Hey! I'm excited to welcome you to my blog page! I'm Andrea Agola, a '26 born in Kenya and raised just outside of D.C. As the eldest child of three, I'm the first to go off to college! I'm glad Dartmouth will enable me to explore both the sciences and humanities. Don't even get me started on the numerous extracurriculars that pique my interest, like the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact, research projects and dance groups. Follow along as I navigate this unique college experience!
Academic Program
Sociology major, International Studies Minor, Pre-Med
Favorite Thing Right Now
Studying abroad on the French LSA+ in Toulouse, France!
When I began my first term at Dartmouth, I knew I wanted to explore the French language and culture more after having been a French music and film fan for as long as I can remember. This was an accelerated course that covered French 1 and 2 in one term and offered an exciting and fast-paced atmosphere. The small nature of our class allowed us all to have more speaking time in class from partner activities to performing creative skits. One of the best assignments was a scavenger hunt! I was also able to learn and make a presentation about francophone countries. This class really prompted me to apply for the ‘24 Winter–Toulouse, France Study Abroad which I got accepted into!
This course considers the discipline and political happenings of Black Feminist Thought by highlighting interlocking issues related to gender, sexuality, race, and economics. The professor was amazing! I was always genuinely excited to do her assigned readings/viewings and remember being sad when she canceled class one day (imagine!). I reveled in the thought-provoking, warm, restorative (the list goes on & on) ambience that she fostered. I even took advantage of a cool opportunity that Dartmouth offers, the “Take a Faculty Member out To Lunch” program at Pine Restaurant across from campus. I enjoyed the lovely conversation we had over delicious food. Her class was such a great source of empowerment!
This course examines the epidemiology and social impact of past and present infectious disease epidemics. It was a great and insightful class to take for the Global Health Minor! I had the chance of hearing from many influential guest lecturers like the Former Minister of Health of Rwanda and a key member of the U.S Covid Task Force.
This course explores causes and patterns of global poverty and links this with the urgent need for care and care ethics in our lives and in society broadly. Not only did the class feel like such a caring environment but it was especially interesting because it had a Social Impact Practicum (SIP) component. A SIP is a project-based experiential learning opportunity connecting undergraduate courses at Dartmouth with community needs identified by nonprofit organizations. In other words, a SIP is a real-world project with real-world impact. My SIP was my care work as a UGA within Dartmouth's Residential Life.
This past weekend, I got to celebrate my friend's 21st birthday in Paris! My longtime friend of 12 years is a junior at another school who is also studying abroad at the same time as me but in London. I joined her and some of her college friends in Paris after catching a train from Bordeaux (check my last blog post!). I arrived just in time to get ready for her birthday dinner which we enjoyed at a gorgeous restaurant. The excitement was palpable as we explored the iconic streets of Paris, the city of love and lights. Stay tuned to hear about our experiencing timing and catching the hourly sparkling of the Eiffel Tower!
Look at that gorgeous café behind me!
The next day we explored the enchanting Montmartre village where we enjoyed hot chocolates and crepes with sugar and citron while sitting on a traditional French patio. We scaled the steep stairs to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica to get a great birds-eye view of Paris and watch tourists place locked engraved padlocks around the gates. The tradition goes that couples from around the world leave their mark by locking engraved padlocks (Les Cadenas d'amour in French) on Parisian bridge railings and throwing away the key afterwards in order to symbolize and fix their love to the city forever.
The Eiffel Tower!
Paris has long been on my bucket list so it was so exciting to get to check it off. We walked past many landmarks dedicated to influential artists like Picasso and Van Gogh. The lively ambiance, filled with street artists and charming cafes was lovely. When we finally arrived at the Eiffel Tower, it exuded such a timeless beauty. We had to time when it would sparkle since it does so for 5 minutes every hour between sunset and 11 pm. We also looked for some of the best spots and angles to see the tower, which ended up being the Pont de Bir-Hakeim Bridge, the Champ de Mars and next to the River Seine! It was an ethereal experience that I'll always remember. Paris, with its timeless beauty and romantic allure, proved to be the perfect backdrop for my friend's 21st birthday celebration which was fittingly Gossip Girl themed. As I bid adieu to Paris, I can't wait to return!
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
As I approach the halfway mark of my Dartmouth journey this spring, I find myself reflecting on the significance of distributive and world culture requirements in shaping my academic experience.
