

Inner Harbor Woodrow Wilson Boat Cruise

C

Classes

My favorite class has been The Victorians, which is an upper level class that covers the history of the Victorian era of England. We met Wednesday afternoons for two and a half hours for our intimate class discussions. Not only does my professor choose fascinating readings, we read about the impact of religion on interior decorating one week, but I love being in such a small and personal class. It has become one of the most rewarding academic experiences of my time here at JHU.

Bid Day 2012

D

Dining

Your first year at JHU you are required to have a meal plan at the Freshman Cafeteria, the FFC. The FFC Is home to many delicious meals. However, in my opinion, the best item of food they have to offer is their freshly baked cookies. Made in a variety of flavors including chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip, Oreo, M&M, sugar and oatmeal raisin, these delectable deserts are my favorite part of any FFC meal. An insider’s trick – put the cookies in the FFC microwave for 20 seconds before eating them to get the ultimate gooey perfection. Sophomore year, you have a more flexible meal plan – if you live in Homewood Dorm, you don’t have to have one at all! Junior and Senior year most students live off-campus, which means we grocery shop for ourselves. I was massively concerned about this, seeing as my previous cooking experience extended to boiling water. As it turns out, I love being able to grocery shop for myself (especially that I now must eat gluten-free), and am slowly but surely taking baby steps into the world of cooking!

Jubilee 2012 with Ellie!

E

Energy

There’s a kind of energy you feel when you arrive on campus. Everyone has different areas of interests or things that they’re involved in, but the one universal factor is that everyone is passionate about whatever it is they are doing. It’s great to be in such an energetic environment and community.

President's Day of Service

F

Friends

After being here for three years, the reason I truly love this school is because of the people I’ve met since I got here. That’s the untold secret in your information sessions, the true reason why I spend so much time working in Admissions – the people you meet here aren’t just your classmates or peers – they’re your best friends. I can’t imagine a community as wonderful, diverse or rich as the one I have found here at JHU. In coming to Hopkins, you’re not just coming to the nation’s first research university or a world-renowned academic institution – you’re coming home to your own Hopkins family. You just may not know it exists yet.

G

Greek Life

About 25% of students on campus participate in Greek Life, so it is safe to say that it does not dominate the social scene in the slightest. That was actually a really important factor in my decision to come to Hopkins, because I knew I could never be happy at a school where the social life was so homogenous. Sororities at Hopkins do not have houses, so where and who I live with will never be dictated by Greek involvement – which I love. Another cool aspect of Hopkins Greek Life is that Rush does not occur until the start of spring semester. This not only allowed me to make a varied and diverse friend group, but afforded me the opportunity to learn more about Greek Life before I decided whether or not it was for me. I ended up joining a sorority, Alpha Phi, and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve made since coming here. Being in Alpha Phi has provided me with outlets for campus involvement, countless memories and amazing friends. My life at Hopkins is filled with laughter, love and support and that is no doubt largely because of Alpha Phi.

JHU Alpha Phi

H

Homewood Campus

One of the first things I noticed when I stepped foot on Homewood four years ago was  the stunning consistency that is our Federal styled buildings with red brick and marble trim. I love being on a campus where its beauty is notable, even when I am walking to 9AM class first thing on a Monday morning. A fun fact about the buildings at Homewood is that it is the campus featured in the movie The Social Network!

Love this campus

I

Internships

I have had two wonderful internships since coming to JHU. The summer following my freshman year I was fortunate enough to get an internship in the Productions Department of Teen Vogue magazine. It was beyond exciting to travel into New York City every morning to go to work in the glamorous Condé Nast building. This was my first real real office work experience, and thanks to my wonderful bosses, the experience could not have gone better. I was able to do real work, and it was so thrilling to see in print every month a product I had worked on. The summer after my sophomore year I went to London where I interned at an academic publishing house called Anthem Press. It was incredible being able to work abroad, and I was able to get a great deal of hands on experience working as an editorial assistant. Working with manuscripts and directly with authors was really interesting.

Interning at Teen Vogue

 J

January Term: Intersession

 Intersession is our January term in between Winter Break and the start of the spring semester. During this time, Hopkins offers a variety of courses on campus that are typically not available during the academic year to be taken for credit pass-fail. Students also have the opportunity to have an extended winter break or apply to go on one of Hopkins’ Intersession Study Abroad programs, which is what I did my freshman year. I was able to take a three-week course in Madrid called Perspectives on the History of Spain, Its Art and Culture during our January term Intersession. This upper-level history class involved both lectures and excursions across the entire country. It was so incredible to actually be in the country whose history we were learning every day in class, and to be able to do this as a freshman.

Walking the streets of Madrid

K

Knowledge

If you’re thinking about Hopkins, it is pretty safe to assume that you love to learn. I can tell you right now that if you don’t love school and are not excited about spending four years studying the subjects you love, Hopkins is not the place for you.

USA pride

L

Location

One of my favorite things about Baltimore is its location on the east coast. Washington D.C. is just a quick $7 MARC train ride away, and NYC is easily accessible by Bolt Bus or Amtrak. I should know – I am currently writing this blog looking out the window of my Amtrak train as I head home for Easter Weekend. For those of you needing air transportation, BWI Airport and Washington-Dulles International are accessible from campus.

Date Party with the coolest cat I know, JHU_Kevin

M

Medicine

As a history major, I really can’t tell you anything about what life is like here as someone who is interested in studying medicine. What I can tell you about is what life is like as someone who frequently needs medicine. The Health and Wellness Office is an easy walk from anywhere on campus, and I’ve never not been able to get an appointment the day of. In the event you’re in need of some more serious care (as I unfortunately did), the Johns Hopkins Hospital is just a quick cab or ambulance away, so you should rest assure you’ll be in good medical hands coming here.

20KM in Paris

N

No core requirements

One of the great things about Hopkins’ academics is that there are no core requirements, which means that I never have to take large, broad survey classes as a freshman. Hopkins has distribution requirements, which means over my four years here as a history major, I have to take four classes in science or math fields. Hopkins offers specific classes for students filling distribution requirements, so I have been able to get a taste of other subjects such as Environmental Sustainability, Vaccines and Calculus.

My best blue jays

O

Off-campus housing

Hopkins requires on-campus housing for only your first two years, which means that juniors and seniors typically live off-campus. I remember when I took my first tour of Hopkins not being pleased by this fact. I thought off-campus housing sounded like a hassle, and I would have preferred the school to have four-years of required on-campus housing. Now that I’m a student living “off-campus” I can say that it is one of my favorite aspects of Hopkins. Off-campus housing isn’t really off-campus, most of the apartment buildings available are owned by the school, and are equidistant to campus from the underclassman dorms. I love the freedom of my apartment, and it’s great to be able to truly make a home out of my living space for junior and senior year.

Olympic Stadium

P

Peers

I love taking classes at Hopkins, because of the encouragement and motivation I get from my fellow students. Being in an environment where everyone is as committed and driven as you is wonderful. I never feel like I’m the odd one out for caring or being passionate.

London fun

Q

Quirky

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a little quirky. I only like to drink using bendy straws, and I often use meowing as a manner of expressing myself. Since coming to JHU, I have been lucky enough to find friends who not only supported this interest of mine, but encouraged it. I’ve been adorned with feline presents (including posters, crop-tops and costumes), and am texted pictures of cats on the reg. I have found at Hopkins that no matter your interest, however socially acceptable (or unacceptable), you will find your niche at Homewood. So in coming to Hopkins, I promise you that in addition to receiving a world-renown education, you will also find a diverse student body willing to accept you, bizarre interests and all. The other day on our emailed Daily Announcements, I saw an advertisement for the JHU Beekeeping Club. At first I judged, but then I realized one man’s JHU Beekeeping Club is another’s JHU Feline Fanatics Anonymous. Hopkins’ newest student group, anyone??

R

Research

As the country’s first research university, it is safe to say that allowing undergraduates ample opportunities for research is very important to JHU. In fact, 75% of students graduate with some sort of research under their belt. I was lucky enough to be awarded the Woodrow Wilson Research Fellowship upon my acceptance to Hopkins, which provides $10,000 for independent undergraduate research projects. Using the funding from the Wilson Fellowship, I traveled to London last summer to study the effects of the Olympics on the city’s east end. Through interviews, social media, and material culture, my research evaluates the impact and legacy of these Games. I focus on the ways in which Londoners have benefited and been marginalized as a result of the competition, as well as the attempted regeneration of the six Olympic boroughs. I am planning on using the remainder of my funding to go back to London this summer to do one-year follow up research.

Beach Volleyball Olympics

S

Support

Yet another thing I love about JHU is the support I get from the administrative staff at JHU. When I got sick my sophomore fall and was plagued with multiple hospital visits, the Dean of Student Life herself contacted all my professors and made sure that my number one focus was on getting well, rather than worrying about my homework. My major advisor Dr. Kagan gives me life-advice in our regular meetings, and the head of the Woodrow Wilson Program Ami is my constant cheerleader. I love having so many administrators on campus who support me in all my endeavors.

T

Teaching

The one of the highlights of my three years here has been the teaching staff at JHU. They are who make me what to come to class everyday, they are who excite and stimulate me every day. There are so many other reasons to come to Hopkins, but purely from an academic perspective, you’d be hard pressed to find a better teaching faculty anywhere else.

U

Urban

As I mentioned before, one of the great things about Homewood is that we do have a campus, but it is located in the urban environment of Baltimore. I never feel suffocated that there’s nothing going on, or I go to school in the middle of nowhere. There’s always something going on on-campus, but if you ever need a change of pace, you have an entire city at your disposal.

V

Varsity Athletics

I could tell you about our Division I Lacrosse teams, or how we boast some amazing Division III teams, but what really interests me in Hopkins’ athletics is the colors we use. A moderately ridiculous stipulation I had for my dream university was that it had school colors that worked with my skin tone. Now all three of my brothers laughed in my face when I shared this with them, but I maintain that it is an important factor to consider as you will be spending four years decked out in these colors. Fortunately, the Hopkins athletic colors are Columbia blue and black, which are extremely classy and look good on all skin tones. The Barnes and Noble Hopkins school store has an excellent collection of Blue Jay gear, and I always drag my parents there when they visit.

W

Weather

One of the great things about Baltimore is that you get to experience all types of seasons. You’ll see the autumn leaves falling, get emails about classes canceled for a snow day, watch the flowers blossom and tan out in the hot Baltimore sun.

X

Xinhai Revolution

Ok this one is kind of a stretch, but honestly, can you think of any applicable word that starts with X?? The Xinhai Revolution is a subject we’re studying in my class on 20th Century China. I love being able to delve into the specifics of the subjects I’m taking, and not take broad entry-level courses.

Repping JHU with the Olympic torch

Y

Yoga

One of my favorite things about the Rec Center is that they offer weekly classes like yoga, spin, kick-boxing and Zumba. For just $40, you can buy an unlimited pass to all weekly classes. It’s a fun way to work-out for a great price.

Skiing in Austria!

Z

Zzzz

This last word serves a duel purpose. On one hand it is because I’m getting tired, and my creativity is waning. On the other hand it is because I have found at Hopkins I get significantly more sleep than I did in high school. JHU wants students to obtain a work-life balance, and I have found this is easily obtainable if you just learn to budget your time. So prepare for four years of increased sleep and the best times of your life.

Fun on the JHU sign.

Nerd Alert

Posted on by Tess T.
1

Sometimes when I reflect upon my interests, I wonder how it is possible I have any friends at all. I’ve read Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter so frequently, that the Shire and Hogwarts feel like second homes. I don’t think I could love biological children more than I love my cat daughters, and I have no qualms about referring to my (fictional) friends Elizabeth Bennett and Jo March for advise. So it should come as no surprise that along with this slightly nerdy interests, I also am obsessed with school.

Yes, I go through phases like every student where it feels like my school work will never end, and a career behind the counter of McDonald’s seems preferable to my current existence. But for the most part, spending the past fifteen years as a student has suited my personality just perfectly.

As I tackle my junior spring semester, I continue to discover how to best be a college student. I want to share some of the lessons I have learned in the past couple weeks, as I think they could be handy for all you future JHU students.

I think the biggest surprise this past semester has been my “dark-horse” class, Intro to Sociology. I took this class on a whim, after hearing good things about the professor from a friend. Having never taken a Sociology class before, I had no idea what to expect and was a little apprehensive about the subject. As was made apparent by my very first lecture (and every subsequent lecture), this is an amazing class. Professor Cherlin is such an engaging lecturer, and sociology has proven to be an extremely useful and fascinating subject. My advice is to try to expand your comfort zone every semester, and take a subject you’ve never taken. You never know what class you may end up falling in love with! I for one am already planning what sociology class I’m going to take next.

This semester I decided to take both a Japanese history class and a Chinese history class. In my head it seemed like a clever idea – I’d be in the Asian history mindset the whole semester. Boy could I have not been more wrong. Taking two different Asian history classes, not speaking or recognizing a word of either is as confusing for me as understanding the concept of time travel. When studying for my midterms in these classes, I kept confusing names of Japanese commanders with Chinese revolutionaries. To any future student, I recommend diversifying your subjects of study each semester, so that you not only avoid this problem, but prevent from being stuck in two classes about a subject you’re not that interested in.

In the past, I have disregarded the school’s recommendation to take only three writing intensive classes a semester. This was because I had found multiple subjects of interest, that all happened to be writing intensive. While intellectually rewarding, those semesters were less generous to my sleeping habits. Which is why this semester I decided to follow the university’s advice, and rediscovered what my face looks like without dark circles under each eye.

My final piece of advice is to plan ahead with your major/minor/University requirements. Because I was on top of my required courses, I am able to take only 4 classes this semester as opposed to 5. I knew this was going to be an especially busy extra-curricular semester for me, so being able to take an anticipated lighter schedule this term has been a godsend.

So to my fellow nerds, I hope this advice has been of use and that you’ll learn from my mistakes and make good decisions during your class registrations.

The Insider’s Guide

Posted on by Tess T.
Reply

IG 2013 in its many stages of edits.Being a college junior, I have already begun to be bombarded with queries of my post-graduation plans. While my career path remains uncertain, I do have some assurances as I begin to answer the ever-frightening question of what will I do with my future? You see, I have been lucky at my time at JHU to get some amazing experiences under my belt, including a NYC fashion magazine internship, as well as a London publishing internship. But perhaps one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve had the privilege of holding has been right here on the Homewood campus, at my part-time job in the JHU Admissions office.

I began my involvement in Admissions within my first weeks of arriving on Homewood as a freshman. I was selected for the Student Admissions Advisory Board (SAAB), the student group that brings you the Hopkins-Interactive site. After a year of blogging for SAAB, I started working part-time for my amazing (former) boss, Admissions_Daniel. Under his direction I was able to design promotional material for Hopkins-Interactive; material that was then produced professionally, in bulk by the school. Being able to see my creations out in the Admissions hall lobby or given to prospective students was surreal, and incredibly rewarding. So when the time came for internship applications, I had a portfolio all ready to go.

But the Admissions project closest to my heart, and the one that has given me invaluable work experience is The Insider’s Guide. This is a 32-page annual publication that I have had the honor of being editor-in-chief of for the past two years. Handed out to all admitted students at accepted students events in the spring, it aims is to give these potential blue jays a realistic idea of what life on Homewood is really like.

IG 2013 - a work in progressBecause it is produced by current students for perspective students, I think The Insider’s Guide is a resource for accepted students like no other. It is extensive, candid and practical. It was actually one of the reasons I chose JHU in the first place.

As a prospective student, being handed The Insider’s Guide had a profound impact on me. It made me realize just how much Hopkins students love the school and love what they do here. I knew then that Homewood was an environment I wanted to be apart of, a community I wanted to join. Coming full-circle and becoming editor of the publication that made me come to Hopkins has really been an incredible experience.

So as we make the final touches to the 2013 Guide, I have begun to reflect on how much this process has taught me. A recent job interview asked me to discuss a project I had worked on where I saw the product from start to finish. Needless to say The Insider’s Guide was the first thing that came to mind. From its beginning design stages, to its extensive copy-edits, to its departure to the printer, I have seen it through thick and thin. Not many other part-time jobs afford students such responsibility or creative license. So although I am daunted at the prospect of transitioning from JHU_Tess into Real World_Tess, it is experiences like working on The Insider’s Guide that reassure me that I have what it takes to make it outside of the Homewood bubble.

Although the 2013 Guide won’t be up until April, check out the 2012 version here!

USAphi

Posted on by Tess T.
1

Bid Day with Sidney and JHU_Ruthie.

Since coming to Hopkins, I have done a lot of things I would have never expected myself to do. I successfully finished a half-marathon, I (moderately) successfully completed a college-level math course, I started eating naturally green foods, the list goes on and on. Yes there is a lot that’s different about the college junior sitting before you today from the seventeen year old who first stepped foot on campus three years ago.

But the change that probably would have surprised pre-college Tess the most is my decision to go Greek and join Alpha Phi. You see when I was applying to colleges, the thing that I was opposed to the most, even more opposed to than foods grown by Mother Nature, was a university dominated by Greek Life. I had seen the movies and believed the rumors – I knew I was not a sorority girl. I made it a prerequisite that any school I applied to had a low-key or non-existent Greek community. So when I arrived on Homewood as a freshman, I was perfectly content in my decision to lead a Greek-less life.

Icewater - Round One of Rush

Hopkins has Rush in the beginning of spring semester, and so I had some time to mull over decision. Because the further into the semester I got, the more I realized that I had some reconsidering to do. I met girls involved in Greek Life, and realized that these were people I not only wanted to be friends with, but looked up to as well. I started to understand that this was an opportunity to connect with girls who otherwise I would have spent my entire four years at Hopkins not knowing. I wanted to add some diversity to my social life at Hopkins, and Greek Life seemed like just the outlet.

So proud of my painting skills (thanks also to Ruthie and Dana).

I also began to appreciate that in joining the Greek Community at Homewood, I would not be forfeiting my other activities and organizations. Greek Life at Hopkins does not dominate any aspect of one’s social or extra-curricular existence, but rather serves as one of many smaller communities you can chose to become a part of. I am still as involved in my other activities as ever, and have even managed to swing taking on leadership positions within the Alpha Phi chapter as well.

So as you can see, at the end of my freshman fall I made the decision to forgo my previous (mis)conceptions of Greek Life and Rush in the spring. And I have not looked back since. I forged even closer bonds with girls I already knew, and met countless others I didn’t know existed. Through Alpha Phi I have found my JHU bestie and roommate Dana, the light of my life/my little JHU_Ruthie and so many other amazing friends. Alpha Phi has allowed me to grow as a leader as I now serve on the executive board as Vice President of Programming and Education. I have learned out to plan and execute events, raise money and lead meetings. I am now a part of an international organization that helped me to meet friends and connections while I was abroad last summer in London. Alpha Phi has been such an incredible resource and asset to my life, that I still can’t believe I almost missed out on this amazing experience because of my previous biases.

Preference - Round 3 with ma roomie and little.

So perspective students, I encourage you to keep an open-mind about Greek Life at Hopkins, or wherever you end up attending. It might turn out to be for you, or it might not. The important thing is to make an informed decision and not believe everything you hear ahead of time.

Other resources: because I was recently admonished for writing a too “female-centric” blog, I have included a list of links to other Greek blog entries that could potentially appeal to both a male/female audience. Enjoy!

A day in D.C.

Posted on by Tess T.
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I was fortunate enough to have a European guest come and visit me for the past week. While I loved showing off JHU and exploring Baltimore, I figured that a trip to our nation’s capital (just a 40 minute train ride away) was a neccesity. Here’s a photo blog dedicated to how easy it is to get from Hopkins to Washington, D.C.!

Departing from Baltimore Penn Station - a quick (and free!) bus ride away from Homewood campus.

On the MARC Train to D.C. - 40 minute ride from Baltimore for only $7.

Arriving at Washington Union Station.

Getting our energy back at We, The Pizza

Exploring the National Air and Space Museum.

The Capitol.

Putting my History degree to good use at the National Museum of American History.

The Washington Monument in the snow.

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial.

Written In The Stars

Posted on by Tess T.
4

Exploring Geneva in December.

An embarrassing fact of life is that I rely heavily on the advice I receive from my daily horoscope. I’m not going to say that I make important life decisions based on what the stars reveal, but I’m also not going to say that I don’t.
So when the new year rolled around, I anxiously awaited for the verdict from my astrologers – what did 2013 have in store for me?
I am delighted and relieved to announce that the upcoming year will be one of great productivity for me. Apparently success will meet us Taurii in most areas of life so now is the time to capitalize on them.
In light of such a positive forecast, I have decided to make a list of New Years Resolutions that will hopefully be realized now that the stars are aligned. Enjoy!
Learn to cook.  Both my parents are amazing cooks, which you would think would have fostered a love of cooking in me, but really all it has done is foster a love of eating. Now that I am living in my beautiful new apartment, there’s really no excuse anymore for my ineptitude in the kitchen. Juniors and seniors typically live off campus at JHU, and now that I’m one of them (read no meal plan) I believe it’s time to improve my culinary prowess.

Half-marathon 2012

Beat my half-marathon time. Last spring I ran my first half-marathon with my mom in Central Park. To understand this feat, imagine a dying walrus trying to move through quick sand. That’s me running. But I persevered and managed to complete all 13.1 miles. I even ran a 20K this fall in Paris with my roommate Dana! I am hoping to continue this upward trend by beating last year’s time this April. I think I need to add some cross-training into my running plan, which might consist of fitness classes at our Rec Center. They’re fun, cheap and a great workout. Maybe I’ll even manage to lose the walrus resemblance!

Get out of comfort zone. When signing up for classes this semester, I pushed myself to diversify my schedule a little bit and take a new subject. This came in the form of Intro to Sociology (that JHU_Ruthie is also enrolled in)! Having such a flexible curriculum at Hopkins has allows you to take so many different subjects – I want to make sure I take advantage of this opportunity!
Explore Baltimore. Friends abroad kept hating on the city of Baltimore, without having any sort of foundation or proof for that bias. In attempt to prove them wrong, I have decided to dedicate this semester to better exploring all the wonderful and quirky aspects of this city, which will of course be documented in this blog. JHU_Kate has an amazing knowledge of Baltimore, so hopefully I bully her into showing me her favorite haunts.
Enjoy Homewood. After 8 months away, I want to use this semester to soak up the Hopkins love. Intersession, Rush, Spring Fair, Homecoming – the list goes on and on. There’s really no place like Home.

For your consideration…

Posted on by Tess T.
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I was fortunate in many respects growing up. I was the proud owner of my very own American Girl Doll. I met my best friend/better half Hannah at the ripe age of three. I had a personal library that rivalled most children’s bookstores. And I also had a mother who made my cinematic education a focal point of my upbringing.

At one point, our Netflix queue consisted of every movie that had ever won Best Picture. Another time it was dedicated to the genius that is Barbra Streisand, and there was a period when I could recite the members of the T-Birds faster than I could list the names of my own aunts and uncles.

It was only when I came to college that I realized not everyone was as lucky as me, and had been immersed in silver screen classics since they were five. Being the pop culture fiend I am, my conversation is often peppered with nods to my favorite films, but too often in college however, I find myself receiving blank stares when these references are dropped.

So in efforts to prevent future college students from woeful ignorance (and to help those of my friends in desperate need of expanding their cinematic repertoire), I have compiled a list of movies that I personally believe every person should see before coming to college. Yes, I am aware that it is kind of self-important to be the author of a list like this, but frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn. So enjoy (in alphabetical order)!

  • Ace Ventura
  • All About Eve
  • All the President’s Men
  • An Affair to Remember
  • Anchorman
  • Casablanca
  • Clueless
  • Die Hard (and Die Hard: With a Vengeance)
  • Grease
  • Dirty Dancing
  • Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
  • Elf
  • Forgetting Sarah Marshall
  • Funny Girl
  • Gladiator
  • Gone with the Wind
  • Hot Fuzz
  • It’s a Wonderful Life
  • Legally Blonde
  • Little Nicky
  • Lord of the Rings (all three)
  • Love Actually
  • Love Story
  • Mean Girls
  • Office Space
  • Old School
  • Patton
  • Psycho
  • Rear Window
  • Rebecca
  • Sabrina
  • Space Jam
  • Star Wars (IV, V, VI)
  • Step Brothers
  • The Artist
  • The Departed
  • The Philadelphia Story
  • The Shawshank Redemption
  • The Sting
  • The Way We Were
  • Titanic
  • When Harry Met Sally
  • You’ve Got Mail
  • Zoolander

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Best of JHU_Tess

Posted on by Tess T.
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Covent Garden with Steph

Feeling inspired by the British culture around me, I’ve been jamming out a lot recently to “Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael” – its Pandora Station comes with my highest recommendation. It got me thinking about the “Best of JHU_Tess,” and so I decided to mark this very special occasion of my 50th blog for Hopkins-Interactive (!!!) with a look-back on the past 49 entries. Hope you’ve enjoyed the journey as much as I have!

Homewood Bound: My first ever blog as a member of SAAB, I wrote this one after being on campus for only three weeks. As you will read, it was love from the very beginning. Here I introduce myself, talk about my classes, my dorm, my extra-curricular activities and some fun facts about myself. I also introduce my two cats (Jane and Charlotte) who will become prominent features of my later blogs!

Chipotle to Chaplin: I use an anecdote of me forgetting to go to class to highlight some of my favorite aspects about JHU. I discuss the amazing friends I made, the fantastic faculty I have connected with, and supportive atmosphere that characterizes JHU as a whole.

From Ridgewood to Homewood: In this blog I discuss some of my anxieties prior to coming to Hopkins – specifically my worries about leaving the support bubble of my friends and family back home in Ridgewood. I talk about how I keep in constant contact with all my loved ones from home – and have created a new home and support system here at JHU.

 

South Bank with Annie

Breaking Bread in B-Town: I reveal in this blog just how much my friends and I love to eat. I discuss my favorite restaurant haunts around campus, including the amazing combination of traditional diner food and Indian food that is Tamber’s, the delicious café Donna’s where I went on my very first visit to Hopkins, and the source of many late night sandwich runs, Uni-Mini. Make sure you hit up all of these local spots if you come down to Baltimore!

How Hopkins Happened: In this common blog, I reflect on the college admissions process, and how I came to be a Blue Jay. I describe the long journey that happily ends with my enrollment at Johns Hopkins. I end the blog with a few pieces of advice for prospective students including: listen to your parents, visit the school’s campus, get your essays done early, don’t believe everything you hear and make sure you thank your family when it’s over.

An Ode to Opportunities: I talk about the incredible environment that is Hopkins; a place that is teaming with extraordinary opportunities for you to take and amazing resources at your disposal. I discuss one of my favorite opportunities, our optional January term called Intersession, and one of my favorite resources, the Career Center (they helped me secure my dream internship for the summer!).

 

Thanksgiving with my best friends!

Course Compass: After my mom comments that she never reads about my academics in my blog, I discuss my academic life here at Hopkins. My first semester, I took Intermediate French, The United States Since 1929, Introduction to the Study of Film, Archaeology of Early Greece, and Great Books at Hopkins. I end again with a couple pieces of academic advice including try new subjects, be open-minded, learn time management and read through all the course listings.

Mad About Madrid: This blog was dedicated to describing what I did over our three week January term called Intersession Freshman year. I was afforded the opportunity to go and study in Madrid, which was an absolutely life changing experience for me. I took a class called Perspective on the History and Culture of Spain with a professor who was actually knighted in Spain for his work as a historian! I provide an itinerary for our twenty-one days to give you a detailed account of my time in Spain.

Howdy to the Hop: Although nostalgic for Spain, I discuss some of my favorite aspects of life at Hopkins. I call them my Four Fabulous Faves of college life including friends, FFC cookies, freedom and freshman.

Spring has Sprung (almost): Excited for spring, I write this blog in late February anticipating the events of that upcoming semester. I discuss my sorority Alpha Phi’s spring events, Hopkins three-day student run festival called Spring Fair and Homecoming. After attending everything I was looking forward to in this blog, I can say everything was even better than I anticipated.

MYTHBUSTERS: In one of my favorite blogs of the semester, I bust my five least favorite myths that people hear about Hopkins prior to visiting including the fact that everyone here is pre-med, Hopkins is in an extremely dangerous area, the students are cutthroat, the undergraduates are ignored that there is no social life. I was hoping to clarify for prospective freshman what life is really life on Homewood.

 

Fun at Camden Market.

Crash Course Guide to Surviving Midterms: In this blog, I cite how I survived the tough academic week that was Midterm Week. I advice that one should exercise, take advantage of the delicious cafes on campus, study with friends, meet with your T.A., and take study breaks.

Enough about me, let’s talk about me: Meet JHU_Tess: In this common blog, I share some of my “favorites,” and answer some important questions about my life at Hopkins.

We love JHU… Find out why!: In another one of my favorite blogs, I organize “WHY JHU_TESS LOVES HOPKINS” into five categories: Ability to Get Involved, Campus Accessibility, Student Population, Research Opportunities and Campus Events.

Your Typical Blue Jay: I dedicated this blog to answering the question, “how do you describe the typical Hopkins student?” I have found that the one overarching description applicable to all Hopkins students is passionate and divided the blog into Academics, Extra-curricular, Research and Post-graduation.

Freshmen Again: A Year in Highlights: After successfully completing my freshman year, I recap each of my blogs for my first nine months at JHU.

Pearls of Wisdom: Here I share pieces of advice I wish I had known before I started Hopkins, including don’t over pack, meet with your professors and TAs, learn to budget time, eat healthy, clean your suite and job searching is hard.

 

Roller Disco in London

Dear Graduate//Future Blue Jay: In a letter to the incoming freshman class, I share suggestions on how to make your transition to Hopkins as smooth as possible. This includes making a packing list, get pictures, spend time with friends and family, make money and get excited.

School is out and summer is in: In attempt to make the most of my downtime, I had a busy summer after freshman year. Here I share about interning at Teen Vogue, waitressing, my summer reading list and relaxing at the beach.

Hooked on Hop: Here I reflect on the unlikely features of JHU that made it my dream school. These are building uniformity, the campus, the city of Baltimore and the school colors.

Just the Essentials: Directed to perspective/incoming students in their pre-college shopping, I write about 10 Things in my dorm I could not live without.

Jay Talking: In my first post on my own personal blog, I outline what I plan on accomplishing as a sophomore and what I’m looking forward to in the upcoming year.

How to Tour like a Pro: Having recently gone through the college search process myself, I write about how to make the most of your on-campus visit.

373 Days Later…: This blog is a look at the first week of school through my eyes as both a freshman and as a sophomore.

Mrs. Lance Bass: In addition to admitting some embarrassing goals as a kindergartener (including marriage to Lance Bass), I talk about how as a prospective student I didn’t know what I was looking for or wanted to do with my life. I discuss how Hopkins hasn’t pigeon holed me into one particular academic field or path, and has allowed me to pursue my variety of interests outside of the classroom.

 

 

Rugby with my cousin Ellie

From Trash to Treasure: In an unconventional blog, I explore how the contents of my trash can reveal a lot of great things about my life at JHU.

Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in high school anymore: I share how I have transformed as a learner and pushed me to be more than just a conscientious and diligent student. I show a bleeding marked-up paper that I had recently received from one of my professors, and highlight how I’ve grown from the feedback.

An Affair to Remember: I compiled a slideshow of my favorite Hopkins memories from my first year and a half on Homewood. My technological prowess’s even include music!

One Fine Day: JHU_Tess’ Microblog of a Monday: In one of my favorite blogs, I take you through a detailed account of an average Monday for me as a sophomore.

In sickness and in health: After falling sick last Thanksgiving and spending several days in the hospital, I reflect on what I am thankful for including my amazing mother, my friends, the JHU support staff and the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Write here at Homewood: I take a look back on my sophomore year classes, including Intro to the EU, Ancient Egyptian Civilization, Oceans & Atmospheres, Undergraduate Seminar in History and the Victorians.

 

Swanky breakfast at the Dorcester - THANKS DAD!!!

Semester Obsession: My Planner: In a common blog about our semester obsessions, being the nerd I am, I write about the one item I could not live without – my planner.

Inter(esting) Session: I share how I spent my sophomore year Intersession including traveling, relaxing, spending time with friends and family, training, interning and working on the Insider’s Guide.

Spring Phi-ver: This is the story of how stubborn JHU_Tess kept an open mind and decided to join greek life and became an Alpha Phi sister.

College Criteria: Here I highlight six of the main subjects visitors of JHU want to hear about, and link to my favorite blogs on the subjects. This includes topics like food, humanities, dorms, internships, greek life, and study abroad.

Meow Mania: Being the creepy cat lady that I am, I discuss my intense passion for the feline race, and my own beauties, Jane and Charlotte. I explain that here at Hopkins, no matter how socially acceptable (or unacceptable), you will find your niche at JHU.

Picture Perfect: A post dedicated to photographs of some of the things I love about Hopkins – the campus, the friends the memories.

By the numbers: As a nod to my one and only math class at JHU, I give insight into my life at Hopkins through numbers.

 

20K finishers/roomies!

Why Hopkins: The Unexpected: The focus of my annual “Why Hopkins” blog posit is dedicated the aspects of Hopkins I wasn’t anticipating when handing in my deposit – the unexpectedly wonderful relationships I have formed since arriving on Homewood.

Teenage Dream: In yet another reflective mood, I share my top lessons learned from my teenage years as I prepare to turn 20.

The Annies and Stephs: As two of my best friends end their time at JHU, I write about how although our Hopkins time together has ended, its only opening the door to our next adventure together. (Both have visited me in London this past semester!)

One month down, six to go: I finish my first month of living abroad and discuss what I’ve been up to since arriving in London.

Surviving your first IRB application: After finally finishing my first IRB application, I write about the process of going through the Institutional Review Board process, a necessity if you’re hoping to do any sort of research on the JHU campus.

Where the time has gone: I timeline my first two years at JHU through photos and bullet points.

Propaganda for your parents: In attempt to bring awareness to the unfair stigma often associated with the humanities, I dedicate this blog to the amazing experience that is being a liberal arts student.

Lessons from a broad abroad: Side note – this was one of my favorite blog titles ever. After spending three months in London I discuss what I’ve learned from my experience living overseas.

 

Halloween trick or treating with Ellie

Across the Pond 2.0: I discuss coming back to London for my junior year semester abroad and the ways in which my experience this fall will be different from my summer here.

Everything happens for a reason: In one of my favorite blogs ever, I open up about my difficult early decision process, and how now three years later, I am more sure than ever that everything happens for a reason.

Hiatus from Homewood: A visual look at what I’ve been up to since I left Hopkins six months ago.

Hungering for Homewood: A few realizations I have come to over the past two months of studying at a different university that make me even more certain we have life real good at JHU.

Hungering for Homewood

Posted on by Tess T.
3

Where I take classes at King's

I realized over this past semester that I might be a little bit spoiled. My parents will tell you that that’s something they’ve known for the past 20 years – I, however, am referring to how lucky I am to go to a school like JHU. See this is the first time I am experiencing college life at a school that is not Johns Hopkins. And while I am loving my time at King’s College London, there are certain aspects of academic life here that makes me appreciate Hopkins a lot more. Here are a few realizations I have came to over the past two months that make me even more certain that we have life real good at Homewood:

Registration

This seems like a particularly excellent item to start with as in one hours time I will be registering for my Spring 2013 Homewood classes, while sitting in this library in the center of London. See Hopkins does all of its course registration online, which means you have ample time before registration to virtually browse classes, compare course descriptions, consult your academic advisor and construct your perfect schedule. I took this luxury for complete granted until this September.

Where I take classes at JHU

At King’s, you are first able to see a list of course titles, but without descriptions or times. You then you hand-in a list of your top 8 courses, and will get returned a list of the four classes you are assigned to. The problem is then you have to figure out if they conflict with each other, which of course mine inevitably did. After several lengthy in-person appointments with their Registrar’s Office I was able to find a schedule that worked, but had me longing for the easy of JHU course registration.

Class variety

When English students come to university, they come with a set profession or major in mind, and only take classes in that concentration. So it was complete bizarre to the Registrar’s Office when I was signing up for classes that I was hoping to take a contemporary Japanese culture class as a history major. At Hopkins, subject variety is not only encouraged, it’s required. To graduate you must take a certain number of distribution requirements to help round out your education. I love the flexibility of my course selection and schedule at JHU – it has allowed me, a history major, to take film, archaeology, calculus and sociology classes!

My big Annie visiting me in London!!

Library hours

My Hopkins friends and I used to complain saying the fact that MSE Library is open 24/7 is an indicator we get too much homework. The truth is that in coming to college, there is going to be some late nights/early mornings no matter where you go. The accessibility and convenience of MSE cannot be stressed enough – especially considering the fact that the library here (a mere 50 minutes from my dorm), closes at 5PM on certain nights! Any Blue Jay will tell you those kind of hours are unacceptable.

Wireless Internet

I thought I was the definition of fickle, but that was before I experienced the Internet in my King’s dorm. Working on some devices but not all, present at certain hours but not most, you can’t ever count on this Internet. Which turned out to be problematic last Wednesday night when it went off at 8PM, despite the fact I had three more papers to finish due that Friday. It goes without saying that at that point I was longing for the reliability of JHU wireless.

Dana visits from Paris!

On-campus commutes

It is mortifying that I used to complain about the length of any walk on the Homewood campus – nothing at JHU takes more than 15 minutes to walk to. In London, it takes me 45 minutes minimum each way to walk from my dorm to the campus where my classes are held. And while I have dropped a pants sized since my arrival, this no longer means I can roll out of bed and make it to class ten minutes later. It also means that my friends and classmates are spread out all over central London, which makes social outings much more of a production than if we all lived on the same campus, like at Hopkins.

So while I am loving life in London and living abroad, separation truly does make the heart grow fonder – I am very much looking forward to my return to Homewood this January.