Thus, after transferring to Hopkins last fall, I quickly set out to find my new go-to study spots. Through these explorations, I got to try and learn more about various nearby cafes throughout Baltimore. Here are some of my top finds, all of which feature Wi-Fi, outlets (a necessity for my laptop, whose battery pretty much requires life support) and a wide variety of caffeinated beverages.

KANOM Cafe

Starting off north of campus, there's KANOM Cafe. This cozy study space has lots of pastries and brunch food options, such as the Lox Toast, a slice of sourdough topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, dill and capers, or the Fresh Tomato Toast, topped with ricotta, tomato, salt and pepper. The smell of fresh, buttery baked goods while you study is an added plus.

Blueprint Cafe

Blueprint Cafe is another convenient option, as it's right next to campus on St. Paul Street. This popular spot is great for studying around meal time, as it has lots of creative pastries, focaccia sandwiches and bowls. The menu frequently features new specials to try if you're feeling adventurous, as well as staples ready to become your go-to orders. In my opinion, Blueprint also has a really good iced americano. The cafe has both indoor seating and a small outdoor area with tables and chairs.

Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse

Another option that's quite close to campus is Red Emma's, located about a 10-minute walk away. This combined coffeehouse and bookstore has lots of flexibility schedule-wise - it's open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sundays, and there's almost always plenty of seating. The menu is completely plant-based and includes some great curly fries.

Coffee Olivia

While this spot is a little farther from campus, it's easily accessible. To get there, just take the JHMI to Penn Station, where Coffee Olivia is just a few minutes away by walking. The menu offers a variety of different coffees and hand-crafted teas, and this aesthetic space has lots of natural light and seating by the windows.

The Bun Shop

Another cafe that's easily accessible by the JHMI, The Bun Shop is about a 10-minute walk from the Peabody stop, though you can also take the Blue Jay Shuttle to or from the cafe after 6 p.m. This is a great spot for late-night studying, as it's open every day until 3 a.m. There's ample seating, including well-lit spaces by the windows toward the back of the cafe.

Ceremony Coffee Roasters at Mt. Vernon

Last but not least, there's Ceremony Coffee Roasters, whose Mount Vernon location is also just a 10-minute walk from the Peabody JHMI stop. The menu includes breakfast items and lots of unique seasonal drinks, such as a matcha with oat milk and coconut pandan foam as well as an iced espresso with passion fruit tonic and vegan cold foam. This is another aesthetic space, with lots of seating by the windows, at tables or at high top tables with boxes of puzzles. Outside, there's also a patio with plenty of seating.

By exploring Baltimore's cafe scene, I've gotten to get off campus and learn more about what there is outside of Hopkins. Moreover, I've found that discovering a new go-to study spot is a great way to make a new environment feel more like home. Hopefully, this guide can be a good starting point to kick off your exploration of what the surrounding Baltimore area has to offer.

Annabelle Huang is a senior majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Lexington, Mass. She is a Copy Editor for The News-Letter.

Section breakdown:

• News & Features: the backbone of the paper (as expected). Our news section provides the latest breaking stories happening around campus, from big announcements like the free tuition change to the emergence of a new start-up organization. Writers can learn investigative journalism skills, meet with campus organizations and personaities and get plugged into events happening around Baltimore and DC!
• Opinion: Got a hot take? Send it over to our Opinion Editor. This section has a wide range of topics meant to stir up conversation, whether it's about the state of Homewood Campus' avian biodiversity or the modern-day situationship. Writing for this section means developing your skills in putting together a strong argument, which goes for expressing any new perspective surrounding things like the politics in current events or construction projects on campus.
• Sports: If you want to know how our Blue Jays measure up in the epic highs and lows of college sports, you'll find some great commentary here. Maybe a streak for the Super Bowl predictions roundtable is in the cards for the future? Freddy, one of our Sports Editors, was quite close last year. You don't need to know every single rule of a sport or player of a team to contribute as long as you have an interest in whatever sport you're writing about.
• Science & Technology (SciTech): Curious about the scientific innovation happening around you? At a school as STEM-heavy as Hopkins, there are practically hundreds of opportunities to learn about new developments in research from the undergraduate to Nobel Prize level, science policy, fellowships and more! Writers get ample opportunities to attend scientific seminars, interview professors, and explore the state of science in our local and national communities.
• Voices: If you've ever imagined yourself publishing a piece in a column with a catchy title reminiscent of '90s romcoms, this section is for you. From heartwarming childhood stories to relatable college experiences, this flexible section welcomes your own unapologetic, unique anecdotes. Whether it's a song you really like that carried you through high school or your recent reflections on your hometown, as long as it can be somehow expressed in writing, you can showcase it all here.
• Arts & Entertainment: That album/book/movie/play/exhibit/concert that's been stuck in your head? The Arts section gives you a chance to showcase your opinions and hot takes! The section also gives writers access to free concert tickets in the vibrant local Baltimore arts scene.
• Leisure: Take a break with the Leisure section and learn about shops, restaurants and things to do in Baltimore. You get to connect with local business owners too! The section is also ripe with fun hobbies, dorm decor, personal recipes and weekend plans.
• Public: If a fourth-wall break was a section, this would be it. Our Public Editor acts as the bridge between The News-Letter and the student body, keeping a good balance between the two. After a (short) break in the cycle, the Public Editor role is back! This means that students (you) can share your thoughts to our Public Editor about how The News-Letter is doing.
• Magazine: What you're reading right now! The News-Letter publishes four magazines a year covering unique themes like personal growth, social media and politics, and the gamification of life.
• Copy: Our last line of defense before an article reaches your hands. Changing "3" to "three," when to use en dashes over hyphens, and how to refer to specific buildings on campus are all part of the proofreading job. If you've got an eye for detail, our copy staff is always looking for people to train in the Associated Press style. This is one of our most important sections, but at the same time, it is also one of the more low-commitment roles because of its flexibility. If you have a particularly busy schedule but still want to get involved with the paper, this could be where to start.
• Social Media: We are actively recruiting social media managers! As one of the most common platforms that college students use, Instagram serves as one of our major spaces to release breaking news and other pressing information. Follow our Instagram @jhunewsletter to be some of the first to know about Hopkins-specific news, such as campus protests and the annual commencement speaker.
• Design & Layout: This wonderful team makes our paper look fresh and aesthetic. Thank them for the graphs as well! Any and all visually creative people that want to put their portfolio skills out into the world: we are sending out a call for your talents. If authors for articles need eye-catching visuals to sit at the top of their pieces, our Design & Layout editors are who we need to make their visions a reality.
• Video: The video section is our newest section! Expanding into video journalism, we produce three minute long documentaries focusing on events happening not only on Homewood Campus but also in Baltimore. If you're interested in the art of visual storytelling, the section would love to have you! While we'd love any previous experience, none is required to get invlved. We also have our own video and sound equipment that you can use.
• Puzzles: Ever since The New York Times crossword got put behind a paywall, our Puzzles section has been quite the boredom killer in long lectures (and it's free!). Our Puzzles editors are constantly cooking up new ways to challenge your intellect.

Our hopes is that at least one, if not a few, of these sections have piqued your interest. As a completely student-run newspaper, we are always looking for eager and creative minds in any and all aspects, so if you've taken a particular liking to any of these sections, don't hold back and contact us! We hope to see you (and your work) in the very near future!

Our first interactions with The News-Letter:

As freshmen, you will often hear that first impressions are important. And although this is true to a certain extent, The News-Letter is a place of development and change, where both writers and editors learn new things and hone different skills throughout their time with the paper. So in honor of this principle, we would like to speak on our own first impressions of the newspaper and how they've changed over time in hopes that you readers might see yourselves in similar journeys.

Ayden:

My first days with The News-Letter were when I started out as a copyreader in my freshman year as an assistant to the copy editors. At the time, my role felt so minor and almost marginal to what I would eventually see in the print editions weeks later, but as I continued to read more and more pieces, I gradually started to see that the paper was a much more tight-knit community than I had initially thought. Over time, I became familiar with all the section editors and learned how extensive the publishing process actually was. This didn't mean that it made the staff more distant; rather, it brought them closer together in order to deliver the best version of the paper that they could.

During my entire time with the paper thus far, I've continued to learn new things with every new staff member that I meet and every new piece that I read. At first, I was a little worried about all the deadlines and structure that come with the nature of publishing, but the work that goes into bringing content and information to our readers is some of the most fulfilling that I've done during my time in college thus far. Now, each piece that I come across is an opportunity to learn not just about the subject matter of the writing itself, but about the writer, and in a greater sense, what is important to the Hopkins student body and communities. This has made each of my experiences at Hopkins feel all the more real, which I imagine is important to all the freshmen readers just about to start this journey.

Ayden Min is a senior majoring in International Studies from Los Angeles, Calif. She is a Managing Editor for The News-Letter.

Alex:

I was visiting Hopkins before admissions decisions came out in the spring of my senior year, aimlessly roaming around campus and exploring the buildings. When I found myself in the Gilman Atrium, I saw a copy of The News-Letter on one of the tables. I picked it up, flipped through it and started the crossword on the back page. I was so enthralled that I carried the paper through the rain back to my friend's house just to finish the puzzle. Evidently, it was a very good crossword. And I decided that, if I had the chance to go to Hopkins, I wanted to join The News-Letter.

What I remember most from my first SciTech article (on the effects of a Category 4 hurricane) was the willingness of professors to engage with undergraduates at Hopkins. As I've continued writing and editing with The News-Letter, I've gotten the chance to learn so much from professors, students and researchers at the University. If there's anything new writers want to learn about work being done at Hopkins, a quick email to an expert in that field is sure to satisfy their curiosities.

Alex Pan is a junior majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Dallas, Texas. He is a Managing Editor for The News-Letter.

Finding research groups

The University has many resources for finding research groups, many of which accept undergraduates. ForagerOne is a commonly used database to find which professors in your interests are taking students (however, the website is not always updated with the most current information on a given research group).

In my experience, going through a specific department and reading the biographies of individual faculty was most helpful in finding a research group. Remember that Homewood is just one part of university infrastructure that you can do research in - med campus, Applied Physics Lab, Data Science and AI institute and more all have research opportunities for undergraduates.

The cold email

The most obvious yet dreaded part of finding a research lab is certainly the cold email. Each year, first and second year undergraduates send dozens of emails to principal investigators (PIs) at Hopkins looking for research groups. This is a great way to put your best foot forward, but it must be done carefully.

In your email, you should describe your interests, your availability and predicted commitment, and a growth mindset. You should show professors that you will increasingly contribute to their lab's work and take an active effort to learn and be mentored. My first emails spent too much page space focusing on my strengths and why I could contribute right away. The truth is you won't be able to contribute right away. There is so much I didn't know before stepping foot in the lab and it takes a couple months to learn enough to even begin making any sort of contribution to real discovery.

I would avoid mentioning goals such as publications or authorship. I made this mistake in many of my initial cold emails and it's hard to know whether or not that was the reason I didn't receive a response, but I feel confident in saying it didn't help. Professors know that these are valuable CV lines. Rather, goals should be directed around discovery, growth as a scientist and improved critical thinking.

Introduce yourself, show that you've done your homework on the professor's research and previous work, and how the two visions align.

First few months in the lab

Once you've found a lab, you might feel as if you've pushed the boulder up the hill. But, for students who seek optimal professional enrichment from their research experiences, finding a lab is the same as finding the boulder. The hard part remains to push it up the hill.

The best advice I can give to undergraduates in new labs is to read, read and read. Reading papers is one of the best ways you can learn about the specific field your lab works in and expand your understanding of methods and scientific directions. Further, communicate with your mentor to share where you're feeling lost and what knowledge gaps you want to close. Your first few months in the lab will be a steep learning curve, but they are critical in ensuring you are able to pursue independence later.

Independent projects

If you stay in a lab long enough, you might have the opportunity to pursue your own project. There are many funding opportunities for independent undergraduate research projects through URSCA. There are also other foundations in Maryland that fund science research, such as The Maryland Stem Cell Foundation and Abell Foundation. For technical projects that require significant amounts of external funding, I would work with your PI to find grant opportunities or utilize lab resources.

The hardest part of independent projects is knowing what to do everyday. My suggestion is to create tentative plans, share them with your PI and ask for feedback. This keeps your PI in the loop of your contributions and keeps your science focused and grounded. It is very important to plan ahead and ask for help, from your PI, grad students or other professors, when you are pursuing independent investigations.

Summer internships

Not all labs at Hopkins can fund summer stays and not all students are able to achieve summer stay funding through programs like Summer PURA. That is absolutely okay: I myself have been rejected from PURA and other JHU URSCA awards multiple times but it hasn't stopped me. Persistence will be one of your greatest attributes in pursuing research and at times, that is going to feel difficult. Finding a lab that you are passionate about and has a supportive mentorship environment can help ease that stress.

Perhaps, you are able to fund your own living expenses with an outside job, in which case, you should talk to your PI about your summer schedule honestly and maybe even inquire about doing research for credit. If you are not able to pursue summer research due to financial limitations, I would communicate this with your PI. If there are no viable solutions and you want to continue participating in research over the summer, internships are a great opportunity.

The National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program, AMGEN Scholars and NSF REU programs are highly competitive, paid summer research experiences for undergraduates. Successful applicants typically already have high levels of research contribution. Other opportunities include but are not limited to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Distinguished Professorship Summer Program, Stanford Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and U.S. Department of Energy Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships. If you are someone who prefers to work in industry in the future, opportunities like Google Student Research internship for software, pharma company programs like Novartis' Summer Biomedical Research Internship, and a summer at CERN for students interested in physics are better suited for your goals. I myself have no experience working in industry so I would recommend students do research on the differences between academic and industry research environments as they are significant. For industries and fields I wasn't able to cover, I would recommend speaking with the JHU Life Design Lab about what opportunities are available for you.

You might get a co-author publication and poster presentation out of these short experiences, but the real value will come in the connections you build and experience working in a research environment.

Publications

Many Hopkins undergraduates come to campus or to undergraduate research with the goal of getting publications. Papers are certainly a valuable aspect of a student's research record. However, as an undergraduate, publications should not and are not the end all be all of your future prospects.

Publications are merely a way to demonstrate that you have contributed to and independently performed scientific research as an undergraduate. There is no expectation by even the top graduate programs to have a first-author publication in Science Magazine. Your focus should be on learning the scientific process, collaborating with others and taking more initiative throughout your time in the lab.

Publications can come as a result of consistent commitment and contribution to a research group's work. However, they are not the only way to demonstrate scientific impact and most students at even the top programs do not have first-author publications if any in peer-reviewed journals. These students, however, most likely did push themselves in research and go above and beyond their responsibilities in the lab. If you are committed, your contributions and effort will pay off when you apply to and interview for graduate programs or industry positions as your research experiences will supplement your resume, recommendation letters and demonstrated skills.

Conclusion

I remember when I first started this process, it felt like I was chasing the end of a rainbow. I can assure you that with enough patience and persistence, you will find a research position as a Hopkins student regardless of your previous experience or starting point. Finding the best one for you and putting your best foot forward will maximize your experience and the benefits you reap from it. Good luck!

(For students interested in biomedical research and wanting any more specific advice, feel free to reach me at nmahto1@jh.edu. For other student interests, I am also happy to connect you with peers in those fields.)

Neil Mahto is a junior from Albuquerque, N.M. He is a News and Features Editor for The News-Letter.

Ironically, the closure of MSE ended up being one of the best things for me. Instead of settling into one study spot, I ended up branching out and exploring campus. I discovered hidden corners, favorite coffee spots and cozy lounges. Some of my favorite memories came from camping out in these spaces with friends during reading week or doing a "study crawl" across campus.

So here are all the places that I have conquered at some point or another during my time at Hopkins so far.

The Annex

I lived in AMR I my freshman year and AMR II during sophomore fall, so the Annex became the place for me when I needed to lock in. I would describe the atmosphere as quiet, focused and somehow always motivating me to be productive. Some of the longest study sessions took place here, especially during reading week when the libraries stayed open 24/7. And if you stay late enough, you might even get lucky and spot a few tiny campus critters, or as I long to call them furry friends, to join your study session.

Hodson Hall

For the longest time, I avoided Hodson. I think every difficult exam and every class that gave me a minor existential crisis seemed to take place in Hodson 110, so I associated the building with stress and avoided it like the plague. Eventually, though, I started studying there before class with a friend on the third floor. Then I discovered the first-floor cubicles. Before I knew it, I was spending entire afternoons there and even studying in the open classrooms during reading week. What I love about Hodson is that it combines the best of both worlds. You can work quietly by yourself in a cubicle, or you can spread out with friends in a classroom, use the chalkboards, project problems onto the screen and work through material together.

Hutzler Reading Room in Gilman Hall

This was never my favorite study spot, but it was absolutely my emergency study spot. I can't tell you how many papers were written here within days, maybe even hours, of their deadlines. That being said, there's a reason why so many of my classmates love Hutzler. The architecture is so beautiful, the space is quiet without feeling intimidating, and the couches are so comfortable that I occasionally had to fight the urge to take a nap next to the stained glass windows instead of finishing my work.

Brody Learning Commons (BLC)

There are layers to BLC. No, seriously, there are so many levels. The moment you walk in, you're greeted by one of the greatest inventions known to Hopkins students, Daily Grind. BLC is one of the most versatile places to study on campus because every floor feels a little different. If you're looking for a spot that's productive but not completely silent, the main levels are perfect. There are always people around, conversations happening and just enough background noise to keep you awake. The reservable study rooms are some of my favorite spaces. They're equipped with whiteboards and plenty of room for group work, making them perfect for working through difficult problem sets, holding meetings, collaborating on projects, or - let's be honest - occasionally pretending to work while catching up with friends.

Then there's the Brody Atrium. The Atrium is my ideal Saturday afternoon study spot. It's lively, full of students and somehow makes studying feel less lonely. There are plenty of tables, lots of seating and enough activity around you to keep you sane during long hours of work. One floor below is the Brody Tech Room. It has a similar collaborative atmosphere with large tables, whiteboards everywhere and plenty of space for group studying. To me, BLC represents one of my favorite parts of Hopkins: learning alongside other people. Some of my best memories involve crowding around a whiteboard with friends, trying to solve a problem together or collectively deciding we'd rather just sit there and pretend to study. And at the very top sits the famous Brody Reading Room. I should probably have more to say about it, but if I'm being completely honest, I've never actually stepped foot inside.

AMR II Blue Jay Lounge

This might seem like an unconventional study spot, but it became the place for some of my favorite memories at Hopkins. Because it was so close to my dorm and open 24/7, it was incredibly convenient. During busy weeks, I practically lived there. My friends and I spent countless nights studying together in the lounge. What I loved most was that it made it easy to be productive while still being social. We held review sessions the night before exams some days; other days, we would be working independently and still take breaks to chat but then jump right back into studying.

Mudd Hall

Mudd is one of my favorite cozy spots on campus. For a while, I had a somewhat religious routine: leave class, stop by Daily Grind's second location for some coffee and park myself into one of the giant red chairs before my next lab or commitment. The space is warm, welcoming and filled with lots of natural light from the huge windows. Between the comfortable seating, the cute decorations and the friendliest baristas, Mudd always felt like a place where I could slow down for a moment before diving back into work.

Student Center

One of the newest additions to campus, the Bloomberg Student Center (or Stuce as everyone likes to call it) opened at the start of the 2025-2026 school year and quickly became one of my favorite places to study. If you're looking for a cafe-style atmosphere with lots of energy, then the lower level is perfect, with lots of food options and just the right amount of background chatter. But if you need something quieter, I loved studying in the Multipurpose Rooms (MPRs). And don't even get me started on the furniture - it might honestly be the comfiest on campus. I have definitely taken a nap on the blue couches by the entrance. Beyond studying, it's also one of the best places to have meetings, catch up with friends, get work done before practice, squeeze in a low-pressure study session or simply take a break and recharge.

Overall, did I spend a lot of my time at Hopkins studying?

Absolutely. But when I look back on those hours, I don't just remember the assignments, exams or deadlines that I had. I remember the friends cramming around a table during reading week, running to Brody for coffee and having life-altering debriefs at 3 a.m. The truth is that the places where we study are an essential part of our college experience, and the spaces at Hopkins made campus feel a little more like home and the hard work a lot more enjoyable along the way.

Eesha Bellad is a junior majoring in Neuroscience from Orange County, Calif. She is a Leisure Editor for The News-Letter.

Tip #1: Don't be arrogant early on

Many of you are going to be tempted to take as many credits and STEM courses as possible during your freshman year. I would highly advise against that.

You are much better off spacing out your difficult classes while using your other course requirements to fill your credits. I have tried throughout my time here to only take two difficult STEM courses per semester. The only semester when I took three, I ended up having a subpar grade in one of them. If you finish your freshman year having done well, you will have a better idea of the course load you can handle and then be ready to take more classes.

Tip #2: Research your classes

I cannot stress how important researching your classes is. Classes that fulfill the same requirements can be widely different in terms of difficulty. I recommend using the Hopkins course evaluations for every course you are thinking about taking and seeing how previous students have viewed the course. These evaluations can tell you so much about the style of the course, the professor, the TAs and how interesting previous students found the course.

Tip #3: Be social

The importance of getting to know your professors, TAs and peers in your classes can't be overstated. It can make a world of difference. If a professor in a large class knows your name because you are asking questions and being attentive, you are on the right track to learning more and succeeding within the course. You'll also really value these relationships as you become an upperclassman, because you will likely need letters of recommendation for whatever career or future schooling you choose to pursue.

Finally, having peers, especially ones you can study with, can make hard classes much more enjoyable. You are going to run into classes and stretches where you simply don't want to study, and having a group to push you makes it so much easier to learn.

Tip #4: Use your drop dates

Hopkins has extraordinarily generous drop dates for your classes every semester. You can 100% use this to your advantage. If you are unsure between two classes, simply take both and see which one fits you better after seeing the professors' teaching styles and the course materials.

Also, if you are struggling in a course, the drop date is almost always after at least one midterm has been graded. So, be pragmatic. If a course where you underperformed on the first midterm is one that you need for your major, and you think a bad grade would reflect badly on you, talk to an advisor or the professor about whether dropping the class is the best course of action.

Tip #5: Consistency and sacrifices

This is the most difficult tip I have for you, but it will probably make the biggest difference. If your goal is to have great grades, you will probably have to make sacrifices. You should not be locked in your room studying. If that's the case, you're doing something wrong, but there are going to be times when you have to work harder than you want to.

However, the frequency of these times can be avoided if you have consistent habits. This includes things like going to class, studying several days before a test and reaching out for help when you feel yourself falling behind. They may seem small, but by being consistent, you will drastically decrease the number of panic study sessions and essay all-nighters you need.

Well, new Blue Jays, that is all I have for you. I wish you the very best of luck, and although I know it is scary, I want you to know that people here are on your side. Professors, students, administrators and everyone in between are rooting for you. So, do not be afraid to ask questions, seek help and take risks. Congratulations on being accepted to such a fine institution - now go out there and be amazing!

Joseph Rainbolt is a senior majoring in Public Health from Atlanta, Ga. He is a Sports Editor for The News-Letter.

Instead, if you really want to make your college life more interesting, let yourself develop into the new environment around you.

The beautiful thing about Hopkins is that not only do you have an incredible assortment of resources around you, but those resources are designed specifically for you to use. Nearly every time, the people working desks where the bureaucratic gatekeepers normally sit are actually extremely enthusiastic facilitators who would be more than happy to show you the ropes.

Whether you're dipping your toes into photography by renting from the Creative Media Center, trying out your first 5.10 at the climbing wall or picking up fire spinning with the Entertainers Club, you will always find yourself immersed in a community of growth. That's the beautiful thing about college: you get to pick anything your heart desires and take it as far as you want to (and importantly for me, at little to no financial cost)!

As an exercise in advice-giving, I want to share the story of how my hobbies evolved during my own freshman year - not just to talk about myself out of vanity, but to give you a sense of where my two cents lie.

At the beginning of fall semester, I let myself try anything: that meant signing up for any and everything at the Student Involvement Fair. While some of these organizations I am still in, like The News-Letter, most have been comfortably left to the wayside. I picked up photography and joined the Photography Club before realizing my relationship with the hobby was much more casual than I initially thought it was. On top of that, I continued my high school theater kid antics by auditioning to be in the Hopkins Theatre Arts and Studies' "Gross Indecency" before quickly realizing that the rehearsal schedule on top of going in to do research at the med campus was sapping my supply of life force dry.

After an unfortunate phase of Texas Hold'em fanaticism, I settled into joining a band (we're called Monkfish!), and music has become a much larger part of my life than I ever would have imagined it being.

What this experience told me is that nothing I could have predicted happened, and nothing that happened to me I could have predicted. If I sat down during orientation week and wrote down the person I would have wanted to be 12 months later, I would not have written anything close to where I am right now. Actually, I'm much happier right exactly where I am than I would be as this hypothetical ideal Steve because I know now that I gave everything I wanted a good shot, and whatever I do now can have the full force of my heart and passion behind it.

This is all to say, it is okay to not feel like you're hitting the ground running. You don't have to immediately join the student organization that will carry your volunteering hours straight into medical school applications. You don't even have to be all that good at the things you choose to do for fun. You just have to take it one day at a time by doing what calls to you, and the best version of yourself will emerge from that process.

Happy discovering!

Steve Wang is a sophomore from Missouri City, Texas majoring in Biomedical Engineering. He is an Arts and Entertainment Editor for The News-Letter.

The notion of change also intimidated me. I liked staying grounded in my comfort zone. I could only make progress step-by-step, with one thing naturally leading to the other, rather than wondering why I would even make the next step. I tried volunteering in the hospital, as the next "natural" thing I would do to achieve my "natural" goal of being a doctor. I counted my time minute by minute, wandered around the same hallway dozens of times and tried to do anything to fill up my two hours there. The nurse didn't know what I was doing. Neither did I. I felt like a puppet hanging lifelessly by its strings. I dreaded the commute, the hours, the environment. So I thought to myself: Is this what you really want to do? To check off a box using hundreds of hours of your time that turns into a few lines of black ink on an application? Not really.

The environment I grew up in had made me hesitant and indecisive about the trajectory of my own life. I knew I didn't like the menial work I was doing, but I kept going back again and again. Besides volunteering, I was constantly trying to plug myself into the latest Hopkins pre-med news, the tricks and strategies and the examples of what to do or what not to do. I became paranoid about my grades, overwhelmed by floods of emotions whenever I compared myself with the class average. These bad habits I had developed in high school persisted, and I didn't know how to break from the negative cycles I was going through.

I was afraid of change. I was afraid of failing to become the successful prototype I was naturally meant to be. I was afraid to leave a path that so many of my friends and classmates seemed to be following. But what I really was afraid of was looking myself in the eye and confronting my feelings and emotions.

I needed to stop allowing this fixation to take away my sense of self, little by little. I didn't know what I actually liked doing, so I started exploring. The explorations seemed aimless, but what they really did was allow me to learn what I value and what I do not. I went on a trip to New York City and visited investment banks and tech firms. Then I realized I really didn't enjoy finance, but that's okay! I dived deeper into research, and I enjoy research. I'm still doing community service in Baltimore because I love it and it means a lot to me, but I'm not doing anything that seems like I'm just loading up hours and wasting my time. I tried joining dance groups, even though I didn't have any foundation. I joined a design team as an engineering novice, stumbling my way through the equipment and technical skills we used while learning how to listen to what people really need. While I'm still not entirely sure of what I want to be doing in five, 10, or 20 years, each of these experiences taught me something about myself.

An extraordinarily amazing, generous and kind mentor, Kareen from the First Generation, Limited-Income Network at the Center for Student Success, once led my group through a simple exercise. She asked us to write down in any format, even in your Notes app, what values you have relating to anything in this world. What environment do you want to work in? What parts of a location speak the most to you? What qualities do you want your friends to have, or how do you want to be treated and treat others? What do you not like when interacting with others? What type of work feels meaningful to you? What work does not? For 10 minutes, I thought deeply about my core values that should not be replaced by fame or prestige. And I encourage you to try this exercise too.

As you begin college, you might feel pressure to choose a major, career, friend group or version of yourself before you take the time to understand who you are. You might look around and assume that everyone else is so certain about their paths and directions. But you are allowed to pause and explore without knowing exactly what you want to do. You are allowed to think that something you once wanted no longer fits you. You are allowed to change directions. Be the owner of your life, because you're the main character and the director.

Linda Huang is a junior from Rockville, Md. majoring in Biomedical Engineering. She is a Magazine Editor for The News-Letter.

Of course, it's no surprise that humanities classes have the reputation of being fun and accessible. Unlike with STEM majors, which typically follow a sequence of classes of increasing difficulty, humanities classes connect with each other in a less hierarchical web. With the lack of prerequisite classes, there's a lot of room to choose, and you can more or less take courses of any difficulty in any order.

This isn't to say that humanities course subjects are randomly scattered; rather than a vertical, sequential accumulation of knowledge in one direction, humanities courses offer an accumulation of knowledge in many directions, forming creative, horizontal connections.

Non-hierarchical structure also drives the seminar format common to humanities classes. Seminars put you in conversation with people from various majors and class years - my graduate student TA for a course this past fall became my classmate in the spring. This free, fluid structure makes the humanities really welcoming to anyone, from committed majors to people who haven't picked up a book in a while.

However, you shouldn't mistake the accessibility of the humanities for low-stakes ease. The amount of reading per week and the number of essays per semester are no joke, and, contrary to some expectations, an easy A isn't guaranteed. I've had professors who give everyone an A and believe grades can't measure how well you learn, but I've also had professors whip the class into a frenzy over a time-crunch blue-book final. I can't speak to whether there's grade inflation or deflation - that terminology seems to fit worse in the humanities, where grading is less a list of checked boxes and more in the subtle details. All I know is that it varies from professor to professor, and that a constant standard can only be set by you.

If you're looking to raise that standard and really embrace the depths of the humanities, one of the best ways to dive deeper is with research. Humanities research is less standardized than a typical STEM experience with a lab and PIs. If you're looking for a more collaborative research environment, many professors are open to taking research assistants during the summer, and some run lab-like projects where you can work with other students. For the most part, however, humanities opportunities are centered around individual research where you generate the topic, methodology and research timeline almost all by yourself. These include the Dean's Undergraduate Research Awards (DURA), which allow students to work with primary resources from the Sheridan Library; the Women, Gender, and Sexuality department summer research grant; the annual Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, hosted by Hopkins; and the Pinkard Bolton summer internship, where students research the history of the Homewood Museum, among many more.

Hopkins is a research university, and our research culture of pursuing knowledge extends into the humanities as well. Are you ready to dive in? Maybe excited, maybe nervous? The ocean of the humanities is deeper than it might first appear, but you can't learn how to swim without getting in the water.

Estelle Chen is a sophomore majoring in English and Philosophy from Columbia, Md. She is an Arts and Entertainment Editor for The News-Letter.

If you're unsure of whether to declare a major in History, the best thing to do, as with most things, is give it a try. When selecting an FYS or Reintroduction to Writing class, see what courses the History department is offering and consider taking one that piques your interest. These opportunities can help you determine whether the foundational elements of academic historical studies, such as archival research or historiography, are stimulating for you.

It can also help to identify a more specific interest area and whether a History major will help you explore it. The Hopkins History department is a rigorous and well-respected program, especially given the research opportunities available. Incoming students who know they are interested in, for example, early modern European history, the ancient Near East or the pre-colonial Americas should search the History department database for faculty and courses who might have relevant ongoing projects or coursework. Opportunities to connect with the professors in the History department outside of formal studies are plentiful - in my experience, every member of the faculty has been welcoming and encouraged me to meet with them or a colleague one-on-one about my curiosities and questions. Once in the department, undergraduate students have the opportunity to attend lunches with department heads and weekly research presentations, among many other events.

When I was debating whether to declare a History major, I became engaged in historical research through the International Studies department and identified that intersection as a place where unique opportunities were available that related to my interests. If you're already set on another major, check whether its requirements overlap with the History major requirements - the likelihood is that you're able to apply courses to multiple majors, cover a wider range of Foundational Ability credits and establish a unique focus area for research.

The History major should not be considered solely by pre-law students or hopeful academics. Its practical purposes exist in the ability to analyze contradictory sources, recognize areas where academic study is currently incomplete and identify the successes and failures of existing interpretations of our common history.

Julia Schager is a junior majoring in International Studies and History from Stamford, Conn. She is a Copy Editor for The News-Letter.

For your first meal off campus: Ekiben

Cuisine: Asian Fusion

Recommended dishes: neighborhood bird, tempura broccoli

Ekiben is a Baltimore staple for a reason, and was ranked #30 on Yelp's Top 100 U.S. Restaurants list in 2026. During your first few weeks at Hopkins, when you're still adjusting to living away from home, Ekiben is the perfect place to go when you inevitably get tired of Hopkins Cafe and want to understand why everyone says Baltimore's food scene is so good.

Ekiben serves bao and rice bowls with fried chicken, pork or shrimp topped with fresh vegetables. While it may seem like just another fast food place, the unique flavor of the food truly makes it stand out. However, Ekiben's indoor seating area is extremely small, so I'd recommend taking your food somewhere else to eat.

For an early morning cafe study session: La Maison by Café Dear Leon

Cuisine: bakery, cafe, sandwiches

Recommended dishes: crab dip bagel

Open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., La Maison is the Remington location of Cafe Dear Leon in Canton. If you're studying for finals or simply want to go somewhere that's not Brody, La Maison is a great place to study off campus. It has plenty of seating, large tables, natural light and is within walking distance of Hopkins, although it can get very busy on the weekends.

While La Maison is a wonderful study spot, the real reason you should go here is the food. La Maison's pastries are baked fresh daily, and they even have a bake schedule on their website that outlines the exact times that menu items will drop. Although the croissants and sandwiches are all delicious, their stand-out pastry is the crab dip bagel. Crab and bagel may seem like an odd combination, but they complement each other surprisingly well (and are a fun tribute to Baltimore's seafood roots).

For a nice dinner with friends: Grano Pasta Bar

Cuisine: Italian

Recommended dishes: cacio e pepe, mushroom ravioli

Grano Pasta Bar in Hampden is a cozy and inviting spot for a nice dinner with friends. Whether you're going out for a birthday, celebrating a special occasion or just looking to have a nice dinner off campus, Grano is the place to go.

The menu has a wide selection of pastas, salads and other classic Italian dishes. You really can't go wrong with any of the pastas, but my personal favorite is the cacio e pepe, which I ordered when I visited my freshman year with a group of friends. Between the comforting food and the warm, ambient atmosphere, Grano is the kind of restaurant where you'll remember both the experience and the pasta.

For a friend (or first) date: Clavel

Cuisine: Mexican

Recommended dishes: any of the tacos, tostada de jaiba (crab cake)

Whenever anyone asks me for a restaurant recommendation, my answer is always Clavel. Located in Remington, Clavel has a charming, intimate atmosphere with fairy lights and warm lighting that makes it the perfect taquería for a dinner date.

While Clavel's tacos are delicious, they offer a much wider variety of Mexican dishes, such as ceviche (citrus-marinated seafood), tostadas (crispy tortillas with toppings) and al sartén (hot skillet dishes). The food feels like an elevated dining experience while still being affordable, making it the perfect place to try something new and spend quality time with someone.

For when your family comes to visit: Hana

Cuisine: Japanese

Recommended dishes: Sake tacos, volcano roll

This past year, I visited Hana with my parents when they came to help me move out at the end of the school year. Whether it's move-in, move-out or Family Weekend, Hana is a relaxed yet elegant restaurant with a beautiful interior that you'll be excited to share with your family. Its location in Hampden also makes it easy to explore nearby shops and boutiques after your meal.

My parents and I especially loved Hana's sushi (we ordered the volcano roll and Baltimore roll), but Hana also offers more creative dishes that you might not find at just any Japanese restaurant. For instance, the sake tacos stood out for incorporating fresh sushi flavors into a unique presentation, making them another example of the creative dishes you'll find throughout Baltimore.

Overall, dining out is about more than the food; it's about the experience and the people you're with. These are just a few of the restaurants that made my freshman year memorable, and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I did.

Katherine Zhu is a sophomore majoring in Political Science and Economics from Princeton, N.J. She is a News & Features Editor for The News-Letter.

If you're in the second group, I understand exactly how you feel.

When I opened my housing assignment and saw AMR I, I was upset. I had heard all the jokes, all the comparisons and all the reasons why other dorms were supposedly "better." Before I had even stepped inside the building, I had already convinced myself that I was going to have a worse freshman experience.

Looking back now, I couldn't have been more wrong.

Some of my favorite memories from freshman year happened in AMR I. I met incredible friends, became part of a close-knit community and had amazing Resident Advisors (RAs) who organized events so fun that students from other dorms came to join us. Was the building perfect? Of course not. There were inconveniences, just like there are in every residence hall. But when I think back on freshman year, I don't remember the inconveniences - I remember the people.

At one point I remember telling myself, your dorm is just a building. It's you and the people around you who make it feel like home.

So if you didn't get your first choice, don't let that define your expectations before you even move in. Stay open to new experiences. You might be surprised by how quickly a place you never wanted becomes the place you'll always remember.

Making your room feel like home

Whether you have a roommate or a single, your room is more than just a place to sleep.

Keep it clean. Even if you're living alone, having an organized space genuinely makes you feel better. College can get stressful, and coming back to a clean room can make a bigger difference than you think.

Bring something that reminds you of home. For me, it was a plant. Plenty of people told me it would die before the semester ended, but it's still growing. Whether it's photos, a favorite blanket, decorations, or something meaningful from home, make your space feel personal.

Here's one piece of practical advice you'll thank me for later: Don't wait until the weekend to do laundry.

The laundry rooms are usually packed on Saturdays and Sundays. I used to do mine on Thursday mornings around 9 a.m., and it was much easier to find an open machine.

Most importantly, set a timer.

Seriously.

People are waiting to use the machines, and if your clothes sit there too long, someone will probably take them out. Sometimes they'll leave them on a table, but sometimes they'll end up on top of the machine or even on the floor. Save yourself the frustration and pick them up as soon as they're done.

One of the easiest ways to make Hopkins feel smaller is simply to say hello.

Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Keep your door open while you're moving in. Attend your RA's events, even if you only stay for a little while. Some of the people who end up becoming your closest friends are the ones living just a few doors away.

Those small conversations make campus feel much less unfamiliar.

Living with a roommate

Unlike many colleges, most first-year students at Hopkins don't choose their roommate. Housing does its best to match people based on the questionnaire you fill out.

Let's be honest, some people aren't completely truthful on that form.

Your roommate may become one of your best friends, or you may simply coexist. Both outcomes are completely normal.

As soon as you receive your roommate assignment, send them an email. Introduce yourself before move-in day. It makes that first meeting much less awkward and helps you start on the right foot.

Once you move in, talk about expectations early. Discuss things like guests, bedtime, noise, cleaning, sharing belongings and study habits. Setting boundaries isn't uncomfortable, it's respectful. Having clear expectations from the beginning prevents misunderstandings later.

You and your roommate don't have to become best friends. What matters most is creating a respectful and comfortable living environment where both of you feel heard.

One lesson I learned during freshman year is simple: When people show you who they are, believe them. Respect goes both ways. Be kind, communicate openly and don't ignore problems, hoping they'll disappear. Honest conversations early on are much easier than fixing months of built-up frustration.

Your freshman year is bigger than your dorm

It's easy to think that your housing assignment will determine your freshman year. I certainly did.

Now, when I look back, I don't remember the number on my building. I remember laughing in the hallway with friends, late-night conversations, RA events, studying together before exams and all the little moments that made Hopkins feel like home.

Your dorm is where your freshman year begins, but it won't define it.

You will.

Be open to meeting new people, give your residence hall a chance, and remember that home isn't created by the building itself. It's created by the community you build inside it.

Alexandra Garcia Herrera is a sophomore majoring in Chemistry from Laurel, Md. She is a Social Media Manager for The News-Letter.

Honorable mention: JHMI and Blue Jay Shuttles

Most likely, this will be the first form of transportation that you'll be exposed to during your orientation. The Johns Hopkins Medical Institute (JHMI) shuttle runs from Homewood Campus to the Hopkins Hospital while stopping by important landmarks such as the Peabody Institute, Penn Station and the JHU-MICA Film Center. This bus route is run by the University and is free for students, making it an excellent and reliable way to commute, especially if you work on the med campus or are a Peabody student. My favorite part about using the JHMI shuttle is that it's much easier to know when your bus is coming compared to city buses, since you can track their location on the TransLoc app.

Speaking of the TransLoc app, from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., you can request a Blue Jay Shuttle, which functions as the University's rideshare service, for free. If you are within the zone indicated on TransLoc, you'll be able to request a free ride to anywhere else within the zone. If the University-owned shuttle doesn't come within fifteen minutes, the University will send a Lyft free of charge instead--in my experience, the shuttles are often running late, so you'll be sent the Lyft more often than not. Still, no matter how long it takes, it beats paying for an Uber any day.

Method 1: City buses

Since there is no direct rail access to Homewood Campus, you'll most likely be relying on city buses when taking public transit. When taking the buses in Baltimore, you need to be aware that there are two distinct bus services: the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) BaltimoreLink and the Charm City Circulator. The BaltimoreLink is run by the MTA, owned by the Maryland state government, and is a public expansive service throughout the entire Baltimore area, whereas the Charm City Circulator is run by Baltimore's municipal government, and its service area is more limited. However, the Charm City Circulator is free of charge, while the MTA's buses cost two dollars per ride as of 2026.

You can catch the Charm City Circulator Purple Route on 33rd Street, just outside of the Kajiken restaurant, across from the campus bookstore. The Purple Route runs in a clockwise loop and can take you to the Waverly neighborhood, Penn Station and Inner Harbor. You can catch the MTA's CityLink Silver bus line on the corner of Saint Paul Street and 31st Street, which will take you directly down Saint Paul Street to Penn Station, Inner Harbor and the Federal Hill neighborhood, which is not covered by the Circulator's Purple Route. Note that, unlike the Circulator which only runs in one direction, the CityLink Silver runs along different streets depending on if the bus is northbound or southbound. The southbound service runs on Saint Paul Street while the northbound service runs on Charles Street.

Method 2: Subway and light rail

Baltimore isn't completely devoid of rail transit - many Baltimoreans rely on the city's subway system and light rail network to commute. The Baltimore Light RailLink is a light rail system (a smaller, more condensed subway system that often runs on the street) that carries users to Hunt Valley, Glen Burnie, north Baltimore City or the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (Pro tip: taking the light rail to the airport is much easier and cheaper than taking an Uber or a commuter train). However, the closest stop to Homewood Campus is the North Avenue station, which is over a mile away, so it isn't the best option for most Hopkins students. For Peabody students, the light rail is much more convenient, since the Mount Vernon station on the light rail is very close to Peabody. I have only needed to use the light rail once, when I needed to get from the convention center in the Inner Harbor to Hampden. Even so, from my experience, it was a pleasant ride, and the train came on time.

The Baltimore Metro SubwayLink is the city's sole subway route, running underground through most of downtown Baltimore. The line's terminus is at the Hopkins Hospital, which is convenient for those who frequent the Medical Campus; however, it runs even further away from Homewood campus. Unfortunately, I have never had the pleasure of using it, though I hope to in the future.

Method 3: Commuter rail and Washington Metro

With Washington D.C. only around 40 miles away from Baltimore, you would be remiss not to check out our nation's capital as you're getting adjusted to campus life. The Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Train is the Baltimore-Washington area's commuter rail system. You can catch the MARC train from Baltimore's Penn Station, which is easily accessed by Baltimore's transit (or the JHMI), and ride the MARC train for about an hour to get to Washington D.C. Union Station, the last stop on the line. From there, you can transfer to the Washington Metro, which is a very reliable way to get around the city. At Union Station, you can transfer to the Red Line which can take you to attractions such as the White House and the National Mall.

Overall, Baltimore is not as daunting as it seems to get around by public transit. Whether you're like me and refuse to get your license, or if you have to navigate life without a car for the first time ever, the city's public transit options are always available, even if they're not the most punctual. Getting outside of the 'Hopkins bubble' is very important for your enjoyment of the city. Whether you want to visit the National Aquarium, check out restaurants in Federal Hill or see our nation's capital, know you don't always have to get behind the wheel to do it.

Henry Serringer is a sophomore majoring in Writing Seminars from New York, N.Y. He is a News and Features Editor for The News-Letter.

Yet it wasn't just the yearning of a warm embrace, familiar voice or home cooked meal I found myself yearning for. It was simply home.

Upon my curious search of "define home," Google instead automatically outputted "define homeostasis." Oddly enough, that felt like the more fitting option. "Home" is difficult to define when it is more than the physical. While "What is your hometown?" can be a straightforward answer, "What is home for you?" draws a plethora of others like belonging, vision, community, love, security or sanctuary. The unexpected suggestion of "homeostasis" made me realize how much internal stability built through familiarity grounded me in times of homesickness, especially the things I could control and surround myself with, like watching sunsets, attending Bible studies, immersing myself in a solid read or shooting hoops. I realized the interests, and especially, routines I had established in New York, could be continued in Baltimore, comforting me as if not everything had changed. Breaking larger tasks into smaller, approachable wins brought a sense of satisfying consistency and familiarity, alleviating both my mind and heart.

To this end, I learned the difference between comforting myself and distracting myself. Calling my mom helped. Subconsciously pushing those feelings deeper and replacing them for temporary adrenaline rushes didn't. Neither did romanticizing home, my head space stubbornly stuck in New York, contemplating the things I could and should be doing. Sometimes hanging up calls felt like blowing out a dying candlelight. But this cycle of expectation and unhealthy idealization only deepened my homesickness because when the phrase "There's no place like home" became my measuring stick, I wasn't just missing home. I was waiting for college to end so I could return to it. Homesickness thus called me to be honest with my feelings and the ways I could face it proactively rather than suppress. I am still working on being more present and open-minded on campus, to find gratitude in the learning and exploring that comes from moving away.

What had personally made homesickness even harder was seeing those around me adjust so smoothly. The ways they were exploring and embracing Baltimore, constantly out with friends while staying on top of their schedules and seemingly piling more commitments by the week brought shame to my internal distractions.

Then, one afternoon shuttling back from Baltimore Penn, I remember noticing a fellow student, suitcase in hand, visibly sighing before stepping off towards the steps of Commons. Maybe they were exhausted from traveling. Maybe they were dreading the incoming workload post spring break. Or maybe they, too, were leaving the home they loved. Homesickness isn't rare. It is often just not openly shared.

Moving away from home, to me, used to be a period at the end of a sentence with an indented next paragraph: a clean, abrupt break, leaving the writer grasping for some suitable next word. Reflecting now, I see it as an ellipsis. It was never about diminishing or replacing a home full of what I had already created and experienced for another. It was about having the courage to let home expand. A blinking last dot of the ellipsis waiting patiently for me to move at my own pace to discover home-building as my own architect.

My end of first year was repeatedly met with the question "How was it?" Surprisingly, my answer often landed on "I haven't gotten to explore Baltimore as much as I would like to." This underlying reflection that Baltimore has the potential to B-more in my life proves a new seed planted. I am reminded that homesickness eases and resilience is built.

I still call home often, and whether they last 43 minutes or not, I am now comfortable being the one to say, "Got to go, bye mom."

Katie Park is a sophomore majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She is a Sports Editor for The News-Letter.

At the heart of settling into your new environment is being familiar with that environment itself. Strolling around while on the phone with a family member back home, walking into different buildings and finding restrooms, charting your path to class during orientation week - these are all things you can do to not only get outside but also familiarize yourself with campus spaces. Familiarity goes hand in hand with comfort. During orientation week, your First-Year Mentors will help guide you around campus too. I recommend checking out Bloomberg Hall, Gilman Hall and "The Stuce," our new student center.

For food on campus, it's best that you try out every dining hall as soon as possible. Personally, I believe that Hopkins Café serves the best food because it has tried-and-true stations like the sandwich bar. Nolan's on 33rd is great for its build-your-own-bowls and, in my opinion, pudding cups and cookies. Levering Kitchens is a food-court style hall with different food stalls, and it is a great place to have a meal in between study sessions due to its proximity to Brody and Gilman Hall.

Speaking of, you should also get comfortable with some study spots… you'll need them. There are the classics, such as the Brody Reading Room and the MSE Library Annex, which are great for finals season or Tuesday night homework sessions, but I also suggest finding some rather uncommon places. This is great not only to change your environment, which you may find helps with productivity, but also to take advantage of all the areas that Hopkins provides for its students. You can check out an empty seminar-style classroom in Gilman Hall, the upstairs floor of Bloomberg or even the tables in Malone Hall. A personal favorite of mine is finding an empty classroom and setting up shop for the duration of my studying.

In terms of the social scene, while Hopkins is not known for being the most lively, rah-rah environment, there are more than enough outlets for an actual social life. Greek life is a path many, such as myself, take, but it is certainly not the only way to find a community. It's extremely important that you make an effort to meet people and join different groups, especially during the first few months of freshman year. This is how friend groups form and commitments begin. If research is your strong suit, reach out to professors and labs to see if they'll take you on early. For those of you who go to the gym, create a schedule, stick to it and try your best to do so even when course loads ramp up.

These are rather general suggestions that I've been describing above and can (relatively) be said about pretty much any campus. So, I'll provide some of my own advice on how to live on the Homewood campus and want to call it your home. First, immediately try to leave your dorm at the beginning of your first semester - the freshman dorms aren't the best environment, anyway. Go outside, do work in different places and hang out with some people you've met during orientation week. Hopkins can feel isolating at times with such a competitive environment, especially if you're pre-med, but once you find places you are comfortable in with other students who you enjoy being around, the grind is a lot more friendly. Second, find a routine with your meals. This seems obvious, but once midterms begin on their usual schedule and courses and extracurriculars become more demanding, you should be steady with your meal times. After the first few weeks of classes, regiment a meal routine - bonus points if it's at different dining halls. Third, meet as many people as you can, truly. In making campus your home, it's crucial that you hope to find a community that you can ride with for your time on Homewood.

Shaan Udani is a junior majoring in Public Health Studies from Morris Plains, N.J. He is a Science and Technology Editor for The News-Letter.

Fells Point, a historical port city, was settled by William Fell in the early 18th century and given its grid design by Fell's son, Edward. The neighborhood served as a major hub of movement in America during the 19th and 20th centuries, attracting European immigrants, most often Irish and German, as well as African American migrants.

Between the mid-18th century and the mid-20th century, over 2 million immigrants landed in Baltimore. Fells Point was the second-leading point of entry after only New York City's Ellis Island. There is evidence of correspondence, such as a letter in which a sister who has arrived at Ellis Island seeks her brother, between the port cities.

Fells Point was able to attract people with its abundance of housing and job opportunities. The Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad created geographical connections that improved travel and created jobs in construction for immigrants in Fells Point. Once settling in Fells Point, immigrants frequently inhabited row houses.

In 1868, the B&O Railroad opened the first immigration pier, Locust Point, beginning the shift of immigration away from Fells Point. The celebration of the new pier, including a parade, was held in Fells Point. Then, when Fells Point was unable to accommodate the 20th-century transition to steamships, it lost its position as Baltimore's main port.

In the early 20th century, majority-Black streets were demolished as part of "slum-clearance" to make room for White immigrant families. In the late 20th century, Fells Point developed a reputation as an unsafe neighborhood, with high crime rates.

Fells Point became Maryland's first historic district in 1969 and though it continues to stand as an ethnically and culturally diverse neighborhood in Baltimore, it has become increasingly occupied by White homeowners (making up 70% of residents). However, critics claim that the gentrification of Fells Point has eliminated "third places," public and free-to-use spaces like parks and libraries, and pushed the working class out of the neighborhood. The neighborhood now has a lower-than-national-average age and higher-than-national-average household income.

The shift in national attitudes toward immigration began well before the private furniture store's deal in 2026. In 2007, the Department of Homeland Security raided Fells Point, detaining approximately 30 immigrants. In 2018, Fells Point was one of many American cities that participated in Love Knows No Borders, holding a vigil for asylum seekers and citing the neighborhood's immigrant history as one of many reasons to protect its neighbors. Yet, less than a decade later, in July 2026, ICE officers arrested parents at Commodore John Rodgers, a school just north of Fells Point. Private security and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) presence are also expected to be increased in Fells Point this summer. Although the BPD cannot work directly with ICE and Governor Moore spoke firmly against ICE actions that inspire terror, he has promised that Baltimore's collaboration with federal agencies will continue when he deems it necessary to ensure safety.

Fells Point is one of few neighborhoods in Baltimore, outside of the "Hopkins Bubble," that Hopkins students consistently visit. Let this be a nudge to new Blue Jays, as you all now become Baltimore community members, to take a moment to notice historical markers, police presence, emerging infrastructure, closed restaurants and our fellow neighbors when they venture to Fells point - or anywhere else in Baltimore city.

Honora Muratori is a sophomore majoring in History and Political Science from New York City, N.Y. She is a News & Features Editor for The News-Letter.

Like most freshmen, I used SIF as my opportunity to join every club I could think of. If it piqued my interest, my name was on the signup sheet. What I quickly realized, however, was how unfeasible my plan was. Within a week, my inbox was flooded with emails from clubs I barely even remembered, bombarding me with reminders to fill out the application forms. I never thought that club sign-ups could be that overwhelming, but now that I've gone through it, I can offer you some advice on how to avoid the stress of extracurricular sign ups.

I've compiled a list of clubs that I stuck with throughout my freshman year, and I hope that they give you some guidance on how to approach your freshman fall.

The Johns Hopkins News-Letter

I wouldn't be much of a staff member if I didn't plug The News-Letter as my number-one recommendation for which clubs to join. I joined the staff during the beginning of my freshman fall as a Copy Editor, a position I've grown to love. While I didn't know any people on the editorial staff prior to joining, within a few weeks, I quickly grew to recognize my place. Whether it was through the various social events that the staff hosted or saying "hi" to familiar faces around campus, being on The News-Letter has been one of the highlights of my freshman year, and I encourage all new students who are interested in writing to give it a chance. Whether your interest lies in news, science or the arts, the various sections of the publication mean that everyone can explore their interests with us.

Thread

While technically not an on-campus organization, Thread is a great club to join if you want to break out of the Hopkins Bubble and get involved with the Baltimore community. The organization partners you with a high school student from Baltimore who needs a peer mentor, and you act as their "family member" for as long as they need. The club's requirements are minimal: interact with your young person once per week and meet with your "family" once a month. Through my time with Thread, I've formed a meaningful connection with my mentee, and by working with them, I've learned skills that I can take with me for the rest of my life, including navigating challenging scenarios.

I joined Thread and found out how I fit in the club by attending an info session, which was something my friend suggested. Even though I had never met the people at the meeting before, I was greeted with such hospitality and kindness that I immediately knew that I would want to stick with the club. The leadership team at Thread makes everyone feel welcome, and the highly customizable nature of the club means that finding your place is effortless.

SHARE

The final club I stuck with in my freshman year is known as SHARE, which stands for "Supporting Hospitals Abroad with Resources and Equipment." SHARE is a low-commitment, high-impact organization that exposes students to the healthcare industry in a unique way. Students spend time sorting through expiring medical supplies in the Hopkins Hospital to donate them abroad for communities that are in need. The way I made SHARE enjoyable my freshman year is by going to the hospital with my friends and making it a social activity. We'll bring speakers to the sorting room and talk while we sort, making the hours fly by. Additionally, SHARE meets once per month for our general body meetings, where we learn about new medical devices and how to gain additional hospital exposure, like signing up for shadowing or connecting with physicians. Despite the low time commitment, it is also one of the most fun clubs you can get involved with.

Those are just a few of the hundreds of clubs that you can join, and in my opinion, some of the best ones. Have fun finding your place on campus!

Ayan Chaganthi is a sophomore from Atlanta, Ga. majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He is a Copy Editor for The News-Letter.

In the class you registered for since you didn't get into your first choice

By now, you may know it all too well already: waking up suspiciously early to log onto SIS and enter the battlefield to register for your classes in the hopes of crafting the perfect ideal schedule. Yet, there will be some times where you end up getting your second or third choice class, whether it's because of prerequisite requirements, low class seat availability or just plain internet bandwidth issues (one semester, a friend of mine walked from McCoy to Gilman for better Wi-Fi chances). Although the initial disappointment is understandable, you might find that your second choice class was more interesting than you thought.

Putting yourself in new and maybe unexpected environments will help you find your people during the beginnings of your first year. You might learn that you're interested in things that you might not even know existed before college. And if you aren't, that's still some useful information to use going forward. Regardless, it's helpful to think of setbacks as opportunities to calibrate your college path, and who knows; you might discover something interesting during the process.

Student Involvement Fair (SIF)

If you're not sure what you're looking to do in your spare time at Hopkins, SIF will have something to catch your eye. Whether it's crocheting or debate, if you can think of a hobby, there's probably a club for it. Hundreds of student associations gather for SIF and try to recruit new members (us included), so it's definitely a place to look if you're feeling up for wandering around booths. I joined The News-Letter after hearing about it at SIF, and I had my eye on it since I was interested in doing something related to publishing and journalism. It was one of the best decisions I made in college, and I've met so many brilliant and passionate people through the paper.

Many of these clubs are looking for freshmen as well, as recruiting new members keeps the club alive and keeps the student body interested in what they have to offer. Even if you have the slightest impulse about the club, there's no harm in going to one general body meeting or event! If anything, you'll meet some new people. If nothing else, the mere act of walking through countless lines of people through deafening noise and club members making slightly uncomfortable eye contact with you perhaps builds character itself. There's bound to be something for everyone, so make sure not to miss this opportunity!

On a new walking route back to your dorm

Figuring out where things are on campus was one of the most nerve-wracking things for me in my freshman year. My high school was a small one, both in physical size and class size. I could walk around the entire square-shaped campus in less than five minutes if I really wanted to; so despite Hopkins having a medium-sized campus, it was still a pretty noticeable change for me. Being the type of person that needs to know the exact parking situation before driving to meet my friends, remembering where the buildings and entrances were at Hopkins and how to get to my classes was a whole ordeal. But once I figured out where certain walkways connected and where all the shortcuts were, finding my way around campus didn't feel as daunting as it first seemed.

Sometimes, a different angle or a change of pace is what you might need in order to find what you're looking for. Using a different walking route may end up in you noticing things you haven't noticed before, like a new cafe to try or an interesting building you might look up online later. Plus, it's a relatively easy thing to do once you're somewhat familiar with the campus layout. Intentionally breaking your routine can help you feel less confined by things that may seem difficult or overwhelming, and put things into perspective. Although the detour may take longer than your preferred route, the possibility of finding something new makes it worth the extra time.

The Gatehouse

There is a small building nestled right next to one of the side entrances of campus near the Baltimore Museum of Art, with stone walls and a sloping roof that is often covered with branches and other debris. If you look closely, there is actually a sign near the roof that reads, "NEWS LETTER OFFICE." On some late nights, the lights will be on, and you might find yourself wondering what's going on in there. As the home of The News-Letter, the Gatehouse is where all our staff editors gather to have meetings, work on our print editions or just hang out in our spare time. As a staff member myself, it seems only fitting to promote the paper in my magazine piece here. There are so many different sections within the paper that there's bound to be something for everyone, whether that's as a guest writer or a reader.

So when you're passing by that side of campus and see the quaint little building, I promise you that it has a purpose (and a great one at that). The printed newspapers lying around campus every few weeks are direct products of our staff's efforts, and your writing could even be featured in it. We are always looking for new writers, and almost any idea of yours can be turned into a great piece. Putting your unique individual perspective into words and out into the world is one of the most important parts of the college experience, and the Gatehouse is where all those stories begin to be delivered to the Hopkins community.

How to know when you've "found" it?

With all these places that I've recommended where you might find your place at Hopkins, it may still be difficult to know when exactly you've "found it." In reality, your role at Hopkins may not necessarily be something you can touch or actually carry around, so knowing when you've come across it can be hard. Personally, I believe that your "place" is not something that is inherently stationary or static, but rather, something that changes the shape of your character and helps you move toward your greater goals in life. Whether you know what that dream is or you're still figuring it out, the "place" that is meant for you at Hopkins is one that makes you feel like the stepping stones toward that goal are things that you are capable of reaching.

Freshman year is a time of exploring your identity. There have been many times where I've wondered whether I belong at Hopkins, and perhaps it is in human nature to compare ourselves to others and compete. Hustle culture and impostor syndrome are rampant nowadays, especially as the world grows more advanced and there are increasingly more problems to solve. But every one of you freshmen deserve to be at Hopkins in one way or another. In a student body culture dominated by pre-meds and STEM majors, either fitting in or feeling unique are often struggles. Instead of questioning whether you belong here, spend your time considering how you belong here, and in what ways you can contribute. Lean into the things you are passionate about, no matter how minor or seemingly trivial. What can start as a small hobby or interest can become your greatest strength.

As a senior, there still seems to be endless things to look for: your club merch hoodie, that one research paper template from sophomore year, a job for postgrad and maybe even the energy to do those dense readings for the week. Throughout your journey here (and my own), there will be times of struggle, when the tide suddenly swells or a rip current forms right under you. But there will also be good times to match: clear skies, a nice breeze and calm tides. Because there is so much change in freshman year, moments of uncertainty are all but inevitable. Learning how to float with its current, rather than against it, will lead to greater clarity when all you see are gray skies. And who knows, maybe the current will carry you to a place where you were always meant to find.

Ayden Min is a senior majoring in International Studies from Los Angeles, Calif. She is a Managing Editor for The News-Letter.

I was fortunate to attend a high school that allowed students to lead and publish an annual science journal containing classmates' research articles and papers. It was my introduction to the world of publishing, characterized as a mixture of editing manuscripts, creating and laying out designs and participating in an endless number of discussions revolving around tiny details on the cover page. I knew that I wanted to continue being part of that process in college, so I applied to be one of the Science & Technology Editors for The News-Letter. While the technical act of editing carried over from high school, my time at The News-Letter has also given me the opportunity to learn the stories and motivations behind the work through interviewing countless people.

As the process of looking into sources and writing is fueled by time and energy, it results in and cyclically requires interest. The News-Letter is a constant reminder that the world exists beyond what I am exposed to as I trek along the same routes to my classes and commitments. Being part of The News-Letter has been a valuable opportunity to extend curiosity towards the many aspects of campus, from the buildings and construction to the history and the more abstract trajectory of the University.

However, neither the nature of a newspaper nor its purpose is solely defined by the activity of its editorial staff. One of the major responsibilities of The News-Letter is to be a platform for student voices, allowing them to share their thoughts or pursue their interests on a multitude of topics, hence the wide range of sections (further explained in the next article). An archive, a record, a representation - no matter how it's spun, The News-Letter's identity is rooted in the students.

Write for us. We want to hear what you have to say.

Grace Oh is a junior from McLean, Va. studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and Writing Seminars. She is a co-Editor-in-Chief for The News-Letter.

Myra:

While I wish I could eloquently describe my ambitions for joining The News-Letter, I must admit: I simply thought journalism was cool. In 2022, I watched the movie "She Said" on a flight to Los Angeles, and I adored the bravery and grit of the two journalists who exposed sexual abuse accounts against producer Harvey Weinstein. Since then, I've adored reading the countless investigations conducted by The New York Times, feeling grief for victims, anger toward systems that failed them and intrigue by the thought of becoming a real-life journalist exposing such realities. I wanted to uncover the truth, I wanted to give people a voice and I thought journalism at The News-Letter was the coolest way to make that happen.

And cool… it most definitely was! I joined The News-Letter team during the fall semester of my freshman year as a News & Features editor. That spring (early 2025), I excitedly covered stories about Hopkins reacting to Trump's executive orders, including professors' accounts of removing diversity, equity and inclusion policies and the University administration's responses to limited research funding. While the exhilaration never faded, I quickly realized that reporting on Hopkins affairs entails tackling a web of complex administrative relations with students and even local neighbors; even simple stories required dozens of interviews and hours of research.

I can write endlessly about how joining The News-Letter has strengthened my confidence and communication abilities, but I believe the attention should go towards a far more powerful outcome: a new sense of presence. Reporting on Hopkins news, especially the serious, sometimes even uncomfortable stories, requires special sensitivity in ensuring an article includes all perspectives fairly and completely. Being a part of student journalism forced me to keep my ears and eyes open for information, even on my daily bathroom break during a three-hour lecture in Gilman Hall. More importantly, these stories have connected me to my peers, graduate students, faculty members and even Baltimore residents, as I sat with them, learning about their identities, stories and passions. Frankly, contributing to The News-Letter reminded me of the role I play in my community, to learn and to contribute.

Even if our News section isn't your cup of tea, our other sections foster the same level of presence. An Opinions article requires critical thought and a desire to communicate with the wider student body, while a Voices article necessitates self-reflection and vulnerability with one's role at Hopkins. Our Leisure section encourages exploration of Baltimore, while our Arts section spotlights local creativity - requiring the section's contributors to open their eyes and indulge their curiosity. With any article in any section, you have the opportunity to learn about the Hopkins environment and contribute to communal knowledge through a written, inherently collaborative platform. You are forced to pay attention and to bear a substantive voice.

The News-Letter intentionally welcomes people from all different academic and personal backgrounds because our paper seeks to sustain such an awareness within our contributors and our readers. So, when reading this, whether such a precise opportunity entices you or you simply think a newspaper sounds cool, remember that The News-Letter is here, waiting for your presence.

Myra Saeed is a junior from Queens, N.Y. studying Chemistry and History. She is a co-Editor-in-Chief for The News-Letter.

For me, at least at first, the transition from high school's structured environment to Hopkins' sink-or-swim mentality felt like a breath of fresh air. Pretty soon though, it hit me like a tsunami. When I first arrived at the chaos, I wasn't sure how to deal with it. I missed the small comforting routines I had at home: waking up to my Disney princess alarm clock at 6:15 a.m., being able to put mozzarella sticks in the air fryer whenever I wanted and my dog darting toward me whenever I walked through the front door. At college, something as simple as making a good cup of coffee suddenly feels impossible when you're trying to create an Introductory Chemistry Quizlet with one hand while trying not to forget to grab your laundry in exactly nine minutes. Otherwise, someone will dump out your clothes, and you can kiss your last matching pairs of socks goodbye.

This constant rush overwhelmed me. I realized that this way of living simply wasn't sustainable. I needed to find a way to pause.

It was in that search for stillness that I found my anchor: a plain white dining hall mug that I accidentally carried out of FFC during my second week on campus. It started out as an absent-minded mistake. I was walking out with my coffee still in hand while rushing to my 9 a.m. lecture. Since then, though, it has become an unexpected blessing.

My mug is more than just a vessel for drinks. I've used it as a pencil holder during late-night study sessions, a container for hair ties on my dresser, a spoon stand while eating Lucky Charms in my dorm and even as a temporary herb garden for the random mint plant I found at the 32nd Street Farmers Market.

Most importantly, though, my mug holds the coffee that starts each day. Making coffee in it has become my morning ritual. I carefully fill it with hot water from my electric kettle and measure out the coffee granules, creamer and sugar. I'll admit my coffee combinations are a hit or miss, but I value the agency I have over creating them. During those few minutes, I'm not a student worrying about my GPA or a freshman trying to find friends. I'm just a person enjoying the rich aroma of Nescafé and the warmth lingering on my fingertips. This ritual forces me to slow down, become aware of the present moment and breathe before stepping into another day at Hopkins.

My mug doesn't make Hopkins any less demanding, nor does it magically reduce my workload. What it gives me is five uninterrupted minutes every morning that belong entirely to me. Once I realized how much those five minutes mattered, I started noticing that everyone around me seemed to have their own version of a mug: their own ritual that made Hopkins feel just a little more manageable.

Every undergraduate here faces similar pressures: jargon-filled exams where you need a dictionary just to understand the questions, endless tasks that pile up faster than we can complete them and expectations to excel with ease in one of the nation's most rigorous academic environments. We all search for ways to make college feel less overwhelming. We all seek our own anchors in the tornado.

For my friend Leah, it's her afternoon journaling near Mudd Hall after her classes. She says the feeling of putting pen to paper after being stressed all day is what she looks forward to. For my friend Sophie, it's eating takeout from Lao Sze Chuan every Saturday. She says the taste of food that isn't Hopkins affiliated allows her to decompress and reenergize.

These rituals, though, extend beyond individual practices. I've noticed how groups of students form their own anchoring traditions: the AMR II students who dress up and go out every Friday night, matcha lovers making their way to KANOM Cafe, and acapella groups gathering in the Bloomberg Student Center to sing their favorite tunes. These are rituals that have become their anchors. They don't make Hopkins any less demanding, but they remind us that even in the middle of the tornado, we can choose moments that bring us back to ourselves.

Practicing mental health as a freshman isn't some niche idea, even though it's often treated that way. A quick Google search will tell you that "good" mental health means consistent sleep (7-9 hours), a nutritious diet and regular exercise. But let's be honest - that's not realistic for most freshmen at Hopkins. Many of us rely on Hopkins Cafe for most of our meals, our sleep gets squeezed by coursework and other commitments and, personally, I used to live two minutes away from the Ralph S. O'Connor Recreation Center and went a grand total of three times this year, all during the first week of school.

What actually matters is this: taking care of your mental health as a freshman means deciding to set aside time for yourself, not feeling guilty about it and recognizing that it doesn't have to be big or perfect. Sometimes, it's as simple as a cup of coffee in a plain white dining hall mug. It won't make your exams easier or your workload lighter, but it can remind you that before you're a Hopkins student, you're a person.

Rhea Makkuni is a sophomore from Chicago, Ill. majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is a Science & Technology Editor for The News-Letter.