A Blue Jay's View 2011-2012: An Insider's Guide to Johns Hopkins

A Blue Jay’s View 2011-2012 An Insider’s Guide to Johns Hopkins

Get the scoop from current students on all things Johns Hopkins.

Visit hopkins-interactive.com

Looking Ahead your guide to the following pages

From the Editors..........................................................................2 Freshman Transitions What to Pack...............................................................................4 Freshman Housing......................................................................5 Moving into College: Hopkins Style.........................................6 Highlights from Orientation 2011............................................7 The Fresh Food Café...................................................................8 Other Dining Options................................................................9 Freshman Year Bucket List......................................................10 Academic Explorations Our Favorite Classes and Professors.......................................12 My Path at JHU..........................................................................14 Study Spots.................................................................................16 Research......................................................................................17 Studying Abroad........................................................................18 Hopkins’ January Term: Intersession.....................................19 Registering for Classes..............................................................20 Charm City Charles Village...........................................................................22 Transportation...........................................................................23 Things to do in Charm City.....................................................24 Beyond Baltimore......................................................................26 Getting Involved Athletics & Outdoor Activities...............................................28 Community Service.................................................................29 Cultural, Political & Publications...........................................30 Performing Arts......................................................................31 Today’s Announcements..........................................................32 Senior Reflections......................................................................33

From the Editors Dear Admitted (and hopefully future) Hopkins Students: Congratulations on your acceptance to Johns Hopkins University!

Believe it or not, all those applications were the easy part of the college process. Now all of you are ready for the hard part: picking the school that is right for you.

Whether you have decided on Hopkins already (good choice!) or are still deliberating over a number of colleges vying for your enrollment, we are here to help make your decision a little easier. Through this guide to life at Hopkins, we hope to shed light on everything from academics to housing and dining to student life and life in Baltimore.

This guide will provide you with important information, personal experiences, and facts about the school that could be perfect for you.

The team behind this Insider’s Guide is comprised of current Hopkins freshmen through seniors who come from all different locales, a variety of backgrounds, and diverse academic perspectives. We have come together to lend our experiences and share with you a real account of what Hopkins is to each of us. This comprehensive guide is honest and candid and is just the type of thing we would have wanted to have to introduce us to Hopkins.

We hope this guide will give you a better understanding of Johns Hopkins as a school and as a community. The Homewood campus is made up of fun, bright, and interesting people and we hope you will choose to become a part of it all. See you in the fall!

Sincerely,

The Editors

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Freshman Transitions

What to Pack

Hopkins Packing List Personal Items - Clothing, enough to last between washes • Athletic clothing • Warm weather and cold weather • Formal wear (i.e. suit) • Sneakers, sandals, dress shoes • Bathing suit and beach towel - Laundry basket/hamper - Hangers - Laundry detergent and dryer sheets - Umbrella and rain gear - Sheets & blankets for XL-twin bed - Pillow - Toiletries - Shower shoes - Shower caddy - Towel and washcloth - Hair dryer

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Electronics - Computer (don’t forget all the cables!)

- Portable fan (especially for the AMRs) - Camera - Alarm clock - Batteries - Cell phone - Power strip Miscellaneous: - School supplies - Sporting goods - Health insurance card - Posters, pictures, & removable adhesive - Photo ID - First Aid kit with medicine and vitamins - Small tool kit

Freshman Housing

Find the perfect dorm for you: AMRs - Community bathroom on each floor - Close to FFC and Rec Center - Social atmosphere Buildings A & B - Air conditioning - Close to FFC and Rec Center - Bathroom in suite - Quiet atmosphere Wolman - Air conditioning - Kitchenette and bathroom in suite - Close to CharMar and shops on St. Paul Check out Hopkins CRIBS tours to help select your dorm: www.hopkins-interactive/cribs/

Moving Into College: Hopkins Style

How to successfully move into your dorm 1) DRIVE UP Arrive on campus and follow the signs to your particular dorm.

2) BE WHISKED AWAY Student volunteers will come to take you to pick up your orientation packet. As your parents wait in the car, student movers will unload all of your stuff into your dorm room.

3) GET YOUR ORIENTATION PACKET In the lobby of AMR I, you will receive your orientation packet along with your keys and student ID (J-card).

4) MOVE IN A student volunteer will lead you to your room, and you can start settling in!

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Highlights from JHU Orientation 2011

Wednesday & Thursday

- 1st RA Meeting - Peer Ambassador Meetings: talk to upperclassmen about life at Hopkins - Playfair: go all out in the gym

Friday

- Adviser Meetings and Open Houses:

talk to students and faculty about academics

- Barbeque on Lower Quad - Sexcapades: prepare to laugh - Blue Jay Ball

Saturday

- Freshman Book Discussion - 24/7 Programs: hear about service opportunities, finding a campus job, staying healthy, and more - Comedy Show

Sunday

- Alcohol Awareness Programs - Convocation: official induction into the class - Banner Walk: watch the unveiling of the class banner

The Fresh Food Café campus dining hall with “all you care to eat” dining

Late Night, which runs from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. (except on Fridays!) has all the breakfast food, fruit, etc. for all of your midnight munchies!

Swing by after a workout at the Rec Center or after a study session in the library with friends.

FFC Favorites:

-vegetarian station -sandwich and salad bar -freshly squeezed orange juice -make-your-own sundaes -panini station -Belgian waffles -homemade cookies 8 -pizza and grill options

Other Dining Options Homewood hot spot: Charles Street Market CharMar, Einstein Bros.

Bagels, and Boar’s Head Subs A sub station, fresh sushi, organic produce, and a wing station (among many other food options!) make “CharMar” the perfect pit stop for students on the go. Located underneath Wolman Hall on N. Charles Street, this campus market offers everything from midnight snacks to toiletries. Einstein Bros.

Bagels is conveniently attached, and for especially hectic days, the “Meals in a Minute” program allows students to select an entrée, two sides, and a drink for a meal swipe!

1 Carma’s

Café

Located on 32nd St. between Charles and St. Paul, this popular and cozy hangout has locally roasted coffee and great daily specials, which include homemade pudding and soup!

By the numbers...

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Starbucks Coffee locations: one on St. Paul Street and one in Barnes and Noble

$4

2 Nolan’s

Choose from fresh salad, a pasta bar, Asian stir fry, gourmet pizza, omelets, smoothies, frozen yogurt, and fresh Mex. Nolan’s is in Charles Commons and accepts Dining Dollars.

The cost of a fruit or cream smoothie at Nolan’s on 33rd

3 Café Q Stop on Q Level in the library between classes or for a muchneeded study break. Café Q also has sandwiches, salads, and baked goods.

Sign up for a Frequent Customer Card to get every 10th drink free!

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4 Levering

Food Plaza

Featuring four different restaurants, Levering is a convenient alternative to the FFC or Nolan’s.

Student favorites include Mexican food, sushi, burgers and fries, and salads.

Additional cafés on campus: Pura Vida in Levering, and Alkimia in Gilman Hall

Academic Explorations

Our Favorite Classes and Professors My Introduction to the Museum class was taught by Professor Rodini, who is the director of the Program in Museums and Society minor.

Each week she presented the history of a different type of museum and then dug into the case of one specific museum.

- Joseph, 2015

My Intro to Film Study class was amazing.

Professor Ward is extremely fun, so lectures were awesome despite being long. I got to watch and discuss some terrific films and lean a lot about the history of filmmaking.

- Saznin, 2012

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Anthropology of Media is a fascinating class taught by Dr. Anand Pandian that explores the ever-changing role of media and how mediation has affected our development in the 21st century. Ranging from topics such as social networks to medicine, photography, and contemporary painting, this course allows students to contribute different points of view and conduct independent research projects.

- Ian, 2015

Hedy Alavi, who taught Intro to Environmental Engineering, is an amazing lecturer who managed to inspire every member of our class to feel passionately about the environmental issues that we discussed. He also displayed such kindness to us, from his “open door” office hours policy to giving us extra time to submit problem sets if we were having trouble.

- Brian, 2012

Professor Walkowitz’s The Victorians is an upper-level history course covering England in the 19th century. The fascinating readings spanned from Jack the Ripper to religious symbols in interior decorating. Professor Walkowitz conducted lively and engaging discussions with our small class, making the time fly by.

- Tess, 2014

I took American Literature after WWII with Professor Nealon and it was one of my favorite classes! Not only was the reading list amazing, but Professor Nealon was also an incredibly engaging speaker. He introduced us to the themes, the specific historical and cultural context into which the works were written, and made fascinating connections to other works and events that I never would have thought of.

- Ruthie, 2015

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Study Spots From Gilman Hall to the Freshman Quad, finding the perfect place to study is a matter of fit and personal preference.

Keyser Quad

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In the spring and summer, try studying with your classmates on our grassy quads, the “Beach” outside the library, or on the patio outside of Levering Hall.

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The Atrium

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Study in one of Gilman Hall’s new classrooms, or go to the three-story atrium to study with your friends or meet with a professor. Alkimia, Gilman’s new café, is also located near the Hut and the Atrium.

The Hut

Located in Gilman, the Hutzler Reading Room has stained glass windows, couches, and tables to study in a cozy setting.

MSE Library

If it’s not a nice day outside, or if you really need to focus, the Milton S. Eisenhower Library has six different levels that get quieter as you descend. Students with a photo ID have 24-hour access to the library, and can even reserve study rooms to work on group projects.

Research Fast Facts:

- JHU is the first research university in the US - Approximately 70% of Hopkins undergraduates are involved in some type of research before they graduate - Research is conducted in all 50 majors

Did you know?

The Woodrow Wilson Fellowship is a program for Arts and Sciences sudents to encourage independent research.

Fellows recieve up to $10,000 to use to conduct independent research while at Hopkins!

Studying Abroad

Program options for a semester or year abroad 1) JHU Departmental Programs Several academic departments sponsor study abroad programs that directly support major and minor requirements. Locations include France, Madrid, Berlin, Bologna, India, Korea, and Singapore.

2) Direct Enrollment Students may apply to major colleges and universities throughout the world as visiting, non-degree students and directly enroll.

3) Vetted Programs The Office of Study Abroad has vetted specialized programs that offer courses in specific areas, disciplines or locations where matriculation may not be feasible.

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Hopkins’ January Term: Intersession Fast Facts:

- Offers a variety of courses that are not typically available during the academic year - Students take one or two courses pass/fail - Free tuition for JHU students!

Past Intersession Abroad Programs

- Cuba: Hemingway in Cuba - Ecuador & GalĂĄpagos: Tropical Biology and Evolution - Florence: Renaissance Art and Culture - Ghana: History, Politics, and Culture - Munich: Science and Innovation in Germany - Paris: Museums, Monuments, and Cultural Memory - Uganda: Childhood, Health, and Society

Registering for Classes

How to sign up for your first semester classes

- Use your JHED ID to log into ISIS, which is the Hopkins web-based student information system used to register for classes - Use the Search feature to browse for classes - Add any potential classes to your cart - On Registration Day, which is sometime before Orientation, go to your cart and click register - If you don’t get into the class you want, go on the waitlist! It is usually easy to get into the class - Freshman fall semester grades are covered so use this opportunity to challenge yourself and explore different subjects!

- Don’t forget: You will be assigned an academic adviser; e-mail them before registration if you have any questions or concerns about your schedule

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Charm City

Charles Village

Seven places to check out in your new neighborhood Donna’s bistro offers a great mix of gourmet sandwiches and delicious entrées like butternut ravioli or poached salmon.

Carma’s Café has a wonderful atmosphere with a nice, homey feel. Make sure to try their daily specials, pink dalmation cookies, and a honey cappuccino.

One World Café is the best place to get vegetarian or vegan food. Check out their Tuesday night half-priced quesadillas and burritos.

Waverly Farmer’s Market is located about five blocks from campus every Saturday morning. Vendors sell a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and freshly baked goods.

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Gertrude’s, located in the Baltimore Museum of Art, is the perfect place to go for a special occasion. Try Gertrude’s on Tuesdays for half priced entrées.

The Homewood House and Museum is one of the nation’s best examples of Federal Period architecture and is a national historic landmark.

The Baltimore Museum of Art offers free admission and features a collection that rivals any major art museum. Be sure to visit the Sculpture Garden outside too!

Transportation

Around Charm City:

Beyond Baltimore:

- The Collegetown Shuttle, free with student ID, runs to the Inner Harbor, Penn Station, and Towson Mall, with several stops at local colleges along the way.

- Amtrak trains go all over the East Coast from Baltimore Penn Station.

Buying a Student Advantage Card allows students to purchase tickets at a discounted rate.

- Keep the number of at least two Taxi cab companies, such as Yellow Cab Co. and Baltimore Taxi Co., in your cell phone.

- To get to BWI Airport, you can take the Light Rail from Penn Station for $1.60. Before breaks, Residential Life sponsors a $15 shuttle, but be sure to buy your tickets early. You could also find upperclassmen with cars to drive you to BWI. Taxis to the airport are expensive but are useful if you’re in a hurry.

- The JHMI shuttle goes between Homewood, Peabody, the School of Public Health, and Hopkins Hospital every day. It’s free with a J-Card and is a great way to get to the train station or to a research job.

- City buses run all over Baltimore, and a number of routes run near the Homewood campus. Each trip is $1.60.

- The MARC train goes from Penn Station to Washington, D.C. for $7, and it also runs to BWI rail station.

Many Hopkins students spend summers working in D.C. and commute each day with the MARC train.

Things to do in Charm City Eat breakfast at Pete’s Grill, a Michael Phelps favorite!

Go to the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum.

Visit the Maryland Zoo!

Visit the National Aquarium, one of the nation’s best!

Order burritos at Holy Frijoles in Hampden.

Watch a concert at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Paint pottery at Amazing Glaze on Falls Road.

Ride paddleboats at the Inner Harbor.

Catch a movie at the AMC Towson Commons 8 movie theater on a Thursday discount night.

Shop at the Waverly Farmers Market on Sunday mornings.

Go on the Fell’s Point Ghost Tour.

Feast on Monday night all-you-can-eat dessert and coffee special at Vaccaro’s in Little Italy.

Visit Fort McHenry National Park.

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Check out the Baltimore Museum of Art, right next to the Homewood campus.

Take a walk through Charles Village and check out the colorful rowhouses, known as the Painted Ladies.

Go to a concert at Rams Head Live.

Like running? Try taking on a local 5k or the Baltimore Half Marathon.

Grab coffee or lunch at Carma’s, a favorite spot of Hopkins students.

In December, go see Miracle on 34th Street. This block goes all out with holiday decorations.

Watch the Orioles play at Camden Yards.

Beyond Baltimore

Experiences outside of Baltimore that Hopkins students love: Beaches in MD, NJ, and VA are all good getaways within a few hours of campus.

JHU Outdoor Pursuits takes trips all over the East Coast to go hiking, climbing, sailing, rafting, caving, and more!

Philadelphia is one of many East Coast cities that can be reached by train or bus.

Visit Independence Hall, Rittenhouse Square, and the Museum of Art. Washington, D.C. is just a 45-minute train ride from campus and is home to many museums and monuments, some of which are free to visit!

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New York City is about three hours away. Many people take the bus there—a cheaper option.

Check out Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and the many amazing shops and restaurants.

Getting Involved

Athletics & Outdoor Activities

09 02 04

By the numbers...

Major outdoor-oriented groups: Outdoor Pursuits is run by the Rec Center. The Johns Hopkins Outdoors Club is a student-run group that sponsors weekly trips during the year, such as hiking, backpacking, climbing, canoeing, caving, etc., for free!

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NCAA titles for Hopkins lacrosse make the Division I men’s and women’s teams the center of school spirit. In fact, Homecoming is during the spring for lacrosse season!

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The Hopkins women’s swim team ranked fourth in the latest CSCAA Division III poll. Other Division III sports include men’s baseball, basketball, cross country, fencing, women’s field hockey, football, soccer, men’s swimming, tennis, track, men’s water polo, men’s wrestling, and women’s volleyball.

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Club sports teams including: badminton, cycling, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, squash, rugby, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, softball, swimming, tennis, water polo, basketball, and wrestling.

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Community

Service President’s Day of Service,

1 initiated by Johns Hopkins

President Ron Daniels and coordinated by the university’s Center for Social Concern, is a universitywide day of service that brings together students, faculty, and staff. They participate in volunteer projects in the Baltimore area to better their community.

Engineers Without

2 Borders leads student

groups around the world to help developing areas with their engineering needs.

Projects include a water supply system in Honduras and a waste-water treatment plant in Ecuador.

Vision XChange plans Hopkins Top Model and Date Auction each year; all proceeds go to charity.

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ECO-Reps are a group of freshmen who work to increase environmental awareness and sustainability.

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5 Other Community Service & Environmental Clubs -Tutorial Project -Global Brigades -Relay for Life -Girl Scouts -A Place to Talk (APTT)

-Campus Kitchen -Pet and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)

President’s Day of Service Check out more student groups at apply.jhu.edu/studentgroups

Cultural, Political & Publications Interested? Sign up at the Student Activities Fair, the first Friday of fall semester!

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Political Groups: American Civil Liberties Union

College Democrats College Republicans College Independents Coalition of Hopkins Activists for Israel (CHAI) Hopkins Engaged Feminist Alliance Diverse Sexuality and Gender Alliance (DSAGA)

Cultural groups include the Jewish Students Association, Muslim Students Association, the Inter-Asian Council, the Hindu Students Council, Black Student Union, a Christian Fellowship, Organización Latina Estudiantil (OLE) and much more!

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Publications and journals

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32 Cultural groups

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Major symposiums

FALL 2011

3 capturing the beauty of fleeting moments FEATURED ARTISTS:

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JIAYI WANG BRITTANY LEUNG

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FEATURED SECTIONS:

LOVE LETTERS ‘TIS THE SEASON NATURE

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Religious/ spiritual groups

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Multicultural sororities/fraternities also have chapters on campus and typically rush new members in the spring.

01 Zeniada, the school’s oldest literary magazine. 02 JHU Politik, a weekly political publication.

03 Thoroughfare, a multimedia literature and arts magazine. 04 Foundations, a history journal.

Other Publications: The News-Letter, campus newspaper. Black and Blue Jay, a humor newspaper.

Epidemic Proportions, a Public Health journal.

Performing Arts

14 08 01 04 Other dance groups, some of which include the Eclectics (fusion), Jaywalk (jazz/lyrical), JOSH (female Indian fusion), Ladybirds (all-female), SuburbanKnights (breakdance), and the Hopkins Ballet Company.

A capella groups: the nationallyranked Octopodes, the Vocal Chords (co-ed), Sirens (female), All-Nighters (male), Mental Notes (comedy), Adoremus (Christian), Ketzev (Jewish), and Kranti (Hindi).

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Hip hop and step team on campus, SLAM (Stop! Look At Me). SLAM hosts a hip hop showcase in the fall and is open to dancers of all levels, male and female. Auditions for SLAM (and other dance groups) are held during the first weeks of classes.

Major theater groups on campus.

The Barnstormers perform six shows each year, including the Freshman One Acts. Throat Culture and the Buttered Niblets are co-ed sketch comedy groups. Witness Theater is the only entirely student-written group at JHU.

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Today’s Announcements

Why is it so easy to get involved at Hopkins?

Because every morning you will be sent an e-mail outlining everything occurring on campus on that given day!

There

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Johns Hopkins Senior Reflections

Saznin Mehta Friends (1665) Ian Hooley Johns Hopkins

Sarah Smith Johns Hopkins

Ruthie Chen Johns Hopkins

Purna Chandrasekhar

Johns Hopkins

Nick Ginsberg Johns Hopkins

Kevin Cryan Johns Hopkins

Daniel Creasy Johns Hopkins Cate Walkins Johns Hopkins Tess Thomas Johns Hopkins Kate Tschudi Johns Hopkins

Seniors often ask themselves ‘where did the time go?’ Well, I’ll tell you exactly where mine has gone. I discovered public health (a field I love), met amazing people both on campus and abroad, challenged myself both intellectually and physically (I jumped off a bridge and out of a plane in the same year!), and filled my head with enough knowledge to stuff a hundred encyclopedias. These last four years have been among the best. My time at Hopkins has been a wild, unforgettable rollercoaster ride, and I’m no doubt ready to take on the real world because of what I experienced in my Homewood away from home.

Lauren Brown

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I arrived on campus four years ago. I had no idea I could turn Hopkins into my university. I had no idea how much Hopkins and Baltimore had to offer. By meeting other students, exploring classes, research, clubs, study abroad, and Greek Life, I’ve been able to have a college experience specific to what I am interested in. Hopkins can be about whatever you want it to be-science, art history, sports, community service, travel. The student body is a resource unto itself; get to know your classmates, get to know upperclassmen.

Find out about the things they’ve been doing, find out what interests you, and go do it. After four years, my only regret is not finding that out sooner.

Dominique Duval

I’ll admit-when I put down my deposit to secure my spot at Hopkins back in 2008, I still had my reservations. Now, almost four years later, I’m happy to say those reservations were in vain. I’ve had the chance to do so many incredibly amazing things here, and I’ve made friends and connections for life. I advise you all to really take these four years to do things you wouldn’t have otherwise done. Take chances and make yourself uncomfortable just for a bit, because you’ll never know what hidden things you’ll discover about yourselves. Although I expect my time after Hopkins to be better than I could ever imagine, so far, these have truly been the best years of my life.

Wafa Khadraoui

It is said that we grow neither better nor worse as we got older, but more like ourselves. This holds true in more than one way during the four years you spend at college.

It is a time where intellectual curiosity and personal passions are encouraged and the opportunities open to you are nothing short of spectacular. Hopkins has offered me every avenue in all the interests I had and have discovered. So don’t be complacent or slide by, take college by the horns and make the most of it!

Produced by:

The Team Sophomores Freshmen Purna Chandrasekhar Ruthie Chen Kaitlyn Coleman Kevin Cryan Ian Hooley Zoe Jack Jacqueline Morea Joseph Shaikewitz Erica Zehnder

Allysa Dittmar Kate Tschudi Lucie Fink Nick Ginsberg Noah Guiberson Sydney Rooney Tess Thomas Trisha Lala

Juniors

Cate Watkins Greco Song Miranda Baxendale Sarah Smith

Seniors

Dominique Duval Lauren Brown Saznin Mehta Wafa Khadraoui

Special Thanks

Editor-in-Chief Cover Art Design Team Executive Designer Executive Producer Photo Contributors

Tess Thomas Peter Costa Purna Chandrasekhar, Ruthie Chen and Sarah Smith Shelly Placek Daniel Creasy April Bang, Clara Kil and Rachel Reed

For more information, be sure to check out these websites!

Hopkins Interactive hopkins-interactive.com

Undergraduate Admissions

apply.jhu.edu