Staying Afloat in Graduate School

Entering graduate school is almost like stepping into the ocean. It’s exciting and mysterious and we’re all swimming through it. But even great swimmers can find it difficult to stay afloat sometimes. There’s a lot to adjust to and often a whole lot of caffeine is required. Joining a graduate program at Hopkins means you are not only a professional researcher, but also a professional student — particularly for the first few years when classes are in full force, with a slew of exams and new material to master. One way to keep your head above water is to figure out how to separate work from study, to ensure significant time for both.

Even though Johns Hopkins is an academic wonderland, it can be surprisingly difficult to find a designated location to hunker down and study, especially if you’re new to the area. There is, of course, whatever desk you may be inhabiting during a rotation, or permanently. But it can be tough to work and study all week in the same location. The same can be said of studying where you live. Many students like to get out and grind in a new environment.

If grabbing a coffee or a snack is in the cards, several classics lie around the Inner Harbor of Baltimore:

• Pitango Bakery + Cafe sits right on the water and has a collection of tables inside the cafe and outside along the walkway. They sell a killer lemonade and are a super-popular pit stop on the weekends. If you can handle background noise and get there early, you’ll find a seat and free Wi-Fi waiting for you.
• Kneads Bakeshop & Cafe is another great option, located just south of Little Italy. It’s a little quieter than Pitango, but still a bustling location so expect some sound. Their pastries and coffee are high quality, and they have a section upstairs for those who want to chat or work.

Looking for a place to hunker down for free is another story:

• The GSA (Graduate Student Association) Lounge is a good option, located on the ground floor of the Wood Basic Science Building and accessible to graduate students using their ID badge. Sometimes student groups use this space, but more often than not it is a quieter area without crowds.
• The Peabody Library in Mount Vernon is another excellent choice, but note that it’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, which can limit access. It opens again from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays, which makes studying here a great option to timebox tasks in a beautiful space. The library is open to visitors who will wander around to ogle at the historic room, but they do so quietly. It is a library after all!

At the end of the day, the key is truly to find what works for you. Hopefully these suggestions help guide the beginning of a studious journey, no matter where the waves may take you!­­­­­

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