What's up! My name is Brandon and I'm a '25 from a small town outside of Chicago. I am passionate about Middle Eastern culture, politics, history, and languages; I'm particularly interested in studying gender/sexuality, politics of exhibition, and counterculture in the Arab Gulf. My current hobbies are reading, playing the mandolin, audio design, eating spicy foods, and streetwear. Please enjoy these snapshots of my life in Hanover!
As winterim comes to an end, I think it would be helpful to reflect upon what I have missed most about Dartmouth after a 6-week break. Through my experience, I think that prospective students can have an idea of a student's favorite parts about Dartmouth.
First, missing friends is the obvious answer. At college, living with your peers offers tons of time to build relationships and learn about people, which strengthens friendships. This is even more true at Dartmouth, where the isolated campus helps people become closer; there is tons of time to have conversations and get to know people. I don't only miss my friends, but also acquaintances and familiar faces in my classes and around campus. I was used to seeing the same people every day, and time at home has made me miss them.
I also miss my classes and professors. Taking 3 classes at a time truly allowed me to dive deep into my coursework and get to know my professors well. I love being able to devote more attention to less classes rather than my energy being spread out. While waking up for 7 AM Arabic drill was a pain, I weirdly miss it due to how helpful it was. Moreover, the readings for all of my courses were interesting and professors made sure to keep the classes engaging throughout the term. For this reason, I definitely am eager to get back in the groove of my coursework during the winter term.
Surprisingly, I miss the food! While on campus, it's easy to complain about the food because of how repetitive it gets, but for the most part it's actually pretty tasty. My favorite place to eat, the Courtyard Cafe, serves made-to-order burgers and quesadillas, as well as other fried sides. Being able to enjoy these meals after a day of studying is something I definitely miss and will take advantage of during the winter term.
Finally, I miss the campus itself. I find myself not appreciating Dartmouth's beautiful campus, especially when it's something I'm used to seeing every day. However, everywhere you look there is beauty to be found. Whether it's the far-off mountain ranges or pleasant symmetry of the green, Hanover is a fantastic place to live. I'm particularly excited to enjoy campus in the winter when everything is covered in a blanket of snow.
At the end of fall term, I was definitely ready for a break. However, as my winterim comes to an end I am ready to start off my winter term on a strong foot and enjoy all that Dartmouth has to offer. I'm excited to keep the blog updated with my winter happenings, and hope that prospective students find my perspective helpful!
I have written about being a student worker plenty of times in the past, but I have yet to talk about one of my favorite jobs ever: ticket selling at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
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!
