My Life Is My Personal Movie

www.pandora.com keeps me sane.

I am a serious creature of habit.  Routines genuinely comfort me.  My need to consistently blog  on Sunday night attests to this addiction.  However, I believe I deserve a gold star for even realizing that today is Sunday.  As Kate, Roxi, and Lauren have mentioned in their respective blogs, finals week is hovering over the Homewood campus.  Although my previous entry chippered about "fun" during this intense time, this year has proved a tad bit different.  My fifth round of Hopkins' finals has presented a novel challenge: an entire week to prepare for THREE back-to-back exams.  Let me tell you, it has been the ultimate challenge of willpower, balance, and endurance.  I have yet to sit through a three-hour exam while a handful of my friends are already home.  Self-pity was definitely knocking on my door all week (especially last night when C-level at the MSE library was completely empty).  I normally do not mesh well with cubicles, but I've been cozy in a cubicle since Tuesday morning.  I have been attending daily study sessions for Nervous Systems (Kate is a member of this fabulous trio/study group).  Despite  the early start on plowing through the auditory and visual systems in this course, I am still nervous about Nervous Sytems.  Although it's my last exam (Wednesday 9am-noon), I have two other exams prior (all day Tuesday).  Overall, however, I am pleased to present a joyful JHU_Stefanie. 

I didn't think I would have any pictures to post tonight, but I do!  Delta Xi Phi had a semi-formal on Monday night.  It was basically celebrating our sixth pillar: FOOD!  P.F. Changs, Panera, and Vacarro's dessert.  It was also fun to get slightly made up, and it served as a kick-off to a week in dirty jeans & a sweater (my comfortable uniform for reading period).  Alas, I must return to my 40+ page outline of Environment and Your Health.  Speaking of which, earlier tonight, I watched a movie for this course in the library titled End of Suburbia: Oil depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream.  I found myself laughing out loud on A-level (of the MSE library, obviously my temporary home).  It really sparked an idea for an independent research (which I hope to jump on next semester quite possibly in the Public Health realm).  Essentially, the video was highlighting the fact that energy is very scarce in the world right now, and the prospects of being able to sustain the current American way of life (i.e. suburbia which leads to automobile heaven) is very doubtful.  There is a lot of chatter about hydrogen being employed as a "solution" to the Earth's deteriorating fossil fuels/natural gases, BUT hydrogen is not a form of energy.  It is a form of storage.  Thus, it requires energy input first (which is kind of a major road block obviously).  Anyway, the movie basically pointed at "new urbanism" as the most effective psuedo-solution.  I was excited about this because I am ALL over small towns.  Local neighbors growing local greens; walkable-everything; kind of going back to the simplicity of life.  Plus, you've all seen Gilmore Girls.  Anyway, I thought I'd share a snippet of my outrageous (yet fascinating) environmental studies. 

P.S. CONGRATULATIONS ED ACCEPTEES! :)

Starbucks & snowflakes join forces to draw in the holidays.

Alas, my musical weekend did not fold out as planned.  Instead, I ventured into the world of Junior High School and went to the mall on Friday night (Towsontown Mall which is brilliantly featured via amazing video on Roxi's journal).  Treasure of the weekend: my new scandalous RED dress which I will be sporting Monday night at the Delta Xi Phi (the multicultural sorority) dinner.  The past week was a  very long week with numerous end-of-the-semester projects and problem sets due.  Thus, I spent the remainder of my Friday night under the covers watching The Number 23 to recuperate.  Movie review: it was psychological, suspenseful, and overall enjoyable.  Jim Carrey doesn't strike me as a warm family guy, but Virginia Madsen is absolutely beautiful.  I am the most annoying movie-viewing partner because I will chatter throughout the entire movie by the way.  That will serve as my public confession (and a warning in advance for SAABers).

Anyway, the first snowfall of the winter season was Wednesday.  I celebrated the pleasant event properly this year with an impromptu snowball fight.  Actually, my boyfriend and I are the culprits who ran all over President Brody's lawn.  Running through untouched snow is such an innocent adrenaline rush.  A gingerbread latte and peppermint mocha kept us warm and really drew in the feeling of the holidays.  Oh, Starbucks.  You hold so much power over the public (but your festive red cups are welcomed by me). 

Saturday is a snapshot of what the next week holds for the Hopkins community: reading period leading into finals' week (yes, it owns the week)!  Although we technically have one more day of classes, the cubicles on all levels were occupied by faithful students on Saturday night.  Laura gives an hour by hour account of her library escapade.  I tend to view the final weeks of every semester as quite exciting because my friends and I really mesh together and plow through the books together on M-level.  This semester, I have an entire week to prepare for my three finals.  Although it sounds glorious, it can be quite dangerous because the new challenge is adaquately allotting time to each class through the large block of time.  I am up for the challenge. 

And I'll end this short blog with that statement: I am up for the challenge.

i ♥ΔΞΦ! (a musical double dose)

I think as the final week of classes quickly progresses, the majority of people are already penciling in events to keep a grip on his or her sanity.  For example, there are a number of events going on this week.  The AllNighters -- the fabulous all male a cappella -- is performing this Friday, December 8th.  This auditorium is guaranteed to be packed for the concert.  Here are two snippets of their beautiful.  This Boys II Men song ("I'll Make Love to You") is such a hit at every single one of their concerts.  And the second video features the boys singing Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" at Elon University's ACAPPALOZA 2007. 

It truly will be a musical week.  In order to alleviate the pressure of final exams, Hopkins graces the University with a wide variety of music (amongst other things).  For example, JHU Gospel Choir Fall Concert is also this week (Sunday, December 9th).  Ketzev, the Jewish a capella, will be hosting their concert on Monday, December 10th. And the JHU Jazz Band & Ensemble Concert is Thursday, December 6th.  Despite the nauseating thought of all the work we individually go through, it's nice to see a school of students come out and support eachother.

I will end this entry with a ridiculous musical note filmed in my room.  This is my boyfriend attempting to make up a song on the guitar (as a complete joke, fyi).  Lazy Saturday nights watching Brother & Sisters (a new favorite show of mine) and baking brownies a la music and fudge royal ice cream.  Plus, our apartment put up its Christmas tree.  Next year, I vote to get a real tree.

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Now we interrupt this blog with a special Hopkins Interactive Advertisement:

The members of Hopkins Interactive recently launched a Facebook group for prospective Johns Hopkins University Students. In the group prospective students can learn even more about Hopkins by looking at pictures, watching movies, accessing quick links to blogs, and more. Members of the group will also get monthly message updates with the newest insider information. To learn about how you can join facebook and/or become a member of the group, check out this message board thread: click here.

As well, we wanted to remind you that each member of the Hopkins Interactive team has their own personal message board thread. These message boards are meant to be a place for prospective students to ask questions directly to current Hopkins students! These threads are organized by area of study. You can explore these personal message boards: click here. So, what are you waiting for? Go explore Hopkins…and while you're at it, send a student a question or even just a friendly hello!

~The Hopkins Interactive Team

Now back to your regularly scheduled blogging ...
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Special pre-Christmas Post: Honor Roll.

To: All the Lovely Readers

From: Stefanie

Dedicated to those who made my Hopkins FABULOUS thus far.

So I decided to grace the end of our last full month with small snippets of amazing people I've met at this fine institution.  As we go into our last week of classes, everyone feels the weight of finals looming around the corner.  But it's so great because we're not alone.  I believe every Hopkins student has this same testimony: the friendships we establish at school really help us get through it all.  So the first person I want to honor (& thank for being in my life):

Winnie T: Academically, this girl is absolutely impressive.  She is one of only two senior Biomedical Engineers who will graduate as a BME/English double major.  But aside from that crazy feat, she is undoubtedly a sweetheart.  We met through Agape Christian Fellowship, and we got to know each other through sharing apartments in the summers.  She's definitely someone I can go to chat about life.  Her interests are so diverse, it actually umbrellas all of my crazy interests.  She was pre-med student, but she is now a pre-law student applying to SAIS (School of Advanced International Studies). 

Carolyn P: I actually met Carolyn on move-in day (during Orientation 2007).  She is a freshman who I got to know through the Hopkins forums.  We got to truly known eachother because she joined the Hopkins Crew team this year.  You would think a Junior would have all of his or her friends in order by year three, but you'd be surprised. I've made so many new friends this year (& I absolutely love it).  Anyway, Carolyn and I always have lunch: Thursdays @ 1pm, Levering (for their famous made-to-order salads).

Gilberto T: I am going to be ridiculously cheesy, and feature my beau.  He is mentioned a lot in Kate's journal because he is the coordinator for OLE Dance Group.  Sadly, I have yet to join him at salsa dance lessons (but I am considering dipping my toes in next semester).  He's my best friend.  What more can I say?

Cindy C: This girl has been my roommate for the past two years.  We've known eachother since  freshman year, and I must say that both of us have lived to see the other change significantly.  She arrived as a BME, but she is now a Public Health & Writing Seminars (minor).  She is no longer pre-med, and doesn't take any science courses outside of the scope of the major.  We're involved in completely different activities at school, so it's nice to come home and catch up on life.  My other flatmate, Eunice, is also a sweetheart.  I'll have to give her the spotlight next time.

Alan L: Anyone who knows this New Yorker, can testify that he is the master of extended conversations.  He is someone you'll want to go out to dinner with every two weeks to just "talk it out".  Even if you don't know him very well, he'll make you feel comfortable.  Alan and I have sporadic dinner dates a la two-hour conversations. 

I will have to continue this newly founded tradition of dedications next month!  There are so many people that deserve such attention (all for very different reasons).  That's what is amazing about this place.  It keeps this fresh.