The downside of Hopkins’ emphasis on research

Why did I come here? This is a question I have been asking myself a lot recently. In a school that produces primarily STEM and Public Health majors, and especially those focused on boosting their track records for medical school, my Political Science major and pre-law aspirations have often felt a little out of place. Even in the world of the humanities, I’m vastly outnumbered by students in programs like the Writing Seminars and International Studies. 

Daniel Sloss embraces being single in his comedy

“My break up tally: Break ups = 20000+; Cancelled engagements = 70; Divorces = 80.”

Discovering new role models here at Hopkins

Pre-Hopkins, whenever I was asked who my role models were, my answer was immediate; almost mechanically, I would respond with, “my mother and Audrey Hepburn.” One from real life who taught me what it is to be both strong and kind, and one who taught me what grace and elegance are but whose character I could only infer from others’ encounters. 

A thank you to the home that theatre has offered me

For the past four years, I have been a part of the student-written, student-directed theater group on campus, Witness Theater. It was the first activity that I participated in my freshman year, and I have written, acted, and directed for them, sometimes all at the same time, ever since. I was even elected the Workshop Coordinator this past year, which means I got to help other students edit and polish their short plays.

Redefining success based on my own needs

We have all heard this story before. What we were in high school and what we imagined ourselves becoming in college. Our reality, unfortunately rarely matches up with our expectations. In high school, my work-load was never enough to fulfill me, so I always did more than the required amount. I debated and I wrote and I took Literature and Math and all of those AP classes that I’m sure half the population at Hopkins took. 

How Spike Lee’s films leave a lasting impact

So the Oscars were somewhat disappointing. Just three years after the #OscarsSoWhite boycott, just two years after the subsequent wave of pushing for more diverse voices in Hollywood began, the Academy has honored Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book with some of the supposedly highest honors Hollywood has to offer. Especially as the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements continue to call on Hollywood to hold sexual assaulters accountable, these wins are pretty upsetting for a number of reasons, though, unfortunately, not all that surprising. 

What do we really mean when we label foods “gross” or “disgusting”?

Sitting down at a miraculously vacant table in the Levering Café during that 12:50 to 1:30 lunch rush, I prepared my defense. “No, it’s totally cooked.” “You eat canned tuna, don’t you?” “Taste it, you really can’t tell the difference.”

Sitting in the “small quiet room” of acceptance

Come each Thursday, I ask my columnists to commit to being vulnerable, to sharing what’s going on in their lives — be it the good, the bad or the ugly — with our readers. Time and time again they surpass my expectations. 

Taking action to fight burnout and establish a sustainable lifestyle

I made a mistake last semester. Despite my terrible experience freshman year, I decided to take three writing-intensive classes again. Moreover, I began working with a new student organization, while doubling down on my commitment to another. Additionally, at my work-study job, a full-time employee was preparing to retire, so I accepted more hours in order to keep everything running smoothly in the office. 

The joy of rediscovering my roots in Southern life

Staying informed before 2020’s presidential election

Exploring the significance behind my English and Korean names as an adult

Call me Elizabeth.

A few tips on how to actively listen to your peers

As a member of A Place To Talk (APTT), a peer listening group on campus, I am very lucky to have learnt how to really listen to others in a way that can help someone tackle almost any problem. This doesn’t mean I can fix every situation that I hear about. On the contrary, APTT’s number one rule is that we do not give advice. 

Hookup culture: empowering, isolating or both?

I am, as my mother would say, a “sensitive person who feels things deeply.” She’s not wrong. I have atopic dermatitis — a fancy medical term for “sensitive deep-feeler.” When I’m upset, a rash breaks out on my arms; when I’m stressed, I get bacne that looks like a topographical map of a piece of pizza. Even when I try hiding my feelings, my skin betrays me. 

Hookup culture: empowering, isolating or both?

It’s 9 a.m., and you’re trying to rush home before anyone sees you in oversized sweatpants and a T-shirt, carrying your clothes from last night. The infamous walk of shame. But why do we label it as shameful? Why do we consider sex shameful? 

Schrödinger’s sexuality: Waiting for that special someone

In seventh grade, somewhere between the classes that neither students nor teachers cared about and the hormone and Axe-filled gym period, we had one hour set aside every week to visit the library. While I’m sure I would have preferred the patented middle school time-waster coolmathgames.com, the presence of our terrifying school librarian forced me to pretend to actually read. 

Saving yourself this Valentine’s Day

In a world governed by social pressure to love and be loved, knowing how to be single is key to your health and that of your relationships. Knowing how to be single can be difficult, though, when surrounded by rom-coms, love songs and Disney-happy-endings.

How dating expectations change in college

The act of dating is complicated, to put it lightly. To text or not to text. To Snapchat or not to Snapchat. To wait a certain amount of time before responding to the text so you seem like you’re not on your phone 24/7 and have a very cool life or to not. These decisions feel monumental in the moment, creating a pressure that other generations just don’t understand.

Learning to move on in real life, and online

Each morning, a Facebook notification arrives at the same time with the same message: “On this day, you have memories with…” That’s usually accompanied by a list of seven people, five of whom I don’t talk to anymore.