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 we started to wrap up Fall term, there was much to be planned. I didn't know who would take care of my plants; how I would handle all my final examinations; how I would cope with being far from my friends; and, most importantly, where I was going over Winter Break.
Ever since I left Brazil, every holiday is hard to plan. I could go back to my mom's house in Brazil, my father's in Angola, or just stay around and get to know the United States outside the Dartmouth bubble. The more I looked into my options, the more I knew I wanted to explore and go places I had never been.
Exploring Times Square for the first time!
I had friends who were going home - meaning, all four corners of the world - and some who would stay on campus. To conciliate all uncertainties and questions I had on the back of my mind, I decided to go for the safe choice. I spent Thanksgiving in New York with some friends from high school; am currently in Boston, where my aunt and uncle live; am going to stay for a bit in Amherst, where my cousin goes to school; and will still have the time to head up north to Montreal. When I lived in Canada, I only got the chance to explore the West coast of the country, and now I'm excited to celebrate Christmas and New Years with friends from the francophone area.
At Dartmouth, we are lucky to have a break that is long enough that I can do all of this. Because of the quarter system, our holidays merge together, and we get almost six weeks off.
I am enjoying Winter Break to the fullest, preparing myself for the next three months on campus. This means seeing friends and family who I haven't seen in a long time, without necessarily having to fly home. And Dartmouth's location is perfect for me to do so.
With a bus, I can get to Boston or New York; with just a train or a flight, I can be in Montreal.
Being away from the friends I made during my first term of college is not easy, for sure. But I am sure that we are all doing our best to enjoy this time we got off-campus, and excited to see each other again.
Winter is a term that most people spend cozy and indoors. My winter quarter, however, was full of amazing outdoor experiences, mostly through one of my classes! Here's the scoop on BIOL 061: Winter Ecology.
The rumors are true, guys: engineering is hard. It took some adapting for me to find my pace and excel in the major. But, that was only possible due to the kind words of a Dartmouth professor.
The Fourth of July: a federal holiday usually spent over summer break with family and friends. Not this year, though! As a result of sophomore summer, I spent this holiday with my friends at Dartmouth.
Despite Dartmouth being on the periphery of the broader Northeast region, its access to major transportation hubs makes travel stress-free. But, how can students without a car see the rest of New England?
The big-little process in my sorority has strengthened my bond with my big, fostered new friendships across class years, and deepened my sense of community and belonging on campus.
