Hi, welcome to the blog! I'm a junior from a small suburb in South Carolina, just outside of Augusta, Georgia. On campus (and virtually), I'm involved in club water polo, the America Reads program, and the TAMID student consulting group. In the classroom, I'm super excited to pursue my interest in improving the world through public policy by studying the intersection of government and economics. I hope you enjoy following along as I explore all that Dartmouth has to offer!
Coming into Dartmouth, I knew I wanted to explore the creative writing department and this poetry workshop was a great way to do that! We studied well known political, love, and ekphrastic poems and wrote our own work every week. I really appreciated the small class size the classroom became a safe community for sharing my work, and I was able to get individualized critiques from Professor Francis.
Introductory writing classes are required for every Dartmouth student, but there are a wide range of topics, which makes finding an interesting course super interesting. My class focused on the American education system and gave me a ton of freedom to choose my paper topics.
Media and Politics was a writing intensive class which fulfilled my first year seminar requirement. While honing our writing skills, we studied the impact of news media, advertising, and messaging on campaigns and policy making. The class inspired me to continue exploring the government department, where I eventually declared my major.
Transitioning from Public School to the ~Ivy League~
Like many of my classmates, Dartmouth is the first private school I've ever gone to. At first, that idea was pretty daunting because, coming from a small Southern town, the vast majority of people I know don't travel more than a few hours away for college. For a long time, I imagined Dartmouth as a place with unbelievably smart students and unattainably high standards. I didn't really believe going to Dartmouth was possible until I actually got in. Still, sometimes I feel weird about being in a place so different from many of my hometown friends, but over my first year on campus, I've learned to adjust and here are my tips for anyone in a similar situation:
1. Shifting My Mindset
Like many people, regardless of their background, at times I've felt myself feeling like an imposter. I used to think "Why me? Out of the thousands of people who applied, why did I get in?" I know I am hardworking and curious, but that didn't stop the thoughts. Now, when I catch myself thinking the way, I try to reframe my thoughts with gratitude. Instead of "Why me?" I ask, "How can I make the most of the opportunities I've been given?" If you also come from a background that makes Dartmouth feel a bit foreign, I encourage you to recognize your worth and to practice gratitude for the doors open for you here.
2. Connect With Others
A large part of college is learning to build your own communities and support systems. For me, that has meant meeting upperclassmen through sports and becoming friends with my floormates. For some of my friends, building a community has meant connecting with peers of similar cultural backgrounds. Others attended FYSEP, a pre-orientation designed to help transitions to college for students from underrepresented communities.
3. Get Ready to Work Hard!
Academics at Dartmouth are challenging, there's no getting around it. Especially, if you come from a place that's super different than a private, elite college campus, classes can be daunting. It's important to keep in mind that you are fully capable of doing the work, even if it means having to work far harder than you did in high school. Especially for the first term, it will be super important for you to rely on your support systems.
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.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a phenomenal total solar eclipse occurred — and we happened to be within the path of totality. As a result, Dartmouth hosted a variety of eclipse-related events on- and off-campus. Find out how I spent the eclipse!
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.
