From a sophomore with senior friends

This is dedicated to all the people that told me that I shouldn’t be friends with seniors.

As a sophomore, people continually ask me why my closest friends are seniors, but I say why not? Even though I know they will not still be here at Hopkins next year, I still enjoy the time I spend with them, whether we’re spending long nights studying in Brody or watching Scandal in the Wolman Theater.

Because of how much I appreciate their company, I would have never expected that having friends that are older would come with the difficulties that I constantly encounter. The most common situation I face when spending time with my senior friends is when someone starts a conversation with, “Remember that time…” When I hear this, I immediately know they are probably going to talk about  hanging out in the Building B basement, or some other seemingly far off memory of the good old times they had during their freshman year. After this trip down memory lane continues for a while, without fail someone points out that I am just a sophomore so I was not present for this grand occasion, but I’m really not bothered by this constant ostracism.

Another disadvantage to my close friendships with seniors is inadvertently being infected with senioritis. When surrounded by people who are almost done with their Hopkins careers and have job offers and schoolwork that is not at the top of their priority list, I find myself starting to feel the same way - until I realize I have four more semesters of college left. Although sometimes I may think of myself as being 21, in reality I am younger and cannot graduate in the spring or - more importantly - go to clubs or bars with my older friends.

I know I may make it seem like having friends who are seniors is not a pleasurable experience but, save the occasional feeling of being left out, there are numerous benefits. My senior friends give me great advice not just about which classes to take and other college related decisions, but also about life in general. Since they have already experienced sophomore year, they are able to tell me about the mistakes they made so I do not make the same ones. Knowing people who have taken the classes I am currently taking is helpful when I am looking for free textbooks, or help with assignments. Another great benefit is that I can completely avoid the search for off-campus housing, since I’m taking the lease of two of my friends’ awesome apartment (with roof access!) when they graduate. I always have someone to turn to for any and everything that I need, from suggestions for filling out an application, having someone review a paper, or getting someone to help me understand a microeconomic model.

Even still, I’d have to say that the most important benefit of being a sophomore with senior friends is that I have a group of amazing role models. They may not know it yet, but I am positive that they will all be successful as they enter the real world. I admire them for their dedication that helped them to survive Hopkins and to accomplish their goals.