This weekend, 1,310 members of the Johns Hopkins Class of 2019 arrived on the Homewood campus, to the sounds of applause and whistles as a crew of First Year Mentors and move-in volunteers cheered their arrival.
The new Blue Jays, chosen from an applicant pool of nearly 25,000, had a busy weekend ahead of them with dorms to decorate, spirited celebrations to attend, and a new city to explore.
As cars packed with carefully-labeled first-year necessities filed to the front of the freshman residences, First Year Mentors quickly whisked away the new students and escorted them to their new home away from home. A group of move-in volunteers were on hand to assist, lugging everything from life-size teddy bears to Tempur-Pedic mattress toppers.
Over the next few days, a frenzy of first-year activities ensued.
The Amazing Snapchat Race sent students around campus in search of famous campus landmarks and the view from President Ronald J. Daniels' home.
On Saturday night, students gathered on Homewood Field for a kick-off celebration, followed by the annual First Night ceremony. Students were asked to embrace their "s" (like the "s" at the end of Johns, the first name of the man whose gift established the university) and decorate a bag with something that makes them unique.
During "Baltimore Day," small groups of students set out to explore their new neighborhood, venturing beyond Charles Village to the Inner Harbor, Bolton Hill, Little Italy, Druid Hill, Station North, Mount Vernon, Federal Hill, and Fells Point.
At the Baltimore BBQ that followed, students feasted on Maryland favorites, from crab cakes to the famous Berger Cookies to corn on the cob smothered in the unofficial state spice, Old Bay.
"I'm so excited," said Jaycee Yao, a new student from China. "I'm looking to meet new people and enjoy the new atmosphere."
Posted in Student Life
Tagged class of 2019
