Ei! My name is Antônio Jorge Medeiros Batista Silva (yes—four last names!) and I'm a '25 from Governador Valadares, Brazil. My journey to Dartmouth has crossed two continents, three countries, and over 10 schools—and I'm a strong believer that everyone's path to the Big Green was unique in a way. At Dartmouth, I study Linguistics, Native American & Indigenous Studies, and Spanish. I am passionate about social justice, language-learning, and the oxford comma!
As my second term at Dartmouth approaches, I found myself in a very similar situation I was three months ago. Having to choose classes will never be easy, to be honest. It is always a stressful but very fun experience. If you are curious to how my academic schedule looked like last term, you can check in on this post I wrote at the beginning of the year.
Now, things are a tad bit different. I wanted to choose classes that would already set my path into my desired major. Of course, I am still leaving some room for exploration, as your plans can always change – especially at a liberal arts college.
Last term, I took SPAN 20, ARAB 01, and EDUC 01. None of which I planned to enrol in until the day of course selection haha.
For this term, I selected LING 01 (an introduction course to Linguistics), THEA 10.68 ("Staging Rebellion," a class on Latin American revolutionary theatre), and WRIT 5 – which is a mandatory writing course for first-year students.
If you don't know already, I am a prospective Linguistics major, with possible minors in Spanish and/or Theatre. This term, as you can see, I am getting closer to my intended areas of study. In the fall, I allowed myself to explore, taking unexpected classes and discovering unexpected tastes. But, now, I am genuinely excited to see what the Linguistics and Theatre departments are like. With these courses, I hope to get a sense of what it would feel like if I were to actually proceed my studies in these disciplines.
Something that has been making a real difference in my Dartmouth experience is how much fun I have with academics. I know that, personally, I never thought of college as fun. Yes, I was excited for the quintessential American college experience. But, personally, the parts that talked to me the most were related to the social aspects of college: going out, meeting people from all over the world, becoming independent and mature, etc.
However, to be honest, over my first term I realised how much fun the academic part of college can be. From choosing courses to writing papers with the most creative prompts, learning at Dartmouth is a one of a kind experience.
If you are interested in pursuing medicine after graduating from high school, as I was, you'll be looking at how different universities design their "pre-health" experience. What does that experience look like at Dartmouth College?
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Isabelle Sullivan '26, an environmental studies and geography major, showed me around her room, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
There was never a single "aha!" moment of clarity when I knew that Dartmouth was right for me, yet now, it is impossible for me to imagine having chosen anywhere else.
From a tight-knit study abroad cohort to intimate classroom moments and inspiring literary talks, French has grown far beyond a minor — becoming a thread that runs through the most meaningful parts of her Dartmouth life.
Amid the whirlwind of a ten-week term, the quietest moments — studying in the sun, cooking with a friend, running through Pine Park — turn out to be the ones worth savoring most.
