Learning to reclaim my experiences through music

A few years ago, I went to a concert with two of my close friends. It was a punk festival at the Ottobar that featured a few different performers, but we were most excited to see the local band Snail Mail, who only had one EP out at the time. After some bizarre sets during which we all almost got punched in the face by a flailing guitarist and listened to a woman remix her screams on an electric keyboard (my one friend still jokes that I was the only person able to dance to the rhythmic screeching), Snail Mail came out. 

Home, childhood and The House on Mango Street

Nobody warned me before I went to The Book Thing of Baltimore that it would be at least an hour-long endeavor in pacing and scanning shelves for anything that caught my eye. 

Starbucks ditches straws - what does it mean?

Earlier this summer, news of Starbucks’ decision to eliminate plastic straws sparked celebratory progressive cries, cynicism about banning a little piece of plastic and a healthy number of memes. Internet buzz aside, are our straws truly endangered? They’re on the decline, but the wave of progress isn’t as rapid as it may seem. 

My struggle navigating Hopkins as a low-income student

Last spring I was talking to a friend, who has already spent years in Europe and Asia, about all the places we’d like to be able to visit some day. 

What I've learned about adapting to Dutch culture in my first weeks abroad

Hello there! I am writing to you today from almost 4,000 miles away, in a charming café on the bank of a gorgeous canal, among the busy chitchat of the everyday Amsterdammers (the café is called De Drie Graefjes — would definitely recommend their red velvet cake!). 

Coming to terms with my newly short hair

Next week, I’m going to be having my head shaved. Not by choice but, rather, as part of a medical procedure. I’ve never been one to put too much effort into my hair, usually just letting it air-dry overnight and wearing it down. 

Falling out of love in 14 steps: a how-to guide

1) This is non-negotiable: You must fall in love. Find someone you’re attracted to, maybe someone from Jiu-Jitsu with chiseled eyes and cheesy dimples who smiles at you from across the room. 

Finding success in the real meaning of the grind

Why do you do what you do? Seriously.  Most of us spend our days just going through the motions; we get up, go to class, study and sleep only to repeat the cycle again. 

Learning from my experience with the Nexplanon birth control device

My junior year, I decided to try birth control.  Predictably, sexual health is often not addressed in booklets and presentations prepping kids to go off on their own. Things like birth control and physical exams are assumed to fall under the umbrella of general student health services. 

Our culture of shared suffering and the Hopkins meme page

“When you look down from the top level of Brody Atrium: I wonder if a fall from this height would be enough to kill me.”  This is a typical meme post on the “Hopkins Memes for My Lost Hopes and Dreams” Facebook page. 

Realizing how I've grown since freshman year

Baltimore’s Neighborhoods

Roommate Survival Guide

Roommates. A quintessential part of the College Experience™. Who your roommate is can have a big impact on the rest of your life — I mean you are living with this person for a year in pretty tight quarters. So if you don’t want to end up hating the person you’re living with two months into the semester, keep reading for roommate do’s and don’t’s. 

How I found an unexpected home in Baltimore

When I’m in Baltimore, I say I’m from Texas. When I’m not in Baltimore, I say I’m from Baltimore. Texas is a good place to be from, not a good place to be.

Why I joined The News-Letter, and why you should too

In high school, I was an arts kid. Theater, orchestra, choir — you name it, I did it. I also took classes in poetry and did a lot of that. To me, journalism seemed like another creative outlet that I hadn’t explored yet, and like any eager college freshman, I was itching to join new clubs the second I stepped foot on campus. 

Student Involvement Fair sneak preview: Hopkins club spotlight

There are over 400 student groups at Hopkins, many of which will be at the Student Involvement Fair on Sept. 7. We’ve highlighted a small selection here.

The best class I’ve taken at Hopkins

Historical facts to help you win Charm City trivia

Our best tips for navigating Brody and MSE

You’ve no doubt noticed the interconnected buildings behind the Beach, one older and shorter, the other newer and sleek. They’re empty now but they won’t be for long. These are MSE and Brody. If you’re a typical Hopkins student, they’ll become your second home.