The prompt for this article feels so on the nose for me, as I have had a page on my notes app this semester of all my items to complete before senior year comes to an end. The list was dominated by restaurants, cafes and bakeries I somehow never made it to in the past three and a half years, possibly because I didn’t want to spend the extra money or take a shuttle. However, I’m now realizing that missing out on these Baltimore staples is scarier than losing five dollars on a pastry. When this realization hit, I momentarily freaked out. A whole bucket list to get done in a handful of weeks? After I took a step back, I recognized that the list is supposed to be fun, and that’s all I can really ask for with the dwindling moments left in college. So, here are some ideas I have completed, written down and never got to or heard recommended by others and think could be awesome to help you set up the best senior year ever.
- Take a dog out for a day from BARCS, an animal shelter in the city. They have a program where you can schedule to take out a shelter dog for a two- or four-hour time block. We brought our dog back to campus and ran around the Beach with him!
- Go to the Baltimore Bike Party, hosted on the last Friday of every month. Each ride meets at St. Mary’s Park at 7 p.m. and has a unique theme. Details will be posted on the organizer’s Instagram, and the route is also posted on Strava. Hundreds of people show up and party through the streets together.
- Register for a JHOC/OP outdoors trip and run through the campus’s department of experiential education. Some trip offerings include rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, stand up paddleboarding and whitewater kayaking. The outdoor leaders are super passionate and happy to share their knowledge with anyone, from beginners to experienced outdoor explorers.
- Play trivia at HomeSlyce on a Tuesday evening. Hosted by Charm City Entertainment, trivia awards a gift card to the first-place team every week. Extremely close to campus and easy to get to, carve out just an hour of your day to test your knowledge and laugh at how many answers you don’t know.
- Also a Tuesday special, Warehouse Cinemas in the Rotunda discounts movie prices to just seven dollars. Has there been a new blockbuster you’ve been wanting to see since it came out, but you didn’t want to pay so much? Well, here’s your chance to figure out what all the edits and reaction videos on TikTok are talking about!
- Play tennis on the courts near the AMRs or badminton in the Rec Center. The equipment room, located near the bathrooms in the Rec, has tennis and badminton rackets, tennis balls and birdies you can rent for free. Every student has free Rec access, which makes this process convenient and streamlined. Go get some fun exercise and frolic around the courts.
- Take the train to Washington, D.C. to see the cherry blossoms during their peak bloom in late March. Even if you have been in the past years, this makes for an awesome weekend or day trip to get away from the stress of Hopkins. If you feel like you do need to get some studying done, the multilevel SAIS building offers one of the coolest study environments. While you’re in D.C., go shopping in Georgetown, try food at the famous spots and wander around the national landmarks.
- Attend the Hopkins lacrosse games against Loyola or UMD. I may be biased about these events as a Sports Editor, but there’s no doubt that the school spirit and action packed into these games will be exciting. The UMD game is Homecoming, and the Loyola game is Battle for Charles Street. If you feel like Hopkins has no school spirit, let the fans' cheering in sold-out stands prove you wrong. Don’t worry if you don’t know anything about lacrosse; the energy is infectious. On the most basic level, if we put the ball in the opposing team's net, that’s good!
- Watch the sunrise or sunset with your friends. I can’t think of a more peaceful start to your morning or a gorgeous way to end the day. You can choose a picturesque spot or just go on the balcony of your apartment. If the latter, you can even integrate some baking of sweet treats into the night or play some games.
Try to at least complete one, and have an amazing year!
Talia Lehrer is a senior graduating with a degree in Neuroscience from Merion, Pa. She is a former Sports Editor for The News-Letter.
