The opinions presented below are solely the views of the author and do not represent the views of The News-Letter. If you are a member of the Hopkins community looking to submit a piece or a letter to the editor, please email opinions@jhunewsletter.com.
As freshmen are adjusting to campus, so are we. For returning students, this isn’t the Hopkins we’ve always known (though that’s not necessarily a bad thing). With new physical changes and new policy changes, our ever-evolving campus looks a bit different this semester.
Oji discusses the failing infrastructure in Baltimore and highlights the role of the University.
As the semester draws to a close, students are itching to start their summer plans and move on from the school year. However, before we begin our vacations, we should take the time to look back on the past year and reflect on all that has happened on campus.
The University released the Ten for One draft, a document detailing 10 goals that Hopkins seeks to achieve by the end of 2030, on April 14. The Ten for One framework follows Ten by Twenty, the 2013 framework which outlined priorities to guide the University through 2020. The University has checked in on these goals through three progress reports and a final report card in 2020.
Growing up, we thought the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was the gold standard for drug regulation and new medical treatments. However, recently, we’ve realized otherwise.
Like many kids who grew up watching Disney Channel, I often pretended that I was drawing the logo with a sparkly wand alongside Brenda Song or Miley Cyrus. I would stare at the TV and ask my mom why she didn’t put me in acting. I always got the same response: “I didn’t want you to end up like Lindsay Lohan.”
Taylor Swift fans across the world have mourned the pop star’s breakup with her longtime boyfriend, actor Joe Alwyn, since the news broke nearly two weeks ago. Heartbroken “Swifties” have been leaving flowers on Cornelia Street, the site of Swift’s former Manhattan residence and the title of a song from her seventh studio album, Lover, which details memories of a budding romance with Alwyn.
Have you ever checked out at Brody Cafe and, with a long line snaking behind you, been presented with an iPad asking: “Add a tip?” As the tip options appear before us and we’re forced to make a decision in a few seconds, the pressure to get out of line quickly creeps in.
Last Wednesday, Teachers and Researchers United (TRU-UE) held a discussion panel on potential alternatives to the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD). While this event was organized by the Hopkins graduate student union, faculty members also participated and expressed support for increased community dialogue surrounding the JHPD.
“This is the last video,” I say to myself. Next thing I know, it’s 3 a.m., and I’m still eager to watch another TikTok video even though I have class in six hours. I hear in the back of my head, “You’re screwed.” Many other students probably hear the same two words echoing in their minds. Even with class early in the morning, we are night owls, unable to go to sleep.
It’s a nearly universal experience for U.S. kids: You go to the grocery store with your parent or guardian, come across the wall of colorful Lunchables packages and beg for a box, holding up the “Nachos with Cheese Dip and Salsa” or the “Chicken Dunks” with puppy eyes and a pouted bottom lip.
If you’ve spent time on TikTok recently, you’ve likely seen videos from “Skin-Tok” or “Beauty-Tok,” where influencers provide you with their recommendations for lotions that prevent wrinkles, showcase their elaborate seven-step skincare routines to prevent aging or even discuss the expensive facials or injections they undergo to maintain their glow.
Now that we are in the final stretch of the school year, freshmen are declaring their majors and considering their academic and career paths. In just a couple weeks, University offices will host workshops for freshmen to learn more about their declared majors and departments.
The Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement, predominant among millennials, is now also taking off among Generation Zs — people born between 1997 and 2012.
In response to “First Seed offers vegan, oil-free Indian food” published March 19, 2023: I appreciate the author writing about First Seed and was delighted to hear that she found the food flavorful and convenient. She noted that she personally did not find the pricing competitive with her local grocery store offerings. I am writing to offer the following additional context:
In response to “Our 2023–2024 SGA Exec. Board endorsements: Time to rebuild” published March 13, 2023:
With another spring semester, the next Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board election is upon us. This year, most positions are not uncontested, which is a welcome improvement from years prior. We hope that the increased number of candidates marks the start of SGA building itself back up.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts are an essential component of university campuses, championed as a way to increase diversity, foster community and engender inclusivity. However, DEI has recently become a subject of attack by politicians.
It has been three years since I saw most of my high school teachers in-person. The 500-plus seniors in my class left campus in March 2020 and — aside from dropping off textbooks, attending a drive-through graduation parade or picking up our diplomas — most of us never returned.
In the last days of 2022, I traveled back home after a difficult finals season to a schedule full of absolutely nothing on my calendar for a few weeks. For perhaps the first time since starting college, I was completely free from academic and work obligations.
