Hi everyone! My name is Purna and I am a freshman from Flemington,NJ. As of now, I am a Biology major (pre-med) and a Classics/Italian double minor! I can't wait to answer all of your questions about Hopkins!

Why Hopkins?

Apart from the amazing academic programs here, Hopkins give you so many opportunities to gain a greater enrichment in any area of interest, whether it pertains to your major or is just something you want to get involved with for fun! Through research, clubs/organizations, or even joint programs with other universities in Baltimore, you'll be sure to find something here that sparks your interest!

My Classes

Fall 2011:
-Introductory Chemistry I
-Intro Chemistry Lab I
-Intermediate Latin I
-Italian Elements I
-Calculus II
-Fiction/Poetry Writing I

Spring 2012:
-Introductory Chemistry II
-Introductory Chemistry Lab II
-General Physics I
-General Physics Lab I
-Calculus III
-Introduction to African Arts
-Painting Workshop I

My Extracurriculars

MICA: Although I am pre-med, I also have a great interest in art. In the spring semester, Hopkins allows their students to take art courses at a neighboring university, the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). I am really looking forward to getting a feel of what it is like to be an art student while continuing to be a pre-med student here at Hopkins!

Student Art League: is Hopkins' art club on campus. It's really fun to get together with fellow Hopkins artists and just draw or paint whatever comes to mind!

HERTU (Hopkins Emergency Response Teaching Unit): HERTU is an organization within HERO (Hopkins Emergency Response Organization) that consists of a group of CPR and EMR certified students who teach emergency medicine to other students enrolled in the fall, spring, or intersession HERO courses. I will be a TA for this coming spring's course!

Student Admissions Advisory Board: I am part of a diverse group of current students who volunteer for admissions to help make researching our school a lot easier and more informative for prospective students!

My Dorm

I live in Building A, which is located right above the freshman dining hall (FFC)! I am in suite-style housing where two rooms share a private bathroom and foyer area! I love how spacious the rooms and bathroom are and I also love how close to the FFC we are (i.e. endless supply of delicious cappuccino)!

Hi avni.m! I'm really glad you loved Hopkins during your visit! Personally, I feel that people are in fact very supportive of each other. I haven't come across a single person who was not willing to help me if I needed it. I find that it is very hard to survive my classes unless I have a group of friends and classmates to work with since the work load is very rigorous and comes in large amounts. In high school, a lot of the time my teachers discouraged working with others so that we would become more independent and self sufficient. However, at Hopkins, many of the professors encourage group work since our quality of learning can greatly improve by teaching each other and catching each other's mistakes. It is also great preparation for the real world since we will often find ourselves having to cooperate and work with others. So I wouldn't say there is a "cut throat" environment where people are reluctant to help others.

Ironically, a competitiveness still exists among many students, but it does not arise from any lack of ability to help each other out (because again, everyone here is very helpful). Instead, it arises from the way many classes are structured. In many large lecture classes (like chemistry, calculus, physics, etc.), we are graded based on a curve and standard deviation. In other words, a student's final grade in the class is not solely determined by his/her individual performance, but is also dependent on the performances of everyone else. But even with this grading policy, students at Hopkins are NOT out to get each other. They are simply striving to be the best they can. And because everyone is striving to be the best they can, there comes a misconception that Hopkins is "cut throat".

If you are up for all the hard work, then Hopkins is a great place to be. Believe me, you will learn a lot in your classes! Luckily, studying and being in class is only half of what your days will consist of here. You will have plenty of time as a Biology major to get involved with other things, such as clubs/organizations, sports, research, etc. And there will be plenty of time (if you are good at time management) to just hang out with friends or go out on the weekends! Hope this helped and good luck with your decision:)