Jordan
There are a ton of clubs, and most of them are pretty small. The biggest one is probably the co-ed volunteer fraternity, which is essentially just a way for premed kids to boost their resume.
Lacrosse is big, all other events less so. Popular speaks (Bill Nye, etc) get a big turnout, but there are plenty of people who visit without anyone ever knowing.
The dating scene is horrible. Don't come here if you actually want to meet somebody. Most people are perfectly nice but majorly socially awkward. This is a school of nerds.
Frats and sororities are there to throw parties for the rest of us. Some people join them, but it's not as huge here as it is at other schools. At least one of them can be counted on to throw a party every weekend, though.
I met most of my friends through class, which I think is atypical - most people meet their friends through their dorms freshman and sophomore year.
You can always hang out with friends Saturday night, but most people consider drinking the highest form of entertainment. There isn't a lot off campus, except the Inner Harbor, which loses its appeal by freshman year, and the mall in Towson. My friend tells me there's a pretty good club and dance scene, and there are two small music venues within a short walk/cab ride of campus.
Tristan
The dorms are typically how you meet people freshmen year. If you do not end up in a social dorm, it may be somewhat of a problem. While some of the older dorms are said to be more social, it really depends on the people who reside there. Overall, people leave their doors open and even the dorms that are full of suites are social because of the common room with a TV on each floor. Many people meet their closest friends this way, but you can meet people through other activities. The intramural and club sports are competitive and fun. There are also Dorm Wars between the different frehsmen and sophomore housing buildings, where the dorms compete in different sports and activities.
The theater groups and acapella groups on campus do draw big crowds. In particular, the all male acapella group, the All-Nighters are great for laughs and listening to some of your favorite songs. The Buttered Niblets, an improv comedy group are also a campus favorite, and have some great improv games; they are a crowd favorite. Volunteer organizations like The Tutorial Project, where JHU students tutor inner-city kids, and other clubs acting out of the Center for Social Concern are popular amongst students. Outdoor Pursuits is a campus group that goes hiking, rock-climbing, and kayaking in local areas, is very popular among students. Many people attend the MSE Symposium, which brings popular and controversal speakers such as Bill Nye, Jason Alexander, Ralph Nader, and Howard Dean. The Foreign Affairs Symposium also brings some controversal and internationally renowed speakers.
While the people on campus are not the most friendly, and it may seem at times difficult to meet new people, one just needs to be outgoing and friendly. The Student Council sets up many events and parties and there are weekly showings of recently released movies. People can definitely find things to do that do not involve drinking. We are in a city that offers tons of opportunities, and people can always find something to do or something to see whether it be on or off campus. That being said, there are also plenty of frat parties and off-campus parties that people attend. Annual themed parties draw tons of people to the frats, but there are also local bars and clubs that people frequent including PJ's a local bar and The Den, a somewhat fancy club. Both of these are close to campus, but there are of course, plenty of opportunities to go clubbing in downtown Baltimore. Many Hopkins people date one another, and in fact, there is suppose to be a high percentage of Hopkins couples that marry each other. Hopkins is a suprisingly social place and while there are people that study each night, there are also people that go out to party every single night. Fraternities and Sororities are under 30{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}, but it seems to be a bit more. The good thing about sororities is that the girls do not live together, so there is not a complete feeling of exclusivity. Many people are in sororities and are friends with those who aren't. It does seem like a lot of people pledge, but at the same time people are down to earth and friendly and it really doesn't affect friendships or relationships at all.
Finally, Spring Fair and the Duke Lacrosse game are events that draw even the most reclusive person. The intense rivalry between Hopkins and Duke is energetic and extremely exciting. Kids go all out to support their team when Duke comes to the Homewood Field. Spring Fair, an annual campus event, brings a big-name musician as well as tons of vendors,games, and activities. Open to the Baltimore Community, it is a great event to experience Hopkins at its best. It is fun and social, and nobody should miss it.