What Would You Change About Hopkins?, ** Featured Discussion

[JHU_Admin]

We all obviously love Hopkins and have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have spent here so far.

Academically, Johns Hopkins is famous to be strong. In terms of the opportunities the university gives us as students, it is unparalleled. The food isn't too bad, either. We even have a pretty fierce mascot.

With its strengths, however, naturally come weaknesses.

So ... if you could change one thing about Hopkins, what would it be?

[JHU_Jermaine]

I wouldn't completely agree that the "food isn't too bad either," (although I haven't eaten @ Nolan's or Fresh Food since sophomore year), but the one thing I would def. change about the Hop is...is...[still thinking]

[JHU_Lauren]

^ It's at least better than it was five-ish years ago. To listen to a senior describe food that was basically inedible during their freshman year makes you pretty grateful for the food at Fresh Food Cafe now. Sure, it's the same stuff every time .. but at least it isn't horrible. And I do love their hot dogs.

I'm actually going to tweak a response I wrote for my Hopkins Hosting Society application. There was a question almost exactly the same as this one on that application .. and I like my answer.

The major thing I want to change isn't within the Hopkins system at all -- instead, it's the inaccurate perceptions that outsiders have on what it means to be a Hopkins student. This is the major reason why I've gotten involved in Hopkins Interactive {and HHS now, if I'm accepted!} in the first place: too many prospective students think that the Hopkins environment is a cold, cutthroat, impossible one. They think they'll spend every waking moment of their lives here at Hopkins {otherwise known as “the place where fun comes to die”} reading, writing, and studying, doing nothing else and having zero fun. They think that everyone here, even if he or she appears as a friend, is really out to “get” them, because they think everyone is vying for the same places in the top medical schools’ classes of 2015 or for the same positions in the most powerful companies. While there are pockets of competition and there is absolutely a group of students who spend most of their time in the library studying alone, this is NOT the norm. Not every Hopkins student is pre-med or an engineer {but good for the ones who are!} and, while education is serious and is, at the moment, extremely important to most every Hopkins student, we are capable of having a good time with each other. Hopkins students work hard, enjoy their free time, and make relationships that they can always rely on for support. Most Hopkins students lead a well-balanced life, and I would love for nothing more than to show this to anyone with doubts.

[JHU_Mandy]

1. I'd like to go back to the MTW and ThF schedule for classes

2. In the neighborhood--obviously this is one Hopkins can't fix itself--have some kind of hang out spot for weekend nights for students not interested in the partying. There's stuff to do off-campus, but it'd be nice to have somewhere closeby you can go--basically, the same idea as a bar but without the drinking. This one's a bit far-fetched.

3. bridge the gap between the community and the institution (by institution, I mean medical campus and the University itself). This one's a constant effort, and Hopkins does seem to be trying.

4. Allow more options for double majoring within the natural sciences

5. More on-campus housing options for juniors and seniors. Maybe my mind will have changed by then, but living on campus just seems so much more convenient.

[JHU_Lauren]

^ I really agree with #2. I'm not sure if Hopkins can really do much more on that topic {I mean, we have the Hop Stop, and no one really ever goes}, but I know a lot of people are looking for something like that as well. I've sort of grown to like going out dancing and stuff because it's something to do {it's an excuse to dress up too, and I'll never turn that down!}, but I would love there to be a place like you described for nights when that doesn't appeal to me {which is often, lol}. Hey, if you're ever bored on a night and want to see a movie or something, walk that lonnnnggg walk across the floor and let me know!

[JHU_Tanmay]

If I had to change one thing, it would definitely be the schedule. I loved the old MTW / ThF schedule so I could focus on classes and get work done, and the new schedule doesn't work for me at all. *sigh*

[JHU_Laura]

Well I haven't had any classes with the new schedule yet; but judging from the fact that i LOVE the old schedule...and am already fearing the new one....

[JHU_Esther]

I agree with Laura. I would change the schedule back to the old schedule. Check out my current blog entry for the reasons why: http://hopkins.typepad.com/esther/2008/02/...port-mtw-t.html

[JHU_Andrew]

I would get rid of finals. Let's be serious... that's never going to happen.

[JHU_Kate]

To add to what people have already stated, I'd just like to say that ( a ) I actually love the new schedule and ( b ) I also think it would be nice if we could get rid of exams, but that's simply wishful thinking on my part.

On a serious note, if I could change only one thing about Hopkins, it would be the lack of a student union building. Besides the library, I don't know of a building on campus to where students from all four years go on a regular basis. In a way, it's nice that when you're in the mood to study outside your room, you can go to the library and run into familiar faces while studying, but I'd like to be able to do the same kind of thing when I'm not studying. This student union building could be a place to ( a ) hold meetings, ( b ) hang out when you're not studying but you're also not in the mood to attend parties, and ( c ) hold campus-wide events. While I think the Student Council (a.k.a. StuCo) and the students who hold events at the HopStop are trying to use Levering Hall as an informal "student union building" for campus-wide events, Levering Hall is ( a ) rather out of the way compared to other areas on campus or immediately surrounding campus and ( b ) confusing to navigate for people unfamiliar with its layout. In addition, if we have an official student union building, we could relocate offices such as the Office of Student Development and Programming, the Office of Student Involvement, and the Office of the Dean of Student Life to that building. (They're currently spread throughout campus, at buildings such as the Mattin Center and Levering Hall. However, the Office of Student Involvement did get renovated very recently...)

So, where we can have such a building? There's currently a large, empty lot across E. 33rd Street from Charles Commons where no construction has been performed for over a year. I don't know if this would work logistically, but maybe the University could purchase that lot and build there...

[JHU_Liny]

k, i think everything i want to change has already been addressed, but these are the ones i agree with the most:

1. like kate said, i really don't think we have a good student union center like a lot of other schools, we have tiny places (Nolan's, Hop Stop, Library (lol)) where people hang out but we don't have that big building with tv's and pool tables like other schools

2. more on-campus housing!! i love on-campus housing and even lived there as a junior though it wasn't required...but i just found out last week that due to limited spacing i have to move off campus next year, which i'm so sad about!

3. haha like everyone's been saying, i really hate this new schedule...i used to have one class on thursday's an no class on friday's...now i have class til 4pm on friday's :-(

[JHU_Jessica]

I too decided to cheat like Lauren and go to my Hopkins Hosting application where the same exact question was asked. Sadly, just like the rest of you, I commented on the food, in particular the meal plan. Honestly, though food is important, there are so many other things you could complain about in a school. So, I almost feel fortunate that I have to resort to complaining and wanting to change the food because so many other aspects of the school {that may need re-thinking in other places} don't need to be changed here.

Here is my view on the food situation...

I think I would change the dining system here. It is quite evident that the company is trying their best to provide us with food that isn’t stereotypical for a college cafeteria. However, the meal plan system is not the right system for me, and yet, as a freshman, I have no other option. I never use up all my meals in a week—tons of wasted food that I have paid for in advance. I would be able to make healthier choices in my eating habits if I didn’t feel compelled to eat in the cafeteria to use up my pre-paid meals. Many times, because I’m a picky eater, I end up having plain pasta that has been re-cooked by being fried. If I had a purely dining dollar plan I could go to the FFC when I craved their great breakfasts, but also could spend more money buying my own pasta to cook; this would allow me to make healthier choices for myself. This is just one small aspect of Hopkins that I would change, and come to think of it, I actually don’t think I’d be satisfied unless my mom was here cooking personalized meals for my unusual diet.

[JHU_Blake]

i would change the hop stop to something a little less dorky... i mean, a juice bar with ddr and halo is cool. sometimes.

[JHU_Jackie]

I would create more of a student union. I feel like while Hopkins has tried, there really aren't that many areas where students collectively gather. While I feel like the Hopstop was an attempt, like Blake said it is a little dorky...plus people are never in there.

I also miss the old schedule. It was easier to get work done for your classes that way.

[JHU_Kate]

Am I the only student at Hopkins who actually loves the new schedule?!?!?