Meet JHU_Saznin - Alexandria, VA, Public Health Major, Film & Media Minor

Hey guys,

I'm Saznin (pronounced Shaz-neen, long story), and I'm a sophomore here at this venerable institution. As of right now (and I say this due to my chronic indecision), I'm a Public Health major, concentrating on the Social Sciences aspect, and am minoring in Film & Media Studies. I was born in India, but moved to Virginia as a child. Now that I'm living on my own in Baltimore, my parents have decided to move to Tanzania for work-related purposes. Naturally, I'm a little confused about my official hometown: Alexandria, VA? Baltimore, MD? Dar es Salaam, Tanzania? Hmm...

The requisite list of my favorite things:
My friends, my family, traveling, watching movies, eating my weight in food (especially if it's Indian/ Thai/ greasy/ fried) at every meal, cooking, having my iPod plugged in 24/7, acquiring a mental bank of useless random facts. Your average college student fare.

Freshman year was a blast, but sophomore year is looking to be much more exciting. By now I've gotten a hold of the campus, the city, the classes, the grading... The great thing is that even though I feel like I've known this campus for forever, I find out something new about it everyday. For example, did you know that our campus has more squirrels than it has students? Admissions Daniel told me that the other day.

But I digress... my major is awesome because it allows me to study in a variety of different academic areas, such as history, political science, anthropology, and the requisite math and science courses. The reason I decided to major in Public Health was because of the Intro to Public Health class I took last year.
And why Hopkins you ask? It's simple. It's clear that everyone here wants to contribute to the world in some way, and they work hard to achieve that goal. Our campus and student body size make it possible to foster a great sense of community. Sure, we work hard, but we also know how to have fun.

In terms of classes, right now I'm taking Calculus, Expository Writing: Travelers' Tales, Intro to Digital Photography, and Intro to Film Study. Random, but I love it. I can't wait to see where this semester - and this year for that matter - takes me!

Check out my Twitter and follow my day-to-day thoughts and activities as a sophomore here at JHU!

Hi!
Yes, I am indeed taking a variety of classes in order to decide on a specific major. Last semester I took Macroeconomics, International Politics, French, and Occidental Civilization. For second semester, I'm taking Statistical Analysis, History of Africa, French, Intro to Public Health, and Biology in Film. So, as you can see, my classes are a bit random because these are areas of study that I haven't had an opportunity to explore yet. I'm taking such varied classes in order to find out what I think I'll like best and do well in.

You will need to decide on a major at the end of sophomore year, which means you have plenty of time to explore and find your niche! It's important to focus on keeping your mind open rather than fretting over requirements during your first two years here. My friends change their major ideas quite frequently and adjust their schedules accordingly.

As for double majoring, it is very much possible if you're committed to what you plan to do and are willing to handle the workload that comes with it.

Hope that helps!