My living space has always been super important to me. In my eyes, a clean space equals a clear mind. This has been a value that I’ve realized during my time at Hopkins, especially in the context of owning my own space and being more responsible for how I maintain it. In my experience, the way students here engage with managing their living space varies a lot, and it changes in the transition between being a sophomore who lives on campus and a junior who lives off campus.
I enjoyed moving off campus at the start of my junior year to a rowhome that’s part of the famous “Baltimore Painted Ladies.” These colorfully painted homes in Charles Village are really special. They give Guilford Ave. and Abell Ave. a unique character, where delicate pink and blue hues are tucked behind lush green trees.
I had my own bedroom, which came with plenty of space, a closet, and windows to the backyard. Coming home to my own space that I had full direction over was really rewarding. Being able to study and do work in this peaceful environment was a new thing to me, because in my freshman and sophomore years, I shared my living space with my roommates. during my first and second year. Don’t get me wrong, having roommates was a blast, and I made countless memories messing around and being in solidarity with them. Still, I can’t stress enough how much I valued being able to kick off my shoes and have some real alone time.
There are a lot of considerations to make when moving off campus, and students have tons of options when it comes to where they want to end up and the type of lifestyle they’ll have. Homewood campus is privileged in its location. Charles Village is a residential neighborhood with a lot of single-family rowhomes. These houses are usually divided into several units, providing a fair amount of rental housing available to students. In addition to rowhouses, there are many traditional apartment buildings near Homewood campus. These offer a housing option that is typically a bit more modern and renovated. Central to Charels Village is the commercial street of St. Paul, with its many restaurants, and one of my personal favorite establishments, Charles Village Pub. This area is the heart of Charles Village.
One thing I love about the neighborhood is how walkable, skateable, and bikeable it is. The roads here are recently paved, and every intersection has a four-way stop. I have so many memories of skating from my home on Guilford to grab lunch at one of my go-to spots on St. Paul St. As someone who values car independence, having accessible food and entertainment options close to home made living in Charles Village a great experience. Overall, I feel like living off-campus was a great opportunity for me to grow in terms of independence and knowledge of self. I’m thankful for the picturesque homes I’ve lived in as well as the down-to-earth nature of Charles Village for making my experience what it was.
