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Editor’s Note Traditionally, nostalgia moves in 20-year cycles. Actors of the 1970s revived the ‘50s through media like Happy Days, M*A*S*H and Grease. Youth culture in the 2010s stole fashion trends from the 1990s. And now that we’re comfortably in the 2020s, it’s time for the 2000s to get their second chance in the spotlight. For those of us at Hopkins, the aughts (as well as the years that buffered them on either side) are particularly nostalgic. Those were the years where we were in preschool, elementary and middle school, at our most impressionable as we decided who we wanted to be. It’s when we woke up the earliest on Saturday mornings and had the most free time to flip through magazines and scroll through new websites. Whether you grew up in Brooklyn, Minnesota, India or anywhere in between, there are links between all of our childhoods. Many of us shared the same types of toys, the same favorite TV shows, the same after school hobbies. If nothing else, we can all remember at least a few cheerful memories from the decade, playing outside or making new friends in school. That’s why this magazine is our “Throwback” issue. As difficult and taxing as college can be (especially with finals closing in), there’s joy to be found in reminiscing about the sweeter parts of childhood. Reflect on your favorite childhood websites in Sophia Park’s article on page 15, or flip to page 4 to learn some new recipes from Emma Andersson’s family cookbook. Whether your childhood consisted of American Girl dolls, Disney Channel original movies, dead goldfish or anything else, we’ve got an article for you. So turn the page and get a blast from the past! We hope you enjoy. - Claire Goudreau and Muhammad Abidi Magazine Editors
Growing up in South The majors of American India.................................3 Girl Dolls........................10 The Recipes that Defined my Childhood..................4
A Collection of Childhood A look back at early 2000s Favorites............................12 technology.......................5 The Top Gaming Websites Growing up in Brooklyn..6 of the 2000s...................15 Trending Toys...................7 Back in my Day..............16 Revisiting Disney Channel Classics............................8
An Ode to my Dead childhood Goldfish........17 Being a horse girl............19
Blast from the Past is a special publication of The Johns Hopkins NewsLetter, the student newspaper of Johns Hopkins University. For general inquiries or information on how to join, email managing@jhunewsletter.com. The News-Letter can be found online at jhunewsletter.com and on the social media sites below. JHU News-Letter
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Childhood Photos...........11
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Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
Growing up in South India By SRINITHI SRINIVASAN
VASAN
I SRINI
NTH OF SRI
ESY COURT playing with the kids on my street until South India is a land known for its luscious landscape, generous hospitality, heritage going back to almost two millennia and cuisine containing an assortment of spices, savories and sweets. Amid this huge universe of varieties and possibilities, I grew up in a city called Coimbatore, also known as the Manchester of South India for its booming textile industry and the rich cotton fields that surround it. When I think of my childhood, the first images that flash before me are playing with other neighborhood kids on the roads and playgrounds nearby, riding my bike in the scorching heat to explore the nooks and corners of the locality, binging on the Pokémon marathon with my brother on Sundays and relishing an ice cream bought from a street vendor. A typical day involved waking up and getting ready, going to school in a van with other kids in the neighborhood, coming back home, having lunch, taking a nap and then
my mother yelled for me to come home and start my homework. I spent most of my time outside the home with kids coming from different families, castes and religions. No one focused on any differences. In India, the schooling system involves three terms (quarterly, half yearly and annual), with exams at the end of each one, followed by a vacation. For every single vacation, I went to my maternal grandparents’ place — usually with my mother and brother. They lived in a village named Tirunelveli, which is about seven hours from Coimbatore. The street had four houses, and each of them belonged to someone in my extended family. I absolutely relished those days, since it involved more time to play with my first and second cousins. I also got pampered by my grandparents, who never said no to anything I asked for. I was exceptionally close to my maternal grandfather and always looked forward to being with him. His room was full of antiques, relics and vintage books. I was 7 then and cherished
spending time in his room, mostly for the musty smell that filled one’s nostrils whenever he opened his bookshelf. One morning, he handed me a book from his collection and told me that I could keep that book if I summarized the essence of the story by the end of the day. That task and the reward became a ritual, as I often visited him. By the time I was 10, I had a small vintage book collection of my own. The time I spent with him, his teachings and his advice have had a major influence on the person I am today. Another fond memory I have from my childhood is a tradition that usually occurs in summer on the day after the village’s harvest festival. It involves forming groups among family members and relatives to throw turmeric water on members of other groups. The day starts with having a simple breakfast and whiling away time before lunch, which usually is a grand meal with a variety of items for vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike. I still remember the giggles, the knowing glances exchanged and the plans plotted on how to attack members of the other gang with turmeric water. After lunch, the entire village becomes active, filled with sounds of laughter and water splashing in every direction. I would easily classify it as one of my happiest memories. Throughout the entirety of my childhood, I don’t remember ever being alone or with just my family. Be it meandering with
my friends around the neighborhood, staying in and playing board games or listening to older people talk about other older people, I was always surrounded. In later years, this aspect had a substantial impact on the way I mingled with others. Though I liked being with a gang of people all the time, I also found myself craving and taking some alone time — mostly with a book in hand. All in all, growing up in the southern part of India exposed me to a plethora of unique experiences and valuable lessons. I believe that these early incidents and encounters have had a considerable impact and influence on me. I’m eternally grateful for all the factors that led me to where I am right now, especially the ones I came across as a child. Given the chance to go back in time, I picture myself sitting next to my grandfather at the time of dusk and in a well-lit room, with me reading a book that he had gifted me, and him listening to it in silence with the occasional “Mmm” every now and then. Oh, how I wish I could go back to that moment!
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
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The recipes that defined my childhood By EMMA ANDERSSON Staff Writer Growing up in a household led by a Swedish father on one side and a Jewish mother on the other, both sets of cultural practices weaved their way into my upbringing through holiday celebrations, summer travel, spoken language. Reflecting on my childhood requires acknowledging these distinct influences. Here I’d like to highlight one specific manifestation: food. For my brothers and I, being raised Swedish American meant eating pancakes and pea soup for dinner on Thursdays. While this duo seems random, its history dates back to the 15th century. Cheap and easy to make in large batches, Catholic Swedish kitchens served them together as a hearty meal on Thursdays leading up to the Friday fast. Despite Sweden transitioning to Lutheranism and eventually secularism, this tradition persists in
Sweden today, with many restaurants offering the sweet-and-savory combination as a Thursday specialty. Pancake Thursdays easily worked their way into the weekly dinner rotation, though we often passed on the pea soup — my brothers and I were picky eaters. While Swedish cuisine, mostly fish and potatoes, tends not to be much to brag about, my childhood friends expressed jealousy over this Andersson household staple. Below, you will find the simple recipe that most strongly reminds me of my Swedish-inspired upbringing. Pair these Swedish pannkakor with raspberry jam and whipped cream for a weeknight comfort meal, pea soup optional. Complementing that Swedish influence from my father, specific dishes likewise accompanied my maternal, Jewish roots. Recent years have witnessed the
dispersal of family — my brother to Denver, my cousin to Los Angeles — so holiday Seder attendance has become increasingly sparse. I look back on the Passover Seders of my childhood with warmth, nostalgic for those instances of complete family gathering. Reflecting on these Seders brings me back to the kid’s table, squished between my cousins with a big helping of my maternal grandmother’s matzo brei — fried matzo — on my plate. While the transition to adulthood begets hardship, I find consolation in the fixedness of these family recipes, which continue to evoke dear memories of my childhood even when I feel disconnected from it.
Despite celebrating Passover on campus this semester, I nonetheless reminisce on the dishes that characterized my earliest Seders. Visits to Sweden continue to entail a request for pannkakor from my paternal grandmother, who eagerly grants that wish every year. I invite you to take a moment to think about those recipes that defined your childhood. Try one of these recipes or one of your own for a reminder that childhood remains with us, no matter where we find ourselves.
brei Matzo
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Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
A look back at early 2000s technology By MICHELLE LIMPE Managing Editor
In today’s society, it is difficult to imagine a world without technology. From iPhones to laptops to artificial intelligence, technology is central to every part of our lives and only continues to advance every year. But even if we have become so accustomed to the efficiency of our current devices, our generation can still remember a time when technology was at the cusp of its digital transformation. A time when flip phones were common and the Nintendo DS was the hot item that every child wanted. A time when we needed to use the landline to call relatives around the world rather than simply FaceTiming them in an instant. A time when streaming services did not exist and we needed to organize cases of DVDs to watch our favorite movies. Though we tend to focus on the functionality of technology, its entertainment value greatly influenced the memories I made growing up, as it evolved alongside my childhood years. Portable DVD players Throughout my childhood and up to the present, my family has had two key bonding activities — watching movies and taking family vacations — and for a brief period of time, our portable DVD player remained at the center of both. Long before iPads and Netflix were the norm, my brother and I relied on our portable DVD player to watch movies during long road trips. Whenever we traveled, we made sure to bring our flipbook of DVDs — sorted in alphabetical order, of course — in order to watch all of our classic favorites and pass the time. From Cars (my brother’s choice)
to Enchanted (my choice), I remembered many moments when we huddled around the illuminated screen, ready to enter another movie’s world to distract ourselves from the steady hum of the engines and the darkness of the world outside. Tamagotchi Because our dad has very sensitive allergies, my brother and I could never get a puppy, though we were constantly surrounded by pets during Sunday visits to our grandparents’ homes. As an inferior substitute, we took care of our Tamagotchi pets instead. I still remember when the black and white Tamagotchis were the only ones available. I worked hard to make sure my pets were getting fed and washed properly with high XPs and health, and would constantly rush home after school to make sure they were not sick. My brother and I strived to get our Tamagotchi pets to reach old age rather than pass away because of our own failures to care for them. Soon, colorful Tamagotchis became available, which changed the whole game with all of the new features that expanded the Tamagotchi world. We spent various amounts of time remodeling our homes, visiting other pets in the park and setting them up through the Matchmaker once they were of age. Once our pets were married off, they would leave their child with us, and the cycle would continue. We could even have our pets interact and compete with one another in games. Our generations of digital pets lived long and fruitful lives before the Tamagotchi craze soon died down, as similar games were developed for Apple and Android devices. Nintendo DS When I was still in elementary school, I remember how ecstatic I was to receive my first pink Nintendo DS Lite one Christmas. I eagerly chose various games to load the memory card, such as Cooking Mama, Diner Dash, the early versions of Mario Kart and so many more that I cannot even recall. Of course, my parents limited my DS times to the weekends, and I needed to share it with my brother at first, which was short-lived since he kept clamor-
ing for his own Nintendo DSi. He was always better than me at every game we played, unfortunately, and he developed quick reflexes as a result that have benefited him in his sports career. While my cousins and I were growing up, playing on our individual Nintendo DS’s together was a staple in building the competitive spirit among us. We would choose games to connect our devices and compete against one another or sometimes just go on PictoChat to draw silly graphics and send each other random messages. Nintendo Wii With the great hold the Nintendo DS took over our lives, everyone was appropriately excited when the Nintendo Wii came out a few years later. I remember when my brother and I first got the Wii, along with our starter set of games: Wii Sports, Rock Band, Mario Kart, Wii Fit, Just Dance, Wii Play and Lego Indiana Jones. We spent hours making Miis for all of our family and friends and many weekends challenging friends to friendly competitions of dance, go-kart racing and various sports. Over the years, we steadily worked our way up to becoming “experts” at bowling and tennis, completing various challenges in adventure games and memorizing the routes in Mario Kart – even today I have yet to win a race against my brother. My brother and I even participated in a Wii Just Dance tournament on a cruise ship and won! Though the Nintendo Wii and DS have now been replaced by the Nintendo Switch, with some games being updated for the new software, there are still times when my cousins and I will start up our dormant Wii machines and relive our childhood playing old games, as the iconic Wii theme song floods our minds with memories of the past.
brother laments is why he recognizes some of her songs to this day. Long before Bluetooth features were the norm in cars, we always had cases of discs in our glove compartments, similar to DVDs. However, we could only listen to one complete album at a time, which meant listening to my dad’s ‘80s club music remixes when he was behind the wheel (kidding, they were fun!). Imagine how that changed when the iPod was invented, and we could each listen to our own music through a single device that held thousands of songs. Presently, that may sound like nothing compared to streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music that provide access to almost every song imaginable, but it was a huge step forward during that time. Our iPods were especially necessary during long car rides to and from school with the Philippines' infamous traffic, as well as road trips and flights. My iPod also allowed me to expand my music preferences with greater access to new songs, which greatly influenced my music taste today. With my families’ predisposition for bad eyesight coupled with our prolonged screen time, it was no surprise that my brother and I developed high eye grades quickly based on the amount of time we used our gadgets. However, more than just providing entertainment during times of boredom, the technology connected my family and left us with memories that we look back on fondly as we all grow older and enter the next phases of our lives.
iPods All of my friends know that when I was younger, I was obsessed with Taylor Swift’s music, an affinity that has persisted to the present. The problem back then was that I could only listen to her songs in the car or subject my entire family to her music at home, which my
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
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Growing up in Brooklyn By LEELA GEBO Editor-in-Chief My childhood is chronicled by the first-day-of-school photos taken on the stoop of the apartment building I grew up in. Though my backpacks, hair and outfits change over the years, the limestone columns and wroughtiron door remain constant behind me, a familiar backdrop despite so many other markers of change. No matter where in the city I was headed that day, I always came back to the familiar, tree-lined street, climbed the
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two flights of stairs to our apartment and headed to the bedroom at the very back. Even after moving to Baltimore for college, Brooklyn still felt like home, and I was able to slip comfortably back into old routines when I returned during breaks (or pandemics). Earlier this semester, my parents told my sister and I that they’re planning to move. This wasn’t entirely unexpected — countless weekends of my childhood were spent going to open houses, and shortcomings of the apartment were frequent dinnertime conversations while I was growing up — but it’s still impossible for me to imagine “home” without thinking about the block I’ve lived on since I was two years old. My childhood memories are inextricably tied to the apartment: taking the cushions off of the brown sofa in our living room with my sister to jump on
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the couch’s springy bottom, listening to “You Belong with Me” on my green iPod Nano at the dining table, running down the long hallway and always making sure to leap over the slightly water-stained patch of wood because I once overheard my grandpa saying he thought it might give way to the apartment below. Home is more than just the apartment, too. It’s the first place I was allowed to walk by myself – to the bodega on the corner, with a $5 bill clutched in my hand to buy a pint of ice cream. It’s the park on the opposite corner, the urban oasis where I spent hours of my life sitting with friends, running around and playing sports. It’s hard to let go of places, especially ones with so many happy memories attached to them. When
Blast from the Past
thinking back on these memories, however, I realize that there are two common threads: the place, and also the people. Places shape us, but we also shape them. I don’t know where my parents will move, nor do I know where I’m going to end up after college. I do know, though, that I will be surrounded by the same people that made the apartment I’ve come to love so special.
April 21, 2022
Toy trends from my childhood By ISABEL THOMAS Copy Editor Growing up, I enjoyed a lot of oldschool games that my elementary and middle school-age cousins — and actually, most of my friends today — have never heard of. Some of these were handclap games like Concentration 64 and Miss Mary Mack, which my classmates and I would play while we waited in the after-school car line to be picked up by our parents. Others were toys from the ’80s like Makit and Bakit suncatchers and Lite-Brite, which feature in some of my earliest memories: my parents and I sitting at the dining table punching the pegs into the Lite-Brite templates, sliding the suncatcher into the oven to melt the crystals together. That’s not to say I didn’t soon become enveloped in the crazes of the 2000s and 2010s. Still, one thing didn’t change: For some reason, memories of my most formative years are most clearly divided by toy trend. With that, let me offer a rundown of some of the most defining ones of my childhood — and maybe yours, too! Silly Bandz It was 2010. Every recess underneath the swooping rock wall, a black market Silly Bandz ring would be set up, where third-through-fifth graders would sidle up to trade in the shadows. I don’t recall why Silly Bandz were banned (pun unintended) by our elementary school, although looking back, the blacktop did
seem like a graveyard for snapped bands. But there was something so sweet about the forbiddenness, and we managed to keep it going for a bit until we were spotted by draconic teachers and shut down. Novelty erasers This was probably my favorite trend — these erasers are so adorable! Forget Pink Pearl or Hi-Polymer or pencil tops. This trend pervaded toy stores and Scholastic Book Fairs far and wide, with my friends accumulating dozens upon dozens from miniature foods to farm animals and crops. My brother got a collection of these for Christmas/his birthday, but like most people I knew, he just placed them on his bookshelf. These novelty erasers were far too cute (and impractically shaped) to use. Rainbow loom In our local farmers market back home, kids were selling rainbow loom bracelets as part of their parents’ artsy wares. I remember how stores would sell out of certain loom band colors and YouTube boomed with how-to videos from unbelievably skilled children and adults alike. About when this craze was really getting going was when my brother became obsessed. However, this lasted for all of two seconds before he promptly quit. I wasn’t surprised; he switches hobbies and interests with the speed of a caffeinated squirrel.
Slime Ah yes, the prokaryote version of stress balls (no membrane-bound organelles). I don’t even want to talk about this trend. I’m still confused. Duct tape In middle school, we used to have this mini market economy that seventh and eighth graders would participate in as part of our history class (okay, I guess?). In order to pay for “renting” your locker, you had to earn a certain amount of fake coins by either working, maybe as a banker or for vacuuming a teacher’s room or manning the concession stands at sports games, or by selling. You could only sell on market days, sort of your service as busking as a musician or selling either food or crafts. In 2014, we had this duct tape mogul who absolutely dominated any
competition that tried to make duct tape products, from the Gucci logo on a cardboard base to the roses that cap pens to wallets. He was so successful he took commissions and even graduated to selling at the farmers market. Fidget spinners These became mainstream really quickly. I understand how fidget spinners can help people with anxiety, stress or trouble focusing, but these were, counterintuitively, too distracting for me, and I never bothered to get into them. But my brother and his friends sure did... Bonus: Mustaches These were emblazoned everywhere circa 2013, from dresses to washi tape. Not entirely sure why, but I liked them in the moment.
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
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Revisiting Disney Channel classics By MOLLY GAHAGEN News & Features Editor
When I was younger, I would watch Disney Channel for hours on end. The TV station’s movies continue to hold a special place in my heart, so I’m going to be evaluating whether or not some of my favorites still hold up today.
The Lizzie McGuire Movie This movie set my expectations for studying abroad sky high. Although I find Lizzie getting to go to Rome on an eighth grade graduation trip ridiculous in principle (I got to go to a nearby water park for my eighth grade field trip), I still think this movie contributed to my dreams of traveling and having unforgettable adventures. Watching Lizzie McGuire perform in the Colosseum was absolutely unforgettable, and I loved to dance around my bedroom and sing along to “What Dreams Are Made Of” when I was young — once in a blue moon I may still run on the treadmill to it. I’m not sure if this movie holds up or not, as the age gap between Paolo and Lizzie is somewhat odd in retrospect (she was 14, he was 17), but I love the 2000s nostalgia of the fashion, the great scene where Isabella and Lizzie get revenge on Paolo and the sweet friendship between Lizzie and Gordo.
Hannah Montana: The Movie I begged my dad to take me to see this movie as soon as it opened in theaters, and I got my wish by being so annoyingly persistent. I loved the Hannah-Montana-goes-country plot, as I could relate to many of the Southern cultural references. Also, the “Hoedown Throwdown” may be the catchiest song ever written. The movie’s chief attribute is its soundtrack. As a lifelong Taylor Swift fan, seeing her make a cameo was certainly a highpoint of the film, and I think the general public deserves to hear “Crazier (Taylor’s Version)” in the near future. Plus, who can forget “The Climb,” the song which was grossly overplayed on the radio and had the power to make everyone and their mother burst into tears? Does this movie hold up? In terms of plot, there seems to be a lack of cohesiveness and theme, and the sentimentality is overwhelmingly sickening at points (this may be a controversial take, but “Butterfly Fly Away” absolutely should have been cut). Nonetheless, I will argue that the sheer entertainment value of this film outweighs its lack of substance.
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Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
Camp Rock I take the controversial stance that Joe was the superior Jonas Brother, and I still stand by that claim (not sure what this says about me!). Camp Rock is a perfect lighthearted summer movie, as it still reminds me of my fond summer camp memories. Unlike High School Musical, this movie warranted its sequel — which may be better than the original! I loved the fun rock ‘n roll style soundtrack of both movies, as well as the fun Jonas Brothers moments. I’m not sure the plot of this movie is sufficient enough to qualify as “good,” but I do think that the general atmosphere of it is lively enough to make it a nostalgic classic.
The Parent Trap Saving the best for last! I first saw The Parent Trap when I was about 7 years old, and I was transfixed by it, sucked in by the twins’ antics. There were a few months where I would come home from school and watch it nearly every day, and I can still recite the script from memory. I desperately wanted a twin after seeing this movie (and cross-examined my parents multiple times to make sure I didn’t have a secret one anywhere). One of the reasons I loved it so much was that the twins’ mother, Elizabeth James, reminded me of my own mother — she’s also British, has a similar blonde haircut and is always polished and put together. In elementary school, being half-British certainly made me interesting to my peers, as they all thought that meant I knew the Queen (okay, I may have fibbed once or twice and said I had seen her). This movie still holds up today, but I see it in a different light. I take the stance that The Parent Trap is more than a family movie — it’s also an iconic romantic comedy in my opinion. Watching Nick Parker and Elizabeth James fall for each other all over again in a not-so-archetypal secondchance romance makes me cry every time I watch. The movie’s fashion is still iconic, including Annie’s preppy coordinated outfits, Hallie’s more ’90s style and, of course, everything Meredith Blake wears on screen. I still love this movie, as evidenced by peanut butter and Oreos being a habitual teatime snack of mine. I will frequently reference this film — most recently, apologizing after a self-proclaimed “Meredith Blake hissy fit” due to my favorite sweater being ruined.
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Which majors would American Girl dolls have? By ELLIE ROSE MATTOON Science & Technology Editor I would say I owe a lot to the American Girl doll books. For those of y’all who had a sad childhood, The American Girl Collection is a set of book series that follow girls through different periods of American history, from 1770s Virginia to 1970s San Francisco. Each character was also available as a doll with additional furniture and clothing for purchase. While receiving a Josefina doll under the Christmas tree one year is a special memory, learning each doll’s story was even more valuable to me. Reading books about Kit, a girl growing up during the Great Depression, helped me connect with my grandma and talk about her experience growing up during that time. Likewise, you know I aced all my tests about the pioneer era thanks to Kirsten’s stories. And of course, meeting someone who also grew up reading these books is an instant way to make a friend! When I first got my Josefina doll, I was 7 and she was 9. Now I’m 19, but Josefina remains perpetually the same age. I thought it would be interesting to imagine what some of these ladies would be like if they ended up following me to Hopkins!
Kirsten Major: Neuroscience Study spot: the Beach BLC order: Dirty Chai Kirsten’s books have cottagecore pioneer vibes, no doubt — but there’s more to her than covered wagons and flower fields. Kirsten immigrates to Minnesota from Sweden with her family, and one of her biggest challenges is learning how to communicate with both English speakers and a local Native American tribe. In college, Kirsten always tops the Duolingo leaderboard and landed a research coordinator position studying language acquisition in the Neuroscience Department. Samantha Major: Economics and Women, Gender and Sexuality Study spot: Gilman Atrium BLC order: London Fog latte Samantha grew up during the women’s suffrage movement and is always down to talk about feminism. She also comes from old money and knows that women’s rights come through control
of their pocketbooks. Samantha often misses the dark academia aesthetic of her Grandmary’s estate in Mount Bedford, but hopefully with enough visits to Hampden and swipes of Grandmary’s credit card, she can decorate her apartment to feel just like home. Rebecca Major: English with a Theatre Arts minor Study spot: Merrick Barn BLC order: mocha Rebecca is excited to be an actress, and it’s clear that life in a crowded New York City apartment is not enough for this starlet. Instead, she was born for luxury. Catch her signing up for every Barnstormers production and telling anyone who will listen about the time she spotted John Waters at the Rotunda. Kit Major: Writing Seminars with a Social Policy minor Study spot: the Gatehouse BLC order: black coffee Behold, the character every News-
Letter editor aspires to be, our journalist icon Kit! Kit’s books chronicle the 9-year-old reporting on the Great Depression from her attic bedroom as her family takes in boarders to make ends meet. Kit realized at Hopkins that she could take her advocacy skills to the next level by learning about inequities in the Baltimore community. Don’t you dare complain about the gas prices to Kit, or you will learn about how in her days she had to wear dresses made from chicken feed sacks. Julie Major: Environmental Engineering Study spot: Rec Center BLC order: iced matcha with oat milk and honey Julie comes all the way from San Francisco, and she’s definitely a bit of a hippie. Her time nursing rescued eagles back to health wasn’t lost on her, and she’s hoping to use her degree to shape climate change policy. However, Julie’s day has lots of breaks for keeping her basketball skills in shape; she’s captain of the intramural team and is ready to crush the next match!
Josefina Major: pre-med Public Health Study spot: Mudd Atrium Brody Learning Commons (BLC) Café order: hot chocolate with cinnamon In my opinion, Josefina’s books hit a bit too deep. Her series begins with the death of her mother and the destruction of her family’s sheep herd on a Mexican rancho. However, over time Josefina becomes a healer’s apprentice and begins to see her family stitch itself back together. Josefina has just the right amount of family trauma to guilt herself into studying 24/7, although I hope she takes a break every once in a while to chill with her goat Sombrita on the beach.
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Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
A blast from the past <3
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
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What about YOU? By CLAIRE GOUDREAU Magazine Editor
Writing a throwback magazine is fun, but the problem is that any given article can only reflect one student’s experiences. So that’s why we made a survey! We at The News-Letter sent out a questionnaire to the student body asking you everything from pasttimes to celebrity crushes. What follows is a collection of our favorite answers!
FAVORITE CELEBRITY? Zendaya Kobe Bryant
- Brian Gabriele, Senior - Josh Felton, Sophomore
Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus! Mid-late 2000s Disney Channel had a stronghold on us older GenZ-ers that I don’t think will ever be replicated. - Rebecca Muratore, Senior Selena Gomez from Wizards of Waverly Place - Yana Mulani, Freshman Robert Pattinson
- Neha Sangana, Senior
FAVORITE BOOK? Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park - Amal Hayat, Senior The Harry Potter series: I didn’t like fantasy as a kid but I re-read each book re-watched each movie at least 5 times. - Romy Koo, Sophomore Matilda by Roald Dahl - Ellie Rose Mattoon, Sophomore The I am Number Four series or The Magic Treehouse series. - Sera Bailey-Emberson, Senior The Mysterious Benedict Society (series)! I loved brain teasers and puzzles as a kid, and so this series about very intelligent kids working together to solve mysteries/puzzles was very fascinating and a lot of fun to me. - Rebecca Muratore, Senior The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. - Marvis Gutierrez, Senior
FAVORITE BAND/ ARTIST? Avril Lavigne Daft Punk
- Ema Nakayama, Freshman - Darren Lu, Junior
ONE DIRECTION!! - Aashi Mendpara, Freshman I was absolutely obsessed with ABBA from the first time I watched the iconic film Mamma Mia! with my mom. My family is Swedish, and I even went to Swedish immersion camp as a kid – ABBA was the only English music we got to listen to. I’m no longer 17, but I am still the dancing quen. - Laura Wadsten, Senior Taylor Swift Adele
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- Molly Gahagen, Sophomore - Yvette Bailey-Emberson, Senior
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
FAVORITE TOY? LEGO
- Min-Seo Kim, Sophomore
Duct tape for making DIY duct tape purses/wallets and the baby dolls that would pee when you “fed” it water. - Sera Bailey-Emberson, Senior Nerf guns
- Brian Gabriele, Senior
Barbies and playing with fake food in my toy kitchen. - Greta Maras, Junior Themed miniature erasers!!!!! - Marvis Gutierrez, Senior Bionicles
FAVORITE VIDEO GAME? Either Cooking Mama, Diner Dash, Wii Sports or Just Dance. - Michelle Limpe, Junior Minecraft
Animal Crossing City Folk. I was obsessed with that game, even though it took me and my sister a year to learn that the city on the back of the box was actually a part of the game you could get to. - Claire Goudreau, Senior Nintendogs
- Darren Lu, Junior
OMG, Zhu Zhu pets. Loved those things. Or Pillow Pets! - Izzy Geada, Senior
- Yana Mulani, Freshman
- Izzy Geada, Senior
Zelda Wind Waker. I fell in love with the Zelda franchise when I first played Wind Waker at my babysitter’s house when I was around 8. I got to play a lot of GameCube games and discovered that I really enjoy video games. - Darren Lu, Junior Fireboy and Watergirl - Heejae Kim, Sophomore Lego Indiana Jones and Lego Star Wars - Amal Hayat, Senior Mario Kart Wii. This was one of the first games I completed on the Wii and racing on each track made me passionate about real motorsports! A few years later when I was in high school I replayed much of the game with my younger brother who quickly gained a lot of my skills and eventually was the real expert. Just shows how this game is a classic. - Muhammad Abidi, Junior Tetris
MOST POPULAR HOBBIES
- Ema Nakayama, Freshman
1. Arts & Crafts 2. Reading 3. Video Games 4. Biking 5. Music and Dance
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April 21, 2022
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FAVORITE TV SHOW? Suite Life of Zack and Cody or Hannah Montana - Greta Maras, Junior Avatar: The Last Airbender, without a doubt. Honestly, it’s probably still my favorite TV show of all time,despite how many years it has been. The characters, the plot, the worldbuilding, all of it is fantastic! - Claire Goudreau, Senior Spongebob Squarepants - Josh Felton, Sophomore
THE ULTIMATE 2000s PLAYLIST And now for the best part: A list of everyone’s favorite 2000s songs (with a few 2011 and 2012 songs thrown in as a bonus). Sorry that so many of them are Taylor Swift, but she had us all in a chokehold when we were in elementary school. “Hot N Cold” by Katy Perry “Yeah!” by Usher ft. Lil Jon, Ludacris “7 Things” by Miley Cyrus “Drops of Jupiter” by Train
Either Cyberchase, Rolie Polie Olie or Wizards of Waverly Place. - Neha Sangana, Senior
“Digital Love” by Daft Punk “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift “Cheetah Sisters” by The Cheetah Girls
Glee - Cynthia Hu, Sophomore
“This is Me” by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas
Both Wild Kratts and Arthur. - Janya Budaraju, Freshman
“Love Story” by Taylor Swift “Your Love Is My Drug” by Ke$ha “Who Says” by Selena Gomez “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers
FAVORITE MOVIE? Princess Mononoke
“Dynamite” by Taio Cruz “Live While We’re Young” by One Direction “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson “Umbrella” by Rihanna ft. JAY-Z
- Darren Lu, Junior
“Picture to Burn” by Taylor Swift
Beauty and the Beast - Ellie Rose Mattoon, Sophomore
“Hey Ya!” by Outkast
The Parent Trap starring Lindsay Lohan (Check out her article for a full review)! - Molly Gahagen, Sophomore
“Rolling in the Deep” by Adele “Firework” by Katy Perry
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 - Leela Gebo, Junior Sleeping Beauty
- Cynthia Hu, Sophomore
Sharkboy and Lavagirl - Helena Gifford, Sophomore
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“Born This Way” by Lady Gaga “Baby” by Justin Bieber “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance “Crazy in Love” by Beyonce ft. JAY-Z
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
A breakdown of the top gaming websites of the 2000s By SOPHIA PARK Staff Writer As one of the founding members of Gen Z, I was lucky enough to experience firsthand the descent into our current, modern-day internet frenzy. From binging the music videos of iconic Disney superstar Ashley Tisdale to learning how to poke my friends on Facebook, I was a seasoned internet user by the age of 10. However, if I am being honest, most of my time on the Internet was dedicated to crushing every single gaming website possible. Now, as an aging college junior who quakes in front of anyone born after the year 2010, I present my ultimate picks for the BEST gaming websites from the 2000s: 1. Webkinz We all knew Webkinz had to make it on this list. Webkinz was the gateway into proving to our parents that we were responsible enough to someday own a pet. I remember buying my first Webkinz plushie at Mastermind Toys (the Canadian Toys “R” Us) then begging my mom weekly to take me back to buy more. The more plushies I collected, the more cramped my already small single bed became. This was all perfectly fine with me, as my Webkinz were living large at their digital estate. I decked out these rooms with the coolest furniture and the trendiest decor. I had a notebook with all of their adoption codes and all 12 of their names listed. I made sure each of them made it to their checkups with Dr. Quack. Most importantly, I was a Polar Plunge arcade champion who won gold on Black Diamond each time. Webkinz fostered my false sense of responsibility and made me believe that I too would have a mermaid-themed bathroom when I magically moved out on my own at 21. Alas, I feel that my dimly lit bathroom with its horribly weak shower head would likely disappoint my 8-year-old self.
nary escape from reality possible. From the very moment I designed my first avatar out of the vast array of goofy faces and clothing items, I was hooked. From chasing down and locking up super villains to winning petty reality TV shows, each island presented a series of thrills and challenges that I could never seem to beat. I am embarrassed to admit but I never was fully able to complete an island. Every time I seemed close to finishing, I would get too excited about playing another and would quickly give up on the current island to begin my next adventure. Poptropica was the foundation on which I built my belief that I am the main character, and I maintain this utterly ridiculous mindset today. Even nowadays, I sometimes take a (muchtoo-long) study break and pop open a
new tab to retry one of my old failed islands. Sadly, my skills have neither regressed nor improved, and these islands remain incomplete. 3. Club Penguin Probably the most memorable and saddest member on this list. I remember tears being shed on March 30, 2017, when the Club Penguin website was finally shut down. Truthfully, I was never as much of a fan of
Club Penguin as I was of the other two websites, but I know it had such a massive cult following. This was most likely due to the adorable puffle pets that followed our cute little penguins around. My teal penguin and our feisty purple puffle were the most iconic duo yet. I just never got around to blinging my penguin out as I never understood much of Club Penguin, much less how to earn coins. The only thing I really remember from this website was playing Card-Jitsu. I may not have been the best taekwondo athlete growing up, but I played a mean game of Card-Jitsu. Although Club Penguin might not have been my favorite, it had so many interesting servers filled with users with the craziest names interacting with one another. I think the beauty of Club Penguin was that it allowed so many young, impressionable kids to talk to strangers on the internet for the first time. The realest father of social media. May Club Penguin forever rest in peace. #ripclubpenguin
1 2 3
2. Poptropica Poptropica was the most extraordi-
ROSIE JANG/CARTOONS EDITOR
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April 21, 2022
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Back in my day... By LAURA WADSTEN Senior Staff Writer Since I first stepped on campus in 2018, lots has changed (obviously). For the sake of prosperity — and so I can reminisce in pre-pandemic nostalgia — I racked my brain for some places, policies and things that just aren’t what they used to be. For better and worse (mainly better), this school is a different place than it was four years ago. Hopefully this list gives your imagination enough fuel to picture a similar yet unfamiliar Hopkins. • If you lived in Wolman or McCoy, mealtime included a built-in workout. Freshmen were barred from Nolan’s, so the Fresh Food Café (FFC) was the only place to use those required meal swipes. Yes, it did get old much faster. • Where now lies a massive crater with cranes and dump trucks was once a beloved-but-underrated set of short, modern buildings. RIP Mattin Center, which housed such treasures as the Digital Media Center, art and dance studios, Swirnow Theater and, my personal favorite, Bamboo Café. The best use of dining dollars, the shrimp tempura and warm broth brightened many a dreary afternoon, and I miss the quiet, chill vibes perfect for studying or catching up with a friend. I can’t forget to mention all the mildly-confusing rooftop terraces and walkways, which were the perfect spot to enjoy a sunny day when the Beach got too packed. But a massive construction site is cool too, I guess. • We are so fortunate to have the Baltimore Museum of Art right in our backyard, and in the pre-pandemic
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era, a spontaneous trip was usually in order after a tough day of classes. The museum’s halls are still a great place to lose yourself (or just cry, according to Magazine Editor Claire Goudreau), but it just takes a little more planning now. Pro tip: Plan a trip soon, I promise you won’t regret it.
• PILOT was optional, including for math classes. I made the mistake of not signing up my first year, meaning I learned (or more accurately, failed to learn) Calculus 1 and Microeconomics the hard way. This change is a welcome policy, and I can’t say enough good things about the PILOT program.
• Only seniors will remember Garland Hall, the former centralized hub of student and administrative services. Advising, Student Disability Services, Employment Services, the Registrar, Financial Services and more were housed in the massive building that sits in the center of Decker Quad (between Mason, Levering and Hodson Halls). Not having to walk all the way to the Wyman Park Building? Yeah, it was pretty convenient. Garland is also an important part of University history, as the site of the 2019 Sit-In in opposition to the private police force, which lasted 35 days and concluded with Baltimore City police arresting protesters. You can read more about the Garland Hall Sit-In on The NewsLetter‘s website.
• When it was time to buy necessities or look for a balanced and tasty meal, Eddie’s Market was the place to go. The long-time local staple was recently replaced by Streets Market, so you can still grab your groceries, but I must express sympathy for anyone who didn’t get to savor Eddie’s famous deli sandwiches.
• Levering Kitchens have basically always been the best lunch spot on campus, but the options used to be a bit more like those at a mall food court. These upgrades were certainly for the better. And now I’m hungry for tacos. • Brody, where would we be without you? Aside from the obvious difference of naked vs. masked faces, our beloved study spot used to be open 24/7. And people took advantage of those hours — Brody was bumping on Friday nights.
• Blue Jay Shuttles didn’t go very far — and if you wanted to go to Power Plant on a Thursday, you had to get an Uber or Lyft. I’m glad to see students using this helpful service to venture farther outside of Charles Village and pop the notorious Hopkins bubble. • If you were under the weather and couldn’t make it to class, a doctor’s note was required in order to be excused. Back then, the only “pandemic” we knew was the great hand, foot and mouth outbreak of 2018. No freshman dorm was safe from its grasp. • The News-Letter was in print! Every Thursday morning, our Managing Editors would deliver stacks upon stacks of broadsheet to various points around campus. Way back in the day (long before I even knew what a Gatehouse was) students had to dig in their pockets for change to buy a copy. Maybe someday you’ll see us on newsprint again...
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
An ode to my dead childhood goldfish By CLAIRE GOUDREAU Magazine Editor
PRESENT NOW
ROSIE JANG/CARTOONS EDITOR
My first brush with mortality involved flushing a surprisingly high number of 50-cent goldfish down the toilet. I met my first three goldfish — Moby, Isabella and a third name (either Kelly or Nellie, probably) — in my elementary school’s art classroom. The school held a carnival every year, with different events in each room. Go to Mrs. Harrison’s classroom for the cakewalk, the cafeteria for the raffle and so on. Art, of course, had carnival games, one of which was a simple ring toss that rewarded you with a tiny friend. My sister and I begged my parents to let us try for a goldfish. Our parents were both historically very anti-pet, a stance they would firmly readopt the moment they finally managed to throw out the goldfish tank a few years later. My mother had
grown up in the woods with pets that were more akin to wild animals than man’s best friends and couldn’t shake the mental image of dogs and cats that bit. When I asked for a puppy, she once told me, “You want to take something to the park? Take your little brother.” My father, similarly, had no love for animals and felt absolutely no need to fight my mother on the issue. Maybe it was the classroom’s paint fumes that finally swayed her into letting us try for a fish. Maybe she figured if she let us have a goldfish, certainly the most inoffensive pet, we would stop asking for puppies and kittens. In either
case, by the end of the day we were at the local pet store, buying fish food, a tank and a tiny filter. My father set up the tank and filter in my bedroom, placing it on top of the dresser. I was immediately in love. Two of the fish were mine, one was my sister’s and all of them were wonderful. That first day, I took about 100 pictures of them and, like an overenthusiastic first-time mother, started making a PowerPoint slideshow to chronicle their lives. (My bedroom doubled as my parents’ office. As a result, I had grown quite proficient at making completely pointless PowerPoint slideshows, an experience I could never quite articulate on future job applications.) I was convinced we would live long and happy lives together, so I went to sleep, mere feet from my new best friends. When I closed my eyes, I had three beautiful fish. The next morning, my tank held only two. Despite the tank having a cute plastic lid, I searched the area to make sure my fish hadn’t jumped out. I found nothing. It was only when my father took apart the filter that we learned the truth. The fish had always been a little thing, and the filter was simply one big hole. She had swum too close and, like a deleted scene from Finding Nemo, had been sucked up, crushed and ground like hamburger meat. My father didn’t let me see the body. After flushing my friend down the pipes, he lowered the toilet seat. A closed-casket funeral. I returned to my PowerPoint and typed in a death date. Immediately afterward, I begged my father to uninstall the filter, but he refused. “How,” he asked, “are we supposed to keep this tank clean without a
filter?” And so, later that afternoon, my second fish got sucked up and diced, just like the first. We held a second bathroom funeral that evening, and another line of text got added to the PowerPoint. At this point, I was understandably distraught, but my father still wouldn’t remove or even unplug the filter. The remaining fish was Isabella, my sister’s, and she was the biggest by far. My father insisted she was too large to be sucked up. I tried to convince myself that he was right. The next day, while I was sitting on my bed, I was interrupted suddenly by a rather unpleasant slurping and grinding sound. I raced to the tank. The filter, it seemed, had gained its final victim. There were no fish left. A healthy goldfish can live for 10 to 15 years, although some can survive up to 30, depending on the variety. It had been two days. At that point, my father took out the filter instructions for the first time. As it turned out, he had put it together wrong. Our machine was missing a small cap that was supposed to stop fish from being sucked up. The crucial piece had accidentally been kicked under my dresser. In my mother’s ideal world, this would have been the end of things. We would have thrown the tank and supplies out and moved on with our lives, pet-free once again. But even she and my father felt a bit bad about the situation, so by the next day, three new fish swam around in the now-safe tank. Content to leave all thoughts of death behind me, I started a new PowerPoint and took new pictures.
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
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Congratulations to the Nominees and Winners JHU Celebrates for Student Employee of the Year WEEK NATIONALGrad STUDENT EMPLOYMENT Undergrad Student Employee of the Year Excellence & Dedication and Employer of the Year 2014
’22
UG RUNNERS-UP Supervisor of the Year
Tere’ssa Fleming Senior, KSAS Undergrad 2nd Place
Joseph Kovba
Faculty, EP Graduate Instruction
Maram Naji
Runner-Up
Senior, WSE Undergrad 3rd Place
International Arts + Mind Lab
Dr. Tasha Golden
Joshua Woo
Armaan Rowther
VISIT US ON
Student Employee of the Year Undergraduate Winner
Student Employee of the Year Graduate Winner
jhu.edu/stujob
Senior, KSAS
School of Public Health
Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees! UNDERGRAD SUTDENTS
GRAD SUTDENTS
Aabhas Jain
Manal Moid
Samantha Chabot
Aanchal Mohanty
Marta Sliwa
Anthony Das
Maram Naji
Sanddhya Jayabalan
Anna Fiedor
Mira Huang
Brian Song
Marcus Breed
Tere’ssa Fleming
Armaan Rowther
Prashasti Bhatnagar
Gabriella Ewachiw
Mary Adewumi
Viola Monovich
Brogan Maxwell
Tsun Wai Cherry Ng
Helen Rossmiller
Melody Lei
Zion Smith
Gretchen Schulz
Joshua Woo
Natalia Camargo
Jamie Medina
Katerina Frye
Nathan Ji
Jordan Shuff
Kyli Murphy
Nicholas Hanlon
Katherine Jang
Leila Hamilton
Ryann Schutt
Margaret Swaney
Amelia Voos
Undergrad Runner-up 2
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GRAD RUNNERS-UP
Gretchen Schulz School of Public Health Grad 2nd Place
Jordan Shuff
School of Engineering Grad 3rd Place
University Experiential Learning Visit us: jhu.edu/stujob
Blast from the Past The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
April 21, 2022
Being a horse girl By LAURA WADSTEN Senior Staff Writer
I was a horse girl in another life (about 10 years ago). Every summer day of my youth was spent scooping poop and mucking stalls at my local horse barn. I worked in exchange for free riding lessons but also just the camaraderie of the horse community. I dreamed about horses, talked about them nonstop and even wrangled my younger brother into riding lessons with me. He had an all-black get-up from boots to helmet. Meanwhile, I chose the very practical color of white boots and white helmet for my first horse attire. They showed their wear, but I loved them and can still vividly picture the stitched leather boots that came up to my knees. My second go-around with horse attire was of the English style, a more “puttogether” outfit consisting of black boots, half chaps and tan breeches with knee patches to help with posting — the motion of bouncing up and down with the horse’s gait. And of course, these were
all I wanted to wear to school, but my parents smartly reminded me that kicking poop in the hallway wouldn’t help me make any friends, so I wore normal shoes (most days). I absolutely fit the stereotype of a horse girl. Whenever we did an art project in school, mine was a horse. Whenever we wrote stories, mine were about horses. My idols were famous horse riders, and I promised my parents I would be going to a college that allowed horses and would someday be a horse trainer (clearly that didn’t happen). After a few years, my trainer suggested we look into getting a horse of my own, and I was ecstatic. My parents told me if I really wanted to do this, they would have to tap into my college fund; the decision was easy for me at the time. Riding a horse is freeing, both a dangerous and comfortable pursuit. Ignorance was bliss — I failed, or maybe refused, to see the danger of submitting myself to the whims of an animal with a mind of her own. I fell off a lot but never got any bad injuries, which likely served as insulation from the risky nature of my favorite activ-
ity. I did, however, stop riding Englishstyle after a bad fall in a saddle that was too small to offer much protection from a bucking quarter horse. I’d say that was probably my first experience of anxiety. It’s not wise to let the mind wander too far when you’re on the back of a 1,000-pound animal. And in that necessary consciousness, I found mindfulness. Horses, like many animals, can sense your emotions, and I learned to manage my anxiety by keeping my horse calm. Speaking softly and often, avoiding sudden dramatic movements, breathing. And I mean really breathing — not just inhale-exhale but deep, refreshing drinks of air that keep you grounded when you are 5 feet above the ground. I remember one of the moms in my 4-H club saying, “A boy might break your heart, but a horse never will. And that horse will be there for you to cry with when a boy does break your heart.” Though I didn’t date anyone
while I had Zippo, she was there for me through painful times. My horse was therapeutic: a friend you could always count on, the best listener, a beautiful escape from harsh realities. She was my home. I distinctly recall that I started to care what other people thought of me in middle school. And so I joined sports and adopted more “conventional” hobbies. But I still had a horse that I didn’t have the proper time or energy for anymore. Eventually, it came time to sell Zippo. Thankfully, for my sake, a girl — who saved up her own money doing chores — wanted to buy her. We took a loss on the price of the horse, but it made us feel good to know another young woman would be enjoying Zippo. And though I cried when we drove her to the new home, I knew it was the best possible outcome for all three of us: Zippo, her new owner and myself. I miss you, Zippo Eleta, and hope you’re still running happy in a pasture somewhere in Minnesota.
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April 21, 2022
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