你好! or hi! My name is Yutong, but feel free to call me Taylor. I'm a '27 from Beijing, China. This will be my first time living ten thousand miles away from home and my first time embracing the New England winter, which makes everything more exciting! I'm also a big fan of Dartmouth Outing Club, and you can find me canoeing in the Connecticut River or taking a walk at Pine Park. I can't wait to show you my college life with my blogs!
Coming to Dartmouth with a solid background in French (Delf B2), I find French 3 a perfect fit for me -- it helps me to consolidate a lot of key grammar and vocabs, and fun weekly cultural activities like coffee hours and french lunch table offers me chances to relax in busy times. While the class is very rigorous and requires a lot of hard work, my professor is so nice and makes the class very fun! I also look forward to going to Dartmouth's Toulouse LSA program after completion of this class!
This course explores how Buddhist concepts of embodiment affect daily life and society in Southeast Asian contexts, and how the intersection of religion, sexuality, and gender impact broader understandings of authority, wisdom, beauty, death, and loyalty. The class takes on many forms beyond mere lectures -- a visit to the Hood Museum of Art, mindfulness practices, and small Buddha-crafting projects. Our professor (the sweetest Prof. MK Long) also invites many of her colleagues at other institutes as guest lecturers to our class so that we can learn from real experts specializing in different countries in Southeast Asia. I have learned a lot from the class and decided to become a religion major after this course!
Having never enjoyed math classes before college, I'm surprised (again) by how I'm becoming a math major and falling in love with math here! My professor (Prof. Shu Longmei, who graduated from the best university in my hometown) is incredibly good at teaching the concepts -- not just explaining things clearly but also showing us the beauty and elegance of calculus. I really look forward to taking more math classes in the future!
Embracing Nature: My Weekend Retreats at Dartmouth
This term, I've discovered the profound joy of immersing myself in nature, especially as a soothing counterbalance to academic life at Dartmouth.
Every weekend, I explore these scenic surroundings either through leisurely walks or invigorating hikes with friends. Dartmouth's proximity to diverse natural beauties — from trails to rivers — enriches this experience, making each adventure easily accessible and endlessly rewarding. In this blog post, I'd like to share some photos of nature near Dartmouth. As the seasons change, I look forward to continuing this journey of discovery, reminded of the lasting impact that connecting with nature has on my overall college experience and personal growth.
Pine Park view
My dorm (the Choates) is conveniently located next to Occom Pond, the other side of which is Pine Park. This proximity makes Pine Park my go to-place on weekends. When I get too busy and don't have time for longer day hikes with the Dartmouth Outing Club, I will go on walks at Pine Park, either walking alongside the creeks or sitting on a bench facing the Connecticut River, enjoying the view and the fresh breeze.
View of the Connecticut River from Vermont at Night
This picture has an interesting story behind it -- last Friday evening, my friends and I decided to take a walk by the river. Crossing the Ledyard Bridge, we entered Vermont and walked alongside the river, enjoying the stars shining brightly above and the reflections of our campus on the river.
Deers at college park
Another weekend, I went on a walk with my close friend and People Places Pines colleague Kalina Duncheva to the college park that is located next to her dorm (the Fayes). We wandered in the woods, chasing the last rays of the day. We also met a group of baby deer joyfully playing on the hill. The gorgeous sunset, soft evening breeze, and adorable deers were a gentle reminder of the wonders that lie just outside our doors.
