Transitioning to college and beginning that “new college chapter” can seem daunting, especially for those unfamiliar with the University’s surrounding areas. Hopkins is nestled between Charles Village and Hampden, two bustling and charming Baltimore neighborhoods. With such a convenient and lively atmosphere comes an assortment of essentials to ensure your Hopkins experience is safe and worthwhile.
The Hopkins experience isn’t complete without routine trips to University Market and Deli, more commonly known as Uni-Mini. Picture your typical convenience store, with aisles of snacks and drinks for your late-night cravings or quick bites in between classes. The highlights are from the deli, which offers made-to-order items such as chicken parmesan subs to mozzarella sticks to cheesesteaks. With such a perfect location — down 33rd Street and diagonal to Scott-Bates Commons and the bookstore — I promise you will become a regular there by the end of Orientation week.
Staying on St. Paul Street, you’ll find other quintessential fast-food style restaurants. Chipotle sits on the corner of St. Paul and 32nd Street. Walk north from there and you’ll run into Potbelly, Starbucks, &pizza, and THB Bagels, which are easily the best bagels I’ve had in Baltimore. For more dine-in style restaurants, there is Kajiken on 33rd Street, which serves great ramen. A Chinese restaurant next door, Lao Sze Chuan, opened last spring.
There is also a CVS on that block, an excellent location for plenty of necessities. For example, picking up medication, grabbing a case of water for your dorm room, or even buying soap for when you finish. CVS has everything you would need, right in your backyard. Located just two blocks south of campus is Medstar Hospital, in case of any urgent medical needs.
When you need to do grocery shopping, there are several options. The first is more limited but much quicker: buying from Charles Street Market, the Hopkins-affiliated convenience store. A second option is Streets Market, which is just a five-minute walk from campus. The other option is going to Giant, a twenty-minute walk or ten-minute drive from the center of campus. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can trek to the farmers market on 32nd Street.
These locations define the east side of campus; Hampden, a quaint neighborhood with a cute downtown, sits on the West side. Lots of the eateries are around 20 to 25 minutes walking distance, but with the Blue Jay shuttle, getting to Hampden takes under five minutes. There are plenty of restaurants to try here, from burger joints to Thai cuisine to a very student-famous Mexican dive bar. Hampden also offers various shopping outlets, barber shops, salons and famous dessert places.
And, when you’re in the mood for a much-needed break, there are even hiking trails behind Homewood Field that lead straight to Hampden. The route takes you through the woods and onto a bridge over Stony Run Creek. When the weather’s nice, it’s an excellent pastime.
Your four years on Homewood campus will, in large part, be defined by on-campus events and hours behind the computer in Brody’s Reading Room. However, going beyond the campus gates and exploring the areas near Homewood, specifically Charles Village and Hampden, will be crucial in making the most of your Hopkins experience. Luckily, you can always rest assured that these areas have plenty of worthwhile offerings.
Shaan Udani is a sophomore majoring in Public Health Studies and Writing Seminars from Morris Plains, N.J. He is a News & Features Editor for The News-Letter.
