Julia's Journal

Hopkins and Why You Should Come Here

Alright, so I have never been one for imposing beliefs on other people but this is an exception.  It's about to be my senior year and that means I only have one year left to make the case for why Hopkins was the school for me and why it just may be the school for you too. So perhaps a list is the best way to go.  I have a few reasons I'm going to start with in this entry but I'll be adding to the list as the summer goes on. 

REASON #1: Gilman Hall, Version 2.0

Gilman Hall is the center of the Hopkins campus and is, by far, the most recognizable building on campus since it bears the famous clock tower that you see in most Hopkins publications. It is also the oldest building on campus and was home to the library before the main one you see today was constructed. So clearly Gilman is a storied element of Hopkins history.  It is also the center for all humanities studies on campus.  History, Writing Seminars, English, Anthropology, etc. all have their offices in Gilman.  This is a picture of what Gilman looks like now (Version 1.0, let's say):

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Now on to the interesting part.  It is only right that the first building on campus should become the first green building on campus.  A bastion of our past also becomes the symbol of Hopkins moving into the future--fitting, no? Gilman Hall is currently under massive renovation and will soon be a certified green building as well as home to our Archaeological Museum and will, once again, house our humanities departments.  The center of the building will be an atrium with glass walls where students can work, hang out, meet with classmates and professors, etc.  The only thing that makes me sad is that I won't be here to enjoy it--the construction is due to finish after I graduate.  But as a humanities/social science student, I couldn't be happier to leave here with the knowledge that Hopkins is only expanding its already incredible humanities opportunities.  Maybe the humanities at Hopkins won't get their own documentary/reality show yet (like Hopkins Hospital does!) but you gotta start somewhere!  These are pictures of the new Gilman (Version 2.0):

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I can't wait to come back to visit and see that after it's finished!

REASON #2: Money, money, money, money,MONEY!!

What university receives more federal funding for research than any other in the United States?

We do.

Who wants to do research in college? (*I'm talking about you, premeds.)

You do.

A match made in heaven, if I can say so myself.

As you might expect, a fair sum of that money goes toward research in the sciences, especially at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Whereas at many schools lab positions are only open to upperclassmen, Hopkins has such a wealth of opportunity, that there are many positions open for sophomores and even freshmen.  This is obviously a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in the sciences and particularly for those of you looking to continue on to medical school.  However, when I say research I am not just talking about the sciences.  More and more of this money is being given to social sciences and humanities departments to fund projects done by both faculty members and students alike.  Being able to do your own research isn't always common for undergrads so we'll put this one in the pro column for Hopkins!

Here are some examples of ongoing and past research projects being conducted by Johns Hopkins institutions:

• $1 million from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) for the JH School of Public Health to work with the National Volunteer Fire Council to find the obstacles that hinder the implementation of health and wellness programs for firefighters.  You can read about it here.
• $5 million from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) for Johns Hopkins Medical School to conduct research on sickle cell disease.  You can read about it here.
• Grants from various corporations and agencies (such as Baltimore Gas and Electric, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin) to senior Mechanical Engineering majors for their senior design projects.  A list of this past class' projects can be found here.
• $17,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities to a Hopkins professor to prepare a book focusing on cultures that are connected by the Atlantic Ocean.  You can read about it here.
• A grant from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (a federal agency) to an Anthropology professor for the study "An African Understanding of Economies in Turbulence."

Now, maybe none of those interest you.  Ok, fair enough.  But, here's the thing.  If education is a product, then universities are the brands.  Brands certainly come with their connotations and you always want to purchase something from the best brand out there.  That said, you always want a brand with which you are associated to appreciate in value, even if you are not the direct cause of it.  It's like an investment--if you are a shareholder in the corporation you work for, you'll be happy to see the stock value rise even if your work wasn't the reason for it.  My point is, picking a university is like getting stock options.  You may not want to do the big work to make the value rise, but you'll certainly benefit from it in the long run.  With a school like Hopkins, that value is always rising and you won't ever suffer for being branded as a Hopkins grad. 

While the bang-for-your-buck argument may not be the most insightful, you have to admit it's true!

REASON # 3: Urban Setting

Broadly speaking, there are three types of college campus settings: urban--no campus, urban--with campus, and suburban/rural. Whether you are from a large city or a rural town, I think an urban environment is the most advantageous setting for a college education. A suburban/rural area can be very isolating.  My close friends from high school who attended small colleges that were far from cities found themselves always trying to go to the nearest city for both entertainment and internship opportunities.  In one case of a friend of mine, she transferred as a junior to a much larger urban school.  My friends from smaller suburban schools all agree that they are interesting and entertaining for the first two years but the novelty wears off after that.

I don't mean to disparage suburban schools entirely (although anyone who knows me can tell you how I really feel about the suburbs--I am a native New Yorker).  The degree of opportunity and diversity that is found in an urban environment really does exceed that which can be found in a more isolated area. Clearly, that is true in terms of entertainment off-campus like restaurants, concerts, museums, etc.  More importantly, however, it is true with regard to professional opportunities.  Even a smaller city like Baltimore has exponentially more internship and job opportunities than any suburban school. I have found that Hopkins' proximity to Washington, D.C. is an incredible advantage.  Baltimore living is great (and cheaper!) and you can just hop on the commuter rail and go to work in D.C.  Tons of Hopkins students complete internships in D.C. both over the summers and in the school year. 

I noted two different types of urban schools above: those with a campus and those without one.  Hopkins falls into the former category since we are located right in the heart of Baltimore city but we have a beautiful campus that is completely set off from the streets.  There are a number of city schools that don't have the luxury of a real campus and instead just have a set of buildings throughout a whole neighborhood.  Having a campus that is it's own entity really offers a sense of cohesion that you can't get in an urban school that is set up in a more fragmented way.  And, besides, how can you resist a campus this pretty!:

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Back when I was a freshman...

Since I'm now officially a senior, I guess it's time for me to impart you all with my sage words of wisdom before I depart the Hopkins blogosphere for good. 

The summer before I started at Hopkins was hands down one of the best of my life--I had a great job on a local campaign and met people who are still my close friends today.  I was having such a great time at home that I surprised myself a bit when I was actually nervous to leave for school.  I got my email address and, obviously, my facebook account around late June (back in my day there was none of that facebook for high school nonsense!...haha just kidding)  I remember seeing all these Hopkins kids writing on each other's walls and making plans to meet up in Central Park, etc. and I was so freaked out that they would all be best friends by the time we got to school.  The reality is, most of those people talked maybe once during orientation and never again.  I understand the urge to meet everyone over facebook and that's fine but if you're like I was and that just freaks you out--don't worry, you will find so many great people once you get here! Take the summer to appreciate your friends and family at home and don't stress too much about college. 

Looking back, I can't believe I was ever scared to come here.  Both academically and personally, Hopkins has been an incredibly enriching experience.  Right now, you can't even begin to imagine what is in store for you.  And having all your friends from high school go through the same thing is so exciting.  Thanksgiving break is going to be filled with everyone's crazy stories from school! I love hearing about my friends' experiences at other schools, it's interesting to compare what we thought was going to happen to us in school with what really did.  My best friends from high school (and, in my case, since kindergarten because I went to the same school k-12) are in so many ways the same people they have always been but are also really different.  Everyone really comes into their own in college since we all have the time to take what we learned growing up and apply it to our new lives in a unique environment.  Anyways, my point is, you are all in for quite a journey, it's really exciting!

In other news, my summer is going extremely well!  I am here in Baltimore living at school and working in Washington, D.C.  The commute is not nearly as bad as I had feared.  It's about 1 hour and 15 minutes door-to-door.  I take the Hopkins bus to Penn Station where I catch the MARC train commuter rail to Union Station where I get the red line of the D.C. metro and get out at Dupont Circle--it's become pretty much an automatic routine.  I am working for the second time as a research intern for the Brookings Institutions' department of Governance Studies.  Not only do I learn a tremendous amount from my job but I also have the opportunity to go to amazing events with speakers like Thomas Friedman, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, and Senator Chuck Hagel.  Other than that, I am starting to work on research for my senior thesis which is proving to be a difficult process to start--there is just so much information to go through!  sheesh, I definitely have my work cut out for me!

Post any questions you have about what to pack for school, what to buy now, what you should hold off on, anything like that in the comments!

So if junior year is over, does this make me a SENIOR?

When did THAT happen?  It's time to take a look back at the entries from my third year here at Hopkins. 

Greetings from Washington, D.C.!  My first post from my semester living and working in Washington on the Hopkins Aitchison Public Service Fellowship.  I absolutely loved getting the chance to live in D.C.  It's a great city and I would highly recommend the Hopkins program.
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Don't Worry, Be Students I am an avid New York Times reader and this entry is an examination of an article that appeared on college stress among high schoolers.  I imagine some of you may be able to relate!

Someone's Trash is Someone Else's Furniture An entry recounting my adventure with one of my D.C. roommates to find discarded furniture on the streets of our neighborhood.  As they say, finders keepers! *
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B ack to the Future A look at some of the friends I have made over my years at  Hopkins. I missed them all while I was away for the fall semester but it was nice to get to look forward to seeing them upon my return.  **
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Another One Bites the Dust Here, I reflect on my time in Washington over the course of the fall semester. 

21 And Invincible  Winter Break: my birthday and the Iowa primaries--two very exciting events!

College Counseling My commentary on a NYT article on college counseling. 

General Insanity The first week of each semester is always really really busy and this past spring semester was no different.  I definitely needed a nap.

  Yes We Can!  Obama visits Baltimore and it's time for a new class of Alpha Phis!

The Good Old Days? If there is one thing that infuriates me it is when older people doubt the abilities of our generation.  So it wasn't surprising when I hated this recent Times article about how college is no longer the bastion of radical change that it used to be.

JHU Julia Favorites Self explanatory-- my favorite things. This was a common entry done by all the bloggers.

Practical Applications  My entry about learning something in my Data Analysis class that I could actually apply to the real world. 

Hopkins Cribs! Another common blog, we all showed our dorm rooms/apartments.  Here is mine!
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Fast. It's not for everyone.  Homecoming 2008 vs. University of Maryland (we won!)

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.  Using Yogi Berra's words of wisdom, it's time to start thinking about senior year (uh oh).
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Spring Fair A look at Spring Fair 2008.  Spring Fair is usually everyone's favorite weekend at Hopkins, there is always so much fun stuff going on from concerts to carnival food.

Senior Thesis--the real deal Why I chose to write a senior thesis.  Let's hope this works out!

No goodbyes just see-you-laters I hate saying goodbye to people, especially good friends but it's finally time to bid the Class of 2008 farewell and rise to senior status myself.

No Goodbyes, Just See-You-Laters

Last Thursday, I had my first experience attending a JHU Commencement ceremony.  I never felt close enough to the seniors to warrant going in other years.  Not to mention, I had always gotten kicked out of my dorm prior to graduation and so I was always home by then.  This year, however, I thankfully was not subjected to the university housing schedule since I live off-campus now.  I had always ended up with an exam in the last possible time slot and usually only had about 12 hours to pack up my entire dorm room.  It was certainly a nice change this year to be able to hang around my apartment with no move-out stress.  After finishing my exams and celebrating my roommate's birthday, I headed home to New York City for a few days but had to return with the sad task of saying goodbye to all my senior friends. 

The really crappy thing about college is that change isn't gradual.  It's instantaneous.  One minute you are hanging around at the same old places with your friends and the next minute, it's time to go out onto the real world.  I sat during the commencement ceremony with my friend Kristin's family and her boyfriend.  He and I read through the (many many) names in the program and I turned to him and said, "I just noticed--all my friends are graduating!" I mean, clearly I have friends from my own year and in the years below me but so many of my closest friends were seniors this past year.  I was so proud to see them walk across Homewood Field in their caps and gowns (most of their caps were flying away in the wind!) but I was so sad to see them go.  I found it was hardest to say goodbye to the people I was friends with but not terribly close to.  With all my closest friends, the goodbyes seemed more like a formality since we have plans to see each other again in the near future and I know that even if some of them move across the world, I will still keep in touch with them.  But it was hardest to say goodbye to those who I am really just acquaintances with but who I love spending time with even so. These are people who I really like but wouldn't ever make plans with on my own since most are people I know through mutual friends. The thought of not necessarily being able to keep in touch with them was definitely sad. 

I think an important lesson about college is not to forget your own class. It's definitely important to have friends in the years above you since they can really guide you through school.  However, especially this past year, I spent so much time with seniors that I really lost sight of a lot of my friends from my own class and below.  All year my few friends and I were "the juniors,"  as the group of seniors we hung out with lovingly referred to us.  They included us in whatever they did, we went on spring vacation to Mexico with them, and we practically lived in their houses.  When my three closest junior girl friends and I crashed a "Senior Week" event, people barely even noticed we were not really supposed to be there.  Somehow, a combination of friends, boyfriends, acquaintances, classmates, fellow leaders in student groups, etc. all lead you to the group of friends you end up with, and even though it seems like all of mine left me for the real world, I could not be more proud to call a group of people my friends.  They are working in Washington think tanks, New York investment banks, going to law school, to the London School of Economics, doing research in labs, working in law firms...I could go on! I've learned so much from them and I can't wait to hear their stories from the much-feared real world.   During his commencement speech, William Nye (aka Bill Nye the Science Guy) said: "Everyone in the world knows something you don't."   So I guess this means I should pick smart friends!  Just kidding.  But, seriously, I appreciated that idea that you can learn something from every single person you meet.  So, here's to great friends and to actually being a senior myself now!!  (I am secretly hiding under the covers about that...)

And my blog will no longer be picture-less after I get back to Baltimore where I left my camera's connector cord...so check back for commencement pictures later.

Senior Thesis--the real deal.

Of all the rash, last-minute, only half-thought-out decisions I have made throughout college, this one may be the winner. 

I recently embarked on the long journey of writing a senior thesis in political science (my major).  You're probably thinking, but she's only a junior, why is she starting now?  Welcome to the world of thesis writing--all the set-up, pre thesis work like picking a topic, finding an adviser, etc. has to be done during your junior year so you are all set to go during senior year.  I think it is going to be an interesting process, I can only hope that I will learn a lot, but the bottom line is that I am basically terrified for it.  A thesis is typically 50-100 pages and is heavily research based.  I've never written anything of that length but I've convinced myself that I am up for the challenge. 

When I told my friends I decided to write a thesis, I was met with strange looks followed by "Why? Are you insane?"  Questions of my sanity aside, I do actually have a reason why I chose to do this.  First of all, I actually like writing.  I like to think I'm decently good at it and since people enjoy doing what they are good at, I've never really minded writing papers.  Secondly, (on a more pragmatic note) it is really the only way to graduate with honors in political science--something I hope to achieve.  Thirdly, (and this is the real reason) I've learned a lot throughout college during all my classes but I really don't have a sense of ownership of anything I have done here academically.  I wanted to write a thesis so that when I graduate, I can point to something and say--"See? I did that.  It wasn't an assignment, I picked it myself.  I chose to do this, and I put my heart into it."

However, in addition to my own personal reasons, I also kind of got a sense that among political science/IR majors, a thesis was just what you did once you became a senior--it wasn't out of the ordinary but more of an expectation.  I don't mean that everyone in the department writes theses because that's not true, but there was a sense that it was something you should push yourself to do.  If nothing else, Hopkins is really about pushing yourself.  It's definitely not a school that holds your hand, but that's what I like about it.  It forces you to look beyond your initial expectations for yourself and reset the goal posts.  There are many helpful resources here that the school offers but it is your responsibility to find and use them.  I think sometimes this is regarded as a weakness of a school but I honestly think it is one of Hopkins' biggest strengths.  There is no one to hold your hand and guide you in the real world so it's probably best you learn how to help yourself during college.  Like Roxi said in her post a few weeks ago, Hopkins students are not here to waste their time.  We all come here to excel so we can do something great later in life.  I don't know anyone who just wants a run of the mill boring job.  Everyone here wants to do something exciting and inspiring and sometimes you have to work hard to get there.  College is definitely fun but there are definitely times when you have to hunker down and get to work!

As a side note, you may be wondering what I'm writing my thesis on.  Even I am a little vague on the details right now but I've got a rough framework.  I am writing about the United States' use of extraordinary rendition to transfer suspected terrorists to secret prisons (usually in North Africa and that area).  I had no clue what the term "extraordinary rendition" meant until a few months ago but by the time this is all over, I think I will know more than I ever wanted to about it!  I thought it was a topic that not enough people know about considering how....well, shady it is. 

I'm not entirely sure how I will use it once it's written but it will certainly be useful when I eventually apply to graduate school. In the end, I know I'll be happy Hopkins gave me the chance to conquer both the mundane and the scary experiences.  Who knows--maybe its something else to be dug up during my confirmation hearing (I wish...).  Like June Cash said, "I'm just trying to matter."

Spring Fair!

So I know my entries have not really focused on academics recently but just a little more about fun stuff and I've got a great academically minded post coming up after this one. 

This weekend was the ultimate weekend of every Hopkins spring: Spring Fair!!!

For those who don't know, Spring Fair is Hopkins' big carnival-esque weekend that happens every year.  They start planning over the summer before and the final product is always amazing.  This year was, I think, the best year yet.  Friday and Saturday were great weather but Sunday was really gross out unfortunately.  The interesting thing about Spring Fair is that it draws a big crowd from the Baltimore community.  There are rides for kids and a petting zoo so a lot of families come from the area. 

My favorite part of Spring Fair this year was the Thursday night kickoff which was a brand new event.  Usually the kickoff has been pretty low-key and not very well attended but this year it was amazing!  (I'm also really sad I didn't bring a camera, that was stupid.)  The brand new event was that they did a huge fireworks display that lasted about 10 minutes--it was awesome.  Seriously, I was so impressed--everyone was there.  I mean, everyone.  It was packed!  The fireworks were set off from the new Decker Quad so everyone gathered outside Levering Hall where there was music playing, a flame-thrower show, and $1 beers provided by PJ's Pub (which is on Charles Street) for those who are 21.  It was a great start to a great weekend!

Friday night is always concert night.  This year the performers were Bone Thugs n' Harmony and Reel Big Fish.  Sadly, I couldn't go this year but it was a great show, according to those who
went.  They played outdoors on the Lacrosse practice fields  which must have been amazing.  Usually the concert is inside in the rec center but the move outdoors was a great idea. 

Saturday and Sunday are great for walking around and enjoying the fair. I'll take you on a little walk through the fair with some of the pictures I took.The upper quad is filled with different vendors selling jewlery, books, random  knock-off handbags, all things like that. 

The freshman quad has a ton of food vendors--chicken on a stick, fried oreos and funnel cake, pad thai, gyros, and my personal favorite: crab cake sandwiches!   There's a lot of vendors from local restaurants and they'll usually give you discount cards to use if you go to the restaurant--not a bad deal. 

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Check out the fried oreos!  Those are always a Spring Fair favorite.

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Finally, the President's garden (right outside President Brody's house) is where the Beer Garden is (for those of age, of course).  I have to say, I was pretty happy to finally be 21 this year!  Just follow the arrow, and you're there! All the tables in the beer garden are run by various student groups that sign up for it and the vendors cut them a share of the profits so they get to raise money for their organization at the same time.  For example, Johns Hopkins Tutorial Project had a table to raise money, as did Student Council, JHU Students for Choice and many others. 
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Another component of Spring Fair is the involvement of student groups.  Many groups get booths so they can fund raise either for their organization or for charities. Alpha Phi paired up with Alpha Delta Phi (one of the fraternities on campus) to raise money for our national philanthropic organization--Cardiac Care.  We built a see-saw (literally built it--our VP of Marketing is a civil engineer, she figured the whole thing out!)  and had a 72-hour teeter-totter where the goal was to have someone on the see saw at all times and we asked passers-by for money to keep the see-saw going.  We also sold balloons and painted faces for the many kids at the fair.  My roommate's a cappella group, The Vocal Chords, ran a crepe stand where you could choose from a variety of add-ins and toppings and they would make a delicious crepe for you.  The crepes were great and all the money will go toward the making of their newest CD. 

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It was so nice to have an amazing and relaxing weekend in the (mostly) gorgeous weather before it's time to hunker down for finals (ugh).  Next time, I will tell you all about the beginning of my newest journey--senior thesis.  You may be thinking, oh but she's only a junior; it's a little early to start your senior thesis.  Oh, if only it were so.  More on that soon!

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

Growing up half-Italian in New York City endowed me with a love of many things like great pasta and parmesan cheese but above all else, I came to love the New York Yankees, especially Yogi Berra (even though he clearly played before my time!).  He always had great sayings that seemed incredibly silly and even stupid but were, nonetheless, universally true.  (My favorite: "No one goes there anymore--it's too crowded!")

But perhaps Yogi's wisest saying is, "if you come to a fork in the road, take it."  I agree that this basically makes no sense but I always took it to mean something like, "Quit whining and just pick a direction--no choice you make is going to be that bad.  In the end it all works out."

Anyways, I promise I have a point to this rambling...
Registration for the fall semester started on Monday and I was really happy to get to register first as a rising senior because I could get all the smaller classes I want.  Except, it also means that I am going to be a senior. 

I mean, I can't say I'm not excited to be a senior but I'm also mildly freaked out.  It's one of those things where your immediate reaction is to hope to move back in time.  If only you could just be a freshman again, everything would be so easy.  Much like when you got to high school and you just wanted to go back to kindergarten.  And while I definitely miss institutionalized nap-time, you always still have to move forward. You know that no matter how badly you want to go back, you've come so far that the idea of doing it all over again is absurd. 

I don't think the fear of going to the next phase of life is scary because you don't want to deal with it.  I think it has more to do with the fear that at the end of your current phase, it will feel like a colossal let-down.  There's always that question of whether you did all the things you wanted to do. 

In my case--did you have the perfect college experience?  Obviously, no one has the perfect college experience.  There's always stupid (or embarrassing) things we do, assignments we screw up, events we should have gone to, on and on and on.  But it is what it is. 

I don't mean to sound pessimistic.  I know that when I walk across the stage in a year and get my diploma, I will be happy with my college experience.  I've done so many things here and I actually learned a lot (honestly, I was always skeptical of the practical educational value of college--I've been pleasantly surprised).  Most of all, I've met amazing people! I know I will stay in touch with my closest Hopkins friends. 

The weirdest part is that somewhere in between all the classes, studying, student group meetings, parties, coffee breaks, concerts, musicals, nights spent working until 3am and nights spent with friends until 3am, you begin to craft a life for yourself.  When I leave Hopkins, I will most certainly not be the same person that I arrived as freshman year nor will any of my friends be the same people I met during Orientation. 

I got asked at the Open House this past week if I felt that I had gotten a typical college experience at Hopkins.  My answer: DEFINITELY!  Hopkins is fun, challenging, and engaging.  I'm sad I only have one year left but I can't wait to see where it all goes from here.

Like President Bartlet says in the West Wing: What's next?

Fast. It's not for everyone.

Life is just kind of slow if you are a terrapin. 

The UMaryland terps had no chance of catching up to the Hopkins blue jays yesterday at the homecoming lacrosse game.  We beat them 10-4!!! The team has, unfortunately, not been doing as well as usual this year so it was great to see them turn it around and beat Maryland (one of our bigger rivals) at homecoming.  The crowd at Homewood Field yesterday was an amazing 8,626 people! That's huge!!  And it was broadcast on TV as usual so the TV audience isn't even accounted for in that number.  There were so many alumni back this year with their families or with their friends from Hopkins...it was really cool to get to talk to some of them and hear their homecoming memories from when they were students. 

One of my favorite parts of Homecoming is the Alpha Phi alumni barbecue that we have every year before the game.  A lot of our alumni came back from classes of 2003, 1998, etc.  (This year, classes ending in 3s and 8s had reunions) We got to talk to them about what they remembered about Alpha Phi and where they had gone after college.  There were lots of burgers, hot dogs, cookies, and one of our seniors, Michelle, made the best cupcakes I've ever had.  After the bbq, we all headed over to the game together.  Usually every year we have people go ahead and save us a big section of seats so all the APhis can sit together but I guess we kind of forgot that this year so we had to sit separately which was kind of sad. 

We also got great Homecoming shirts this year!  All four sororities get special t-shirts for Homecoming every year and it sort of becomes like a competition to see who has the best ones.  This year ours were the best (obviously). 

They were bright blue and the design on the back was a play on the Comcast "Slowskys" commercial with the turtles. This is the design we had (on the left).  And clearly we were right--blue jays totally beat terrapins!*

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My Alpha Phi family in our matching homecoming shirts:

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And the lacrosse team! Yay for beating Maryland!!

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Well, the weather yesterday was far to beautiful to get any work done so it's time to get cracking! Until next time...

That time of year again!

To the Hopkins Class of 2012, a big CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Seeing as how decisions were sent out on April 1st this year, I think the entire admissions office should be lauded for refraining from what could have been by far the cruelest (ok...it would be a bit funny) April Fools joke of all time. 

Subject Line: "Congratulations from the Johns Hopkins University!"
Email Body Text:  "APRIL FOOLS! We regret to inform you..."

Oh man, that would just be mean.

This year was really really REALLY competitive so give yourselves an extra pat on the back.  I hope that you will all take advantage of the Open Houses to which you all should have received an invitation.  Unlike today when it is gloomy and rainy (I, of course, left the house without an umbrella because I'm smart like that...) it is almost always nice weather for the open houses and Hopkins looks amazingly beautiful in the spring.  Stay overnight if you can or just come for the day--there are tours, housing tours of dorms, free breakfast and lunch (!!!), meetings with professors from every major, classes you can visit, on and on and on.  There is also the Ask A Student table where you can meet us lovely bloggers (if I do say so myself)!  We can answer any of your questions or guide you in the right direction to what you are trying to find. 

This is definitely an exciting time for all of you.  Whether you have made your decision or not, it's still really cool to have the ability to choose where you will be living and learning for the next four years.  Clearly, Hopkins should be an easy choice! 

No, but really, usually it isn't an easy choice and I'm sure some of you have great schools that have offered you admission.  My only sage words of advice are: don't think too much about it.  I'm serious, don't think too much about it.  Because then you get into the pro-con columns and the where mom and dad and siblings want you to go and where your friends want you to go and where your teachers think you should go.   Block it out. 

Where do YOU want to go?  I mean, it's your life!  They may all think they have the best choice for you but your family / teachers / friends don't have to go to school--you do!  You'll know it. 

When you step on the campus of the school where you belong (it doesn't even have to be Hopkins), you will know.  It's a great feeling--that's what I felt when I came to campus in April of 2005 and it's the same way I feel every day when I walk onto campus.  This was definitely the place for me.  It might be the place for you too.  If it is, I hope to see you in the fall!

So to all the new blue jays, welcome home!

HOPKINS CRIBS: Marylander Apartments (Off-Campus)

Welcome to the third annual edition of Hopkins CRIBS!!

Even though I live off-campus now, you can still read my entries from freshman and sophomore years (Building A and Charles Commons respectively).  Check those out here:

Building A

Charles Commons

This year I moved off campus after returning from my semester in Washington, D.C. and I love my new apartment!  My building is called The Marylander and it is about 2.5 blocks from campus, one block from Tamber's Diner, 2 blocks from the JHU Barnes and Noble Bookstore / Starbucks, and three block from Eddie's supermarket.  As you can see, living off campus is just as convenient as living on campus. 

In some ways, I consider it more convenient in terms of being able to furnish / decorate the apartment as I see fit and being able to stay in the apartment over breaks and the summer.  One of the biggest hassles of college is having to pack up all your stuff at the end of each year and move it back in at the beginning of the next.  Another annoying thing about university housing is that the dorms close immediately after the last day of exams so if you are like me and you always end up with an exam in the last time slot, you are forced to pack and study all at the same time. When you move off campus, you are not subject to all these little rules which makes life that much easier.  And since I will be living in Baltimore / working in Washington this summer, I love that I can just live in my apartment instead of applying for campus housing. 

Anyways, enough of my rambling...on to the tour!!

Below are pictures of the view from my window, the living room (twice)

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Ok, ok, ok.  I lied.  Those are pictures from my hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where I spent last week for spring vacation.  If only that was my real view!  I went with a group of Hopkins students for break and it was so much fun and so warm.  I would totally live there if I could..

But back to reality. 

Welcome to my two-bedroom apartment that is not quite as warm but just as comfortable as my room from Mexico! I live with my roommate Frances who I have lived with since back in the day freshman year.

Here is our front hall with three (!) closets (we have a lot of closet space)

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Next is our little foyer area, I guess that's what you would call it.  We have a little table in it with a tray for our keys and a place for bills that we need to pay.  It is very sophisticated and adult of us (sort of)...

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To the left, is our kitchen which is a little narrow but fully functional.  Since I live off campus, I am not on a meal plan anymore so we use our kitchen a ton to make lunch and dinner.  I was a little wary of being responsible for my own meals since I'd gotten so dependent on the dining halls for my food but I love being able to cook whatever I want. 

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If you walk through the kitchen, you get to the dining room.  Usually we eat dinner at the coffee table in the living room because we're probably in the middle of an episode of Law and Order (we're both obsessed) or watching MSNBC/CNN since we're both totally preoccupied with the elections. However, our dining table is really cute and it's nice to use when we have people over for dinner. 

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Our living room is nice and spacious with tons of room to store extra stuff (like all the boxes of Alpha Phi merchandise that are currently living in my house...)  I spend most of my time in the living room since I usually keep my computer there instead of in my bedroom. 

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Down the hall is the bathroom, followed by Frances' room to the right and my room to the left.

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Here is my room! I actually rented all my furniture which is a great idea because it's not too expensive and you can have them take it all away when you move out instead of being stuck trying to sell it to people.

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Thanks for coming on my tour of my house!!!  I love living here--if you have any questions about moving off campus, ask in the comments section or on the message boards.