Dear future Blue Jays,

Congratulations! You've made it through the rigor of high school with a sparkling transcript, a slew of extracurriculars, and unmatched experiences. All of these accomplishments have granted you admission to a great school with a great collection of students have faculty to motivate you toward success.

After reading about your accomplishments, from inventing an artificial plant that photosynthesizes better than natural plants to creating a new recycling system, I'm confident that you're all prepared for the academic challenges you will face the next four years. The adjustment to Hopkins can be hard at first –– 300 pages of reading a week, problem sets piled up, and endless studying on top of that. But when you're stressed next year during finals week, remember that you're at Hopkins for a reason –– you are capable of succeeding at this school.

I'm sure when you tell family and friends you're headed to Johns Hopkins in the fall, you get a range of reactions. People are sure to be impressed, but they also might offer hesitations, too.

"Baltimore? Really? Is that safe?" Yes. Yes, it is. It's like any other city. You have to be smart about where you go and when you go there. You doubtlessly have to be conscious of your surrounding because there are crimes, but I have definitely been able to feel safe here.

"Johns Hopkins, huh? Aren't the students cut-throat?" Johns Hopkins is a very competitive school, but it's collaboratively competitive. People study together, share notes, and help each other. Everyone acknowledges the rigor of the school and wants everyone to succeed.

"Don't people just stay in the library 24/7?" Hmm, this reaction is kind of accurate. The workload demands extensive hours in the library, but there is also a variety of outlets at Hopkins with which you can relax and express yourself.

Regardless of the Hopkins myths, you should be beyond proud of yourself -- and excited. After almost having completed my first year at Hopkins, I can confidently say that it's almost nothing like I expected -- in the best way possible.

I can't wait to see you around campus next year! Enjoy the end of your senior year.

Forever a Blue Jay!