Hello there! My name is Joanna Jou, a '26 from El Paso, TX. I love Hanover sunsets, relaxing out on The Green, and Still North Matcha w/ honey + almond milk. I'm beyond stoked to have y'all follow along as I create my own version of Dartmouth!
Academic Program
Major in History; Double Minor in Government and Religion
A discussion-based class co-taught by two notable professors in the Russian and German translation/scholar community. We read a series of poems and short stories written by poets who lived under totalitarian regimes (specifically in Germany and the Soviet Union) while examining the role poetry played in communicating trauma and the living of life.
Coming in with no economics background, ECON 1 is an introductory class that explores how individuals and firms make independent choices, how it is reflected in the market place while analyzing it through consumer and producer perspectives, and exploring the theories involved in resource allocation and output determination. Taught by the amazing Dr. Ha Yan Lee, her dedication to the class and her students made me excited to come to her lectures, office hours, and to continue taking classes in the economics department.
As a freshman, we are required to complete a seminar course as part of our first-year writing sequence. With a variety of departments to choose from, I elected a course on the Green New Deal with the history department since I wanted to explore the department a little more. As a discussion-based class, the way Professor Link structured his course and how he led discussions undoubtedly became the highlight of my spring term; not only did I learn some history and improved my writing along the way, but it also encouraged me to pursue the history major (and more classes with him).
SummerEl Paso, TX
Back home for the summer in Texas as I spend time with my family, focus on my mental and physical well-being, and start a new role with the Admissions Office as an Admissions Communications Intern!
Initially taking this course to fulfill my distributive requirement, I ended up really enjoying ANTH 50.49. Although I am a self-proclaimed museum enthusiast, I didn't think to inquire about the development or evolution of museums, which is why I thought this course would also be interesting to take. Nevertheless, Professor Meredith Ferguson '08 did a lovely job in shedding light on various angles in the museum world such as its natural history, curating/conserving, "heritage", repatriation and restitution, and public trust. In addition, we wrapped up the course by finally thinking about the future of museums, and their representation in society today.
I initially took this course purely out of interest as I didn't have any prior experience with the government department. Nevertheless, Politics of the World is the reason why I've decided to pursue a government minor. Taught through a comparative lens, I quickly realized that much of my academics interests lie at the intersection between comparative politics and international relations; thus, this course served as an intellectually stimulating and enriching experience, which made it a highlight of my winter term.
Bonjour! This term, I have been learning a bit of French as I am also trying to fulfill my language requirement along the way. Here's an overview on my experience with learning a new language at Dartmouth so far:
Although I came in with credit from the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam in high school, Dartmouth changed the language requirement starting with the '26s as we are now required to take at least one language course as part of the graduation requirement. Rest assured, there are a variety of language pathways that range from having absolutely no language experience in another language to being fully fluent in a language other than English; students usually either take the full 1-3 introductory sequence of a language, or dive into a more advanced course. Additionally, language learning also comes with a series of different opportunities to fulfill this requirement whether that's studying abroad or in Hanover.
With a multitude of languages that range from Hebrew to Ancient Greek to Mandarin to Spanish, I decided to take French out of interest and curiosity as French is the second most spoken language up here in the New England region, so I thought it would be useful to have some level of understanding in this language. Here at Dartmouth, languages are taught using the Rassias Method, which is a language learning technique for students to get acquainted with a language in a short period of time. With this being said, although I have French three times a week, that comes with also a "drill" component outside of class, which is when you work with a student drill instructor through a series of fast-paced activities that help with pronunciation through repetition — my French drill is 3 times a week at 3:30 pm, so Hannah, my drill instructor, often conducts drill outside as we also get the chance to soak up the sun on a nice beautiful afternoon.
My experience with French has been a quite challenging due to my background in Spanish, which has confused me especially with pronunciation and mixing up a few "cushion" words that make a sentence more cohesive. Additionally, language learning is also very fast paced due to compacting a lot of material in ten weeks, which means a lot of my time has been spent on French work. However, thanks to the Academic Skills Center, I was also able to request a peer tutor for French, who works 1-on-1 with me for one hour a week (and free!). I usually have either a written production assignment or a comprehensive exam every Friday, so I try to work with Ryantony, my French tutor (and also someone I met during my access days last April) the day before in order to prepare for my exams; Ryantony has been so much help as I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in understanding French and familiar with techniques for me to do better in the class.
In all, although learning a new language is quite intensive at Dartmouth, it's a worthwhile experience as a more modernized approach to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the world and the cultural diversity here at Dartmouth.
P.S. - Enjoy the beautiful sunset header photo — easily one of my favorite aspects of spring term.
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.
This is my final term before senior year, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. One thing I am excited about is the classes I am taking this term, so let me tell you more!
