By Greg Rienzi
The Gazette

Nearly 200 soon-to-be Johns Hopkins graduates set sail last Thursday for a three-hour cruise in the Inner Harbor. The event kicked off Senior Week 2005, a slate of activities that will end on May 25 with a luncheon in the Decker Gardens hosted by President William R. Brody. This year's package of events also includes a Club Crawl at the Power Plant, a trip to Six Flags America, a senior formal and a party in the infield on Preakness Day. The Gazette caught up with some of the seniors (and one junior) as they were boarding the Lady Baltimore to ask them: What is the most important thing you've learned while at Johns Hopkins?

"The importance of balancing study with having a good time." —Grace Hong, Manhasset, N.Y., Philosophy PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"How to take information in and process it ... to think critically and to read critically. Not so much the actual hard knowledge, but how to find out what you're looking for. How to do research. To learn how to learn, basically." —Ishai Mooreville, Merion Station, Pa., International Studies PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"Problem solving. I was always being thrown into new situations that I hadn't been in before. Most of the time, I was like, 'I can't do this,' or 'I've never done anything like this before.' So, for me, it was evaluating the situation — the problem I was faced with — and then coming up with a new way to find the answer." —Carl Busart, Columbus, Ind., Biomedical Engineering PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"If you put your mind to it, you can do whatever you want. When I came here, I didn't know that I would meet Al Gore and Michael Moore, be class president, talk to my class at graduation. I heard my freshman year that here it's all about opportunity, but you have to grab it." —Payal Patel, Houston, Public Health PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

I've learned about the city of Baltimore and the diversity here. I think learning about what the community is that you're living in is the most important thing about being at Johns Hopkins. Baltimore is a very vibrant city. I worked with the Tutorial Project, and I've learned a lot about the backgrounds of the kids here. Hopkins gives you a nice way to venture out into the city and give back to the community." —Sarah Dennis, Houston, Biology PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"I've learned more about myself and how the world works a little bit more. I came from a small private school — the same school since kindergarten — so I didn't know how people really are." —Vandna Jerath, Martinez, Ga., Neuroscience PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"Who I am, what I want to do with my life and how to get there." —Bita Azhdam, Rockville, Md., Neuroscience PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"Being on the student council and being captain of the tennis team, I've learned about leadership and teamwork. Knowing how to work together and how to deal with each other really helps us in the real world." —Justin Belisario, West Covina, Calif., Neuroscience PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"How to build a bridge." —Shaun Lee, Singapore, junior, Civil Engineering PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

"To get involved. I know most of my friends have chosen to be involved in different organizations and different clubs, or even academics or research. Just to do something, and then follow and pursue it as much as you can." —Stephen Popowski, Bensalem, Pa., Biology PHOTO BY HIPS / WILL KIRK

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