Everything I incorrectly predicted about my college experience
From Arkansas to Baltimore: Fieldwork and Growth
Congratulatory messages
Why Hopkins?
Confidence is that thing with feathers
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All designs courtesy of Arantza Garcia
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
Dear Class of 2024,
Take a deep breath and take it all in: You’ve made it. Congratulations!
Through these past four years, you’ve surmounted countless obstacles — from Zoom college and socializing six feet apart to job applications and off-campus housing. Today, we celebrate your resilience and your perseverance. During your time here, every single one of you has shaped the Hopkins community in indelible ways. You’ve exemplified what it means to create lasting communities and forge unforgettable memories in the face of all sorts of uncertainties. You’ve paved the path for your underclassmen friends, and we are confident that you will be able to handle anything that comes your way.
In these pages, The News-Letter has collected your memories, your reflections and your growth. As you take a look back at your time at Hopkins, we hope you celebrate your accomplishments of all scales. You’ve sat your final Brody study session and had your last late-night CharMar run — you are officially free to step on the seal.
Congratulations on completing your Hopkins journey! We’ll be rooting for you, every step of the way.
Warmest regards,
Yana Mulani and Kaitlin Tan
Magazine Editors 2024-2025
COPY OF COPY OF PLAN BUT I DROPPED PRE-MED
summary of the twists and turns, ups and downs, As and “unsatisfactory”s, that have characterized my university experience. It’s a reminder of my wasted heartbreak taking Organic Chemistry and Physics, and of the meticulously scripted and practiced confession I wrote for my parents, anticipating their disappointment.
It’s a frightening thing to be young and alive. It’s one of the greatest privileges to be both, but how often do we know what to do with that? One of the curses of this experience is that it’s our first time being alive. Despite our AP Lang’s required reading of Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers or the rabbit holes of wikiHow articles, there is no absolute guide on the decisions we make as we navigate our lives, and there are no undos, do-overs or takesies-backsies, which makes every decision we make feel deeply consequential. In trying to come to terms with that — the devastating, boot-shaking, very loose conceptual knowledge of free will — I cope by planning.
I’ve spent countless hours poring over my spreadsheet — meticulously planning out my trajectory and charting my path. I’ll do this, which will allow me to do this, which will give me the skills I need to do this, which will help me apply to this, and such, and so forth.
But the most life-impacting decisions I’ve made have happened off Google Sheets and mostly out of my control — a result of random chance. That’s why I have a love-hate relationship with the serendipitous chain of events that contribute to our lives. For one, serendipitous is such a scary word to spell, but how terrifying is it that luck plays so big a role in our lives — this unexpectable variable that, no matter how hard you try, you can’t plot out on a spreadsheet.
The friends that I’ve made at Hopkins have had an indescribable impact on both my experience and on who I am as a person. From the memories of laughing so hard I run out of breath and my lungs start hurting, to how they’ve shaped me and encouraged me to be more confident in myself, they’ve given me so much that an 800word News-Letter article disguised as advice on planning can’t begin to show my appreciation.
They weren’t a part of my first four-year plan. I only met them through E-Board on a club — a club that I only applied to on a whim because someone I randomly reached out to on GroupMe to ask about transitioning to college recommended it. But in the late nights when my brain begins to spiral, I can’t help but imagine the “what-ifs.” What if I had reached out to someone else, joined a different club and never gotten close with those friends? Without them in my life, what different kind of person could I have become? What if I didn’t get waitlisted for Fundamentals of Epidemiology and missed out on the memories of pulling out a picnic blanket to sunbathe in Wyman Quad on Friday afternoons? The butterfly effect is real, but unfortunately
I’m afraid of bugs.
There are things you cannot plan for, and there are things you should change your plans for. I say all of this genuinely, albeit hypocritically, as another tab peeks out on my spreadsheet entitled “Life Plan,” but there is little to do other than accept that inevitable chance. Some of it will be good and some of it will be bad, but you have to plan for your plan to not follow through — and that’s not
necessarily a bad thing.
But in my opinion, the scariest thing about a four-year plan is how fast four years pass. Those eight 6:30 a.m. alarms to get ready for class registration are over before you realize it, and where you were once logging into the admissions portal with your friends surrounding, hoping to see the words “You’re In!,” you are now in your cap and gown saying your goodbyes to your friends and hoping
they’re not goodbye forever.
For all the all-nighters on D-level wishing for it to be over, you never really imagined it would be over so soon. Of course, it was never perfect — there were decisions I should have made, decisions I shouldn’t have and things that didn’t go the way I hoped, but I don’t feel regret for those things. I like to think that there are no such things as mistakes — just interesting chapters in your future biography. Worst case scenario, we’ll try
again in the next life.
As I get ready to graduate — furiously clawing at every aspect of my fleeting college life that I can — so deeply wishing everything could stay the same, as my friends depart for the rest of their lives, I can only oh-so-desperately hope that I have been a part of their four-year plans and will continue to be so in the next sets of four-years
to come.
Kobi Khong is from Orange County, Calif. and is grad-
uating with a degree in Public Health Studies.
Kobi Khong
AN ATTEMPTED GOODBYE TO THE GATEHOUSE
I’ve started saying my goodbyes to Homewood Campus.
As I conclude my last year of college and my third year in Baltimore, I think back to the places where I passed my time. The dorms, the library, the stuffy classrooms. It is easier to grieve brick and mortar than the people I may never see again.
I will miss the study carrel on C-level where I cranked out papers until the early hours of the morning. I would occasionally stand to see the heads of hair and empty Celsius cans behind other desks just to remind myself I wasn’t going through it alone. I will miss the Gilman Hall basement, where Writing Seminars professors gave me life advice I know I’ll return to for years to come. I will miss the maroon, upholstered furniture of Homewood Apartments. On those scratchy chairs and couches, virtual strangers quickly became my best friends.
Yet, I don’t know how to start saying goodbye to the Gatehouse. With its ancient sage brick and sagging roof. Its shoddy foundation and sinkless bathroom. I consider “It was nice knowing you” or even a “Thanks for everything.” But what can that convey?
Certainly not the scream when I frst found a wasp nest in the window of the chiefs’ offce. Not the countless slices of cold Domino’s I ate on print nights. Not the giggling with fellow editors at the old quotes scrawled on workroom walls. Not the early-dawn hours when I wanted to curl into a ball on the squashy, blue sofa.
Back in 2020, I started college, and it felt like nothing had changed. I was still studying in my childhood bedroom and walking the same suburban streets. My frst year passed by in a blur of Zoom lectures. I was desperate for the next few to be different. I felt pressure to cram transformative experiences into the rest of my time at Hopkins. I wanted to explore Baltimore and come to see the city as my second home. I wanted to take classes and have conversations that would change how I saw the world.
As commencement creeps closer, I think I have accomplished those things. Old Bay Seasoning and crab cakes now have a special place in my heart. I have loved learning about Charm City from the fourth-grade students in Writers in Baltimore Schools. I have been surprised by class discussions on everything from DNA sequencing to Raymond Carver.
However, my most meaningful experience at Hopkins is the one that refects how little I’ve changed. I have always been obsessed with the work of documentation and storytelling, as evidenced by the stack of flled journals in my childhood bedroom. I adored being an editor for my high school’s paper. Joining The News-Letter was a natural continuation of those passions.
While my time on staff hasn’t unveiled a new me, it has brought me new challenges and a new community.
Being co-Editor-in-Chief during one of the most divisive times on campus in recent history has often flled me with worry and self-doubt. I have wondered whether we are doing enough to highlight student voices and experiences. I have stressed about the backlash in our inbox and Instagram com-
ments. But, mostly, I have been in awe at The News-Letter staff — a group of students equally committed to providing the Hopkins community with fair, factual reporting.
I have laughed until I was in tears while delivering papers around campus or brainstorming headlines for the week’s editorial. I have looked forward to editing album reviews and sports recaps by our talented writers. I have been overwhelmingly grateful for the support I’ve found in my partner in crime, Yana Mulani. I have been proud of the work we’ve done, and that’s a feeling like no other.
When I left the Gatehouse after my last print night, I wanted to say goodbye. It was a cinematic moment: the incoming and outgoing chiefs turning toward North Charles Street in the early-morning darkness, birds chirping in the trees above us. It would’ve been the perfect time to say something profound. But I couldn’t fnd the words then, and I still can’t. I have spent countless hours in that cobwebflled cottage stressing over ledes and captions, and now, when it matters most, I can’t even offer a platitude.
But maybe a college experience that started strangely should end that way, too. So here it is: my last piece for The News-Letter . Not much of a goodbye, but an attempt, nonetheless.
Abigail Tuschman is from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and is graduating with a degree in Writing Seminars and Natural Sciences and a minor in Spanish for the Professions. She is a former Editorin-Chief, Opinions Editor and Voices Editor for The News-Letter.
Abigail Tuschman
Congratulations, Aalia Crouch!
Dear Aalia,
We are immensely proud of you! Your resolute spirit has allowed you to continue to reach your goals. We know God will guide your steps and strengthen you as you step into this new phase of life. We love you more than you could ever imagine!
Tu Familia
We
Dad, Mom & family
Dear
Congratulations, Ryla Tada Pasaoa!
CONGRATULATIONS, GEN!
CONGRATULATIONS, ANSHIKA AGRAWAL!
Congratulations Anshika! On your graduation!! It’s a testament to your unwavering dedication, intellectual curiosity, and drive for excellence. This is a beginning of a wonderful journey ahead of you, as you pursue further to make a powerful impact in this world. Keep reaching for the stars!
Congratulations Gen!
We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished in your time at Hopkins! We know that your kindness, humor, hard work, determination and talent will mean a future as full of friends, happiness and success as you have had the past four years.
To our amazing Ikshu. On your graduation day, we are filled with gratitude and admiration. Your intelligence, perseverance and kindness have always set you apart. Dream big, work hard and never stop learning. We are proud of you, our incredible graduate. Loads of love, Mamma, Papa & Kshan
To our amazing Ikshu. On your graduation day we are filled with gratitude and admiration. Your intelligence, perseverance and kindness have always set you apart. Dream big, work hard and never stop learning. We are proud of you our incredible graduate. Loads of love - Mamma, Papa & Kshan
Congratulations Nicole! You embody all our highest hopes and aspirations. As you continue your studies at JHU, remember you will always be the fixed star in our universe!
CONGRATULATIONS, ABBIE
Abble, Cg«a·¼a·l¯ ×¼« g«ad¼a·l! W a· a z× ad a « l· a¯ bee Ña·c lg ×¼ ·lc} eÐe«× bÖ · e l¯· ×¼ ade f« ×¼«¯ef l ldde ¯c . We eÐe« ad a ¯lge d¼b· · a· ×¼ Ѽd'·. Y¼ l¯¨l«e ¼¯ Ñl· ×¼« Ðe f ea«lg ad ×¼« ·l«ee¯¯ d«lÐe. We ca· Ñal· · ¯ee ×¼ ·ac}e · e Ñ«d ad ¨¼· ×¼« ¨e«¯a ¯·a¨ l·.
We Ðe ×¼ Ñl· a f ea«·¯, M, Dad, Sa ad Be (*ad a f · e ca·¯, f c¼«¯e)
TUSCHMAN!
A LETTER TO MY FRESHMAN SELF
Molly Gahagen
Dear Freshman Molly, You made it! Yes, you read that right; you’re at the end of your four years at Hopkins, and you have come out in one piece! I remember how you are feeling now: Having spent your entire life in a small town, you are restless and excited to go far. When imagining what you think the college version of yourself will be like, she is everything you are not at 18 — effortlessly successful, self-assured and outgoing (complete with a really cool haircut).
Unfortunately, this version of you does not magically materialize once you enter college. Coming to Hopkins from your tiny hometown is daunting, and entering college during a pandemic does not make it any easier. You spend your freshman year in an endless series of Zoom calls, and you will feel cheated out of the classic experiences of living in a tiny dorm room, eating terrible dining hall food and commiserating with your fi rst-year peers over the growing pains of moving away from home.
With everything occurring virtually, you will feel frustrated and like you are missing out on opportunities to figure out what you want to study or do in the long term. However, freshman you will make a great decision that will largely come to defi ne your time at Hopkins: You will join The News-Letter during your freshman fall as a staff writer. You will be nervous to join and worried about your inexperience, but you will resolve to try your hand at student journalism.
When in-person activities resume during sophomore year, the highlight of your fi rst day of classes will be attending your fi rst News-Letter general meeting in the Gatehouse as a News and Features Editor. Crowded in the building’s cramped main room every Monday evening, meeting your co-editors and collaborating on weekly production will quickly become your favorite part of the week. Working as part of a team, brainstorming article ideas and interviewing people across the University and Baltimore will broaden your horizons and open your eyes to critical issues and the importance of local journalism.
Major spoiler alert: The highlight of your college experience will be spending your junior year as one of the paper’s Editors-in-Chief. From late nights laying out the pages of the paper to print distribution on the golf cart, being Chief will be equal parts stressful and rewarding. But, you won’t be alone; working with the best co-Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor and staff will make it so that the intensive nature of daily production is always fun. You will eat an inordinate amount of THB bagels and
slices of Ribaldi’s pizza, but there won’t be any long-term damage. The experience will be hard, but it will open so many doors for you, and you will learn so much.
Beyond this, you will try new things; some of them won’t stick, but that will be okay. You will try barre classes and give up after a month, but you will have better success running. You might not run the half-marathon you aspired to complete, but you will accept the more gradual pace of progression and complete a 5K. You won’t do all the things you imagine the future you doing, but it will be for the better. You won’t study abroad, but you will have the greatest summer in Washington, D.C. when you intern there, and you will have all kinds of stories to tell.
There will be throughlines: the interests you had as a teen will remain the same. Film will always be your main hobby — and, let me tell you, living through the summer of Barbenheimer will be exhilarating. Even though this interest will remain constant, you will branch out: You will fall in love with European cinema and the French New Wave. I am so jealous that you will get to watch Anatomy of a Fall for the fi rst time with fresh eyes. You will still love reading, and you will read every night before bed. You will never read a book you love as much as A Room with a View, but you will make progress on your to-read list. You may never pick up your copy of Anna Karenina even though you make it your New Year’s resolution every year to read it, but you will eventually fi nish Doctor Zhivago — fair warning: It will take you four years of sporadically reading it. Most importantly, you will make all kinds of new friends, but your hometown best friends will remain constants in your life, and there will be nothing more rewarding than growing in tandem with them. Overall, you may never become the idealized version of your future self, but you will have experiences you never thought you would. Your time at Hopkins will not be easy, and there will be rough patches, but it is more worthwhile than you can imagine. Looking back as a senior, there are things I am going to miss, from my favorite professors and familiar faces on campus to the dogs I pass by on my morning walk to class every day. While freshman you is scared of the unknown lying in front of you, your current self is less worried — and, dare I say, excited — about what the future has in store for her. You have so much to look forward to that you don’t even know about yet (including several Taylor Swift albums!), so get ready.
Best wishes, Future Molly
Molly Gahagen is from Key Largo, Fla. and is graduating with a degree in International Studies and Political Science and a minor in History. She is a former Magazine Editor, Editor-in-Chief and News & Features Editor for The News-Letter.
FOUR YEARS AT HOPKINS
Before going into the nity gritty of my time at Hopkins, I just want to say that I’m grateful for both the hard and good times I’ve had here. These experiences are what have shaped me into the man I am today. I came to Hopkins as a teenager right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I leave a full grown adult ready to swim through the challenges of life.
Freshman year was by far the hardest year for me. One would think that, coming in as a freshman, you’d be having a lot of fun, getting to meet new people and experiencing independence. That wasn’t the case for the Class of 2024. We were the COVID-19 freshmen, and most, if not all of us, were confined to our computer screens for nearly the entirety of the year.
Keeping up with classes was certainly hard as I was learning from pre-recorded, YouTube lectures and slides for the most part, but the most challenging aspect was socializing. When I moved from Turkey to the U.S., a majority of my social circle was left behind. Of course, we still get to hang out every summer; however, in the U.S., I had to build up a new social circle, and the pandemic certainly did not help.
Like all hardships, though, Zoom University also came to an end near the middle of my sophomore year, and I found myself freed from the chains of dorm-room confinement. While I had a lot of fun times during the lockdown as well, such as the launch of the University’s Minecraft club, for me, the true fun started when I took my first real step on Homewood Campus.
The chaos of college life embraced me from sophomore year onwards. Running to classes and making it on time for meetings were just the tip of the iceberg, though. Getting to meet the people I talked with online, eating from the restaurants I had heard so much about and sitting on the Beach were the best parts of sophomore year. That summer, I had one of my favorite and toughest experiences: my internship at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Though it pushed me to my limits with the steep learning curve and fascinating projects, that internship also introduced me to some of the best people at Hopkins, and I’ll be forever grateful for that.
My most fun time at Hopkins was my summer study abroad experience in Japan after my junior year. I even got to visit the Tokyo Imperial Palace and meet with Princess Akiko of Mikasa. I had the privilege of having dinner with her alongside my host family at the Imperial Palace. Getting to expand my worldview and connect with peers across the entire world who had come to learn Japanese was an amazing experience. I’m longing to return to Japan in the future to meet up with my host family who helped me acclimate to a new culture.
Senior year was certainly an adventure with a lot of ups and downs. I finally didn’t have as many classes as I did during junior and sophomore year, but, this time, I was battling a different beast altogether: What path did I want to take after graduating? I came to a crossroads, torn between walking down the path of higher education or throwing myself at corporate America. I believe that I’ve made the right decision, and, thanks to my experience at Hopkins, I’m ready for what’s to come.
Now, as a graduating senior, my time at Hopkins is ending, and I’m proud and honored to say that I am a Blue Jay. From this point on, I’ll stride forward to even better memories, wearing my badge as a Blue Jay with honor.
Zal Ekinci is from Montville, N.J. and is graduating with a degree in Biology and Chemistry.
Zal Ekinci
CONGRATULATIONS,
DARREN!
Dear Darren,
Congratulations on your remarkable achievement! As you embark on the next chapter of your journey, may your future be filled with continued success and endless opportunities. We are so proud of you!
Congratulations Luke! We are so proud of you. Love Mom, Dad, and Mark
CONGRATULATIONS, XIMENA FLORES ROBLESGIL!
Congratulations Xime! We are very proud of you, and remember, never stop chasing your dreams.
Te queremos mucho, Ma y Pa.
CONGRATULATIONS, SETH BERKE!
Congratulations on all the hard work, we are proud of you. Wishing you all the best with your post graduation endeavors! Love, Mom, Dad, Jared and Champ
You epitomize resilience, perseverance, strength, beauty, and wisdom. Just when we thought we couldn't be prouder of you, there you go again! We're in awe of you and your accomplishments. Remember — adventure lies on the road less traveled, and we can't wait to see where that road leads you next. We love you!
Mom, Dad, and Thomas
Congratulations, Dianne, Jonny and Andrew!
Congratulations on your graduation! This is a significant milestone, and we're excited for you as you embark on this new chapter of life. Remember to celebrate your achievements and continue pursuing your passions with determination and resilience. Best of luck on your journey ahead! We love you!!!
Much like the last day of a vacation, my excessive awareness of the fact that my time at Hopkins is coming to a close has made it difficult to fully enjoy myself. Instead, whenever I check my calendar, I find myself counting the number of weeks left until graduation — and, six days later, my flight home. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. There are many benefits to returning home to Long Island after college. I grew up in Huntington, about an hour from Manhattan, and I have a lot of family in the area. For me, going home means hanging out by my grandparents’ pool with my sister and cousins; it means going to Rosa’s Pizza with my neighbors; it means curling up on my parents’ orange couch with a book and a cat.
Typically, I indulge in these relaxing activities for a few short, idling weeks before returning to Hopkins for my next semester — but this time will be different. Following my graduation, I have almost nothing planned. I have a doctor’s appointment at the end of May, my dad’s ultimate frisbee tournament in June, my cousin’s wedding in August — and that’s about it.
Logically, I know I’ll benefit from taking a breather — and that I’m incredibly privileged to be able to take one — but slowing down has never been very easy for me. I crave structure, crafting it where it doesn’t already exist, whether I’m challenging myself to read as many books as I can over winter break or signing up for a
spring half-marathon, and I don’t know where I’m going to find it once I’m out of school. I’m trying to be grateful for the opportunity to slow down and spend time with family before starting to work full-time, but my own hopes and ambitions — and the pre-professional culture at Hopkins — have made it difficult for me to accept that taking an unstructured break after graduation may be what I need.
Truthfully, I don’t want to be taking a break. I had hoped to be attending graduate school this fall, and, when that didn’t work out, I modified my postgrad ambitions accordingly. I tried to get myself excited about the premise of accepting a job, moving somewhere new and starting the next chapter of my life alongside my friends but I haven’t found the right fit yet — and I would rather sit in my discomfort at home for a few weeks or months than accept a job that I know I’ll dislike (as I nearly did).
At a school like Hopkins, where many students follow straightforward, pre-professional trajectories, I’ve been finding it difficult to tell people that I don’t know what’s next for me and that I’m moving home indefinitely. While I know it isn’t true, it often feels like everyone surrounding me has had their next steps fall seamlessly into place, receiving dream offers from jobs, graduate programs, fellowships and the like.
As tricky as it is to prepare to
celebrate my graduation in the midst of so much uncertainty, I know that I nevertheless have a lot to be grateful for. I’ve absolutely loved my time at Hopkins — I wouldn’t trade the experiences I’ve had or the relationships I’ve formed here for the world. I believe in myself and my potential, even if it’s going to take me a little longer to figure out what comes next for me.
Every day, I get closer to figuring out what I want my life after college to resemble. There are so many opportunities ahead of me, it’s difficult to choose what path to take — family, friends and professors keep telling me that the world is my oyster — but Long Island is as good a place as any to continue working toward the answer to that question. Besides, if the previous times I’ve spent at home over school breaks have taught me anything, it’s that there’s a lot to enjoy about a Long Island interlude.
Madelyn Kye is from Long Island, N.Y. and is graduating with a degree in Writing Seminars and International Studies and minors in French and History. She is a former Voices Editor for The News-Letter.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A HOPKINS SENIOR
Maria Harar
My time at THE Johns Hopkins University can only be described as hectic, bustling and ever-moving. From signing myself up for as many clubs as possible to taking 18-credit semesters, I would like to think that I have contributed (quite well) to campus — and Baltimore — during my undergrad. Though I have been involved in many things, I would like to take the time to highlight one class, one organization and one experience that meant so much to me.
Organization:
Nearly two years ago, I joined Hopkins Community Connections (HCC) as a community advocate. At that time, I was bouncing between the idea of the pre-med and pre-law tracks and was having a difficult time trying to balance two opposing paths. Though the first few weeks were challenging, being given the privilege and trust to work with real families facing real issues has been humbling.
HCC has been one of the most rewarding and eyeopening organizations that I have ever been a part of. There is a deeply personal bond between an advocate and client when you’ve been working together for weeks — sometimes months — and have tried to problem-solve some of their most intimate issues. I don’t have a favorite client, but there are some families that I have grown quite close to with time.
One moment that stood out to me was when a long-time client of mine asked if he could come in-person to meet me for the first time. He explained that he had remembered my ethnicity from a conversation a few weeks back and wanted to gift me organic honey from “back home.” I was touched, and I will never forget him.
Experience:
This past winter break, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea. I had never been one to solo travel or even desire solo outings, but in an unexpected turn of events, I ended up going to Korea completely alone. So, on Christmas morning I was on the 19-hour flight to Seoul... in a middle seat. I slept for at MOST an hour before we landed the farthest I have ever been from home. The next three weeks were spent exploring a unique culture totally unlike what I had ever seen before. I spent many nights lost on public transportation and many mornings looking for non-pork-based meat options, but all of it was worth it. While there, I made a friend from Macedonia (I didn’t even know that place was real), was offered to spend the night in a random ajumma’s house and spent a lot of time in 7-Eleven eating gimbap.
less important. It was a time of fi rsts, a time of growth and a time of learning. After this trip, despite all else, I can say with confi dence that I am awful at skiing, the best Chinese food is in Seoul and Korean Netfl ix is better.
That being said, I did experience some hardships, confl icts and culture shocks, but looking back, that all seems
Class:
I know that I said I would pick one course to highlight but forgive me — I’ll have to recommend two.
Taught by Professor John Marshall, the first class is a mouthful: Revolution, Anti-Slavery, and Empire 1773-1792: British and American Political Thought from Paine, Smith, and the Declaration of Independence to Cugoano, Wollstonecraft, and the Bill of Rights.
I joined quite late, but I could tell from my very first class that there was something different about this course. Though there are many anti-slavery courses at this university — many of which I have taken — none have ever given me the perspective on slavery and the American Revolution that Marshall provides in this course. In addition to being a witty and kind professor, Marshall takes the materials we’ve studied time after time and gives them a newer (and more interesting) meaning.
He also gets bonus points because he once bought me a book he thought I would enjoy reading!
The second course was Global Political Ecology: Colonialism, Capitalism, and Climate Change with Sheharyar “Sherry” Imran.
In my four years at this school, this has been the only 9 a.m. class that I have ever taken. I honestly thought that I would drop it after the first week for an afternoon class, but I found myself much too interested. I don’t quite have the words to describe this course; my best effort would be Greta Thunberg and Alexandria OcasioCortez’s lovechild. The topics covered a vast array of topics from Baltimore’s Curtis Bay pollution to indigenous philosophical thought. It was very clear that Imran had put an immense amount of thought and consideration into each reading selected for class, and I honestly enjoyed reading them. Unfortunately, he is a graduating doctoral student, so I don’t believe the course will be taught again; however, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to appreciate it.
Outside of these classes, organizations and experiences, I have been a part of many opportunities that I also greatly value and cherish.
I know that, at times, the Hopkins workload alone is enough to keep all of us more than busy, but I truly believe having experiences outside of a rigorous education path is the key to enjoying your college years.
I’m not sure if reading this will convince anyone to partake in any of my suggestions, but I hope that at the very least, you are inspired to get involved.
Maria Harar is from Atlanta, Ga. and is graduating with a degree in Political Science and Cognitive Science. She is a former Magazine Editor for The News-Letter.
EMBRACING THE UNEXPECTED
Estelle Yeung
I will never forget the day I was accepted into Hopkins. Not because it was rosy and lifechanging. Antithetically, it seemed that everyone thought the world would end that day. It was Friday, March 13, 2020, which became our last day of “normal” school before everything shut down due to the pandemic.
Now, my graduation gown stares at me from my closet, a self-imposed reminder that my time at Hopkins is almost over. How did we get here already?
Four years ago, everyone thought I had hit the jackpot. After many college tours, information sessions and applications, I had gained admission to a highly coveted “elite university” that so few from my high school had been able to attain in previous years. Of course, my imposter syndrome only intensifi ed when I arrived here and learned that many of my friends had attended schools where the norm was to go to a top university. Many had parents who were physicians or professors or lawyers. For them, going to a top university was a given, so they seem to forget the immense privilege they have to be at Hopkins.
I know that this discourse is nothing new. But Hopkins was by no means my dream school as it had been for many of my peers. My eyes had been set on other schools, in more familiar cities, that were slightly less competitive. I had applied to Hopkins on a whim; it was the last application I wrote and the last decision I received out of many.
I was extremely hesitant to commit to Hopkins. I agonized over the decision for weeks. What if I ended up regretting going to Hopkins? I knew almost nothing about Baltimore, having only visited Hopkins once for an admissions tour, which I ended up disliking. I grew up visiting family in Washington, D.C. often, so that familiarity somewhat assuaged my fear of moving to a new city.
But, recently, I discovered a photo of myself in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor as a child. I honestly don’t remember that trip at all. We must’ve taken a day trip to Baltimore while visiting D.C. But here I was, in front of the dragon boats and multicolored panels of the National Aquarium.
It’s the same place where my family and I took photos before they dropped me off at my freshman dorm.
The red, green, yellow and white panel of the aquarium is still there. I know this seems silly; many Hopkins students arrive here having never visited the East Coast. But part of me fi nds so much comfort in trying to tease out the symbolic meanings of the past. Maybe Baltimore was meant to be all along. Finding this photo reminded me how lucky I am to have some family ties to this area — unlike my family members who, at my age, had to move to new countries alone.
What has fueled me has been reminding myself of the significance of my attending Hopkins when so few in my family have had similar opportunities. My ancestors fled war and poverty in China and went to Mauritius, a small island near Madagascar, where they didn’t know anyone. My parents each left Mauritius in search of better opportunities far from home in Singapore and in the United States. Theirs is a classic story of immigrants chasing the elusive “American Dream.”
My friends know that I could go on about being Mauritian forever. But every time I meet someone new who asks about my family, I am again struck with this idea of generational context. I carry with me the legacies of generations of my family who have each sacrificed comfort and familiarity to pursue a better life for the next generation. For me, there is so much meaning imbued in my family’s migrational history that has enabled me to reach where I am now.
My first college class was during the height of the pandemic over Zoom: Advanced French for Writing. My last class was a History Research Lab on the Asian Diaspora in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Neither of these were necessary for my primary major, but they were both so impactful for my personal growth and interdisciplinary training. I’m so grateful to have taken niche social sciences classes that have fundamentally changed the way I approach global issues and research processes. Most importantly, studying the social sciences has enabled me to better understand my family’s history.
My family has made all of my hopes and dreams possible. I owe all of my success to them and to their courage in moving to new places. And I know my fouryear-old self would be proud to know that I ended up living in and, unexpectedly, loving Baltimore.
Estelle Yeung is from Clinton, N.J. and is graduating with a degree in Public Health Studies and International Studies.
A LETTER TO MY FRESHMAN SELF
Aliza Li
In April 2020, a little over four years ago, I wrote a letter to myself to be opened at the end of college. It was the summer before my freshman year, a few months after I’d discovered I had been accepted at Hopkins and a strange and uncertain time in the middle of the pandemic. Since then, I’ve mostly forgotten the contents of the letter, typed into a Google document with the title “DO NOT OPEN UNTIL MAY 23, 2024!!” However, I do remember inserting photographs of my current obsessions at the time, and I can imagine that I talked quite a bit about finding friends and a partner, things I’ve always been concerned with. So, in honor of the letter I wrote to future me, I’ll now write one to my past self.
To freshman me: Don’t worry. You always worry. You worried so much that you made a Reddit post asking people what to do in preparation for college. Don’t be afraid to make some mistakes. A fear of looking bad or messing up will prevent you from being adventurous and exploring new things. Worry less about the future and embrace the present, as trite as it sounds.
Don’t be afraid to be disliked by some people. I’ve come to realize that extremes are unhealthy. If you’re absolutely loved by everyone, then you’re not being real, and, if you’re absolutely hated by everyone, then you’re an asshole. By staying true to yourself while still trying to be kind and compassionate, you’ll be loved by the people that matter most, even if you step on some toes here and there.
loved writing — I do regret the lackluster manner with which I spent my time here. I didn’t take my classes as seriously as I should have, thinking that, as long as I got As, I was doing fine. But, one’s skill in writing isn’t easily expressed according to a metric, and it isn’t something you can cram at the last minute. It requires regular practice, reading and critique. Although my writing has improved in the past four years, it hasn’t improved as much as it could have had I been more diligent in honing my craft.
Really, this letter to my freshman self might also be a letter to my current self. Although I’ve definitely changed in these past four years, I’ve stayed the same in many ways. I’m still anxious, neurotic and a people pleaser. I still worry. I still have many fears. I’m still learning to accept who I am as a person, to love myself and to grow as a friend to others.
In a few months, I’ll be moving to New York City to live with my sister in a cramped Manhattan apartment. Unfortunately, I don’t have a job lined up or a graduate program to fall back on. I’m in the middle of job hunting, and I’m starting to wonder if being a barista might be my only prospect for now. But, I’m also excited and hopeful for the future, and I’m especially excited to devote more energy and time to regularly writing and reading. I hope these next years of my life will be as fruitful as the past four.
Aliza Li is from Houston, T.X. and is graduating with a degree in Writing Seminars. She is a former Voices editor for The News-Letter.
Cook more. I spent far too much money eating out and buying snacks when I could have tried out new recipes and worked on my cooking skills. Take advantage of your apartment kitchen when you’re inevitably kicked out of the dorms junior year, and aspire to be the next MasterChef. Or, at least, a half-decent one.
Finally, take your writing more seriously and don’t slack off. I entered and exited Hopkins as a Writing Seminars major, and — although I’ve never regretted this choice, as I’ve always
Congratulations, Nya!
Dear Nya,
Our beloved daughter and sister, we're blessed to have you in our lives. We're so proud of how far you've come and excited about how far you'll go. You've overcome so much to get here, and we hope you'll continue doing so moving forward.
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CONGRATULATIONS, EMMA GRACE TURNER!
Emma,
Your time at Hopkins has exceeded any expectations we could have imagined as parents. A Biomedical Engineering major, Design Team Leader, Nest VP of Marketing, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and a NCAA Soccer Championship student athlete. To say we are proud is an understatement. Keep crushing it! We love you!
CONGRATULATIONS, JAMES REILLY!
Dear James, congratulations on your graduation and well deserved accomplishments! So proud of you! Wishing you nothing but the Best! GO HOP!
Love, Mom & Dad
CONGRATULATIONS, FARID SHAHID!
Our dearest Farid,
Congratulations on your graduation! We are so proud of all your accomplishments! We love you and wish you the very best on all your future endeavors!
Love, Mom, Dad, Nanu and Tariq
CONGRATULATIONS, ABDELRAHMAN!
Dear Ab,
Congratulations on an amazing four years. You continue to inspire us everyday. We are proud of the man you have become. Can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll achieve. Love you to the moon and back. Best always, The Hamimis <3
CONGRATULATIONS, JONAH!
We are so incredibly proud of all you have accomplished. Your drive, determination and grit are beyond impressive. Sitting here today at this historical institution and watching you move on to the next stage of your life is one of our proudest moments.
Remember, you already have everything you need to achieve everything that you desire. You have the tools already within you to succeed at whatever you decide you want to accomplish. There will be challenges, but we know you can overcome all of them as this crazy thing called life happens. Remember, whenever you need it, we’ve got your back.
CONGRATULATIONS, KATE, TRIYA, LILY AND KAITI!
Congratulations to these brilliant and beautiful young women of the Johns Hopkins Class of 2024. Everything is easier when it’s done together! Lots of LOVE! From your proud families!
CONGRATULATIONS,
Congratulations, Liz Epperly!
Sweet girl! We remember that first visit with you to JHU like it was yesterday. You were ready for more. Through surviving countless papers, a pandemic, and a second home in Italy, you've adopted Baltimore and are ready to soar! We couldn't be more proud of you, baby! Reach for the stars! We are your biggest cheerleaders. Love Dad, Mom and the crew.
CONGRATULATIONS, ALEXANDRA!
Congratulations on your big day! You keep amazing us with all your accomplishments. We're so proud of you.
Love, Mom & Dad
CONGRATULATIONS, SAYUNI AND JABARI!
Congratulations on your graduation from Johns Hopkins! Y'all did it!!!
CONGRATULATIONS, KHAIRI DUNLAP!
Congratulations, Khairi! We are so proud of you!
Love,
Beoria, Johnny, Phillip, Dana, Isabella, Nadia and Joshua
CONGRATULATIONS, BEN!
Cg«a·¼a·l¯ Be! We a«e ¯ ¨«¼d f · e ¨e«¯ ×¼ a«e, ×¼« acc¨l¯ e·¯, ad f« ×¼« f¼·¼«e ¯¼cce¯¯e¯!
LÐe ×¼ ¯ ¼c , M, Dad, Tala, Hble, Sca«¨a
2020–2021 FRESHMAN YEAR weathering the storm
This was the year we all got sick of Zoom breakout rooms The start of college is a strange enough transition, but the Class of 2024 had the added difficulty of a global pandemic. At times, amid online lectures and mask mandates, it felt uncertain that we would ever enjoy a “normal” college experience But we made it through with the help of our new friends, Among Us, countless tubes of spit, Netflix watch parties and... the Freshman Annex?
exploring the capital
What is a club/organization that made a big impact on you?
One of the many benefits of living in Baltimore is the $9 MARC train to Washington, D C Attractions include Washington Monument, the Smithsonians and, of course, the spring cherry blossom bloom.
This was our first full year on campus! It was the era of Squid Game, Marriage Pact, Red (Taylor’s Version), our first inperson Spring Fair and the subsequent “Meek Mill variant.”
2021–2022 SOPHOMORE YEAR Charm City
lounging around
spring fun feeling festive
A favorite Hopkins tradition is the annual Spring Fair! Typical attractions include a petting zoo, an arts market, bounce houses, food vendors and a concert.
2022–2023 JUNIOR YEAR
We’re finally upperclassmen! This was the year we moved off campus and began to miss FFC grilled cheese sandwiches. Notable pop culture moments from this year included Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Rihanna’s Super Bowl pregnancy announcement and the intense anticipation of Barbenheimer.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? And what do you want to be now?
Paleontologist Engineer – Santi Cortés
A salamander A worm – Sadie Friesen
NBA player NBA player – Brian Min
In the winter, the on-campus ice rink is the perfect place to practice your spins or hang out with friends
blue jays on ice
2023–2024 SENIOR YEAR
Can you believe it’s over? After all of the problem sets, Piazza posts and UniMini mozzarella sticks, our time as undergrads has come to an end. But though we may pack up our rowhomes and say goodbye to our professors, some things will never change. We are forever Blue Jays Go Hop
What is a song you had on repeat senior year?
“Red Wine Supernova”
– Annie Radin
“MOJABI GHOST”
– Lucie Ebner
“A Casa Mal-Assombrada”
– Ashlyn Peralta
“Bugatti”
– Nubairi Milki
“Japanese Denim”
– Sophia Zhai
partial eclipse full hearts
The April 8 solar eclipse viewing party on the Beach drew hundreds of students and community members And we got really cool glasses
Thank you to the lovely gorgeous talented ladies on JHU JOSH! I could not have imagined these last 4 years without you!! — Tanisha To Mom: Love you with all my heart, thank you for everything you've done to support me. Mom knows best! — Sam
To all my incredible peers, supervisors, professors and most importantly my parents, I could not have made it here without your support. Thank you so much for an unforgettable four years at Hopkins! — Ameya
Shoutout to my girlies!! Love you guys so much — thanks for getting me through these last 4 years :) <3 Casey
Emily Grace, Shivanie, and Jam, I'm so grateful that you've been such a big part of my journey here. I'll never forget our late night study, baking, and movie night sessions. Love you all!! — Zarina
Thank you to all the dear friends that I could go through this journey with! I’m grateful for all of you! — Steven
To everyone who took a class with me: Thank you for letting me talk so much! To Tae Hwang: Thank you for encouraging me to make my puppets, I took them all over the Hopkins campus! — Samantha
Thank
Thank you so much to The NewsLetter for being my home away from home. — Abbie
I have endless thanks to give, so all I will say is thank you. Yes, you! — Elaine Yang
Thank you to all the BME Professors and wonderful friends I've made along the way! And thank you Jonathan, Julia, and Cathy for the best four years! — Wenyu
Thank you Dr Karen Fleming for being the best professor I've had here at Hopkins. Thank you for noticing when I needed help even when I wouldn't reach out :) — Sulagna
To all my friends that I met during freshman to senior year, thank you for standing next to me in this journey. I hope we can all keep hanging out even after college and beyond! — Zal
Mamãe e Papai, obrigada por tudo. Thank you for not only pushing me to do better in everything I do, but for supporting me in everything I did and for continuing to support me regardless of whether you understand it or not. The only reason I am here today is because of you. Love, Bebeo <3 ; Thank you, Joan Freedman, for getting me through 4 years of college with your encouragement, feedback, and constant check-ins. You're the best! — Isabella
Anshula, Caitlyn, Dixie, and Madi- thank you for always giving me a reason to smile and being the best friends I could ask for, I love you guys!! <3, Asha
Thank you to my my mom, Oliver, Amrita, Dr. Henry, Mrs. Freedman and so many other people I wanna shout out, but I'm pressed for time! I love you guys a lot! Thanks for everything!
— Angela
To Sham, my future hubby: Hopkins isn't just the place I got my degree, it's also where I found you. Love you always! To Veera: Love you bestie!!!! To my Twin, Nikki: Sorry for not going to Harvey Mudd so we could go to college together. Love you queen! — Samantha
Chers Maman, Papa, Tim, et tout ma famille: Thank you so much for your support throughout my college journey. Merci d'avoir éclairé mon chemin. Je t'aime très beaucoup! Love, Estelle <3
I would like to send the most heartfelt thank you to Rosina, Ameya, Amira, Naiyah, Chris, Seti, Makayla, Lucas, Jeremy, Gabby, Carter, Daivik, AJ, Stella, Nicole... All people who were best friends to me along the way and I would not have made it through Hopkins without them. — Helene
You!
Thank you to my family who have been supporting me through these past four years. I'm so grateful for all the video calls and Baltimore visits. I love you all!! — Zarina
Thank you to Hop-In, the FLI Network, and Modinat Sanni (AKA Beyoncé) for being a constant support and source of motivation over the years — Kendra, Proud First-Generation, Limited Income (FLI) Graduate
To Casey, Estelle, and Kobi, I’m glad we made it to senior year with each other. And thank you to my mom, always :) — Vivian
Thank you SSM! You made college amazing for me! I am forever glad I found this church! — Aliza
Thanks all my friends for the best moments <33
Thank you Professor Santosa for the help during the past four year! Also, thank you Professor Torcaso for your great lectures. Thanks all people I met during the best 4 years in JHU :) — Ziling Chen
To Sammy: Couldn't have found a better person to spend undergrad, and now the rest of my life with (super duper engaged!) To Mom, Dad, and Aman: Thanks for being the best family a fella could hope for.
— S Shamtej
Dear Matthew,
Congratulations, Matthew!
Congratulations on your graduation from Johns Hopkins University! This is a tremendous achievement and a testament to all of your hard work and dedication. As you move forward into this exciting new chapter of your life, may you continue to pursue your dreams with passion and perseverance. We are so proud of the man you've become and the genuine character that you possess — we can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll accomplish. The world ahead is all yours and your future is so very bright — keep being the funny, caring, empathetic person you are. We love you lots, now and forever!
xoxo Mom, Dad, Sean and Grace
CONGRATULATIONS, CARTER BRADY!
Congratulations! You are truly amazing! We love all the happiness and fun you bring to our family. Lots of Love, Dad and Reilly
CONGRATULATIONS, HARRISON SIMS
Congratulations Harrison! We are so proud to be related to someone so smart!
We love you so much, Mom & Dad
CONGRATULATIONS, SOPHIA!
Sophia, congratulations on your graduation! We are so proud of you and your achievements! Love, Dad, Mom, MaryGrace, Tom, Jorge, Josie, JP & Camilla
A LETTER TO MY FRESHMAN SELF
Isabella Madruga
Dear Isabella,
You’ve probably just gotten the news that your frst semester at Hopkins, your dream university, will be entirely online — right before your wisdom teeth removal surgery. It sucks, I know. And these restrictions will stay in place for a while. But the pandemic doesn’t last forever. You will get to dance the night away, see your friends’ faces and experience all the unique offerings Baltimore has — eventually.
You’re both dead set on what you want to do and also have no idea what you are doing. All you know is that you want to be an author and expect to come out of college with a six-fgure book deal, right? Something you learn quickly is that college is unpredictable at best and hellish at worst — but it’s not impossible, and you will be able to do it. You shouldn’t come here to only write a book. You should come here to make close friendships and unforgettable memories, and sometimes you will pick going out on the town over staying in and writing. And that’s okay.
Another thing you will learn is that things will happen in their own time. Everybody has their own path, and while your classmates are doing amazing and impressive things, you are doing something of equal importance: being the frst person in your entire family to go to college and learning to be a self-suffcient, independent and good person. All of these are as important as winning an award. I know you don’t believe that — it’s hard to believe it myself. But you’ll soon fnd yourself amazed at your own critical thinking skills, the fuidity in your speech, the eloquence of your diction, and that is more than enough to prove that your education was worth it.
You make the best of what you can with COVID-19 and the unending construction of a student center you will never be able to experience. You discover all the nooks and crannies of campus, all the shortcuts so you can get to Bloomberg in less than ffteen minutes when you accidentally oversleep. You say yes to everything on campus: fve student jobs, countless clubs, a sorority and a large network of friends who all love and care about you, random trips to Inner Harbor, hopping on the bus that takes you all around Baltimore so you can see the good and bad of the city you’ll be living in for four years, studying abroad in Japan. Yes, Japan! You will do so much that it’s hard to believe that I’ve been spending most of my senior spring regretting all I haven’t done.
You won’t get any awards for Writing Seminars, and this will crush you beyond comparison. You won’t write that Sociology thesis you pondered doing. You won’t get a star-studded internship at some cool company, you won’t present any important research that wins awards, you won’t apply to or win any fellowships, and you won’t graduate with a job. You’ll burn out around the end of junior year after taking more than 15 credits for over two years straight, and you’ll realize you haven’t done any of the hobbies you loved in four years. A stake will drive into your heart every time you open LinkedIn and see your peers doing something unbelievable. But something shifts in your last three weeks as a student, and you realize you’ve earned some rest and relaxation.
Things get better. Then worse. Then better again.
One thing you never lose is the support of your community. Your parents are always there for you, and while they may not understand what you’re doing or where you’re going, they are there with open arms when you fall or succeed, and you will do plenty of both. They trust you and are waiting for you to trust yourself. You will have an academic advisor who is indispensable to your transition to college and saves you from countless pitfalls and mistakes. You have friends that come and go. Regardless of whether you will say goodbye to them at graduation
or not, they will leave an impact on you so strong that you won’t notice at frst. Not until you choose a snack at the supermarket because they recommended that brand to you or a song plays while you’re folding laundry and you’re forcefully transported to the summer night your friend played it nonstop in your car. You might only keep in contact with a handful of friends post-grad, but the life lessons you learned from and with them will stay with you forever.
You have an indomitable spirit, grown from a working-class childhood, reinforced by high school and solidifed in college. When you fall down, you will get up. When you’re stuck in a corner, you dig out an escape. You will have setbacks, but triumphs follow soon after.
My next triumph is graduation, which may seem unfathomable to you. It did to me until this week when the graduation countdown went from years to months... to three weeks. So continue living like college will last forever, live in ignorant bliss. It may seem like I’m some venerable sage, and you may be wondering what shift occurs that makes me an adult. But truth be told, I am and forever will be you, a scared but excited college freshman ready to take on the world. I will always be the “new kid,” whether it’s at a job, a friend group or a social club. I will always be learning and growing. I know this may seem daunting to you because you think you’ll wake up someday and “get it,” but you’ll learn that nobody “gets it.” Nobody understands what’s going on, nobody is secure and everybody is a scared college kid bumbling around, learning and growing, forever and ever.
Keep making mistakes, Isabella Cardoso Madruga. Keep learning and growing. Your future is so bright; you’re blind to its possibilities. This is the only advice I can give to you: You will be okay. I will be okay. We will be okay.
Love, Isabella
Isabella Madruga is from the Bay Area, Calif. and is graduating with a degree in Writing Seminars and Sociology.
COVID COLLEGE IS A BREEZE
Eirnin Mahoney
Somehow, I’m much more comfortable on campus when it’s nearly deserted. The chimes ringing every 15 minutes echo clearly across the quads, noteworthy against a backdrop of quiet birds and rustling grass. I can only see a handful of people on the entire quad — most working or relaxing in the sun by themselves. All I can smell is the moist earth and the distant tang of my metal chair. The sun is slowly setting and, no matter how many times I drag my chair into the nearest sunny spot, the shadows of the buildings conspire to converge over me.
These are the times when college has felt the most “real” to me. This is how it all began, clinging to the dying rays of sunlight on my parents’ porch, wishing I brought a sweatshirt but unable to leave my Zoom class. The neighborhood was silent except for the birds and the rustling of dead leaves and a car once or twice an hour. I can still smell the crisp air and feel the granules of cement under my fingernails when I think about it.
I didn’t have many expectations for college before it started. I thought I might learn some important stuff, make some friends, have a few adventures and be ready for a career or grad school at the end of it. But with the onset of Covid, the seemingly indefinite delay of even these vague plans was crushing to say the least. I was bursting at the seams to leave my parents’ house in the dreary suburbs and experience all the community and culture that city living and university life could offer me. At the same time though, I think I adapted pretty quickly to Covid college. Once classes and Zoom extracurriculars started up, I didn’t feel a sense of loss since I didn’t know what I was missing. I was definitely depressed, but who wasn’t?
Moving to Baltimore in January 2021 felt like living out my dreams. Sure, my dreams now had to include Covid tests three times per week, masking indoors and out on all Hopkins property, and virtually no in-person socializing. But this was an astronomical improvement over the previous semester, and it was the only available path forward.
This path came with a fair amount of speed bumps. I had no reason to leave my dorm except to do Covid tests, pick up packages and walk to Giant every Saturday. (If the younger students can believe it, Streets didn’t exist back then!)
I had a girlfriend who lived in Commons, while I was in Homewood, so the only way for us to see each other was to meet up in Wyman Park Dell, which was frequently covered in snow during that unusually cold winter. We both wore several layers of pants, sweaters and jackets; I brushed snow off the benches with a towel. We huddled for warmth in the piercingly cold air, but we smiled as we watched the sky fill with pink and orange light as the sun dipped beneath the hills.
This was the life I cobbled together — tiny building blocks stacked precariously to create meaning when nothing else could. I baked my own birthday cake for the first time, learned how to keep a succulent alive, set off the dorm smoke alarm by burning maple syrup and dressed up in color-coordinated outfits just to attend Zoom classes. I ate way too much ice cream while using my little projector to watch Supernatural on my dorm wall. More than anything, though, I took in the world around me. Campus was so beautifully quiet and still, with hardly a handful of people on any given quad. The sun beaming down on the balconies of the now-demolished Mattin Center was brilliant and blinding and warm. In the whole world there seemed to only be green grass, blue sky, brick buildings and birdsongs.
For three years, I’ve been running away from the memories of those earliest, hardest days. But for three years, some parts of college have felt increasingly foreign to me and now I know why. When I see standard college things — students playing football on the quads, crowds gathering for school-wide events and the university sponsoring parties and galas — I can’t help but see the trappings of college life, so far removed from how I learned to view these four years. This time is about discovering who you are and what’s important to you and building a life from the tiny pieces of clarity that emerge over the weeks and years. The Covid times gave me the opportunity to find this meaning without all the other noise, and I am eternally grateful. I don’t need an event or a party, a free t-shirt or a “real” college experience; just give me the wind in the trees and the sun on my skin, and I know I’ll be okay.
Eirnin Mahoney is from Pittsburgh, Pa. and is graduating with a degree in Public Health Studies and Sociology.
CONGRATULATIONS, JORGE!
Congratulations Jorge! We're very proud of you! 6192021 An Angel Returns
You did it! Congratulations on reaching this incredible milestone! This is only one of many! Remember to enjoy the journey on this adventure of life. We wish you all the best, now, and always.
Chi girl, We couldn't be prouder of your achievements. You are a very special, amazing young lady. Not even Covid-19 could stop you. Even when we were worried, you told us, "I got this." On your journey from Riverside STEM Academy to Johns Hopkins University, as you set up your dorm all by yourself, you showed us your strength. Your Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and psychology is a testament to your willpower. On top of that, you diligently practiced the piano, your favorite hobby. Your potential is unlimited. We pray that God continues to bless you in Jesus' mighty name, Amen.
CONGRATULATIONS, BLUEJAY CLASS OF 2024
We love you. Mom, Dad, Chiamaka & Chidiebube
CONGRATULATIONS, GABRIEL LESSER!
Cg«a·¼a·l¯ Gabl ad · e e·l«e 2024 g«ad¼a·lg ca¯¯! We a«e ¯ ¨«¼d f ×¼ ad eÐe«×· lg ×¼ aÐe acc¨l¯ ed. We a«e aÑaׯ e«e · c ee« ×¼ · «¼g ¼· ×¼« z¼«e×! We Ðe ×¼ ¯ ¼c !
Congratulations on your many accomplishments at JHU!
We are so proud of you, John! Wish you many more successes and may all your dreams come true! God bless you now and always!
Love you very much!
Dad, Mom, Hannah and Joshua
CONGRATULATIONS, GABE INSLER!
You impress us every day. We've been so lucky to cheer you on as you move from excellence to excellence. We can't wait to see what you do next!
Love you so so much, Mom, Dad, and Ethan
CONGRATULATIONS, ZAL R. EKINCI!
Congratulations Zal!
We remember the day you got accepted to Johns Hopkins University along with top Ivy league universities. It was not easy picking the right choice amongst these universities during Covid times. Today you are graduating with Biology and Chemistry double major, having learned fluent Japanese, several computer programming languages, having worked for the top research professors at Hopkins and establishing life long friendships there. You are a mature man standing on your feet. As always you accomplished what you set out to do. You make us proud everyday for who you are. We wish you health and happiness ahead.We will always be your loving family.
Ahmet & Sevin Ekinci
EVERYTHING I INCORRECTLY PREDICTED ABOUT MY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
If I had a nickel for every incorrect prediction I made about my college experience, I would have... a lot of nickels.
On March 14, 2020, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. Staring back at me and my parents was the long-anticipated email from Johns Hopkins University congratulating me on my admission to the Class of 2024. I vividly remember spending the rest of that evening daydreaming about the four years ahead of me. During my spring break, I would get to visit Baltimore and tour the campus to get a feel for what was to come. At my high school graduation, I would proudly announce to family and friends that I would be attending Hopkins and majoring in Neuroscience (one of the biggest reasons I made my decision). At orientation, I would meet tons of new people who I would later recognize in the classes we shared.
The next four years of my life would be the start of a new chapter where I completely reinvented myself and figured everything out. Being as naturally smart as I was, I would ace all of my classes with little effort, get involved in research and several organizations and master my piano skills. I would get to experience living on my own and have the freedom to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And at the end of it all, I would be dressed in my cap and gown again, showing off the medical school I would be attending.
Not even 24 hours later, God made it known He had other plans.
As I’m sure we all know, the global crisis that was the COVID-19 pandemic had everything come to a screeching halt. With everything shutting down, touring the Homewood Campus was suddenly off the table. All graduations were postponed and/or made virtual. No matter, I thought, life happens. Everything else I planned would surely come to pass.
Well, it did, but not exactly.
Over the summer, Hopkins informed all students that the following semester would be fully virtual, including orientation and all extracurricular activities, until conditions surrounding the pandemic improved (Zoom University is making it to the history books, I’m calling it now). The majority of my fall semester was spent in my home library, glued to my laptop and frantically trying to finish up the calculus homework that took way longer than it should have. At the time, I had been blissfully unaware of the Hopkins GroupMe and Discord servers, so I didn’t exactly get the head start in the social department I had hoped for.
Then came the following spring, and we were finally allowed to move into our dorms (how I managed to set everything up without any extra help will forever remain a
mystery). That semester wasn’t much different, honestly. All classes and activities were almost entirely virtual, and it seemed like I only ever went out to grab food or get my third COVID-19 test of the week.
Sophomore year came and went. Junior year flew by before I could blink. The end of senior year snuck up on me when I thought time couldn’t go by any slower. In those years, classes never got any easier. Juggling extracurriculars while studying for the MCAT was a nightmare. And even after pandemic restrictions were lifted, Ms. Rona would still decide to pay a surprise visit just for giggles.
But there’s one prediction I made that I haven’t mentioned yet, and I think it’s the only one I got completely correct.
No matter what, I would make it to the other side and look back at my memories of Hopkins with fondness and gratitude.
In between the days of feeling like my life was over because I failed my physics exam, I developed study skills that will prove crucial in med school. When I wasn’t wasting my life away in bed because I was too exhausted to get up, I was grabbing bubble tea and playing Mario Kart with my friends. I’m certainly not a piano master, but I now have a laundry list of pieces that I’m eager to learn. I didn’t hit submit on AMCAS in the summer of my junior year, but I now have the opportunity to fine-tune my skills and ensure I’m on top of my game when the next cycle begins. I had the opportunity to present a novel research project at DREAMS, making me eligible for departmental honors. I found my second family with the Melanotes, where I rediscovered my love for singing.
And at the end of it all, I’ll still be dressed in my cap and gown, standing next to the most talented and hardworking people I’ve ever met.
Just as I predicted four years ago.
Chisom Uwakwe is from Grand Terrace, Calif. and is graduating with a degree in Neuroscience and Psychology.
Chisom Uwakwe
FROM ARKANSAS TO BALTIMORE: FIELDWORK AND GROWTH
I joined the Poverty and Inequality Research Lab intending not only to gain research skills but also to become a better listener and advocate. During winter break, we traveled to a small town in Arkansas to map out the decision-making processes of families there. This experience helped us learn more about the voices of marginalized communities.
I usually like to decompress on plane rides at the end of each trip. But instead of my typical routine — donning my lavender-scented steaming eye mask and slipping on noise-canceling AirPods — I fnd myself reluctant to shut out the world on my fight back to Baltimore from our feldwork trip in Arkansas. As I gaze down at the patchwork of landscapes below, each parcel of land seems to enshrine within it a silent testament to the stories and decisions of those who dwell there. The families we interviewed, the church services we attended, the donut shop that welcomed us — all of their narratives are interwoven into the fabric of transformative decisions, neighborhood choices, love stories and, perhaps most importantly, their genuine willingness to share their aspirations, resilience and identities with strangers from Maryland. I did not anticipate how deeply this short feldwork trip would map its unique and invaluable imprint on my academic and personal growth.
My conversation with a participant — who I’ll call Hilton — was an insightful journey into the depths at which personal experiences are shaped by broader social structures such as race, sexuality and socio-economic status. He texted Kaylee (the post-doc fellow and primary interviewer) right before the scheduled interview time, as he was helping a
friend and was now at a fast-food place without transportation to get home. She assured him that everything would be fne while grabbing her car keys.
Kaylee and I hopped into the red Jeep with an interview material package and the very important recorder. His relief at seeing us was evident, and he quickly warmed up to our presence. We started the interview while we were driving to his house. It was indeed quite odd to talk about life in a moving car with two strangers. But Kaylee nailed it. And even while keeping an eye on the road, she was always giving Hilton the nod or the “mhmm” that said, “I’m here, I’m listening, keep going.” It was this sort of magic mix of being present, but not pushy, that I picked up from her — something I’m defnitely tucking into my own toolkit for future interviews.
The qualitative research method class did not tell me how to handle our rolling interview. The unconventional setting was, perhaps, something you would never fnd in a textbook, so it was like watching a masterclass in feldwork on the go. Her approach was super casual but incredibly focused, turning it into a smooth ride — literally and metaphorically. It was a reminder that sometimes, the best conversations happen when you just go with the fow and adapt to whatever comes your way. The conversation eased into more serious topics about his life experiences as we approached our destination.
Hilton’s life story is truly a story of trying to balance life during a time of constant change. His story is one that truly offers a hallmark to what it means to be human, marked at one point by aspiration and another by romantic comfort. From his childhood years where he spent his time moving homes due to the changing dynamics of his family, to all his different enterprises in his quest for independence and love, every chapter of Hilton’s life had something new to add to the narrative of resilience.
After wrapping up an insightful day of interviews, we returned to our Airbnb, only to discover the heating had gone
out — an unwelcome twist given Arkansas’ unusually snowy January evenings. It was a reminder of how feldwork often threw unexpected challenges your way beyond just the research questions. Kendall — our always-prepared supervisor — quickly took charge. Recognizing that the weather and malfunctioning heating system could potentially leave us in a tough spot, she guided us on a snowy trek to the nearest supermarket. Her leadership turned a potentially stressful situation into a bonding experience for our team. As we wandered the aisles picking out essentials (and a few comfort snacks), we shared laughs and stories about feldwork misadventures.
As I pen this concluding thought, I’m still “looking” out the airplane window and observing the intersectional experiences from our feldwork. Like the landscapes I see stitched together, the stories from the beautiful people I heard were incredible. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of these stories and the feldwork trip. This advocacy spirit carried me back to Baltimore as I resumed my senior year. Refecting on my time at Hopkins, I stand at the nexus of theory and practice, academia and advocacy. I am eager to support marginalized communities. For the past summers, I actively contributed to two vital organizations in Baltimore. My work — centered especially on queer, displaced youth and queer undocumented immigrants and refugees — shaped the foundation of my vision.
These experiences have left an indelible mark, defning both my academic identity and inciting personal growth on how to be a better researcher and, more importantly, how to be a better listener as I head to University of Pennsylvania for my Ph.D. in Sociology and Demography. I will continue my fights to different cities carrying much more than my eye mask and AirPods. I will hear more stories and see diverse groups of people carrying the insights and stories from Arkansas, Baltimore and beyond.
Frank Meng from San Jose, Calif. and is graduating with a degree in Sociology and English.
Frank Meng
CONGRATULATIONS, CHISOM ONYEJEKWE!
Your dedication, resilience, hard work, and passion have propelled you to this remarkable achievement. As you embark on the next phase of your journey, may your enthusiasm, curiosity, and determination continue to guide you towards even greater success. You are not just a graduate, but a shining example of excellence and inspiration to us all. Here's to you, dazzling graduate! Well done!
With loads of love and blessings from your family.
CONGRATULATIONS, MEGAN HUMPHREY!
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CONGRATULATIONS, TAY!
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Dad, M & S ed
CONGRATULATIONS, UMA PADMANABHAN!
Dearest Uma,
We are so proud of all that you have accomplished in the last four years at Johns Hopkins. Your passion, commitment and your love of family is truly a blessing. We could never tire of your jokes, showing us around the Hopkins campus, bagel places, library, reading room and JHU tee that kept us always entertained. Walks around Wolman, Charles commons, Nine East and impromptu stay at The Study, the laughs at Mason hall, sneaking Bella in are memories we will carry for the rest of our lives. Dad would have been so proud of you as we all are.
Love and blessings, Bibi Paaty, Mom, Aditi, Keerthan and Bella — (Dad in our hearts)
To George,
Congratulations on your graduation!
Congratulations, George Paragioudakis!
We are so proud of your achievements and look forward to your future successes. God bless you son!
Love, Mom, Dad '87, John, Manolis, Evdoxia
Congratulations, Michael Nwazue!
Congratulations on your huge and awesome accomplishments. We are very proud of you. God will continue to prosper you in all your endeavors. We can't wait to see you in medical school to fulfil your dream. Greater heights to come. We Love You, Dad, Mom, Chiamaka, Daniel and Ihuoma
CONGRATULATIONS, JOSH LAFAIR!
Congratulations Josh! We are so proud of you. Love, The Family
CONGRATULATIONS, SCHAEFER GRANT!
Congratulations Schaefer on your graduation from Johns Hopkins University with honors! Your entire family is very proud of you. Please take a moment now to drink it all in. We are looking forward to seeing what great things you will do in the future.
CONGRATULATIONS, SOPHIA!
Congratulations on your amazing achievements! We can't wait to see what's on the horizon for you and what new heights you reach next.
ing these last four years, I’ve worked as a tour guide for the admissions office. When
we reach the last tour stop at Decker Quad, I always wrap up by answering the question, “Why Hopkins?” For me, the answer is simple: the people.
At Hopkins, the people around me push me to be the best version of myself. Whether that be academically or socially, my friends here motivate me to seek opportunities both inside and outside the classroom while also creating a safe support system around me. I feel like sometimes we take it for granted, but it’s so inspiring to constantly be surrounded by an environment where people are constantly working together, enacting change, making new discoveries and engaging in their passions.
As a tour guide, part of my job is to gush about my campus experience and outwardly promote Hopkins to prospective students, but I truly do mean every word that I say. I’ve loved my time here, and I’m so grateful for the experiences, opportunities and people that Hopkins has brought into my life.
From late night study sessions in Brody Learning Commons to sunny spring afternoons on the Beach, I’m going to miss the sense of camaraderie and the feeling of being “all in it together” in both the exciting, happy moments as well as in the tougher, more stressful ones. Whether I’m looking back on rough nights spent cramming for Neuroscience: Cells and Systems exams in Milton S. Eisenhower Library or beautiful days spent listening to music and eating free ice cream on Wyman Quad, I reflect on it all with gratitude. I’m beyond grateful for the people who I’ve shared these
experiences with, those who have motivated me to never give up and those who have stuck by my side even in the toughest situations.
Not every moment has been easy, and any Hopkins student can share their reality of taking midterms and completing a stressful week of exams, assignments and activities. Nevertheless, what makes Hopkins so special is the people we see on a day-to-day basis, the ones that bring a smile to our faces on our walks through Keyser Quad or the ones that we spontaneously run into in line at Brody Cafe. I’m going to miss bumping into friends on my way to class and seeing kind and familiar faces everywhere I go.
Speaking of community, I’m going to miss the student groups that have welcomed me in and given me a home away from home. Johns Hopkins Hillel and the Jewish Students Association have been an amazing space that I am so grateful to have been a part of since my freshman year, providing me with a place to hang out at any time and to have weekly Friday night Shabbat dinners alongside some of my closest friends. Further, I’m so thankful for the Brazilian Students Association, the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, Blue Key Society, and the Ketzev a cappella group for giving me such memorable college experiences and introducing me to some of my dearest friends.
If I’ve learned anything from my time in college, it’s to appreciate the little moments and to express gratitude for everything and everyone that brings me joy. I look back at minuscule moments from my freshman year — like sitting next to an unknown person in my First-Year Mentor group, bumping into someone on my floor of Scott-Bates Commons or building a snowman with a couple of “strangers” during our first Baltimore snow.
I’ve now learned that these things are not minuscule at all, and that, in each of these situations, these “strangers” have become close friends of mine throughout college. I’ve learned to appreciate the little things because we never know what will happen next, who we will cross paths with or what our life will look like.
At the end of the day, none of us are strangers. We’re all here because we are passionate people, whether that passion be directed at our loved ones, our academics, our life goals... we are all here because we are driven.
So, once again, I answer the question, “Why Hopkins?” and it’s because I’m going to miss every moment I’ve spent alongside my friends here.
To my freshman year self, who was worried about making friends in college and who was overwhelmed by everything around him when he first came to campus, take a deep breath and make sure to savor every moment of your college experience. To the Class of 2024, thank you so much for all of the great memories. I can’t wait to see where we all go next!
Gabriel Lesser is from Westchester, N.Y. and is graduating with a degree in Neuroscience, Romance Languages and Medicine, Science and the Humanities, and a minor in Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies. He is a senior staff writer for The News-Letter, with a Voices column titled, “The Road Lesser Traveled.”
Gabriel Lesser
CONFIDENCE IS THAT THING WITH FEATHERS
Everyone comes to college an outsider. New to Baltimore, I remember jangling with the nervous desire to belong. I looked for a way in through writing for The News-Letter, and one of my first stories was about a new restaurant opening in Charles Village called Busboys and Poets. Busboys is gone now, which goes to show how a person and a place can change together in less than four years.
I went on a lot of walks through campus in the spring semester of my freshman year, learning the names of buildings and quads without even meaning to. Before I quite felt like a real student at Hopkins, The News-Letter connected me to several incoming students who had just been accepted in the second early decision round. As we talked, I realized that I had the privilege of imparting knowledge and a sense of belonging; I had become part of Hopkins.
Walking back and forth across campus became an increasing necessity as pandemic restrictions were lifted and classes and extracurriculars started meeting in assigned rooms. I could not tell you exactly when the people around campus stopped feeling like non-player characters, but, at some point, they started meeting my gaze and saying, “Hi, Elaine!” I started saying, “Hello!” first.
The pandemic definitely skewed my perception of social norms. Eating meals by myself and talking to random strangers were practices that I continued as I took on the identity of a Resident Advisor (RA). Though the job itself necessitates embracing some awkwardness — as an upperclassman in the dining halls, for example — I learned more about confidence from my residents. I strove to give them the in-person freshman experience that I did not have, and they were upfront with me about everything going on in their lives. In advocating for them, I learned to advocate for myself.
Shedding my reserve to let my confidence shine through took a prerequisite feeling of safety, and I will always remember the people who have made me feel seen and also comfortable while being seen. Their authenticity has brought out mine.
When I, having chopped 18 inches off my hair since my freshman spring, returned to campus sophomore year, Kimberly, who worked at Hopkins Cafe at the time and is stationed at CharMar now, actually remembered me when some of my friends did not even recognize me anymore. She made me feel at home here, and I still wear the fuzzy red socks she gave me one Christmas. We would never have connected if she hadn’t told me she liked my hair when it was long and lamented when it was gone.
Larry, who works with RAs, remembered me as an AMR II Hollander resident when I became an RA myself.
That might seem weird, but it means so much for me to be remembered when my biggest fear is being forgotten. I made an impact just by existing, which signified to me that I truly belong.
Taking American Sign Language has introduced me to another mode of expression in a way that has pushed me to genuinely find comfort in myself even when I make mistakes. Nobody is judging my personhood on the basis that I can never remember the difference between the sign for “funeral” and the sign for “visit.” I strive for constant improvement and would much rather be corrected than continue making an embarrassing mistake for the rest of my life.
Receiving compliments is hard for many of us, and I am still waiting for those people who say my writing “slays” during workshops to double back and berate me for the middle-of-the-night scribbles I forced them to assess. I am still counting the days until people who say I am an eloquent speaker turn around and tell me that my word vomit is meaningless to them. But, then again, when have I ever told someone I liked something of theirs and did not mean it? Never.
The impostor syndrome is still with me. And yet, I have had the privilege of being surrounded by people who unconditionally support me. I remember asking a Charm City STEM League volunteer for help, and I barely said, “Would you—” when he responded, “I would love to.” My most loyal PILOT student, Noah, announced once that he would follow me anywhere. My mindset is a little slower to change, but, whenever something goes well, I can hear the voice of Jillayne, one of my sophomoreyear roommates, telling me that I am not simply lucky; I work hard. People are so kind, and I strive to be more like them every day.
Quite possibly the best compliment I have ever been given came from my best friend Kahea. “You got balls,” she said. That is not to say that I somehow grew a pair in college. People sometimes mistake me for being shy because I can be quiet. But, if I were a book, I would have a transparent cover; I say what I mean. And I learned that from her throwing around the most out-of-pocket Midwest phrases, because she is not afraid of being herself in the face of questioning looks.
Everyone comes to college to learn, from professors and from each other. Other people’s successes do not detract from my own. As I move forward into the real, adult world, I have confidence that I have learned something from the Hopkins community about being myself. I have a voice that people want to hear. This has been the case all along.
Elaine Yang is from San Ramon, Calif. and is graduating with a degree in Neuroscience and Medicine, Science, and the Humanities with a minor in Writing Seminars.
Elaine Yang
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THANK YOU FROM THE NEWS-LETTER
As we wrap up the 2023–24 academic year and look back on all The News-Letter has accomplished, we are filled with gratitude for the support we’ve received through it all. It has been an unprecedented year for college campuses and student journalists across the country, and we are thankful for the encouragement and feedback we have received from the Hopkins community and alumni. We would like to give especially big thanks to:
J.B. Bird, Jaclyn Fuller, Craig Gares, Rachelle Hernandez, Sheri Buttarazzi, Mike Joseph, S. Renee Wiley and Nichole Mukoda.
The News-Letter alumni network, The Hopkins Fund, the Commencement Office, the Johns Hopkins Development and Alumni Relations Office and the University Archives.
Brittini Brown, our advisor, who listened to our concerns about preserving tradition at The News-Letter.
Morgan Ome, Rollin Hu, Audrey Holt and Marvis Gutierrez for providing the Hopkins community with an exciting discussion about careers after student journalism.
Jacob Took, Sarah Y. Kim, Alyssa Wooden, Kelsey Ko and Michelle Limpe for their wonderful advice during our alumni meetings.
Our readers and donors. You are the reason we get to keep doing what we love.
Finally, we would like to thank our talented staff. We are amazed by your dedication and tenacity. Every interview you have conducted, every photo you have taken, every dollar you have fundraised and every hour you have spent laying out pages has made a difference at The News-Letter. We cannot express how proud we are of your hard work.
Have an amazing summer, and stay tuned for next year’s coverage!
Yana Mulani, Abigail Tuschman, Samhi Boppana and Shirlene John
