Name: Janice B
Year: Class of 2015
Major: Neuroscience
Campus Activities:
Member of the Blue Key Society
Mentor with the Incentive Mentoring Program
Member of Alpha Phi Fraternity
Sophomore Class Senator (Student Government Association)
Conducts Brain Tumor and Stem Cell Research
What is a fun or unique fact about you?
My family has had the “same” goldfish for pretty much my entire childhood, and I still haven’t told my little brother that we have replaced it consistently over the past twelve years.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself as an oncologist, and hopefully gearing up to be involved in local politics.
What would you say has been your most rewarding Hopkins experience thus far?
Being elected as a Sophomore Class Senator was the most rewarding experience I’ve had in college because I ran for President my freshman year and lost. Although this loss might have seemed small to the friends that I’d just met, it was a huge deal for me. Serving as Class President for four years in high school did not equip me with the lesson of losing. Taking that loss and running again in a different capacity only made me realize how strong I am, and also forced me to put into practice my favorite quote. Because of that prior loss, winning Senator was a victory that I celebrated more than I ever could have before.
What is your favorite quote?
“Whenever you think of quitting, remember why you started.” My mom told me this before I came to Hopkins. We were dealing with a few members of my family falling ill with cancer at the time – something that only reaffirmed my desire to become an oncologist when I grew up. Freshman year here was tough and emotionally draining, and at times I felt that I couldn’t compete with my classmates. But keeping this in mind allowed me to keep in perspective what I wanted out of college, and forced me to remember that it wasn’t about being the prettiest, or the one with the most friends, or even the smartest. Keeping this in mind made me realize that I can succeed here at Hopkins as long as I try. And now I can honestly say that my struggles during that first semester are behind me.
Favorite movie?
The Pursuit of Happyness. This movie is one of my go-to movies when I need to feel like anything is possible in the world. The strength of the family, the “American” persistence for success, and the bond between father and son that the film showcases really warms my heart.
Do you have a motto or a favorite piece of advice that you always try to live by?
My motto is: life is better with friends. Any story that I have every told that was just about myself has never brought the same joy to me as the ones that began with “me and ____.” There’s nothing in the world that I would trade for my friends because, at the end of the day, even if you are successful, you can still be lonely. And there’s nothing in the world that can cure loneliness.