Artists and athletes, scientists and scholars, hailing from across the world and just around the corner, the members of the Class of 2025 are bringing plenty of interesting perspectives to Hopkins. Here is a quick introduction to some of the new faces you might see around campus this fall.
I stumbled upon my Mathematics major in a manner only describable as an accident. I had always taken hard math classes in high school, and I became accustomed to math taking up most of my time, so it just seemed natural that I would continue to take those classes in college. And it sort of never stopped. Even though I am, by most accounts, terrible at mathematics.
They annoyed you on the car ride to school with their music choices, fumigated your dorm down with Lysol and possibly cried while they hugged you goodbye. But now that your parents have gone home, what are you to do with no adult supervision? The realization that an actual grown-up is not in the next room to help with an unexpected crisis is a scary one, but it’s one that most every freshman is facing right now.
Now that you’ve arrived at Hopkins, there is a lot you need to take in all at once. It is certainly overwhelming, especially when people are throwing around lingo and jargon that might as well be in a different language. Here are the explanations behind some of the most common Hopkins lingo to help you get the hang of things.
Dear Class of ‘25, Congratulations on getting into Hopkins! We are so excited to finally resume a sense of normalcy this coming school year and welcome you on campus. However, with cases on the rise and new variants spreading, the fight against COVID-19 is not over. Here is a checklist of a few important University rules (as of Aug. 23) to keep in mind to best PROTECT JHU as everyone returns and begins a new year in-person:
Over the past year, The News-Letter’s News & Features section has published approximately 250 articles. Even for Hopkins, that’s a lot of homework if you want to get caught up on campus current events.
It can be difficult to explore outside your college campus whilst managing a busy schedule. But it is possible to find time to spend with friends outside of the tight confinements of the Hopkins campus. Every year, at least one senior will tell you something along the lines of “don’t get stuck in the Hopkins bubble.” But what does this even mean?
“Hampden! It's got all the best shops — think Charmery, Hunting Ground, The Food Market. Plus, it has great memories for me: late-night ice cream runs, first tattoo, shopping trips... It’s one of Baltimore’s many charms.” -Lillian Kim, English and Writing Seminars
“Structure of the Nervous System, because Dr. Hendry is an absolute legend and an amazing teacher who really cares about his students.” -Nicholas Malloy, Neuroscience
“You will get to where you need to be in your own time! Don't compare yourself with others, which is often easier said than done as Hopkins students love to keep busy and get involved in many clubs. But rather accept where you are and realize you are at Hopkins for a reason.” -Angel Zhao, History and International Studies
“Rushing from class to class, or midnight sessions at Brody. Basically everyone stressing together in unity.” -Shizheng "JJ" Tie, Environmental Health and Engineering
There were moments this year that seemed to go on forever, from the last couple minutes of a two-hour Zoom class to waiting for my advisor to triple-check that I would graduate on time to the brief lag between texts with my parents after asking them to reread my graduate school acceptance letter to ensure I wasn’t misinterpreting the offer.
The summer before my freshman year, I combed the internet trying to find ways to have an unforgettable college experience (why not? I only got one chance). I wanted one simple recipe: Do X, then do Y, but make sure you maintain Z. I talked to my friends’ older siblings to hear what they had to say, but they were all very different: One loved their ballet group and another enjoyed their research in antiferromagnetism.
I remember the very first day of move-in like it was yesterday. After two days of driving across the country, my family and I pulled up to the large marble sign that read “Wolman Hall.” It was exactly 7:00 a.m., and the Gilman clock tower rang just as we unloaded the car.
Two years ago, a friend of mine from my hometown asked me how it felt to be halfway done with college. Did I feel old? Had the time gone by too fast? Was I happy to be (somewhat) almost done with school for good?
This is the last piece I will write for The News-Letter. In my two years of involvement, I have written about international tensions and public health issues, how much I dislike Mulan (2020) and how much I appreciate Taylor Swift’s two recent albums. So it is hard to decide what to include in my final piece as a proper tribute and closure to my time at Hopkins.
When I was a freshman at Hopkins, I used to wander through different dorms at night looking for new people. Before COVID-19, this was how I made a lot of friends: having meaningful late-night conversations over Insomnia cookies or fruit snacks.
Located in Towson among many other shops and restaurants is a small, Chinese all-you-can-eat hot pot place called New Generation. It is a familiar location to many Hopkins students, but for me, it’s something even more special.
Fully vaccinated and hoping to feel something, I went to Power Plant Live! last Thursday for the first time since the pandemic started. As I squeezed past peers I hadn’t been indoors with in eons, I was reminded of the Brood X cicadas that have descended upon the nation.
When I first went to work at The News-Letter in September 1965, its office was on the ground floor of the Merrick Barn. It wasn’t until 1966 that co-editors Caleb Deschanel and Jim Freedman, both members of the Class of ’66, moved it to the Gatehouse — which was brilliant. I don’t know how they managed it, but the Gatehouse was — and still is — the perfect headquarters for the paper.
