A Blue Jay’s ViewAn Insider’s Guide to Johns Hopkins

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

Visit hopkins-interactive.com.

Letter from the Editors.........................................................................4

Freshman TransitionsPacking List............................................................................................6Housing Guide.......................................................................................7How to Move into College....................................................................8Orientation.............................................................................................9Dining Options....................................................................................10Roommate Advice...............................................................................12Bucket List............................................................................................13Mad Lib.................................................................................................14

Academic ExplorationsOur Favorite Professors and Classes.................................................16New At Hopkins...................................................................................18Study Spots...........................................................................................20Beyond the Classroom........................................................................21Study Abroad........................................................................................22

Charm City: Beyond CampusCharles Village.....................................................................................24Baltimore Neighborhoods..................................................................2510 !ings You Cannot Miss in Baltimore.........................................26Beyond Baltimore................................................................................27Transportation......................................................................................28

Getting InvolvedStudent Groups....................................................................................30Today’s Announcements.....................................................................34

Senior Re"ections................................................................................35

Looking Aheadyour guide to the following pages

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,

from the Editors

The Editors

Freshman Transitions

What to Pack:A list provided by JHU Housing and

Dining Services

If you chose Option C, Buildings A & B are probably best for you:“Buildings A and B are essentially identical—it is suite-style living so you basically live in a suite with two bedrooms, a small entry way, and one bathroom. The rooms are much larger than the AMRs and the laundry facilities are in the basement versus having to walk outside in the AMRs. However, we pay the price in lack of common living spaces for the building as a whole.”

—Cate W., ’13

If you chose Option A, the AMRs are probably best for you:“Living in the AMRs is your typical college experience. They are located a very short walk from the library, the freshman cafeteria, the athletic center, and many academic buildings. Most importantly, this typical college dorm hall living style gives a unique sense of community that every college student should get to experience.” —Harrison J., ’13

If you chose Option B, Wolman is probably best for you:“Wolman’s proximity to St. Paul and Charles streets gives me the option to make late-night snack runs with ease, as well as other things. The kitchenettes in every suite are really convenient, too. Overall, I think I made the right choice because I appreciate how Wolman gives me privacy when I want it.” —Daniel R., ’13

How to Move Into College: Hopkins Style

Saturday:Freshman Book Read Discussion

24/7 Programs: Hear from Hopkins students and faculty about service

opportunities, #nding a campus job, staying healthy and more.

Comedy Show

Friday:Adviser Meetings and Open Houses: talk

to students and faculty about academics Barbeque on Lower Quad

Sexcapades: ask any upperclassmanBlue Jay Ball

Wednesday & !ursday:1st RA meeting

Meet and Greet at the Fresh Food CafePeer Ambassador Meetings: talk to upperclassmen about life at Hopkins

Playfair: go all out in the gym

Orientation 2011

Sunday:Alcohol Programs

Convocation: your o$cial induction into the Class of 2015

Banner Walk: Watch the Class of 2015

banner be unveiled

Monday: your "rst day of classes

campus dining hall with “all you care to eat” dining.

Dining Options: !e Fresh Food Café

Meal Plans:

14 meal swipes per week

+250

dining dollars

UNLIMITEDmeal swipes

+100

dining dollars

FFC Favorites:vegetarian station

sandwich bar and salad barhot chocolate maker

pizza and grill optionsmake-your-own sundaes

paninisBelgian wa%es

amazing cookies!bagels, donuts, and pastries

Café Q in the library also o&ers

sandwiches, salads, baked goods, and

ice cream.

Carma’s Café has locally

roasted co&ee and great daily

specials.

Charles Street Market is a convenient place to get groceries and sandwiches

right across from campus.

Nolan’s is a relaxed dining space in Charles Commons with couches, pool

tables, and a TV.

Levering Food Plaza has four di&erent restaurants and o&ers everything from

Italian food to deli sandwiches and salads.

Other Dining Options

Starbucks Co#ee has two locations within a few blocks of campus: one on

St. Paul Street and one in the Barnes and Noble bookstore.

Einstein Bros. Bagels o&ers a wide variety of bagels and cream cheese, bagel

sandwiches, soups, and mu$ns.

Dear Family,I survived my #rst week of the fall semester! On my #rst day, a'er a _______ trip to Baltimore, we #nally arrived to campus and moved all of my stu& into _______. Even though I was nervous on the #rst day, I felt better a'er meeting my awesome roommate. !e two of us eat together all the time at _______, and we walk together every morning to _______ to get co&ee. I’m also spending a lot of time with some of the freshmen that I met at _______ during Orientation. A few days later at the student activities fair, I joined a few groups such as _______, _______, and _______, which I’m really excited for!

Last Wednesday was the #rst day of classes. So far _______ is de#nitely my favorite, but it’s a lot of work. I’ve been spending time in _______ trying to get my reading done so that I can go to _______ this weekend and then go to _______ for dinner to celebrate my roommate’s birthday! So far I absolutely love Hopkins and I know that I’ll have a fantastic four years here. See you at !anksgiving!

1. adjective: __________________________2. freshman dorm: _____________________3. campus eatery: ______________________4. café: ______________________________5. Orientation event: ___________________6. service group: _______________________7. performing arts group: ________________8. other student group: __________________9. class: ______________________________10. place to study: _____________________11. place beyond Homewood:____________12. restaurant: ________________________

MAD LIB

Academic Explorations

I knew I was going to register for Intro to

Neuroscience with Professor Hendry as soon as I saw it

would be o&ered in the fall. !is course gives students a taste of what it is like to be a neurosience major.

Professor Hendry is one of the smartest people I’ve ever

met, and no matter what the subject was he always kept the class interested. He is also the Director of Undergraduate Studies for neuroscience, so if

you declare it as a major he becomes an important person to know. -Joe, 2013

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 terri#c #lms and lean a lot about the history of

#lmmaking. -Saznin, 2012

Our Favorite Classes and Professors:

Art in the Age of Augustus was cross-listed with the

Classics Department and the History of Art

Department, and it really is a hybrid of two #elds. My professor o'en discussed

Roman history so that we could understand the

signi#cance behind certain works of art. We also had to examine works of art closely like we would in any history

of art course. -Kate, 2010

I signed up for American Constitutional Law with professor Joel Grossman.

I was pleasantly surprised to #nd that

each lecture was woven with the most current

cases before the Supreme Court, anecdotes

about the justices, and other tidbits that made

each discussion far more interesting than expected. Professor Grossman has been

teaching for 45 years, and his passion shows through in his lectures.

-Mandy, 2011

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” o$ce hours policy to giving us extra

time to submit problem sets if we were having trouble. His use of design projects

shows students how to apply the material learned in class.

-Brian, 2012

I’ve always disliked science

in general; however, !e

Subatomic World has made

me appreciate all of the e&ort that has been made (and is

continuing today) to learn about the

smallest, most inricate workings

of our world. -Lauren, 2011

New at Hopkins

Malone Hall:(Outline of building site below) Malone Hall will house two planned interdisciplinary research e&orts in which the Whiting School of Engineering will have a leadership role: It will be the home of the Systems Institute and the Homewood base for Johns Hopkins’ emerging initiative in individualized health. Johns Hopkins alumnus John C. Malone provided the $30 million gi' (the largest ever to the Whiting School) that made the building possible. Construction is to begin in 2012.

Gilman Hall: (Pictured at le!) Renovations on Gilman Hall, the most iconic building on campus, were completed this summer. Gilman now includes a three-story glass atrium, the newly restored Hutzler Reading Room, many redesigned classrooms and o$ces, and an archaeological museum. !e renovations have made Gilman a modern center for the humanities while still preserving its character.

Brody Learning Commons: Opening in July 2012, Brody Learning Commons will contain new technology labs, expanded study space, a new café, and student-curated art exhibits.

Study Spots

1 & 4 In the spring and summer, try studying with your

classmates on the freshman quad, or take your books over to the

patio outside Levering Hall.

1.

2.

3. 4.

2 & 3 Study in one

of Gilman Hall’s new

classrooms, or go to the three-story atrium to study with your friends and to

be closer to Gilman’s new

café.

6.

5 & 6 If it’s not nice outside, or if you really

need to focus, you can always study

at the Milton S. Eisenhower

Library or in your own dorm room.5.

Four Easy Steps to Find Research:

1. Find a faculty member you are interested in working with at the Homewood Campus or the School of Medicine.

2. E-mail the professors and include your résumé. Wait for positive replies.

3. Set up a meeting to discuss what you might want to do at the lab.

4. Start researching!

Summers at Hopkins:

Life on campus over the summer is a lot of fun! During summer, a lot of students

do internships in the D.C. area—it’s a really easy commute! It’s also a great time to take a class that may feel too

overwhelming during the school year, since you can focus on just one subject. Besides, what could be more fun than

spending your summer on campus with all of your friends?

Intersession:

Intersession is a three week mini-term during January. Hopkins o&ers one and two credit pass/fail classes. Past classes have included !e Science of Baking and !e Stand-Up Comic in Society. For those over 21, there are evening wine and beer tasting courses. !ere are also courses o&ered abroad, in places such as Ecuador, Florence, Madrid, and Ghana!

Beyond the Classroom

1. Pick a country or city where you would like to study.

2. Visit the Study Abroad O$ce. Dr. Lori Citti will help you

research programs in your chosen destination.

3. Make sure you can transfer your credits from your program of choice.

Your adviser will need to approve the courses that you plan to take.

4. Once you’ve applied and have been accepted to your program, start

planning. You’ll need a passport, a visa, and a plane ticket to get to your

destination.

How to Study Abroad

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Inexpensive ways to get to know your new city:

Charm City your new hometown

Charles VillageSeven places to check out in your new neighborhood:

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 Farmers Market is located about #ve blocks from campus every Saturday morning. Vendors sell a variety of fruits, vegetables, "owers, and baked goods.

Gertrude’s, located in the Baltimore Museum of Art, is the perfect place to go for a special occassion. Try Gertrude’s on

Tuesdays for half-priced entrées.

!e Homewood House and Museum is one of the nation’s best examples of Federal

Period architecture and is a national historic landmark.

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

Donna’s bistro o&ers a great mix of gourmet sandwiches and delicious entrées like butternut ravioli or poached salmon.

Little Italy

Only a short walk from the Harbor, Little

Italy hosts weekly street roller hockey

games, bocce tournaments, festivals,

and much more. People are quick to rec-

ommend favorite restaurants and where

HampdenWithin a short walk from campus, you a variety of unique restaurants. Home to the beehive !do, this neighborhood and fun side.

Inner HarborAs the center of tourist activity, this downtown area is great for its scen-ery, attractions, shops, and restau-rants. You might catch a performance or even ride a paddle boat.

Mount VernonThis historic neighborhood houses the

George Washington. The Peabody Con-

servatory is also located in this neigh-

and relaxed parks.

Fell’s Point-

tory, and is known for its bar/restaurant Point is a charming area with cobble-

stone streets and brick buildings that stilll

retain the 18th century seafaring charm.

A historic city, Baltimore is most known for its bountiful blue crabs and waterfront setting. While many people take trips to the city, they do not truly experience Baltimore until they visit

neighborhoods outside of Charles Village.

Baltimore Neighborhoods

10 !ings You CANNOT Miss in Baltimore

National Aquarium:

one of the best in the country! Camden

Yards: see Baltimore’s MLB team, the Orioles, play

“Miracle on 34th Street”:

This block in Hampden goes all out when

decorating their houses

Top of the World

Observation Level and Museum: It’s the best

view of the city!

American Visionary Art Museum:

Take a look at the unique exhibitions or enjoy a meal at

their rooftop café.

Fort McHenry: Be reminded of 1814, when Baltimore held

off the British.

Lexington Market: This historic downtown market is among the oldest of its kind.Fell’s Point on

Halloween: An unforgetable experience with

crowds of people and crazy costumes.

Meyerhoff Symphony Hall: Attend a performance at this world-class space—with discounted student tickets.

The Book Thing: A book store aimed at

putting unwanted books in

the hands of those who

want them—for free!

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, ra'ing, caving, and more!

Philadelphia is one of the many East Coast cities that can be

reached by train or bus. Be sure to visit Independence Hall,

Rittenhouse Square, Love Park, and the Museum of Art.

Washington, D.C. is just a 45-minute train ride from

campus and can be reached with the MARC train for $7. Several museums and monuments are

free to visit.

New York City is about three hours away. Many students opt to take the bus there since it’s a bit cheaper than the train. De#nitely check out Times

Square, Rockefeller Center, and the many amazing shops and

restaurants that this city has to o&er.

Experiences outside of Baltimore that

Hopkins students love:

Beyond Baltimore

!e 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.

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

!e 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.

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.

To get to BWI Airport, you can take the Light Rail from Penn Station for $1.60. Before breaks, Residential Life sponsors a $20 shuttle, but be sure to buy your tickets early. You could also #nd upperclassmen with cars to drive you to BWI. Taxis to the airport are expensive but are useful if you’re in a hurry.

!e 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.

Transportation

Beyond Baltimore:Around Charm City:

Getting Involved

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179 First Team All-

Americans, 44 National

Championships, nine

NCAA titles and 39 con-

secutive appearances in

the NCAA Tournament.

Check out more student groups at

jhu.mystudent-groups.com

Athletics and Outdoor Activities

Other Community Service & Environmental Clubs

- Educational Perspectives

- Operation Smile

- STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition

- Engineers for a Sustainable World

- Students for Environmental Action

Community Service

Eco-Tip of the Day:

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Foreign Affairs SymposiumThe Foreign Affairs Symposium is an annual spring student run speaker series that brings prominent individuals to campus to speak on international affairs. Notable speakers in the past have included Sonia Gandhi, Noam Chomsky, Ralph Nader, and others!

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Performing Arts

The singers in this co-ed a

cappella group are known to

combine music and comedy

in a hilarious mix.

Other Performing Arts Groups- Bu!ered Niblets: a co-ed sketch comedy troupe- Dunbar Baldwin Hughes Theater: a co-ed theater company for African-American-based plays - ECCO: a co-ed chamber choir ensemble- Hopkins Symphony Orchestra - JHU Choral Society: a co-ed full classical music choir- JHU Entertainers Club: a co-ed club for “under appreciated” performing arts- JHU Gospel Choir- Johns Hopkins University Theater- Student Stand Ups - Throat Culture: a co-ed sketch comedy group- Vivaz Performing Company: a co-ed Caribbean performance group- Witness Theater: a co-ed theater group

Dance GroupsChinese Lion and Dragon Dance TroupeEclectics Dance Groupa......................................... co-ed fusion

Egyptian Sun Productions .........…….......................…… belly dancing

Indian Cultural Dance ClubJaywalk....................................................................... jazz/lyrical

JHU Classical Ballet CompanyJHU Modern Dance CompanyJOSH................................................ an all-female Indian fusion

Ladybirds.......................................................... female “pom-pom”

Lindy Hop and Blues Dance Society................... co-ed swing

OLE Dance Group...................................................... co-ed Latin

Shakti.................................................................. classical Indian

SLAM (Stop! Look at Me).................................. co-ed hip-hop

SuburbanKnights............................................. co-ed break dance

Other A Cappella Groups

Adoremus......... a co-ed Chr

istain group

The AllNighters.......... an all-m

ale group

Ketzev.................... a c

o-ed Jewish group

Kranti.................... a co-ed Hindi group

Sirens......……………an all-female group

Vocal Chords................

... a co-ed group

Each morning at about 1AM, Hopkins Students receive the “Today’s Announcements” email that tells them all about that day’s events. Take a look:

Produced by:The Team

FreshmenAllysa DittmarClint HallKate TschudiLucie FinkMarina GaetaNick GinsbergNoah GuibersonSydney RooneyTess ThomasTrisha Lala

SophomoresBecca Krishnan-AyerCate WatkinsGreco SongJoe NugentMiranda BaxendaleSarah SmithTyler Dougherty

JuniorsBrian ShellDominique DuvalKeith SpanglerLauren BrownPeter CostaSaznin MehtaWafa Khadraoui

SeniorsJessica KrausJosh GleasonLauren CarneyMandy Stein

Special ThanksEditors-in-Chief Brian Shell and Sarah SmithCover Art Peter CostaDesign Team Tyler Dougherty, Clint Hall, Becca Krishnan-Ayer, Tess ThomasExecutive Editor Shelly Placek Executive Producer Daniel CreasyFor more information, be sure to check out these Web sites! Hopkins Interactive hopkins-interactive.com Hopkins Interactive Message Board forums.hopkins-interactive.com Undergraduate Admissions apply.jhu.edu