What's the Hopkins Bubble, and how do I burst it?

Hopkins has a gorgeous campus filled with bustling buildings, daily events, world-class professors and enough homework to keep you busy for a lifetime. But what lies beyond the East Gate?

Students have a habit of joining Hopkins, becoming engrossed in on-campus activities, and not leaving — that is the Hopkins Bubble. We tend to spend our school days within Homewood, nights along St. Paul Street and the occasional afternoon at the med campus. We tend to lose sight of the fact that we live just 45 minutes away from our nation's capital, in a city rich with art and culture, and in a state filled with gorgeous parks and hidden gems.

Since my first week at Hopkins, I've slowly ventured further and further from Homewood to explore Maryland and the greater DMV area. Here are some of my tips to help you burst the Hopkins Bubble.

Explore Baltimore’s cultural gems. 

Charm City is full of delightful shops, exhibits and activities! Motor House on North Avenue hosts regular open mic poetry nights, and they have the gorgeous Graffiti Alley right next door. The Hopkins JHMI has a stop within walking distance of the location, making it a perfect weekend spot. 

Hopkins transportation can also take you to Hampden, a quaint neighborhood with adorable antique stores, cute coffee and ice cream shops, and school-famous (if not world-famous) restaurants — shout-out to Ekiben! Alternatively, you can walk to Hampden through either a quiet residential street or Wyman Park for some gorgeous nature views. 

The 32nd Street Farmers Market, which runs on Saturday mornings, is also within walking distance. You can stop by to enjoy some artisan dishes, taste some vibrant produce and interact with some wonderful local artists. Some other great food spots around the city include Lexington Market, R. House and the Mount Vernon Marketplace. 

You can also spend a weekend by the Inner Harbor, where you can find the National Aquarium, the Baltimore Convention Center, swan boats and some unique restaurants. The Baltimore Orioles stadium and M&T Bank stadium are also close by, and catching a baseball or Ravens game is a great activity if you love sports.

If you are a fan of the arts, Baltimore has various museums (including the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum, both of which are free), shows (the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is wonderful, and the Hippodrome Theatre often hosts world-famous plays), and exhibits (the Rawlings Conservatory is considered one of the city’s best hidden gems, and the Maryland Zoo is a short ride away from campus).

Connect with nature. 

Since getting to Hopkins, I’ve discovered how much I adore spending time in nature! I spent my freshman fall semester walking around campus and watching the leaves turn a rainbow of fall colors. A friend soon showed me Wyman Park, and it became my favorite campus-adjacent spot. It’s across the street from the Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy, making it the ideal quick getaway if you need a nature break after a long day of classes or a particularly grueling exam. 

I have also taken a few day trips to Maryland’s state parks! Though these are a bit farther from campus, they are filled with breathtaking sights and make for super fun outings. I highly recommend checking out Patapsco Valley State Park and Catoctin Mountain Park, especially the Weverton Formation and Chimney Rock climbs there! 

Engage with DC’s vivacity.

Baltimore is amazing, but I love visiting D.C. during weekends and breaks. The MARC and Amtrak train systems have super cheap tickets ($5 to $10), and it’s only an hour-long ride from Penn Station to Union Station. D.C. is filled with free museums, must-see sightseeing spots and cultural events. Organizations also tend to host conferences there, so take advantage of its proximity to engage with national meetings!

Join conferences, retreats and other events.

Simply being in college qualifies Hopkins students for some amazing conferences. Burst the Hopkins Bubble by attending these events and interacting with students and professionals from other institutions! Between research conferences, cultural retreats and other events, I have befriended students from across the world. I also have friends at other Maryland colleges I now spend time with on a regular basis thanks to these events.

Join initiatives that operate outside JHU.

If you haven’t already been blown away by the hundreds of clubs that Hopkins has to offer, you should definitely check them out. Even though these operate from campus, many clubs work with the local community to host educational, healthcare-related or otherwise service-oriented projects. These include Matriculate, Thread and Best Buddies, just to name a few! You can also become involved with national organizations; doing so has enabled me to connect with students across the globe!

Overall, Hopkins students have a reputation for confining themselves to the Hopkins Bubble, but that doesn’t mean you have to! Take time to seek new experiences outside of campus as you broaden your academic horizons on campus. The activities described in this article are a great starting point, but you can always explore on your own and find new opportunities to fly from the Nest every so often. 

Sara Kaufman is a sophomore from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. majoring in Biomedical Engineering.