Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
January 28, 2026 January 28, 2026 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

Voices

Hopkins is a diverse university where an incredible mix of cultures, academic interests and personalities coexist and thrive. Here is the section where you can publish your unique thoughts, ideas and perspectives on life at Hopkins and beyond.

GAGE SKIDMORE CC BY-SA 2.0 Biden is often seen as the most electable Democratic candidate for 2020.

Electability is a concept I can’t support in 2020

By ALEX WALINSKAS | October 10, 2019

Over the past few months, I’ve heard a refrain from my peers when talking about Democratic hopefuls for President: “I like X candidate, but I should probably vote for Biden because he’s the most electable.” Voters in the Democratic Party (disclaimer: I’m one of them) like to throw around the word “electability,” but what exactly does this mean? As a young person excited about civic participation, I’ve taken a more critical look at the claim that former Vice President Joe Biden is our most electable — and only —  option. 

Chicken noodle soup is the perfect sick-day meal

By FRANK GUERRIERO | October 10, 2019

Last week, I was morbidly ill (read: I had a cold) and all I wanted was some soup. As my sinuses revolted against the benevolent patron who regularly treats them to ginger tea and essential oil diffusers, I writhed about in bed pining for nothing more than a steaming bowl of broth into which I could plunge my face and dissolve my affliction.

Courtesy of Addy Perlman Perlman talked to Professor Walters about his experience at Hopkins.

Learning about the legacy of women at Hopkins

By ADDY PERLMAN | October 3, 2019

Circumscribed by hundreds of books, Ronald Walters leans back in his chair and prepares to tell his story. From Stanford to Berkeley, where he received his PhD, Walters moved across the country to join the Hopkins staff in 1970, and he is currently a professor of history.

COURTESY OF KELVIN QIAN While abroad in China, Kelvin questions the nature of his dual heritage.

Figuring out both sides of ‘Chinese-American’

By KELVIN QIAN | September 26, 2019

“Do you feel more Chinese or American?” We were studying abroad in China, enjoying the best that Shanghai bar life has to offer, when one of my classmates asked me this. She asked the question to a fellow Chinese American student, who sat tall next to me. His answer? “American, through and through.”

COURTESY OF BONNIE JIN Jin says that our hard work matters more than the prestige of our schools.

The ways we perpetuate academic elitism

By BONNIE JIN | September 26, 2019

I. I sat as the youngest between seven cousins and countless relatives, eating our own version of a belated Thanksgiving. Between mouthfuls of dumplings and rice cakes, I saw my aunt’s eyes crinkling into a smile.

Why Urdu is still so important to my identity

By ZUBIA HASAN | September 19, 2019

I cannot understand Urdu literature. I cannot read Urdu poems. And I feel like a part of me has been taken from me. Urdu is the language of love, the language of the sufis, the language of the poets and now the language that has been snatched from me because of my colonized history. 

Talking money can help limited-income students

By SAMUEL FARRAR | September 19, 2019

As I begin the second year of this column, I think it is fair to say that I really have no problem discussing my limited-income status. It has always been strange to me that people discuss finances in hushed tones. It is seen as rude to ask about anything related to income or economic standing. But why? 

Remembering my grandmother’s food

By FRANK GUERRIERO | September 19, 2019

My grandma couldn’t cook. This may come as a shock to anyone who’s watched me prepare, order or eat a meal, since by most accounts I resemble a jaded nonna in those moments, but it’s true. Her kids and grandkids with especially generous palates may object (I can already hear the 30+ member family group chat clamoring in protest), but in my humble opinion, Patricia Guerriero was a decidedly lousy cook.

NEHA SANGANA / PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR After leaving The News-Letter, Parekh reflects on the pride she feels for what she helped build.

Why I spent four years working on The News-Letter and what it feels like to leave

By DIVA PAREKH | September 19, 2019

Here at Hopkins, you can always find people ready to talk about the journey they took to find the clubs that are important to them. They’ll tell you how they walked around the Student Involvement Fair (SIF); became completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of clubs trying to recruit them; signed up for 50 different club mailing lists; followed up with five; and then finally found the two or three groups that were the most important to them.

PUBLIC DOMAIN For Ramchandani, saying “no” is one way to stand up for yourself.

Learning to set boundaries and put my needs first

By SANIYA RAMCHANDANI | September 12, 2019

With the beginning of classes comes the inevitable internal struggle between focusing on academics, being social and getting enough sleep. We all go through the same thing; classwork piles up, and somehow every single party is held on the same night every single lab is due, while every friend you’ve ever made crawls out of the woodwork and wants to catch up over coffee. 

COURTESY OF ALEX WALINSKAS Walinskas reflects on how D.C. compares to Baltimore, her longtime home.

Why I missed Baltimore during a summer in D.C.

By ALEX WALINSKAS | September 12, 2019

Baltimore, I have a confession: I snuck away and spent my summer in Washington D.C. Our nation’s capital may be a quick MARC train ride away, but the city and its culture lies in stark contrast to our home here in Charm City. 

Exploring and trying new things as a senior

By KELVIN QIAN | September 12, 2019

Everybody tells you when you’re a freshman that college is a time to explore, try new things and discover who you really are. Everybody tells you to talk to everyone you meet during O-Week, explore every major at Hopkins and sign up for the thousands of clubs that are at the Student Involvement Fair.

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