Through my time as an undergraduate, I’ve come to find that a lot of the learning that happens can be completely separate from the classroom. From engaging with clubs on campus to getting hands-on work and research experience, there are so many unexpected opportunities living here in Baltimore that encourage personal development and growth.
I’m especially happy to have discovered my love of actively exploring my environment. For me, this primarily involves cycling. During my first year at Hopkins, I invested in a nice gravel bike from the local bike shop located a block from campus; it was easily one of the best decisions I’ve made. I feel like there were two distinct phases in my college experience: pre-bike and post-bike. It truly has unlocked Baltimore for me.
Accessing diverse neighborhoods from Homewood campus is incredibly easy and fun on a bike! Baltimore has plenty of bike lanes that get you to where you want to go, and there are great map tools out there that can help you plan routes to be as safe and direct as possible. Another great aspect of cycling in Baltimore is the fact that its home to a portion of the East Coast Greenway, a dedicated walking and cycling route between Maine and Florida. The Jones Falls Trail is Baltimore’s contribution to the Greenway and runs as a nearly uninterrupted path for nearly 9 miles through the heart of the city. Around Hopkins campus and going north, the route is particularly beautiful, meandering through the nearby Druid Hill Park (home of the Baltimore Zoo) before climbing through a wooded pocket of the city on a boardwalk-like path.
Getting outside and biking has been a huge part of my staying fit and relieving stress. It has been both a means to get to class and do things around the city, and also a recreational and social activity. I’ve had the pleasure of engaging with the Baltimore Bike Party, a monthly social ride where hundreds of Baltimore bike enthusiasts gather and explore the city together. As a busy student, I’ve learned that finding balance in your lifestyle is key. Carving out times in the day to get fresh air and move my body on the bike has been my way of taking breaks from studying and relieving stress. It helps that campus is super bikeable, so even getting from class to class can be a fun time to get physical.
Active and sustainable transportation means so much to me, and its been awesome to be a part of a community that shares those values. Its not uncommon that you’ll see a student skating, rollerblading, or even unicycling across campus going about their days. This diversity in ways people engage with Hopkins campus and Baltimore at large has greatly enriched my experience, and I encourage anyone who may be interested to give cycling in Baltimore a shot!
