Yesterday I pulled two huge suitcases out of storage and dumped them on my bedroom floor to begin packing for Hopkins. Since this will be my fourth year packing for school I am hoping it will be the fastest, easiest, and most efficient year I have had packing so far.
First, I know that I need to include a nice selection of warm weather clothes, because Baltimore is ridiculously hot at the end of August and the beginning of September. Since Hodson tends to over aircondition, that means I also have to bring a nice selection of sweaters to wear when I have classes to go to.
Fall at Hopkins is my absolute favorite time--the leaves are changing colors, it's beautiful outside, the air is crisp and the leaves are crunchy, and the brick buildings feel oh so collegiate. Which means jeans, sweaters, fleeces and some t-shirts---because there are always randomly 75 degree days in November.
Hopefully when I go home for winter I can restock a little bit on winter clothing, but most likely I'll bring some of it now, like boots, a hat and gloves, a few scarves and a warm coat. Since I really like going outside, (I'm part of both JHOC and OP the two outdoors clubs on campus) I will also be bringing my climbing gear, hiking boots, super warm sleeping bag, a big orange backpack etc...
I plan on making a big Target trip with my roommates when I arrive to account for my shampoo, toothbrush etc.... but the odds and ends that I always bring from home are pens, because I really like a specific type that I can't seem to find near hopkins, a planner, because that is how I function, a few good books, some pictures to decorate my room with and, of course, my stuffed teddy bear =).
What I'm really excited about (packing's not that exciting), is the first week of Hopkins. Let me warn you if you are an incoming freshman, it's always really crazy. Good Crazy, but REALLY crazy.
I would strongly encourage you to participate in a good handful of the Orientation activities, because, although they may sound lame, they may be really cool, but you'll definitely meet friends going to the events.
I would also strongly encourage getting to know the campus a little bit. My freshman year I only took the time to learn the buildings that I had classes in (Hodson and Gilman), so I was a little bit directionally challenged. (I also knew where Shriver, the Library and Levering were). However, when someone would say, "oh, I'm outside of Barton, come meet me" I had to admit that I had no idea what the buildings on my campus were actually called. This made training to be a tour-guide both a valuable and really really hard experience for me.
Another great event is the Activities Fair. All of the clubs on campus go out and set up booths. They let students know what they do and recruit new members. Since I am a happy member of a handful of groups (JHOC, SARU, OP, etc....) I get to help work at the fair. But it is always a great opportunity to see what is out there that might interest you. Freshman year I think I joined 15 groups, and while I didn't go to every single meeting, I did get to pursue all of my interests before narrowing it down.
I am really excited for moving into my new Apartment!! And I am sure you are all equally excited about moving into dorms; I would encourage you to get to know the people on your floor for a few reasons. The first is that they are right there and probably want to meet people too. The second is it can be a great friends group (oh my 6th floor friends). And the third, the most pragmatic, is that if your next door neighboors are throwing a dance party at 3am on a tuesday night and you have an exam the next day, they will be a lot more willing to listen to you if they like you, or at least know you, then if you are that weird quiet kid who never says hi in the elevator... just a thought.
I am also excited for classes! Classes are really exciting the first 2 weeks of class, and then they become significantly less fun (ie. "ugh now I have 200 pages of reading for my class that once I thought was really cool, but since I have to read 200 pages by tomorrow, now it kind of sucks."). However, those first few classes, amazing. You get to figure out which classes you want! Shop around, take 8 classes or so, narrow it down to a nice healthy 15 or so credits and enjoy...
But honestly, what I am most excited about is seeing all the people at Hopkins that I love and miss. All the people who I never even knew existed 3 years ago, but have become my closest and best friends.
Good luck in the fall!!! Have fun, be safe, enjoy the sunny, sticky, hot days of August and really, do yourself a favor and learn the names of the buildings ;)
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