For all you seniors out there, this is it. After three grueling, rewarding, soul-crushing, fabulous years at Johns Hopkins University, we’re down to one last year at our Homewood home. Sometimes it can be hard to remember everything we have at our fingertips, both on campus and in Baltimore, especially with classes weighing down on us once again. But shouldn’t senior year be the best year yet? Shouldn’t we experience all we can in Baltimore while we’re still here? Let’s make this year a great one. Not sure where to start? Follow this senior year bucket list for a truly unforgettable final year at Hopkins.
1) See all of Hopkins. This one’s for you Arts and Crafts kids-hop on the JHMI and at least step foot on the med campus. As cozy as the Gilman Hut can be, it’s hard to believe plenty of students go four years without seeing our famous hospital. And let’s be real, everyone already assumes you’re a future doctor when you tell them you go to Johns Hopkins. You might as well see what it’s like!
2) I mean, all of Hopkins. Never figured out how to get into the famous steam tunnels underneath campus? This is the year to find out. Anyone at JHU knows there’s plenty of illicit challenges for students to complete before graduation. Don’t worry about being a cliche- this is a great way to see a different side of the school. So make your way up to the Gilman bell tower or spend a night getting to know D Level, just as long as you aren’t studying while you’re there.
3) Get artsy. At this point, all seniors should have visited the BMA at least once. It is after all, on the Homewood campus. But there are plenty of other renowned museums throughout Baltimore. Go to the Walters Art Museum in Mount Vernon for Constellation Thursdays, where you’re free to wander the extensive galleries with a drink in your hand. Or head down to Federal Hill to visit the American Visionary Art Museum for a perfectly weird and wonderful afternoon.
4) Amp up that school spirit. We get it, JHU isn’t exactly Dillion High School (shout out to all my Friday Night Lights fans), but this the year to bleed a little black and blue. Spend a Saturday watching the football team, cheer on the volleyball team, go to a lacrosse game that isn’t Homecoming. No matter what the sport, getting out of the library and into the bleachers is a fun way experience Hopkins from another angle.
5) Celebrate the holidays right. As legendary as Halloween is in Baltimore, there are plenty of seniors who still haven’t made the trip down to Fells Point for a night of cobble-stoned revelry with Baltimore’s quirky locals. And then during the holidays, be sure to take a walk and grab dinner along the beautifully illuminated 34th Street in Hampden to really get in the holiday spirit.
6) Indulge your inner foodie. If you haven’t had a crab cake yet, now is the time to try this delicious Baltimore staple. But don’t stop there- from neighborhood farmers’ markets to Brewer’s Resurrection beer and garlic fries to Lexington Market to Old Bay everything, Baltimore is a foodie’s dream come true. And there’s no way to get to know a city better than by eating your way through it.
7) Escape your comfort zone. Have you been trudging through science classes your whole Hopkins career? Use your senior year to break out of the ordinary and take a class that requires you to think in an entirely different way. No, I’m not talking about fulfilling writing intensive distribution credits with a history class. Ditch your Type-A tendencies and sign up for a music class down at Peabody or a photography class at the Mattin Center (now that you’re old enough to actually make it off the wait-list).
8) Become a better Baltimore fan. How long has it been since you saw a game at Camden Yards-freshman year? Get a group of friends and spend the night watching America’s past-time on student night. Feeling ambitious? Google search “discount Ravens tickets” for major deals on highly sought after tickets for football season here in Baltimore.
9) Embrace your wild side. Need something to do before going out with your friends Friday night? Hit up the Baltimore Aquarium for discount tickets. Spend a Friday evening partying with the fishies before heading to Fed Hill for the night. Want to get really crazy? Attend Brew at the Zoo this spring for a unique beer festival at The Maryland Zoo. Just don’t get the the lions drunk.
10) Shoot for the stars (or at least look at them): No matter how much fun you have senior year, you’re bound to get stressed out about classes, grades, and the all-too-imminent future. A great way to relax? Spend a night stargazing with your friends at Bloomberg’s observatory. When you’re consumed with worry, sometimes all you need is a little perspective. And peering into the night sky with your friends is the perfect reminder that in the long run, everything will work out.