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.

It was somewhere in the middle of the second day that it hit me: a sense of isolation and homesickness. After showing up late to my first FYM group meeting with a cup of half-finished decaf coffee (the only thing available in Hopkins Cafe) and an incoming migraine from the lack of caffeine, I watched the other members of my group form friendships in the first few days. Though I smiled and walked with the group and held conversations about names, majors and hometowns with people I met at Hopkins Cafe, I didn't see myself forming all the relationships I thought I was supposed to be forming. I felt lost. I wasn't great at small talk, and, most importantly, I didn't know how to make friends. I'd met my high school friends by chance; I hadn't tried to make them.

Fall semester passed quickly, and the sense of isolation persisted. Birthdays passed. I called my family and high school friends often. Most of my time was spent in the library. I'd made some friends -people I got lunch and dinner with, someone from my FYM group who would eventually become my roommate for the next three years - but I felt that I was missing out on what most people had already: a "college experience." I was told it meant staying up until 4 a.m. with friends, partying late, getting drunk, having weekends filled with plans. This, I didn't have.

At Hopkins, my friends took time. I met two of my close friends freshman year, two of my close friends sophomore year and a whole bunch of friends junior year. The canonical "college experience" too, took time, and it didn't take the forms I'd expected. Sophomore year, I stayed up until four talking with a friend I'd met by chance after asking him to review a poem I'd written. I also went to my first party that year, a Halloween party which I didn't like as much as I thought I would. Junior year, I went on my first spring break trip with my friends, a week-long trip to Montréal.

These experiences weren't what I'd envisioned in my freshman year, and they weren't the relationships I'd seen others making in that first week of orientation. They were mine - experiences that I liked, friends that I connected with, in my own way. Over the last three years, I learned that my favorite things to do with friends were bake pumpkin pies in their houses and play Settlers of Catan until 12 a.m. For you, they might look different. There's no right answer -and looking at others to figure out how you're supposed to be living might be the wrong answer. So for any incoming or current student who might feel isolated in college relative to their peers, just remember: college looks different for everyone. And if your college experiences take a little more time, or you feel out of place, I ask you to trust yourself. You're not alone.

Lana Swindle is a senior majoring in Philosophy and Writing Seminars from Princeton, N.J. She is a Copy Editor for The News-Letter.

As a foundation for our conversation, I had a background knowledge of film, including the one we were about to see. But what moved our discussion beyond basic pleasantries was the theatre we were in. I half-jokingly stated that if I was not at Hopkins I was here, and she replied similarly. We bonded over the movies we saw in this theatre, and she explained that some of her film classes hosted screenings here too. She would invite me to some of those screenings, and we would go to several more movies together in between the coursework we got through.

The movie theatre gives more than spontaneous friendships. Like new relationships, movies convey an experience outside yourself. There's a bit of escapism in seeing someone else live a life, and a bit of voyeurism seeing someone else's suffering. It's honestly a crude experience when you dissect it. But when you watch a movie at home, you're prone to distractions, and then you're no longer looking at the picture at all. Or the picture is wrong; the image is distorted on your phone, laptop or dorm-compliant-too-small television. The stripped viewing experience brings none of the satisfaction that a theatrical screening does.

The Charles, Baltimore's oldest theatre from 1939, has massively enriched my life with its screenings. Whenever I'm feeling too stressed from Hopkins, I take the JHMI shuttle to the Penn Station stop and take a five-minute walk to The Charles. Located in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District, The Charles can't be missed; it's a beautiful Beaux-Arts building designed as a streetcar.

The theater's offerings are vast and affordable. Prices are tax-free and, with a student ID, tickets are $12. The Charles shows a variety of independent and foreign films along with major studio prestige pictures. Its revival series, where the theatre presents repository films, is how I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Through its revival series, I've seen works by David Cronenberg, Alfred Hitchcock, and David Lynch on the big screen. At home, you can rewatch an old movie endlessly, but seeing it in the cinema is incomparable. I've enjoyed seeing new, small releases in the theatre too. I've cherished the accompanying experiences in doing so, such as talking to an older Hungarian woman about Sophy Romvari's Blue Heron and how "it certainly wasn't an American movie." Talking with others about a movie has always provided humor or insight or both. The solitary viewing experience at home feels lackluster in comparison.

The theatrical experience, simultaneously individual and social and grounding and dream-like, is the best at independent theaters where the goal is showing great films. While you're a student, visit The Charles, and maybe you'll see something new, talk to a stranger or get some reprieve from your life for a bit.

River Phan is a juniormajoring in English from Silver Spring, Md. and is an Arts & Entertainment Editor for The News-Letter.

An assortment of essentials

These are some names you'll see constantly circulated in the coming weeks. Inner Harbor features several historic ships (I recommend the Ghost tour!). Just a walk away is Fells Point, with some of Baltimore's best eateries, including every student's favorite: Ekiben. Each location also features a special treat for tea lovers; try out Cuples Tea House and The Spice & Tea Exchange.

Along the JHMI route, Station North is home to several artsy sites and theaters including the Charles Theater, the Baltimore Jewelry Center, the True Vine Record Shop and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Parkway. Peabody and the surrounding Mount Vernon area are also almost always buzzing with events to check out.

An assortment of greenery

When you want to leave behind the red bricks of the Hopkins campus, Baltimore has some green patches waiting. Sherwood Gardens and the Guilford Reservoir are small areas near Homewood Campus worth spending some time in. Also nearby, Stony Run Trail is an excellent site to go birding. A fair walk away, you can reconnect with nature at the Cylburn Arboretum, Rawlings Conservatory and the Maryland Zoo. If you walk the other way, Lake Montebello is not a bad hang-out spot, and Patterson Park near the medical campus is a classic space to indulge in fresh air (although the observatory is currently closed).

An assortment of graveyards

Let's veer away from all that talk of leafy life to spotlight Baltimore's most talented headstones. The famed writer Edgar Allan Poe, buried at Westminster Hall, can be found only a short walk from the Peabody campus. At Green Mount Cemetery, you can visit famous assassin John Wilkes Booth, 'Freaks' actor Johnny Eck and the little known historical figure Johns Hopkins (ever heard of him?). For those willing to take a longer walk, the famed drag queen Divine is buried in Towson. Halloween plans galore!

An assortment of museums

Baltimore is home to several museums worth your time. Don't ignore the on-campus museums, including the Gilman Archaeological Museum and Homewood Museum which display key historical artifacts and have a rich connection to the school's history. The nearby Baltimore Museum of Art also features an assortment of art pieces from across time periods and cultures. Towards Peabody campus, take a trip to the similarly expansive Walters Art Museum and the Maryland Center of History and Culture, which takes a deeper look at various sociopolitical artifacts relevant to the state's history. The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum also presents a truly unique collection.

If you go onwards to the Inner Harbor area, you'll find several more museums including the fascinatingly eclectic American Visionary Art Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Industry and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum which spotlights Black history. A walk away, you can find museums dedicated to key historical figures such as baseball player Babe Ruth and journalist H. L. Mencken. Some distance from there, the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation features a historic locomotive collection.

An assortment of history

With every other building being 200 years old, Baltimore has quite a few important pieces of history under its belt. Most famously, the national anthem of the United States was written at the historic Fort McHenry, which remains a lovely tourist destination today. Other key Baltimore firsts include the United States' first public gas street lamp right outside the Peale, the first purpose-built museum in the nation. The Baltimore Basilica also marks the first cathedral in the country. If you get tired of visiting all these locations, you can refill your supplies at the Lexington Market - which is America's oldest continuously running public market.

An assortment of events

While exploring these locations, don't forget to engage with some classic events around the city. Artscape marks Baltimore's biggest annual festival for the arts. Other annual celebrations, typically during the May-June period, include a Flower Mart, a Kinetic Sculpture Race and the Fells Point Fun Festival.

More regularly, First Thursdays at Canton Waterfront Park feature free concerts. Bibliophiles will also enjoy the Book Thing of Baltimore near campus, where you can pick from an assortment of free used books.

Pick your categories, mix-and-match or fly well beyond the options listed here. Happy adventuring!

Aditya Sankar is a sophomore majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Behavioral Biology from Bangalore, India. He is a Science and Technology Editor for The News-Letter.

Jokes aside, my time at Hopkins has been one of the most memorable and life-changing experiences of my life so far. As an international student, this experience can look a little different for us than it does for domestic students. Personally, I moved from Melbourne, Australia, which is just about as far as you can possibly go, and it wasn't always easy.

Thankfully, technology has made distance a lot easier, and so have the people around me. You will probably go through moments when you miss your friends back home, when you wish you could have one more home-cooked meal or when you just can't understand why there's no decent public transport network in Baltimore! I can't guarantee it will always feel worth it, but by embracing everything with an open mind, you can make this new city feel like a new home.

So, without further ado, let's get into some of the basics that will help you make the most of your time at Hopkins!

Get involved on campus

Moving away from home poses many challenges, but perhaps the biggest is leaving your loved ones behind and starting over in a new country.

It can be incredibly daunting to put yourself out there with a whole bunch of people you've never met, but it is that same vulnerability that can help you meet people who share a similar outlook on life. Whether it's saying hello to someone in your class or striking up a conversation about a shared interest, you never know who you might meet!

Joining a club on campus can be one of the best ways to find people with similar interests. For me, writing about sports was something I had never had the chance to do. When I arrived at Hopkins, I took a step forward and discovered something I enjoyed that introduced me to a whole group of people I wouldn't have otherwise met. Keep an eye out for the Student Involvement Fair, which is one of the best ways to familiarize yourself with all of the groups on campus.

Simply taking that step to get involved can be so rewarding and is one of the easiest (and most fun) ways to get more acclimated to your new surroundings at college!

Additionally, familiarizing yourself with resources like the Office of International Services (OIS) and student groups such as International Students at Hopkins (ISAH) can help you to find answers to questions you might have during your time here. The OIS can be particularly helpful with queries about visas and work authorization, while ISAH offers access to valuable resources such as grocery runs or city excursions where you can meet and connect with other international students.

Explore the city

While I'm sure you've heard all about how great Washington, D.C. and New York City are, it's important that you also explore all the amazing things Baltimore has to offer!

For those who enjoy spending time exploring the arts, I cannot recommend the Walters Art Museum enough. Admission is completely free, and the Walters has displays ranging from ancient Egyptian and Chinese art to French impressionism and everything in between! A particular favorite of mine is the room of Ancient Roman sarcophagi with intricate designs carved into their exteriors that tell various stories from Bacchanalian mythology. The Baltimore Museum of Art is also worth a visit, with plenty of incredible exhibits ranging from ancient works to modern and post-modern art. Alternatively, Baltimore is a city with a rich sports culture, and I tell everyone that they should go to at least one Orioles game while they are here. Sports are such an integral part of American culture, and what is more American than a hot dog and a baseball game? Watch out for student discount nights when you can get tickets for just $10!

We are also lucky to have access to all kinds of cuisines and amazing cafés, so you'll never run out of options. Some personal favorites of mine include The Helmand for Afghan food, Chiapparelli's Restaurant (I would come here just for the starter salad and bread) and Blue Moon Cafe for a brunch that will fill you up for the whole day. And, of course, you have to try some American favorites like Chipotle, Popeyes or Taco Bell!

Finally, just taking a walk around Baltimore can be the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I would highly recommend taking a stroll around Fells Point or up to Federal Hill for some incredible views of the city.

This is just a snapshot of the possibilities in Baltimore, so I encourage you to go out and explore for yourself. We are very lucky to be in such proximity to all the other East Coast cities, and you should go and see them, but just remember that there is so much to do in Baltimore as well!

Take time for yourself

I want to emphasize that it is completely normal not to always feel comfortable. You have taken an enormous step in moving to a new place to study, and that in and of itself is a testament to your bravery and courage. Don't be afraid to let yourself think about the things you miss, the people you wish you could be around and the good memories you have back home.

This experience is just as much about learning about yourself as it is about learning about your intro biology class. When things get stressful (which they probably will), it's okay to turn to your basics, whether that's going on a walk, watching a movie with friends or trying a new bakery.

We are also incredibly lucky to have access to a wealth of free mental health resources at Hopkins, all of which are there to support you through this journey that you are undertaking. Never tell yourself that any issue is too small, because there is always someone there who wants to help you succeed in every facet of your life.

Enjoy yourself!

My final message is simple: enjoy yourself. We are all fortunate to be at this institution, but there is no single right way to experience Hopkins. Some days will be exciting and others may be overwhelming, but the most important thing is to make sure you enjoy this time in whatever manner best suits you.

Good luck, and remember to bring a warm coat, because winters can get cold!

Freddy Branson is a senior majoring in Classical Flute Performance from Melbourne, Australia. He is a Sports Editor for The News-Letter.

Reflexively, I had thrown out my arms to break my fall and landed directly on my left wrist. The impact resonated up to the hands and fingers, carrying a tingling, numb pain as if from the repeated pecks of a flock of ferocious blue jays. There I sat, resigned on the ice, completely overwhelmed by the wild momentum that had sent me tumbling backwards in such unspectacular fashion.

Between the discomfort and feeling of powerlessness, this was my "welcome to the Hopkins ice rink" moment. Allow me to share my story of ice skating as a complete newbie…

Shortly after the start of the spring semester of my freshman year, a good friend of mine (let's call him S) told me about the Hopkins ice rink. As someone who had never ice skated before, yet was eager to give it a try, I made arrangements with him and another good friend (let's call him R) to go check it out on a Friday evening. Fortunately for my inexperienced self, R and S had both skated before and were willing to show me the ropes.

After arriving and putting on the skates, a sort of muted orange color with flattened blades for safety, it was time to set foot on the ice - or so I thought. I actually needed to get used to walking with skates normally first. Ok, now we're ready. As my blades came in contact with the ice, it felt as if I had entered a different dimension, drifting in a space where friction had left the chat, where every minute movement could snowball into a frantic avalanche.

"Hold on to the rails and go slowly," R advised me. "Keep your center of gravity low and bend your knees."

And so I made my first lap around the rink at a snail's pace, and then I completed another. Around me, I observed a variety of skill levels. Some glided effortlessly like R, others navigated with steady confidence like S and a few trudged cautiously by the rails just like me. With the guidance of my friends, as well as a skating aid in the form of a blue seal, I ventured an arm's length away from the safety of the rails and closer to the uncertainty of the center. Several shaky laps later, I had mustered the courage to trust my own balance.

R suggested putting my hands on my knees, ensuring that my center of gravity stayed low and my balance remained stable. To turn at the corners of the rink, I needed to angle my feet and let my momentum carry me naturally. I practiced, slow and steady, and gradually increased my speed. At some point, I got ahead of myself, as I tend to do, and the rest is as you already know - ouch.

When I went down with a thud, a pestering thought entered my mind that maybe I should give up on skating - maybe I'm just not cut out for it. But after a moment, I pushed it aside and reminded myself that I was just getting started. Not to mention, I was having a ton of fun. R and S came over, offered a hand and helped me up. And so I continued skating, no matter how ungracefully, with the lingering pain in my wrist as a reminder to stick to the fundamentals.

The three of us returned every week until the rink shut down for the year, and I could feel myself improving each time through a growing collection of battles with lost balance. Somewhere along the way, I realized that my experience on the ice mirrored much of what it means to be a student at Hopkins.

Let's be real here. Hopkins is tough. There are moments when you feel like you've finally found your groove, only to realize that the next midterm, project or paper is already looming over the horizon. Hopkins is competitive. It's easy to feel left behind when it seems that everyone else is perpetually on the grind to build their resumes, progress in their research and seek out internships, on top of excelling academically. But, like skating, what looks effortless from the outside is usually built on a lot of stumbling and recovery, and it's rarely done alone.

Hopkins is the flock where real, unshakeable bonds are built. In between the stress and the constant motion, you find people who are going through it with you, and that shared connection becomes something special. Much like on the ice rink, it's through a cycle of stumbles, adjustments and getting back up again that you grow - one stride at a time.

Andrew Wu is a sophomore majoring in Biomedical Engineering from Northville, Mich. and is a Cartoons Editor for The News-Letter.

I learned about traditional herbal medicine during the last year of my enrollment in Chinese school. I remembered feeling that most subjects covered in class were historically distant, like memorizing Confucian proverbs that more often doubled as tongue twisters, or reciting ancient poems contained in their perfect, rectangular stanzas. But herbal medicine felt important to become attuned to, as I had already begun to see a strange resurgence of such methods in contemporary culture, where shifting away from traditional Western medicine and toward Eastern "healing practices" had become popular. There appeared to be an appeal to using simple tools, such as stones, teas or cupping treatments, to achieve healthier complexions and detoxify the body. More notably, these means were rendered an enigma to the masses, making Eastern medicine compelling, while discourse grew questioning its empirical validity.

In general terms, traditional medicine uses a holistic approach to treat ill individuals, prioritizing assessing the composition of one's energy and restoring its balance. To an extent, this kind of medical philosophy places the human body in a position of mystery. But unlike in Western medicine, where the treatment is a therapeutic approach targeted to relieve the burden of a defined symptom, Eastern medicine acknowledges the uncertainty of the body's condition as a truth. Holding this truth and probing for treatment are not mutually exclusive.

And although there are growing fields of respectable research setting out to pin down the exact biological mechanisms and chemical reactions that make traditional medicine effective toward combatting disease, I am more interested in a different kind of question: whether it is possible to amend the current attitudes and state of pharmaceutics.

I've found the most important tenet of herbal medicine is its reinforcement of the connection between humans and the earth. Human energies are divided into basic elements, like fire, metal and air. And although these determinations may seem archaic, they offer up a framework for understanding the body as embedded within the natural world, rather than isolated from it. There is merit in treatment that focuses on the longevity and sustainability of an individual's health and their health practices, especially as dominating viewpoints diminish Eastern medicine as largely pseudoscience.

I can pull forward my memory and experience of waiting, legs crossed firmly atop the colorful cotton floor mats, for my magical elixir each evening. Its contents were extraordinarily bitter, an amber cup that I could fill with my own tears if I raised a fuss, but I would gulp down the liquid determinately, reaching for the sugar crystals that would accumulate at the bottom.

Even amid that stinging taste, I remembered my lift of admiration reading the tale of one of the most renowned herbalists, Shennong, who was famously fabled to test the efficacy of herbs on himself, risking his own health to record information that would be later passed down in his The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica.

To me, herbal medicine was always about oral history, about knowledge of the terrain that gave rise to numerous crops that could be helpful to humans if they were collected carefully and considerately. These plants were not simply prescribed, but rather inherited. This relationship, I believe, is most sacred and special. I also think of how there had been a surge of "barefoot doctors" a few decades before my birth, and that these people were often individuals with little schooling who would administer basic health services to rural communities that lacked robust health care systems. From a health policy perspective, it was a hugely successful effort that used a ground-up approach to care.

Although I ultimately have no definitive answer to my original query, maybe it is worth it to implement a return of medicine that is born from communities themselves, tailored to their customs and invested in their well-being for the long, long term.

Crystal Wang is a sophomore from Baltimore, Md., studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and Writing Seminars. Her column pairs miscellaneous observations and ruminations on the past in hopes of capturing life occurring in the periphery.

Growing up, I knew that I loved music. This was not solely informed by piano lessons (never forced) or all the time I spent squeaking out "Canon in D" on my plywood violin. I had an affinity for the lyrical and melodic in life - and it was the first thing I looked for when I came onto campus.

Now that we're in Blue Jay Day season (welcome, Class of 2030!), I can't help but recall my own experiences coming into Hopkins. I remember hearing the Octopodes perform for the first time during my own Blue Jay Day. Then, my friends and I snuck into the Shriver Hall basement during orientation to see all of the pianos, as if they were a well-guarded secret. But the first time music really called my name on campus was through a cappella. The thrill of callback auditions and calls from groups at 10 p.m. on a Sunday night feel like a distant memory, but what sticks with me is this: knowing that being engaged in a cappella is one of the most transformative, loving experiences that someone could have on campus. And even for the musically disinclined, I promise you that every group at Hopkins is worth a listen.

My first experiences in a cappella was being given a family I never had before - introducing names, majors, voice parts and anything that would help us connect over countless hours of rehearsal. I cannot emphasize this enough: the amount of time and energy that every a cappella group dedicates to singing is ludicrous. 6-8 hours on a regular week, piecing together arrangements made by students, under the tutelage of a student music director whose sole purpose is to make the group shine. The Notes of Ranvier immediately became a home to me during my first semester. It was amazing how quickly we pieced together, how our group bonded and grew enthusiastically to create amazing music.

And it wasn't just our group. Every a cappella group has a certain "feel" to them. The all-male AllNighters bask their audience in electrifying energy, and the all-women Sirens are such an amazing sisterhood that I swear you can feel the strength of their bonds in their music. There are the many-time award-winning Octopodes, the cranberry-clad Vocal Chords and ethnic groups that bring music both new and old onto the stage. There are the Humming Jays, Music Dynasty, Ketsev, Kranti and the Melanotes engaging in their cultures. Adoremus combines worship and beautiful singing in one! Perhaps the Mental Notes' comedy could cheer you up after a hard day, or Take Two might help you rock the pain away. Each one of these groups brings such a vibrant color to the music scene at Hopkins. And even better - they all support each other in their love for music. There's the Inter-A Cappella Council that helps coordinate fun (singing-filled!) events, while individual groups will hold mixers or multi-group rehearsals for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (or ICCA, the real version of the Pitch Perfect competition!). I was taken aback when I realized that some of the Sirens even traveled to Delaware to watch the Notes perform in ICCA Semi-Finals - how lucky I am to be with people who support and love music so much. It is through this exact sense of community, united by music alone, that makes the Hopkins a cappella scene so great. Each and every group sings their hearts out in places ranging from hospital waiting rooms to semesterly concerts. Is that not reason enough to listen?

So this is a love note to all of the singers on campus - all the arrangers, the choreographers, the treasurers and presidents who made all this singing possible. And I can only hope that the students will enjoy the show. So please support these a cappella groups! If you want a break from studying, show up to their concerts, for which each group has poured dozens of hours into their sets. If you're interested and haven't sung before, audition anyway! I didn't have any experience singing myself, and I consider myself transformed through the love and care in the Notes alone. I promise you that you will be better for it. We are here to grow, to sing and to perform - and I hope you enjoy the show.

Andrew Huynh is a freshman from Garden Grove, Calif. majoring in Neuroscience. His column, "Ad Astra," captures his reflections on modern life and Hopkins as he navigates his transition into adulthood.

The News-Letter: Our first question relates to the 150th anniversary of Johns Hopkins. We wanted to ask: what does this milestone personally mean to you, and do you see it as the beginning of a new era for the university's long term legacy?

Ronald J. Daniels: That's a great question. So I would say, first and foremost, an anniversary as momentous as 100th and 50th is just, by definition, a time of stocktaking. And so for me, it's been really important to just stand back and [ask], what are the achievements of the university? What are you most proud of, and how does that shape the future of the university? And I guess, what's really striking, and we've been signaling this in a number of the 100 and 50th anniversary events, is really seeing this as a place of first. This is a place that had the daring, the imagination, the courage to do things differently, both from the very inception of the university as America's first great research university, to all the other firsts that we've had over the years. You can think about the various inventions and breakthroughs we've had, but even going to the core: the way [we] first embraced the seminar as a way of organizing education and research activity in the same setting. [...] I think what's really wonderful is to see the way in which that willingness to resist the urge for any complacency. To continue to dream and to be daring and to embark on firsts - for me, that's the ongoing legacy.

The fact that we have stood up this major initiative that fuses data science and artificial intelligence (AI) [regarding the Data Science and AI Institute (DSAI)] [...] at an extraordinary scale, but very much with the view that it's centered in the Whiting School and radiates out to the rest of the university - that's a first. Today, in fact, the Dean of Engineering sent me an update that Stanford just decided to merge data science and AI and create an institute [based] very much on this model. So that's a recent first that, again, will set a standard and expectation for others. The Agora Institute was the first major institute that really was focused on the challenges and vulnerabilities of modern democracy [...] in a national and international frame. And so when we established that, that was a new model, but since that time, there's been a number of new models that have been developed that have other models at peer institutions that have followed that lead. [...] I could go on and on, but I think for me, what I'm most encouraged by is that there's just a constitutional inability of this university to coast. It's constantly looking at itself, critically, [alongside] looking at the world with a sense: how can we be more relevant and willing to embark on those endeavors?

N-L: Our next question is about the campus itself. Since 2024, the campus has undergone significant campus construction, including the library renovation and the new Bloomberg Student Center. So how did the university determine which buildings to create and renovate and the timing of each project?

RD: As you know, quite apart from those projects, there's a lot of cranes in the air right now across all of our campuses. First and foremost that it's all about the people. So that is to say, over the last number of years, and particularly as long as I've been here, [we're] always thinking about the core academic mission of the university and that invariably means a focus on the people, the students, the faculty [and] the staff who are here at the institution. And so if you even look at what we have sought to raise funds for where we thought to make our own investments from reallocating funds, it's things like financial aid. Basically, over the last several years, we've raised literally billions of dollars in both undergraduate and graduate financial aid, and that's really, again, meant to increase access that's focused on the student experience and trying to reduce the barriers to entry and full participation for students, either at the undergraduate or graduate professional level when they're here. Similarly, we've really sought very deliberately, through a number of different vehicles, to increase the number of endowed chairs at the university, which provides support to individual schools departments to ensure that their faculty are properly supported. In turn, that brings research and education benefits from having those people there, and we've raised over 300 plus chairs over the last several years in terms of new chairs at the university. So it starts with the sense [that] your focus is on the people. And invariably, though, as the university is expanding, and as you look at the needs of the people, your students and faculty and staff capital projects are called out. So for instance, you ask how this happens? You know, typically it's a case that, in the case of a major capital project, you're hearing from an individual school. [For example], we've got these real challenges in terms of recruiting faculty and students to those basic sciences in the School of Medicine, because our labs are so run down and antiquated, and for decades we haven't been able to modernize them. And so [we're] hearing from the Dean and from the faculty [that they] need more lab space, and [they] need modern lab space, and if you want to recruit faculty and graduate students, professional students, [...] we've got to do something about that. So that becomes the school, the school's chief priority, and in turn, that shapes what I'm looking to do in terms of providing the capital to support that project. [...] Aspiration comes from direction from the schools and from the faculty and students and staff in those divisions who are saying, we need this.

Once you get all these priorities, again driven by academic mission, often again related to how you support your faculty, students and staff, then it really becomes a question of, how do you design those projects? And making sure that there [are] multiple opportunities, for all of the affected stakeholders to feed into the design process, to express their needs that should be reflected in design, and again, creating a strong consensus around how the projects are involved. [...] Finally, at the end of all of this [...] planning, consultation, design work, then you got to find the funding. We've been really lucky in having incredible philanthropic support for a lot of these projects. Among many of them, has been the unprecedented support that we've received from Mike Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies and so it's just this really fortunate position that we've been in to be able to tap into the reservoir of interest needs on the part of the community, and then being able to develop the projects that we know are scratching the itches that are most meaningful to different constituencies across the campus.

N-L: We wanted to note that a lot of these projects reflect a more modern architectural direction that differs from the University's traditional Federalist style. Does this architecture reflect a new vision for the university's role in academia and development?

RD: [...] When you're on the core campus, [...] for instance [...] Malone and Hackerman Hall, [or] on the key quads, we've really adhered very closely to the Federalists motifs and how we've thought about the campus we're looking at. There's another new housing project, student residence, that will be done on the other side of Charles Street, between 32nd and 31st, and there again, because it's student residential space, we wanted to be able to be in alignment with what we've done at Scott Bates Commons. [...] Once you go outside of that core campus, I think we have a little more latitude and to be a bit more experimental. Even as we build new buildings on the core campus, [we] will still stay very much in the Federalist tradition. But as you go outside of it, I think we've shown that there's more leeway. So for instance, when we did the Agora building, [...] [it] felt it was really important to communicate the transparency and the accessibility of this institute focused on democracy to the campus community and well beyond. And so that commitment to transparency meant a lot of glass and just a different set of materials that we've traditionally used. So, I think that spoke to a different kind of project than what we would do at the center on campus, and I think gave us the ability to deviate a bit. Same with DSAI. There's, again, because it's on the other side of Wyman, more latitude for some deviation. Having said that, even where we've done new projects that have a more contemporary architectural style, like, for instance, what we did with the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, we still brought red bricks from from the Homewood campus there, so that there's a consistency in materials, in terms of signaling this one university motif.

N-L: So you mentioned the DSAI, which is something that has generated both excitement and concern among students and community members. How has the vision and plan for DSAI evolved since the idea initially emerged?

RD: I think it's evolved in becoming much more concrete, and there's much greater specificity of the character of the program than when we first announced this. I would say the fundamentals, though, that we articulated at the time of the announcement of DSAI have remained intact. The idea is that this is a set of capabilities [and] methodologies that we believe are of transformational impact. [...] Because of this, we felt [that] this technology was so significant, we as a university should invest as much as we could in really being able to understand, to critique and [...] to advance the whole field. [...] And the belief that the advancement of these capabilities really requires lots of domain expertise from different disciplines, and [...] whether it's precision medicine in the School of Medicine, or population health in public health health or the digital humanities and our humanities departments, one could multiply the examples. It's the give and take between the disciplines and the core methodologies resident in the the heart of DSAI that will create a lot of interesting advancement, and so that too has been something that has continued to operate as a guiding principle of this [project].

[...] We're also very focused on ensuring that there's critical capability within within the university, particularly in the new School of Government and Policy, but not limited to colleagues there who can think about the ethical dimensions of the development of AI, …the privacy issues, ...the appropriate regulatory guardrails that we should have in place. So it's not going to be unreflective.

[...] In terms of public concerns around this, obviously it's first and foremost about our neighbors, and the concerns of the loss of the trees, which we recognize was a truly undesirable part of the construction project. [...] After several meetings with community residents, and I know we didn't persuade all of them, but I think [there is a] commitment to ensuring that we would put more than 300 trees on the site. For every mature tree that we took down, we'll replace it with a tree that's at least 20-25 feet high. So mature trees will replace the mature trees that went down. I don't feel good about the fact that we had to take down those trees, but I think the commitment to replanting and the scale that we're doing is an important commitment.

N-L: Our next question is about recent federal policy changes, including] reductions in research funding and student visa restrictions; [...] [which have] undeniably affected [the University] and [institutions] nationwide. So we want to ask: how do you see these shifts and government action impacting the university in both the short and the long term?

RD: All these changes are having a profound effect on Johns Hopkins and, indeed, research universities across the country. [...] The reduction in federal funding is truly, truly profound. [...] If you look at what we typically over the last four years have received each year in terms of new grant awards, principally from the NIH, there has been a very marked contraction in the level of support, and it's something in the order of about $450 million of funding that normally we would have received, that we didn't receive this past year. [...] Of course, for a number of our graduate students, they are funded here on the grants that our faculty secure on a competitive, meritocratic basis. [...] When the funding dries up for the faculty, that impacts our ability to recruit and retain graduate students. So last year was terrible, and so far this year, it looks to be equally bad.

If you look at year to date to this point compared to last year, we're down about 73% in terms of new grant awards. Just the grants are not coming out of NIH and NSF, which are two principal funding sources. So this is very serious, and in the short term, raises really challenging questions about our ability to keep great faculty here to see that they're supported properly - that they can do the research that they have been committed to doing. And what you're worried about, of course, is that this is not just temporary, but could in fact, become the new normal for the way in which the federal government understands its partnership with America's research universities. [...] It's better [to] focus on thinking about what we can do with industry, [...] other philanthropic supports, sources - with foundations to make up for the shortfall - and then thinking hard about new revenue sources for the university, whether it's in case of tech transfer or clinical trials [...] Support for America's research universities [...] - it's support that ultimately contributes to the advancement of the country - [...] whether it's scientific, medical, national defense, in so many different domains. It's been this great partnership that has ensured that America remains the most innovative and dynamic economy and nation in the world. But, it's clear that that standing is now very much in jeopardy by virtue of the very draconian cuts that are being experienced. And right now it is not clear how quickly this is going to be restored,

N-L: With the funding cuts, how do you prioritize [...] the different projects or the different clinical trials happening? [How] do those funds get allocated?

RD: So, first and foremost, we've got to find more funding to be able to support [...] the activities conducted by our faculty that we regard as absolutely critical to the success of the university and the contributions to the American public and well beyond. [...] We will end up allocating the funds on a peer review basis. And so it's not at any individual present or provost discretion as to where these funds go, but rather in the breast tradition of the academy. [We] will rely on a committee process to be able to evaluate and ultimately advise, what are the projects that we should focus [on] supporting [...]. This inevitably means there's just some degree of contraction if the federal government doesn't resume its normal funding activity in this area.

N-L: In light of these funding constraints - which includes reports of a hiring freeze and limitation to the research projects, as you have mentioned - how would you characterize the University's current financial position and its strategy moving forward?

RD: In a nutshell, it is to be guided, first and foremost by core academic mission. Where do we see the greatest impact for our research, education and broader community impacts - whether in clinical care or population health, so on and so forth? [...] Where do we have the greatest impact? [...] You've got to do everything you can to move resources to those areas, even in the face of this very significant withdrawal of federal funding support, and I think that's ultimately how we'll be, in time, judged as leaders of the institution. [...] In fact, if you don't call out priorities in a moment like this, then I think you really advocate your responsibilities to the institution and to its legacy.

N-L: Now shifting gears to something a little more global: There's, of course, a lot of geopolitical instability at the moment. We wanted to know what role should the university play as a research institution and a global actor, especially given the current context?

RD: I think the university has long understood the importance of its research and education mission in a broader frame [...] I think there's a clear understanding that we have a responsibility as members of this community, to do the best we can, to interrogate, to evaluate, to offer analysis and prescriptions on issues that are important and confront society, domestically, internationally, in the social, political and scientific spheres, and to make that that insight broadly available. I think that responsibility is at the core of what a great university does. We have a responsibility to undertake research for the purpose of adding to knowledge, but ultimately, I think there's an obligation for that knowledge to be shared.

What I really appreciate is, even in the current climate in which we're so fractured, and there's such [a] deep state of paralysis and conflict in our society, that our faculty are still speaking out, still bringing their insight and analysis to a range of different issues. [...] I see that that sensibility manifests in so many different places at the university. It's true in the international sphere. That's what SAIS has done for decades. [...] I think that's what we've done, and that's what we must continue to do as an institution. I really regard my job as creating as much space as possible for faculty and students to feel secure and protected in bringing their best ideas and analysis to the world at large and to create an intellectual [...] broader cultural climate in which people feel free to speak their minds, and to do so with an understanding that that not everyone might agree with them [...] that's what a great university community does.

N-L: Since arriving in the presidential role in 2009 how have you seen students build the Hopkins identity and reflect institutional values over the years?

RD: You know what's really great is to see the way in which each class contributes to the development of the identity, the character, the personality [and] the place [of the University]. [...] It has been really exciting for me to see the changes in which the student body understands its role at Hopkins. When I first got here, some students wore Hopkins sweatshirts, but not many. Now I see - [it] could be all the free swag we give out - [...] that students are proudly wearing their affiliation. It's amazing! I've bumped into Hopkins graduates, and they're still wearing Hopkins paraphernalia.

[...] I would say, just the new traditions, like the Lighting of the Quads, have become important university moments that, over the years, have become much more central to the student experience. [...] I've seen it in the turnout of sports events - not just lacrosse - but a number of other sports. [There are] just more spectators and more enthusiasm in those moments. [...] And I'm hoping that the new student center further enforces this sense of community, identity and pride of affiliation with the university. [...] It seems to be on a really good trajectory in that way.

The News-Letter: How did you become interested in journalism and reporting in general?

Mike Spector: It probably started when I was about six years old because my mom worked on political campaigns. She was a press secretary, and she would be on the phone with reporters in our house in Northern Virginia all the time. One time, I picked up a phone in another room - this was back before smartphones, when there were just phones on the wall or on a nightstand - and I eavesdropped on a call she was having with The Washington Post. She heard me and told me to get off the phone, and I said, "But I want to talk to The Washington Post."

When I was growing up, I was around a lot of political campaigns, and, because of my mom's job, it seemed like what was going on in The Washington Post was always more important than the campaign itself. So immediately starting in middle school, I started taking journalism classes, and then I worked on my high school newspaper at West Springfield High School in Springfield, Virginia.

I took a little bit of a break when I got to Hopkins, but a friend of mine asked me to come work on The News-Letter. I went along and did News & Features for a little bit, and then pretty quickly I [became] a News & Features editor, and then got elected Editor-in-Chief [in] my senior year. I completely fell in love with it, and it was all that I wanted to do.

N-L: How was your experience as Editor-in-Chief of The News-Letter?

MS: It was the most fun I've had, among the most fun things I've done in my life. [There were] a lot of late nights [...] trying to meet deadlines, and unfortunately oftentimes missing class the following morning, [which] happened more than I would care to admit, but it was a really thrilling experience, and just a good way to learn, make mistakes and make great friends. I met my wife at Hopkins. She was in student government, so there was often a joke that we were the power couple.

N-L: What did your experience as a part of The News-Letter teach you that transferred over into your professional career?

MS: I would actually say it probably took me a little bit longer to internalize this lesson, but it taught me some humility because you can think that your way is the right way and you know everything, but you can make mistakes. I also learned a lot about making sure everybody has a voice and treating everybody with respect, but balancing that with making sure that a paper gets created. It also taught me about experiencing big joys but also big disappointments. Finally, it taught me how to make decisions on my own because there's not a lot of oversight, so it's up to you to make the best decisions.

N-L: How did you realize you wanted to pursue reporting professionally?

MS: I just loved it and wanted to be able to do it for a professional news organization. Out of college, I applied to every newspaper you can think of, and was rejected by all of them. I ended up at a tiny newspaper in Maryland. I went to the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism after that, and I was fortunate to get an internship at the Wall Street Journal. They kept me on, and I ended up being there for about 12 years before I moved over to Reuters, where I am now.

N-L: Reuters recently won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for National Reporting for investigating Trump's retribution campaign. How did you first become involved with this project and how did the series evolve over time?

MS: The leader of the political investigations team came up with the idea to do a series of stories on Trump's retribution campaign, since he was targeting so many of his political enemies. One of the reporters on his team was working on a short-term story about threats to judges, and I said, "Oh, that's in my wheelhouse. I'd love to help you with that." He connected me with other reporters on the team, so we started working on that story.

After we published that story, one of my colleagues had the idea to focus on how families of judges were also being threatened. At the time, Elon Musk, Trump and others were attacking judges and their families, accusing them of being politically biased and calling for them to be impeached, which was really unprecedented.

Then, Trump went after law firms, which was firmly in my wheelhouse, so I was asked to do a story about that. Along the way, I was also doing some reporting with other colleagues about January 6th rioters and how their prosecutors were being targeted. Toward the end of the year, that story came together and it ended up being the capstone of the series.

N-L: What was the reporting process like for these stories, particularly when it came to gathering evidence and information from judges and legal officials?

MS: Judges almost never talk to reporters, because it's against their professional code to do so, but we found judges who were willing to talk to us. Be it judges or federal prosecutors or others who were targeted by the Trump administration, I'm really grateful to sources who spoke to us and that they were able to share what they were experiencing. That was crucial to the stories, so it was important that they trusted us.

N-L: What was your reaction to winning the Pulitzer Prize? Did you expect the pieces to have such a significant impact?

MS: I was completely stunned. I was not expecting to win at all. I knew that our editors had submitted the series for consideration in two different categories, but I had no inkling that we were even a finalist, let alone a winner. When it got announced, it was pandemonium. Everyone was so happy and excited. I felt then, and still feel about a month later, really grateful to have achieved it and to stand on the shoulders of all my colleagues. None of this gets done by one person, and I couldn't have done it alone.

N-L: Many of the pieces in this series dealt with issues of power, retaliation, and accountability. Why do you believe investigative journalism is especially important today?

MS: Investigative journalism is crucial right now, because the powerful, more than ever, want to keep people from finding out information about corruption or other uncomfortable truths, including abuses of power. You need investigative journalists to uncover that information, because the powerful are rarely going to volunteer it themselves.

Thomas Jefferson said, "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter." That tells you everything you need to know. An informed citizenry is crucial to a functioning democracy, and investigative journalism is crucial to uncover corruption and abuses of power.

N-L: What advice would you give to students interested in journalism?

MS: Pick up the phone, call other human beings and go see them in person. You get amazing stories by meeting people in person or by talking to people on the phone. For anybody who aspires to be a journalist, those are my key pieces of advice. Get off the texting and social media. Call people and meet people. That's the best way to get stories.

Another piece of advice is, when you're first starting out, be willing to go anywhere and do anything. Be willing to work for a small newspaper or media outlet you've never heard of. When I was graduating from Hopkins, I applied to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and every other major newspaper, and I was summarily rejected by all of them. I ended up working at a very small newspaper in Elkton, Maryland for two years covering cops and courts. That's where I learned how to be a journalist. I was forced to go to car accidents and house fires and talk to people who had just lost loved ones. I lived in a small town, and I was forced to see the people I wrote about in the newspaper every single day, so if I made a mistake, I was going to hear about it.

Finally, remember that life is long. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be doing what I'm doing right now and have achieved this milestone. But hard work does pay off. Don't worry about chasing those kinds of dreams too much; worry about being passionate about your work. If you love your work, you want to make a difference and you work hard at it every day, the rest will take care of itself.

Having grown up between Kaohsiung and Tainan throughout the first 18 years of my life, I missed the bike rides along Pier-2, the douhua bowls from Anping, the pebble trails at Meishu Park, the chicken noodle soup at Din Tai Fung, the monkeys on Monkey Mountain and all the familiarities of home. At any and every inconvenience I experienced during my day, I always had the comfort of going home to tell my mom. Whenever I needed a bellyful of laughs, my brother's bedroom was only two steps away from mine. If I felt any cravings for my grandmother's home-cooked meals, I could hop on a three-dollar train ride anytime I wanted. It is thus an understatement to say that I found adjustment to Hopkins challenging. I cried on every plane ride back to Baltimore whenever I had to go back to school from break.

Then, during the winter break of my junior year, I was flying back to school, and I realized that I did not cry. In fact, I felt so excited to see my friends after four weeks away from them. My best friends became my family, and Baltimore became my home. I felt proud of myself for growing up. It is perhaps the first time I realized that I had found a second home, one I could return to through the people I had found in Baltimore.

When I first came to Hopkins as a freshman, I constantly felt an ache in my heart. Most of my sources of safety and love were now a 24-hour travel time away. Snow is cute, but only on the first day. The cold weather is sometimes unbearable. The sun sets at 4 p.m., and the gloom constantly hangs over your head. I missed Christmas for the first time in my life.

To cope with homesickness, Enoch and I dug through old recipes from our families and tried to recreate flavors that remind us of home. There is no meal more hearty than a warm bowl of Bak kut teh, or my dad's signature kimchi stew. On slower weekends, we watch Taiwanese films like Man in Love and Someday or One Day. Through staying in touch with food and culture from Taiwan, I found that home was something I could carry with me.

My friends were also very much my home. I grounded myself in them as they carried me through my lows, homesickness and all the messy feelings in between. Through them, I learned that friendships can take shape in many different ways. It can be wholesome, like splitting Oreos with Mia and celebrating birthdays at Dua's. It can be on the floor of my tiny studio at Jefferson, scattered with Goldfishes, Quadratini's, Chips Ahoy, you name them. Nay's glasses might be fogged up, and chances are Ru lost her contacts again. Naomi might have also spilled some milk on my floor. Friendship can also be a bit chaotic, like waxing Shreeram's arm hair at Nina's, or Ayan and Ramya bouncing around the biomedical engineering design studio with a mannequin and fake arm, or Gloria carrying a panda and me smooching a photo of Samantha. Friendship sounds like Adarsh's cackle and Momo's giggle.

That is the thing about friendship and people. When you click, you click. You do not need to explain why or how you get along or why you choose to keep them. As I close this chapter of my life, I believe that the intensity of my friendships in the short time that we spent together is just a glimpse of the lifetime we will have together. I feel so lucky to have found people that I love. People with whom I laugh until I have tears in my eyes. People who challenge my opinions and thoughts. People who love unconditionally.

If you are reading this, thank you for always embracing me with such warmth. Although I do not know where I will be next, there is no doubt that I will carry a piece of the people I met here to wherever I go, and that is because you remind me of home.

Claire Chung is a senior graduating with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

With the end of my first year drawing near, I have taken it upon myself to explore and experience the little things: from entering the everyday buildings I pass by, but have yet to step foot in, to finally trying out the dining options at the student center. One such little thing I didn't experience until recently was building a sandwich at the Hopkins Café deli bar. I'm not entirely sure as to why it took me almost the whole school year to finally decide to visit this station as it is a go-to for many students. In fact, it's a little ironic as well because one of my favorite places to eat at is Panera Bread. I love getting their sandwiches, accompanied with a side of your choice, and I always without fail get their in-house chips. A sandwich and a bag of chips - it satisfies your appetite and is an easy grab-to-go meal. The perfect pairing. Unfortunately, there is no Panera Bread on Charles Street or St. Paul Street (it would be a dream come true if there were though!), so naturally it would make sense that the sandwich station would be the one I gravitate toward the most. Although that wasn't so at the start of the semester, it is the case now.

Sourdough bread as the base, chicken for protein, lettuce, tomato, pickles and banana peppers for the toppings and for the cherry on top, a generous drizzle of balsamic dressing. This has become my fixation for the last week or so, as I have without hesitation been getting this sandwich for lunch. It still hasn't lost its spark, and I hope it never will. Moreover, at the end of the station, there is a basket of in-house potato chips. Sometimes they are regular potato chips, but what elates me even more is when they are Old Bay flavored.

As a Maryland native, Old Bay seasoning has always been a staple in my family kitchen. From seasoning shrimp to Brussels sprouts, Old Bay seasoning somehow finds its way into anything and truly has the power to enrich the savoriness of any food. However, its role goes beyond seasoning food. Even just the smell of it has the ability to transport me back in time to summer moments when I am indulging in crabs after a long day spent at the beach. My family and I have a tradition of going to Ocean City, which many consider to be the best beach destination in Maryland, though there are not many options to begin with. The water isn't as crystal clear and majestically blue as the water in the Bahamas, but the waves in Ocean City sure know how to make an appearance as they are far from politely crashing to shore. After spending most of the day lying out in the sun and boogie boarding, there is only one perfect way to end off the day: cracking crabs and conversing.

Print newspapers spanning across the table. A whole roll of paper towels positioned at the side of it. Mallets in our hands. We are prepared to feast. Fresh steaming crabs that have been bathing in Old Bay seasoning get poured across the table. Crack, twist, eat and repeat. It is a repetitive act and for the amount of labor put into extracting the meat from these crabs, the meat we find in return is not astonishing. It would be more efficient to order a crab cake and indulge in that to save time and labor and become fuller more quickly as well. However, there is something profound about individually cracking and hand-picking the meat from the crab yourself. The act of doing so slows down time and grounds you in the present moment. I've spent many hours at these restaurants simply cracking and eating crabs while having valuable conversations. It is through these conversations where I feel like I am able to deeply connect with my family and appreciate being able to journey through life with them. These moments have always been the highlight of my summers and will continue to be. For no matter where I may travel I find that nothing compares to an East Coast summer vacation spent with the people I love, crab and Old Bay seasoning.

Catherine Chan is a freshman studying Molecular and Cellular Biology from Potomac, Md. She is a Social Media Manager for The News-Letter. Her column consists of reflections on various moments in her life, from the distant past to the current present, in pursuit of discovering the underlying impact they have on her life's story.