My foot rapped nervously against the blue and green carpets that lined the University’s dorm rooms. Flooded with thoughts, I zoned in on the undecorated room with blank walls before me. As long as there is room for my pink stuffed animals and LED lamps, I’ll be satisfied. Analyzing the walls with scrutiny and armed with my measuring tape and command strips, I attempted to ease my biggest worry: Where do I hang my The Weeknd poster? To be honest, it was by pure luck that the 20x30-inch picture frame that housed my poster had survived the journey from home to here, and it was more of a miracle that I had any space left over to adorn my walls with “To-Do” lists.
Wedged between buildings that appeared to have been built millennia ago and bright-colored foliage, this seemingly 2-foot by 2-foot room is where I would spend the next year of my life. As I felt the plastic of coat hangers and folded sweaters embroidered with “Johns Hopkins University,” I revisited the concerns that plagued me on my 17-hour car ride from Pensacola to Baltimore. Will I annoy my roommate with my blaring 7 a.m. alarms? How quickly will I learn to navigate around campus? What will I do when I get fed up with the dining hall food and crave my parents' home-cooked meals?
Over the course of orientation week, I found my senses stimulated by a barrage of new adventures. From trekking through the woods in a mini-skirt for a small cup of ice cream from The Charmery to wading through crowds of hungry students to sample every unique piece of breaded goodness at Nolan’s on 33rd, I realized that I wouldn’t be spared any extra seconds to acclimatize to the drumbeats of University’s bustling movements.
However, as classes start to get intense and I attempt to find my routine, I smile while my fingers find comfort in the presence of my laptop’s familiar keyboard. Nestled in my bed next to my sleeping roommate with plushies illuminated by the presence of a pink strawberry nightlight, I eagerly recall every second of what I have entitled “Moments of Hopkins Happiness.”
While AMR II wasn’t even on my list for dorm choices, I call it a blessing that my best friends are only right next door. Shushes and giggles echo through the hallways as floor two has slowly and surely become the favorite hangout spot, all thanks to me and my roommate’s interior decorating skills and tendency to leave the door open for visitors. Magic tricks, snack times and hallway discussions riddle the building at night while the scent of my neighbors’ heated food permeates the lobbies during the day. I find joy in the talks while walking to the Blue Jay Lounge as the complaints about the line to the mail room, mutters of confusion by the washing machines and whispers about classes meld together into a second language.
Contrary to popular opinion, my 9 a.m. classes have become my favorite parts of my schedule. I can sense that each hall has a sense of history, and the cumulative passion to learn fuels the buzz of my morning activities. Every session provides a new piece of knowledge, a discovery waiting to be uncovered as if it were the solution in a whodunit murder mystery. I find myself sitting in eager anticipation of both the material we will go over in the session, and the company of my classmates as Lana Del Rey sings through my earbuds.
After school, I take pride in my immediate strides toward the Brody Learning Commons (and the iced chai latte from its café that I swear calls my name). Every time, I choose the exact same spot: a small table located three floors down from the café with the most perfect swivel chair where I spend hours pouring over homework.
At Homewood, my bits of Hopkins happiness have been derived from engaging with my community and exploring the thoughtfully designed course curriculums. I feel my unquenchable thirst for learning and my desire to form meaningful relationships with my peers getting stronger every day as I pace across quads.
For any scholar, finding happiness in new environments can be an overwhelming obstacle. Despite this, taking comfort in the familiar while being open to the unexplored are key characteristics of being a student.
While worries will always be present, we must remember that college is the time to experience the unexpected and to learn everything that we can about both academics and everyday life. Joy will always follow us, and we must take advantage of every opportunity for our moments of Hopkins happiness.
Kaylee Nguyen is a freshman from Pensacola, Fl. studying Molecular & Cellular Biology and Writing Seminars.
