Dear Freshman Gabrielle,
How are you? At this point in time, you have just started your first semester at Hopkins, and I can imagine you're feeling excited and anxious. Are you walking down the brick pathway by the Rec? Didn’t the patch of trees seem like a huge forest? I recall how large Hopkins felt and at the time thought, “Would this place ever feel like home?”
As you start your freshman year, you’re going to face many things — both good and bad. There are times when you’re going to be studying for days prepping for a single exam only to get a failing grade. Other times, you're going to feel lonely as you listen to your peers talk about all the fun activities they did over the weekend. When those moments arise and you feel out of place or slow, take a step back to steady yourself. I want to remind you that you do fit in at Hopkins among your peers. There is a reason you attended, and I know you will do your best to make the most of it.
One lesson you will learn about yourself is that you are, in fact, a people person. I know in high school you thought of yourself as an introvert, but that is not the case — you were only shy. There’s a moment in the fall semester when you want to meet more of your peers outside of class, and so you reach out to your Resident Advisor. Your RA would recommend you join an organization called Alpha Phi Omega, where you begin to connect with people outside your major and volunteer all around Baltimore. You’re going to spend the majority of your college career in this organization, and it's going to feel rewarding because it gives you an opportunity to break out of the Hopkins bubble. You get to learn more about the city you live in, and it makes you feel appreciative of humanity. I know that sounds dramatic, but I loved seeing how many non-profit organizations exist to simply help one another. Other than volunteering, by your spring semester, you’re going to become a go-getter.
You started Hopkins with the intention of conducting research, and you made it a reality! I find it amusing because you found the opportunity by simply asking your professor after class. Since then, you’ve had the chance to learn from amazing researchers and even publish an article! In addition to learning from people in the lab, you’ve also made close friends.
Some of the people you meet throughout the year become your closest friends in your senior year. You’re going to get to explore Baltimore, D.C., New York and even Hawaii with them! The trip to New York is one of your favorite trips because it was the first time you went on vacation with your friends. It was wonderful walking down the streets of New York, visiting pizza joints and attending a Broadway show. The best part of the trip is when you visited your roommate at her family home, bought ice cream and watched The Hangover. This is one of the many experiences that you will have that will make you feel like you’ve found your home away from home.
Gabrielle, it may seem intimidating at first, but I want you to realize that you’re going to have a great time at Hopkins — volunteering in the community, conducting research and making bonds with people that are going to last a long time.
Sincerely,
Senior Gabrielle
Gabrielle Chavez is a senior from El Paso, Texas graduating with a degree in Computer Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Management.
