An Insider’s Guide to Johns Hopkins

2011-2012A Blue Jay’s View

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

Visit hopkins-interactive.com

Looking Aheadyour guide to the following pages

From the Editors..........................................................................2

Freshman TransitionsWhat to Pack...............................................................................4Freshman Housing......................................................................5Moving into College: Hopkins Style.........................................6Highlights from Orientation 2011............................................7The Fresh Food Café...................................................................8Other Dining Options................................................................9Freshman Year Bucket List......................................................10

Academic ExplorationsOur Favorite Classes and Professors.......................................12My Path at JHU..........................................................................14Study Spots.................................................................................16Research......................................................................................17Studying Abroad........................................................................18Hopkins’ January Term: Intersession.....................................19Registering for Classes..............................................................20

Charm CityCharles Village...........................................................................22Transportation...........................................................................23Things to do in Charm City.....................................................24Beyond Baltimore......................................................................26

Getting InvolvedAthletics & Outdoor Activities...............................................28Community Service.................................................................29Cultural, Political & Publications...........................................30Performing Arts......................................................................31Today’s Announcements..........................................................32

Senior Reflections......................................................................33

Dear Admitted (and hopefully future) Hopkins Students:

From the Editors

Sincerely,

The Editors

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 fromacademics to housing and dining to student life and life in Baltimore. This guide will provide you with important information, personalexperiences, 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 realaccount 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 JohnsHopkins as a school and as a community. The Homewood campus ismade 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!

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Freshman Transitions

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

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

What to Pack

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Hopkins Packing List

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

Find the perfect dorm for you: AMRs- Community bathroom on each floor- Close to FFC and Rec Center- Social atmosphereBuildings A & B- Air conditioning- Close to FFC and Rec Center- Bathroom in suite- Quiet atmosphereWolman- 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/

Freshman Housing

1) DRIVE UPArrive on campus and follow the signs to your particular dorm.

2) BE WHISKED AWAYStudent 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 PACKETIn the lobby of AMR I, you will receive your orientation packet along with your keys and student ID (J-card).

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

How to successfully move into your dorm

Moving Into College: Hopkins Style

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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

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

Friday- Adviser Meetings and Open Houses: talk to students and faculty about academics- Barbeque on Lower Quad- Sexcapades: prepare to laugh- Blue Jay Ball

FFC Favorites:-vegetarian station

-sandwich and salad bar-freshly squeezed orange juice

-make-your-own sundaes-panini station-Belgian waffles

-homemade cookies8 -pizza and grill options

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.

The Fresh Food Café Other Dining Options

Homewood hot spot: Charles Street Market

Carma’s CaféLocated on 32nd St. between Charles and St. Paul, this popular and cozy hangout has locally roasted coffee and great daily specials, which include homemade pud-ding and soup!

Café Q Levering Food Plaza

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

Stop on Q Level in the library between classes or for a much-needed study break. Café Q also has sand-wiches, salads, and baked goods. Sign up for a Frequent Cus-tomer Card to get every 10th drink free!

Featuring four different restau-rants, Levering is a convenient alternative to the FFC or Nolan’s. Student favorites include Mexi-can food, sushi, burgers and fries, and salads.

1 2 3 4

By the numbers...

2 Starbucks Coffee locations: one on St. Paul Street and one in Barnes and Noble $4 The cost of a fruit or

cream smoothie at Nolan’s on 33rd 2 Additional cafés on campus:

Pura Vida in Levering, and Alkimia in Gilman Hall

CharMar, Einstein Bros.Bagels, and Boar’s Head SubsA 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 forespecially hectic days, the “Meals in a Minute” program allows students to select an entrée, two sides, and a drink for a meal swipe!

Other Dining Options

Academic Explorations

Our Favorite Classes and Professors

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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

My Introduction to the Museum class

was taught by Profes-sor 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

Anthropology of Media is a fascinating class taught by Dr. Anand Pandian that explores

the ever-changing role of media and how me-

diation has affected our development in the 21st century. Ranging from

topics such as social networks to medicine, photography, and con-

temporary painting, this course allows students

to contribute differ-ent points of view and conduct independent

research projects. - Ian, 2015

Professor Walkowitz’s The Victorians is

an upper-level his-tory 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

Hedy Alavi, who taught Intro to Environmen-tal 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

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 Pro-fessor 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 connec-tions to other works

and events that I never would have thought of.

- Ruthie, 2015

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Keyser QuadIn the spring and summer, try studying with your class-mates on our grassy quads, the “Beach” outside thelibrary, or on the patio out-side of Levering Hall.

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

MSE LibraryIf 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.

The AtriumStudy 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.

From Gilman Hall to the Freshman Quad, finding the perfect place to study is a matter of

fit and personal preference.

Study Spots

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!

Research

1) JHU Departmental ProgramsSeveral 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 EnrollmentStudents may apply to major colleges and universities throughout the world as visiting, non-degree students and directly enroll.

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

Program options for a semester or year abroad

Studying Abroad

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Past Intersession Abroad Programs

- Cuba: Hemingway in Cuba- Ecuador & Galápagos: 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

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!

Hopkins’ January Term: Intersession

Registering for 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

How to sign up for your first semester classes

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Charm City

Charles VillageSeven 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 atmo-sphere with a nice, homey feel. Make sure to try their daily specials, pink dalmation cookies, and a honey cappuccino.

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.

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

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

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.

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!22

- 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.

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

- 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.

- 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 $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 MARC train goes from Penn Station to Washington, D.C. for $7, and it also runs to BWI rail station. Many Hopkins students spend sum-mers working in D.C. and commute each day with the MARC train.

Transportation

Beyond Baltimore:Around Charm City:

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 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.

Visit the Maryland Zoo!

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

campus.24

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

with holiday decorations.

Watch the Orioles play at Camden Yards.

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

Go to a concert at Rams Head Live.

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

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

Painted Ladies.

Beyond Baltimore

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!

Experiences outside of Baltimore that

Hopkins students love:

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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

Major outdoor-oriented groups: Outdoor Pursuits is run by the Rec Center. The Johns Hopkins Out-

doors Club is a student-run group that sponsors weekly trips during the year, such as hiking, backpacking, climbing, canoeing, caving, etc., for free!

02The Hopkins women’s swim team ranked fourth in the latest CSCAA Division III poll. Other Division

III sports include men’s baseball, basket-ball, 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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Athletics & Outdoor Activities

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0402

CommunityService

By the numbers...

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!

09Club 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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President’s Day of Service

Check out more student groups at apply.jhu.edu/studentgroups

CommunityService

President’s Day of Service, initiated by Johns Hopkins

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

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Engineers Without 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.

2 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)

Cultural, Political & Publications

FEATURED ARTISTS:JIAYI WANG 13BRITTANY LEUNG 48

FEATURED SECTIONS:LOVE LETTERS 16‘TIS THE SEASON 42NATURE 114

FALL 2011

capturing the beautyof �eeting moments

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Publicationsand journals

32Culturalgroups

02Major

symposiums

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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.

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!

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)

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

10Religious/spiritual groups

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

Performing Arts

0801

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A capella groups: the nationally-ranked Octopodes, the Vocal Chords (co-ed), Sirens (female),

All-Nighters (male), Mental Notes (comedy), Adoremus (Christian), Ketzev (Jewish), and Kranti (Hindi).

14 08Other 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.

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.

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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.

01 04Major 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.

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!

Today’s Announcements

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There

Today’s AnnouncementsJohns Hopkins Senior Reflections

Friends (1665)

Johns HopkinsIan Hooley

Sarah Smith

Ruthie Chen

Purna Chandrasekhar

Nick Ginsberg

Kevin Cryan

Daniel Creasy

Cate Walkins

Tess Thomas

Kate Tschudi

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins

Wafa Khadraoui

Dominique DuvalI’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.

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 Hop-kins 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.

Lauren Brown

Saznin Mehta

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 pas-sions 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 discov-ered. So don’t be complacent or slide by, take college by the horns and make the most of it!

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.

Produced by:The Team

FreshmenPurna ChandrasekharRuthie ChenKaitlyn ColemanKevin CryanIan HooleyZoe JackJacqueline MoreaJoseph ShaikewitzErica Zehnder

SophomoresAllysa DittmarKate TschudiLucie FinkNick GinsbergNoah GuibersonSydney RooneyTess ThomasTrisha Lala

JuniorsCate WatkinsGreco SongMiranda BaxendaleSarah Smith

SeniorsDominique DuvalLauren BrownSaznin MehtaWafa Khadraoui

Special ThanksEditor-in-Chief Tess ThomasCover Art Peter CostaDesign Team Purna Chandrasekhar, Ruthie Chen and Sarah SmithExecutive Designer Shelly Placek Executive Producer Daniel CreasyPhoto Contributors 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