Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
May 9, 2025
May 9, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

Voices

Hopkins is a diverse university where an incredible mix of cultures, academic interests and personalities coexist and thrive. Here is the section where you can publish your unique thoughts, ideas and perspectives on life at Hopkins and beyond.




Balancing the runway and your wardrobe

When it comes to sartorially expressing oneself, there are two tactics that the strategic enthusiast employs.  First, she identifies her charming quirks and current fascinations, and collects statement pieces capable of highlighting her unorthodoxy.  These items may include –but are not limited to—leather fringed batwing tops, white hexagonal shades, and lace-up platform booties decorated with unicorns.  This method essentially involves building what I like to call one’s “fashion repertoire,” or the visual sartorial vocabulary with which one identifies herself at the present moment.


Capturing family memories - and craziness

Even before there were throwback Thursdays on Instagram, looking through old photo albums was always something my family and I ended up doing whenever there was a lull in activity. We must have at least 10 varying sizes of photo albums stacked in the kitchen closet. Every time we flip through the pages full of pictures of when we were all young, my mom and dad recount the stories that went along with a select few.


Side-eyes and Scandal: 10 black girl wins

There is no more depressing time for a black female in the United States than during the months of February and March. The intersectionality of our race and gender smack us in the face for the 28 days of Black History Month as we reminisce on the hardships of being black, followed by the 31 days of reflecting on the struggles faced by women in this country.


Solving stress by going abroad

I trust everyone feels refreshed after a much needed winter break. Over the break I went to see my family and then came back to school to prepare for Intersession. When I got back to campus, I was nervous and excited. Why? Because I was preparing to go to Brazil.



Three takeaways from the 2014 Grammys

It’s that time of year again, that magical span of Sunday evenings where the good viewing public gets to sit back and watch as our favorite artists and entertainers all ceremoniously pat each other on the back. That’s right, it’s awards season.


#BBJHU: Black Hopkins speaks out

Shortly before the Thanksgiving break, the Hopkins Black Student Union tweeted the hashtag #BBJHU encouraging followers to include it in their tweets about what it was like to be black at Hopkins. And thus began a flood of tweets about the awkward, inspirational, hilarious and straight-up depressing tweets from Black Hopkins, a group of black students and alumni who are known for speaking out about the positives and negatives (mostly negatives) of the black Hopkins student’s experience.


Getting hooked on hooking up

In my mind I told him he could have all my favorite songs and entangled thoughts. He could tell me about the most boring days or play with my hair if he wanted. I said I wanted his voice, his dreams, his stubbornness, his morning kisses (and midnight ones, too), his stories, his worries, his passion, his tenderness, heck, his anything at all.


Five ways to fall in love with Lisbon

On All Saint’s Day in 1755, a huge earthquake struck Lisbon, destroying nearly every church in the city. The earthquake, which wiped out an estimated one-quarter of the population, not only destroyed a large part of the city but also greatly damaged the future of the colonial empire.


Jesus walks at Yeezus' hell of a show in DC

A slim silhouette appeared atop Kanye West’s behemoth onstage re-creation of the temple mount, as the instrumental to West’s iconic “Jesus Walks” began to hum in the background. Everyone in the audience knew what was coming next. The figure gingerly descending the mount turns out to be West’s version of Jesus, a reimagining similar to what anyone would think Jesus would look like: tall, thin, long dark willowy hair and an untrimmed beard. Yup, Kanye nailed it.


Being thankful for more than just food

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, mainly because it is the one holiday during which I know that my family will be cooking a feast and we will all sit around and gossip about any and everything. Every year, it reminds me that I should be thankful everyday for the people I have in my life, especially for my truly amazing parents.







Choosing the perfect circle for social support

When I first arrived on campus, I was told that during freshman year I would befriend a large group of people based on extrinsic reasons (we lived in the same building, we had the same classes, etc.), and then towards the end of freshman or sophomore year, we would split up.



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