A view from the outside: Other college students evaluate Hopkins campus

It's been six weeks since Hopkins started its 2008-2009 school year, and the freshman class of 2012 has finally settled in to the routines of college life. With midterms and papers coming full force, we're too busy to pay much attention to the small things; things which once made all the difference in the world.

Remember that first night in the AMRs without air conditioning? Or the first time you realized that FFC's late night was just another way of acquiring pancakes? What may have shocked and surprised us at the beginning of September just doesn't quite make the day's agenda anymore.

But the Hopkins culture is one that still maintains an air of uniqueness. Coming from California, I was unable to visit home during Fall Break. Instead, a few high school friends headed down from their respective colleges and spent the weekend down here at Hopkins. For them, our college still held many surprises.

Janet Sung is from the University of Pennsylvania, providing for us the perspective of an Ivy League student. Nicole Uchida, Andrew Ahn and Anthony Hizon are locals, visiting from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, and bringing with them their own unique background.

Between the laughs and catching up on the past six weeks, our guests had a chance to live the life of a Hopkins student - albeit on the weekend. Below is a list of their thoughts about certain features of the atmosphere of our unique university.

Food

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that food is more essential to a college student than anything else (and yes, Red Bull is a food). At Hopkins, we have a large variety of options available to us, from the main cafeteria FFC to classy eat-in places like Nolan's. Here's what our guests thought about Hopkins cuisine.

Janet: "There is a lot of variety, and the workers are nice. And it's so close to your dorm! I have to walk 10 minutes to the nearest cafeteria."

Nicole: "[FFC] is much more pleasant [than cafeterias at most colleges]. The atmosphere is great with everyone just hanging out together. Breakfast was amazing!"

Dorms

Whether you use them just for sleep, or live and breathe every minute of your life in them, dorms are a necessity for college students. This weekend, my friends slept in AMR II, and here is what they thought about our residential halls.

Janet: "They look kind of old, but everyone on the floor seems really close. Would be nice to get AC, though."

Anthony: "Nice common areas. The lounges are chill, but need bigger TVs."

Andrew: "The dorms are smaller [than at the Academy]."

Homewood Campus

Our home, our own small place in the midst of one of the largest metropolitan cities in the country, the Homewood campus is probably one of the most picturesque places in Baltimore. What we walk on every day feels like a tourist attraction to those on their first visit.

Janet: "The campus is very spread out and spacious. The architecture is interesting. The buildings all look the same, and it feels like I'm back in colonial times! At UPenn, each building has a different style of architecture and [are] more packed together."

Nicole: "Gorgeous! It's so pretty!"

Andrew: "It seems safe and secure [being in Baltimore]."

Anthony: "It's nice to see that you have a sense of tradition and college heritage, like how no building can be taller than Gilman hall."

Comparison to Their Colleges

Unlike many of the tourists and high school students who visit Hopkins and may have the same sense of awe as my friends did, these guys are also college students. Naturally, they compared Hopkins to their own respective universities. And surely, many of you want to know how things are at other campuses!

Janet: "The atmosphere at UPenn is more fast-paced, more incorporated with the city. Our campus isn't as isolated from Philly as Hopkins is from Baltimore. We have main streets going through our campus, so it's like 'I have to go to class at 37th and Walnut.'"

The Midshipmen (Naval Academy): "At the Naval Academy, we have centralized facilities. Everything is in our basement, literally. We call [our dorm hall] the USS Bancroft because it is self-sustaining.

At Hopkins, though, there's a lot of green space, and it feels more open, more like an old eastcoast college."

Now, my friends are back at their colleges, and I'm back to studying and attending classes here at Hopkins. Life returns to normal. We get back into our routines. But it's always nice to get that outside perspective and to relive the excitement and rush of the first few days on campus.