My first winter at Hopkins

You may have sweat your body weight during Move-In, but enjoy feeling hot while it lasts. Soon, we’ll see the first leaves of fall, the first frost of winter and the long wait for springtime. I’m a Texas girl, and my Christmas dress has short sleeves and falls just to my knees. Like most of the Class of 2024, I also moved to Baltimore in the depths of January. When my friends proposed an excursion to The Charmery, I shivered the entire way there and opted for a hot cocoa instead. While in some ways winter never gets easier, I have found some practices that help me get through the season without feeling dead inside.

How to balance your social and academic life

Classes at Hopkins are hard. They’re rewarding and exciting places to bond with brilliant students and professors — but they're hard. While some homework feels more tedious than others, late nights spent sitting in Brody Learning Commons, eyes glazing over as you open yet another reading, problem set or lecture is a near universal Hopkins experience. 

How to manage your expectations in college

Ivy-covered walls, arched entryways, spirited football games — it’s impossible not to come to college with some of these preconceived notions. But having these imagined visions of college to look forward to isn’t the problem. It’s a matter of how tightly you hold onto them once you get here. 

How to take care of yourself away from home

Hi! Hello! Welcome! I’m going to assume that you’re reading this article because you want to learn some secret, foolproof way to look after yourself now that your everyday life isn't following the same monotonous schedule of school, homework, dinner and bed. 

Vibe checking the buildings on campus

When it comes to course registration, we students are primarily concerned with factors like credit counts, subjects, professors and meeting times. Understandably, venue-related factors (things like interior ambiance or architectural charm) are low-priority.

How to find yourself in college

Walking into my Wolman Hall suite last year, I felt secure in what the coming year would bring. I spent the summer talking to peers on Instagram and Discord, chose my roommate, built a four-year plan and knew what clubs I would join. I was even getting dinner with my soon-to-be best friends that night!

What you need to know about Baltimore

Every year, new Blue Jays flock to the nest of Hopkins, eager to make it home for the next four years. However, it’s important for students to realize that this new home extends beyond campus and into Baltimore City. Like any city, though rich in diversity and culture, Baltimore is riddled with issues that disproportionately impact various communities. As you enter an institution that has played an influential role in shaping the city’s history, educating yourself and becoming aware of the issues plaguing the city are the first steps to popping the infamous Hopkins bubble and making the most of your experience here.

How to hack freshman year

How to make friends after O-Week

The moment I saw my picture and biography on the Hopkins Class of 2025 Instagram account, I instantly began picking the skin of my cuticles (kinda gross, but whatever). I must have sent that paragraph talking about my potential majors and favorite boba flavor to seven people, asking if I came off as personable and charming. Seeing this post made me realize that this is it: This is what will define my fate for the next four years. 

How you can get involved in Baltimore

When you enroll as a Hopkins student, you don’t just happen to live in the city of Baltimore. You are now a resident of Baltimore. Your main focus is to earn that degree, of course, but hopefully you have aspirations to engage with others both on and off campus. In the same way you devote attention to the happenings in your home’s community, you have a responsibility to be respectful and attentive to the city that you will call home for the next four years. This is not only a responsibility; it is also a privilege. 

Small businesses to look out for in Baltimore

Baltimore is a vibrant city full of small, local businesses. When you’re taking a break from classes this semester, consider supporting the many restaurants and shops found throughout the city. Not only will your visit provide you with fun weekend (or weeknight) plans, it’s also an opportunity to explore Baltimore beyond the typical “Hopkins bubble.” Many of these organizations also support non-profit organizations, making your visit a mutually beneficial decision. Below is a list of just some of the countless small businesses found in Baltimore. 

My first date at Hopkins

We had spoken online throughout the fall of my freshman year, and I eagerly anticipated our first in-person meeting. Our idea of a first date was nothing special. Essentially, in an attempt to be somewhat COVID-conscious, he and I planned to meet up on-campus and drink wine in one of the white tents meant for students to socialize in accordance with public health guidelines. (Sharing a bottle of white wine with a stranger is probably not in line with those guidelines... Sorry Hopkins!)

My first kiss (a bad trade)

My first kiss happened in a stuffy, poky bedroom. The room was dark, not unlike a cave. I was on a spring break trip with my new boyfriend at the time, and we shared the same bed in our rental home. The bed, quite dusty, occupied almost the entire length of the bedroom. Beside it was a single-hung window with horrible soundproofing. Throughout the night, I could hear cars zooming past or honking their horns. Not the most romantic setting.

How to overcome imposter syndrome

As a rising junior, I wish I could say that I’ve overcome imposter syndrome and have somehow reached full confidence in my abilities, but of course, I still compare myself to others all the time.

My journey of gender exploration at Hopkins

It was late freshman year when I realized I wouldn’t be able to pass, nor did I want to. On the verge of a crisis, I remember sending a series of panicked texts to my guy friend, asking how I could dress and act more masculine. He responded in confusion and afterward listed the kinds of clothes he wore. However I only felt increasingly alienated, as I’d tried his fashion style before — I had already tried the men’s button-down shirts but could never really “pass.”

Graduating early amid a pandemic

How do you feel about graduating? I have been asked this question almost every day for the past couple weeks leading up to graduation on May 22. To be entirely honest, I am not quite sure how I feel. As someone who is graduating early after three years, with COVID-19 sending me home for almost a year and a half in the middle, I have certainly not had the “traditional” college experience.

Favorite places in Baltimore from '22 grads

For many of us, Baltimore might not have been the first city that came to mind when we envisioned our college life. But after spending four years here, I've grown to appreciate the city and its hidden gems. So, without further ado, here is a list of places in Baltimore that have become favorites for my friends and I:

My ever-changing impression of college

My impression of “college” was a place that determined who you would be, perhaps permanently. This idea haunted me, because I had repeatedly been told that I needed to obtain a certain level of college education in order to start my life right. If not, well, maybe that was it for me. 

A year of bike rides through Baltimore

I think it’s fair to say that everyone lost their minds during quarantine in different ways and dealt with it in different ways. Me? You guessed it — I developed an addiction to lazy bike rides in the Texas sun through my suburban neighborhood.