A FISH-y philosophy for freshmen

If you’re a freshman at Hopkins you must be feeling good right now. The fact that you have been accepted to one of the most respected universities in the country is a confirmation that you were a dedicated, hard-working student throughout high school. Along with the disbelief and excitement of coming to Hopkins inevitably comes the nerves. In order to calm them some people may emphasize the fact that during your first semester as a freshman your grades will be covered. But DO NOT be fooled; covered grades are a blanket of false security!

Those same grades you thought didn’t matter can be uncovered for various reasons, including future employment, internships and medical school applications. To combat the laziness and “too chill” attitude you might adopt, follow the FISH philosophy, which was founded in a fish market in Seattle. The four principles are as follows:

1. Play The newfound independence of college will ultimately lead you to the party scene. Everyone wants to let loose and have some fun, especially since they don’t have parents giving curfews and demanding hourly check-ins. Just like every other college, Hopkins has various types of parties to check out, from the frats and sororities, to Hopkins groups’ events, to house parties around campus. Definitely take time out on the weekends to check it all out and make new friends. Partying gives you the chance to de-stress and make sure you have a healthy social life, since solely sticking to the books can prevent you from having that experience. Don’t be one of those kids – you know who I mean.

2. Be There, Be Present Adjusting to life away from home and your family and friends can take its toll, but don’t forget to be in tune with everything you do. This is the time to embrace your independence, develop as an individual, and own your responsibilities. No one is going to wake you up in the morning and make sure you’re out of the house by a certain time – now that’s all on you. YOU have to make sure you go to all your classes and get the most out of them, especially since high school teachers and college professors are very different. High school teachers made sure you were getting something out of what was being taught, but college professors expect you to speak up when something isn’t clicking because as far they know, you’re keeping up. To be on top of your game, take advantage of the Learning Den, the PILOT program, the Writing Center, Study Consultants and the Math Help Room.

3. Make Their Day I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “Make whose day?” The answer: make anyone’s day! One of the best feelings you can get in life is from helping someone other than yourself, so get involved in different groups on campus and take advantage of the limitless volunteering opportunities at Hopkins. Then, as time goes on, decide what you’re passionate about and focus on groups that address those topics. You may be surprised that you’re really into eliminating food waste with Campus Kitchens, or tutoring elementary school children with the Tutorial Project. College isn’t all about grades, just as high school wasn’t all about grades; it’s about taking advantage of every opportunity on campus and meeting different people, because those same people can change the trajectory of your future (hence the importance of networking!) If you find it hard to find a volunteer opportunity, there are hundreds of groups on campus – just check them out online at johnshopkins.collegiatelink.net.

4. Choose Your Attitude You get what you put into Hopkins. The transition from your workload in high school to the workload at Hopkins can make or break you, which again leads me to emphasize that you should utilize the many resources on campus. This includes going to office hours and making your face known to your professors and teaching assistants so they see the effort you are putting into your studies. Now is the time to figure out how you study most effectively by trying different techniques (such as using flashcards, reading the textbook, group studying, etc.) so that by the time second semester rolls around, you’ll be confident enough in your study habits to excel in your classes. The bottom line is if you go to class, do the homework, and ask questions, it’s pretty hard to fail any class because you’ll be actively learning. Be sure to have a positive outlook – if you believe you can do well and you do everything you can to make that true, you will do well.

Follow this FISH philosophy and not only will you avoid the trap of covered grades, but the next four years will be much easier (but not too easy – this is Johns Hopkins University, after all).