Some know Hopkins as the first established research university, or the place to go if you are studying engineering, international relations, or the place to be a premed. Others know Johnny Hop as a "nerd school" with an extremely hideous student body.
Perhaps you know it for the seventeen hours of work each night or the high risk of getting shot each time you leave the dorm. Maybe you know that at Hopkins it is better to eat the actual silverware than the food it is holding or that there's no major difference between the AMRs and the Baltimore County Detention Center.
Some think of Hopkins as a competitive place where kids pull fire alarms to disrupt the rest of the student body the night before a large exam. Still, there are those who believe that Hopkins "study nerds" who live on D-level rent out their rooms nightly to the more sex-conscious students. At a school where the student union is the library and where a party is considered a large group of students studying organic chemistry, the real question is: why are we here?
Now, before you accused me of taking Johnny Hop for granted, basing our place of higher learning, understand that I am simply presenting all perspectives on the school. If there were not positive aspects of this place, we would not be here (well most of us anyway).
I do not want to completely discount the children of alumni or those who are here because their sole purpose on Earth is to become a doctor and make money. The real question is simple - why did you choose to come here?
Who better to ask than the freshman class of 2007?
Most of the students I interviewed happened to fit the Hopkins stereotype of being biology majors or budding pre-meds, but they do not fit the description of being "Hopkins nerds." Many came because of the classes offered and the vast resources even if it meant giving up a social life.
Freshman Daniella Miller was pleasantly surprised with the social scene at Hopkins. "There is actually a nice balance between socializing and studying," Miller said.
Many other students agreed with her and felt that students do not actually study from "nine to nine without lunch or dinner breaks." In fact, some even found that studying at Hopkins is fun. Since the library happens to be the center of social life during the week, you end up seeing a lot of people you know.
"I found a new love: the library," said Jenny Berger. Berger also found that the classes at Hopkins are extremely interesting. With an focus in art history, she thought Hopkins would be the most appropriate place to explore more in that field. She did not realize, however, how great the program was until she had class. Berger felt that Hopkins is known only for medicine, but that they have other great departments.
Jill Preschel mentioned that she had had to decide between Hopkins and NYU. Preschel, a writing seminars major, was leaning toward NYU until she found out more about the writing program at Hopkins. Once she discovered that it was highly respected in the field of writing (along with being the second best program in the nation), she decided to choose Hopkins.
This trend continued with other interviews. Many of the freshman liberal arts majors had a first impression that Hopkins was only a place for pre-meds, but once they read more about the school they found that it offers a variety of subjects.
Some, however, are unhappy with other areas of study. One student, choosing to remain anonymous, expressed discontent with his lab TA. He feels that his TA is harder than the rest, and it angers him that his fellow classmates have an "easier time" with laid back TAs. He also expressed disappointment that his math TA, although less strict, does not speak English.
Another big appeal to freshman was the unique location of the campus. "It's being in a city, but having a campus feel," Miller commented. Some disagreed and felt that schools like George Washington University are at more of an advantage because students are right in the city as soon as they leave the dorm, while at Hopkins students need to take a cab to many places.
Despite the distance between the campus and outside resources, the freshman agreed with Miller's thoughts on student life. One of the things she found is that Hopkins administrators are working hard to please students. They generally feel that facilities such as the athletic center and Hodson Hall show a real commitment to making Homewood more enjoyable. They feel that although far from places such as the mall and movie theater, there are still places to buy food and work out.
Overall the freshmen seem to be enjoying their time at Hopkins. The majority of the freshman interviewed are looking forward to exploring Greek life to enhance their time here. Some commented that the "Hopkins 500" (the same 500 people that actually socialize) is more like the "Hopkins 50." There are still the students who are here to study, fulfilling only part of the stereotype. Several felt that people they've met are interesting and according to Eric Cochran, "the girls here are actually really good-looking."
With a diverse student body, stimulating academics, an active social scene, and a generally interesting student body, Hopkins received good ratings from the students. There were, however, those who refused to see any positives in Hopkins and would not contribute to the article.
"This place is okay," remarked one anonymous student. "But if it does not get any better, I can promise you I am transferring." Welcome to Hopkins, freshmen. Some call it hell, others call it home.
