For a while during my first semester of college, I could not separate Mondays from Tuesdays, Tuesdays from Wednesdays, Wednesdays from Thursdays and so on. My days were a blur of class, some form of lunch from Charles Street Market, studying, dinner and then more studying until midnight at minimum.
You might be thinking, “Writing is not for me, so why would I become a student journalist?” I said the same thing years ago. Then, my path crossed with The News-Letter’s, and I don’t think any other experience could have gained me the same skillset or community. At our paper, we always have something for you.
Out of the one or two things I learned about college, probably none of them prepared me for the unique obstacles that international students face. Just because I had to figure everything out alone doesn’t mean you have to. So, here are a couple of things I learned.
College is a transformative time in many people’s lives, and a major aspect of this experience is the people you befriend. However, making friends can seem intimidating when you first step on campus. Here are some things to keep in mind to help you as you begin this chapter of your life.
The amazing thing about Hopkins is the breadth of options. Whether you’re setting foot on the courts for your first Student Involvement Fair or wandering around two years later as a junior, new opportunities will always be available right before your eyes. Clubs provide a unique experience to get involved in countless areas that you may have never imagined.
I really enjoy coffee. I enjoy coffee to the point where I am wholly convinced that I can write about the freshman year experience at Hopkins in the context of the simple drink. So here it is: what I know about freshman year, paired with a nice iced coffee.
Chances are, unless you’re from a major city, you’re not very familiar with public transportation. Growing up in New Jersey, I too had minimal experience with public transportation, but after moving to Baltimore, I’ve learned to navigate and appreciate it. We Hopkins students are afforded a breadth of opportunities and access to a vast network of buses and trains.
When I first moved to Baltimore, I didn’t know where anything was, let alone where to eat. Slowly, through a mix of recommendations, trial and error, and post-midterm cravings, I found a few spots that stuck. Although these might not make up a definitive guide to the city, they've been places I’ve personally enjoyed and keep going back to.
When I first moved to Baltimore, I began to notice the city’s street art but initially reduced it to vandalism — a trademark of crime I had become accustomed to in Chicago. I never expected a symbol of crime to become a window to understand and appreciate culture.
The Sparrows Point Steel Mill, once the largest in the world, was a Baltimore institution that shaped workers’ unions, housing and cultural dynamics in the city for more than 100 years, from 1887 until its final closing in 2012.
Is Baltimore romantic? Perhaps not in the same way Paris is, but there are still soft, rosy moments that can make your heart skip a beat.
My first semester of college was nothing like the made-for-TV movie I’d envisioned. I left my dorm door open like my mom told me to, but nobody stopped by. Students sat six feet apart in the dining hall, and, if you wanted to converse with a stranger, your only feasible solution was to shout.
It’s crazy to think that I’m writing the article that will bring to an end my time at Hopkins. Some of you may relate to this sentiment, but when I was applying to colleges, Hopkins was a dream. As this chapter closes, here are some of the Greatest Hits™ from my time at the Nest!
When I was gearing up for my freshman year of college, I thought I had everything under control. When I laid everything I needed for college out on my bed, I was not afraid. When my mom helped me pack two massive duffels with clothes, books, and enough K-Cup Pods to pollute a small island, I was not afraid.
I had my fair share of misconceptions about college. As a first-generation college student, I thought college was going to be like high school. I didn’t have anyone in my family who went to college to tell me otherwise. I got A’s easily in high school; I coasted through classes that claimed to “prepare” us for college rigor.
It is with a sense of gratitude that I say goodbye to the community and exciting work that made my four years as Photo Editor of The News-Letter so special. Through taking thousands of photos and developing as a storyteller on the Homewood Campus, I am grateful to close this chapter with so many memories.
As a two-year editor for the Arts and Entertainment section of The News-Letter, I’ve received some flack for my approach to art criticism, especially in my coverage of Hopkins events. Though rarely said to my face, I’ve heard that my articles haven’t always been received well by certain student artists.
Dear Yana, I’m writing to you from my favorite couch in my four-person apartment that I share with some of the best friends I’ve ever had. It’s been a harder day than most, but I’ve looked after myself and managed to get some work done — and that’s a win in the university handbook.
I really wanted to make this article not sound cliché. Yet, no matter how hard I tried to avoid the five criteria listed up there, it started to meet all of them. So everyone, buckle up and get ready to be bored. Here is my clichéd farewell letter.
My best friends and I met at a birthday party in sophomore year for a girl named Tina. Did we know Tina? Absolutely not. But there we were, huddled in a stranger’s basement, eating cheap cupcakes. The hours spent laughing together came naturally, almost as if we were supposed to find each other that night.
