Three years ago, along with a thousand other students began a journey that many of you have recently begun. My high school was replaced by a college, my home in southern California by a dorm room in Baltimore, and my mother’s home cooked meals by all you can eat cafeteria buffets. At the time scared and yet excited, I believed my college journey would consist of surviving the ups and downs of the competitive academic milieu that Hopkins is infamous for. Little did I know that, even more significantly, my journey at Hopkins would entail a journey of spiritual enlightenment.

I have heard many times that college is truly the time when students discover who they are. Although your journey might begin and end differently than mine, in my opinion there are three paths a student can take. Many students now empowered with freedom from parental chains realize that religion doesn’t hold the same place in their hearts and souls as it once did. Others might discover a new faith and follow new religious practices. And yet others, in the face of adversity and new experiences, might rediscover their faith and find a new and deeper meaning in the religion that they practice. I believe I have passed through all of these stages: denial, doubt, and discovery, and now find myself at a level of peace and spiritual certainty that I had never attained before coming to Hopkins.

When I recall my first day of classes full of new and exciting events, I can honestly say, that everything went the way it was supposed too. I met close friends who shared common values and interests, I found a volunteer project tutoring inner-city children that was inspiring and rewarding, and I found a means of expression for my love to dance. Despite the temptations of completely shrugging off my academics, I quickly achieved the academic balance, applying my best potential to my classes. But after what might have outwardly appeared to be quite a successful semester, with no major trials or tribulations, I still was not happy. I wanted to transfer out.

You see, no matter how wonderful Hopkins could be, nothing could replace my home and family. I was incredibly homesick, and I felt completely alone. Suddenly it didn’t matter that I was surrounded by 100 other residents and was on campus with 4,000 other people. I was alone, and no one could change that.

It was around this time that I began to find new meaning in the weekly Hindu prayers that I had attended since the first semester of my freshmen year. How incredible it is that after 5 months of attending weekly prayers at Hopkins, and after 18 years of calling myself a Hindu, and attending prayers at home, I discovered that the prayers could actually give me peace and solitude, and, even more, heal my pains. The words of the prayers were not to be recited blindly in a trance, but were meant to be pondered and questioned.Even if it was only once a week, this time was crucial to my mental and physical health. In my new world were everything had changed, God was still watching over me and had never left my side.

Hinduism is an ocean that I am just beginning to explore and I am truly proud of myself for coming to the realization that I there is so much I do not know, and so much that I can learn. I truly believe that this active participation in my faith is what helped me to conquer my homesickness and gave me energy to be who I am today. My experiences have shown me that passive belief in any faith is futile.

Although I will never be able to learn everything about a religion that is over 5000 years old, I am proud to realize the immense beauty of the Hindu religion that is tolerant of all faiths. Many people are misled to think that Hinduism is all about rituals. True Hinduism is a philosophy that everyone can follow and benefit from whether they call themselves Hindu or not. It is a faith based on the fulfillment of duty to self, family, friends and mankind without any expectation of a reward. As I learn more and more about Hinduism, I want to share my knowledge with others. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am to be a board member of the Hindu Student Council and have this honor and opportunity.