Hi there! I'm Brendilou, a '26 from Western Nebraska. As an English major interested in journalism, I'm passionate about writing to educate—to explore differing perspectives, to emphasize the mundane. Through this blog, however, I write to introduce you all to my perspective, my mundane, at the college that's stolen my heart. Welcome to my neck of the woods.
If you are interested in Victorian literature in any capacity, this is the class for you! It is a course taught by the WGSS (Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies) department and combines historical and political aspects into a literary seminar. The material is compelling and allows you to view female authors, including Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, and Elizabeth Gaskell, in a different perspective knowing the societal context of the time period and themes in their most popular works.
If poetic language and artistic writing styles are your forte, this is the perfect class for you! Taught by the English/Creative Writing department, Introduction to Poetry is an incredible foundation to storytelling, introducing students to poetry styles from prose to ekphrastic and written to slam. The approach to teaching the course revolved around the strategies of Robert Frost, where the Poetry Room in Sanborn Library held our class, and students' chairs were arranged in a circle rather than in rows of desks. CRWT 12 is one of the most unique and fascinating classes I have taken thus far, and as a result, has become my favorite class I have taken on campus.
Niche classes and concentrations define a Dartmouth education, and before this term, I never intended on taking an Asian art history course, let alone one with such a defined focus. Taught through both the Department of Art History and the Department of Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages by Columbia University guest lecturer Seher Agarwala, this course contextualizes sacred architectural structures of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic faiths. I left this course with a newfound interest in the artistic practices of East Asian cultures and an appreciation for their diverse historical backgrounds and religions.
For any Los Angeles natives or those generally wanting to delve into the history of southern California, this class is for you! Focusing mainly on the contributions of minorities to the area, this class provides insight on the seldom-discussed history of L.A. through the perspectives of non-white settlers from the 18th century to the present day. Through examining controversial films depicting L.A. (including La La Land and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood), I left this course with a deep understanding of the sacrifices made to construct contemporary Los Angeles.
If the history behind 1960s politics, fashion, art, music, and society interests you in any capacity, this class is the perfect fit for you! Taught through Dartmouth’s Humanities Department, this course covers the late 1950s through the early 1970s, focusing on the era's transformative nature while immersing students in the time period through samples of art and music. What an incredible introduction to an incredibly important decade!
Of the creative writing courses I have taken thus far, none have aligned with my desired career path as well as CRWT 11: Intro to Creative Nonfiction. If you are a prospective journalist, essayist, or fellow Joan Didion devotee, this class was made for you! Although Dartmouth does not have a designated journalism department, the class effectively delves into the art of it while maintaining a creative foundation. With a flexible schedule of fun, thought-provoking writing assignments and weekly peer editing workshops, CRWT 11 immensely refined my writing skills.
If you’re interested in audio storytelling, take CRWT 40.15, Tell Me A Story: Introduction to Nonfiction Radio and Podcasting! Lecturer and producer at Pushkin Industries Sophie Crane uses a hands-on approach for teaching students how to record, edit, and produce their own podcasts. By the end of the term, I had gained extensive experience with Adobe Audition and industry-standard equipment. This is, by far, my favorite class I’ve taken at Dartmouth!
After taking the intro class in the fall, CRWT 21: Intermediate Creative Nonfiction was the next step in refining my journalism skills. Taught by Professor Jeffrey Sharlet, this class, dubbed “The Reporters,” emphasized storytelling in the Upper Valley. Similar to CRWT 11, the class was structured around peer editing workshops and discussions rather than lectures. To conclude the term, students submitted their final pieces to an online publication created exclusively for this class. I look forward to taking the advanced workshop in the fall!
Despite my nonfiction concentration, I found CRWT 60, “Advanced Fiction,” to be the most rewarding class of my term. A class of this nature—an advanced workshop—was a prerequisite for my senior honors thesis in creative writing. By virtue of its five-person size, the feedback on submissions was thoughtful, the assigned readings were tailored to our interests, and the discussions felt intimate and productive. The professor, Thomas O’Malley, was deeply invested in each writer’s growth. I’d recommend this workshop to anyone interested in refining their fiction writing.
I began work for my creative nonfiction thesis this term through CRWT 98: Honors Course I, the springboard for my longest written project to date. During weekly one-on-one meetings with my advisor, Professor Jeff Sharlet, we parsed through interviews and followed their natural through lines to create an outline for my project. I used self-imposed deadlines to keep my writing on track and finished the first draft of two chapters, each around 20 pages in length.
CRWT 99: Honors Course II, a continuation of Honors Course I, marked the culmination of my creative nonfiction thesis and undergraduate writing life. Through weekly workshops with my advisor, Professor Jeff Sharlet, I wrote and polished three more chapters. After ten weeks, my thesis totaled 94 pages across five chapters. I presented it to the Department of English and Creative Writing on May 26. Two weeks later, I received high honors and a department award!
A few days before our senior fall, a friend and I spread an extra-large sheet of drawing paper over a patch of grass on the Green. It was early September, the tail end of another humid New England summer, and the afternoon light cast our shadows over what would become a guide for our final year as undergraduates. The two of us took turns drawing the title in thick bubble letters at the top of the page. We filled the rest of the white space with ten goals to accomplish by June, ensuring each was a broad category rather than specific activities.
It's the end of spring term now, and I've checked the following boxes:
Hike many mountains: There are enough mountains at our immediate disposal here for it to be a crime not to summit a few. Of the handful that were on my radar, Mount Washington and Mount Lafayette (around 2.5 and 1.5 hours northeast of campus, respectively) were at the top of the list. I never got around to hiking either, but I did a sunrise hike ("sunrike," in Dartmouth slang) up Gile Mountain in the fall and spring.
Overnight cabin trips: Some of my most formative college experiences happened in the log cabins at Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. As Dartmouth students, we have access to its amenities: free dinner and free overnight stays in either the Lodge or any of the on-site bunkhouses. Additionally, the Dartmouth Outing Club maintains 18 cabins near Hanover and in the Second College Grant. This spring, my friends and I spent a few nights in Armington Cabin (between Piermont and Warren, New Hampshire) and Baum Cabin (about 16.5 miles from downtown Hanover).
Lest the old traditions fail: During my time here, I've experienced four Homecoming bonfires, three Winter Carnivals, three Green Key concerts, and a Sophomore Summer. I've completed the Lou's Challenge, worked as a Sanborn Tea server, danced in a summer troupe, and rushed a sorority. This year, I signed my name on a steel beam inside Baker Bell Tower and carried a senior society cane at commencement. Such traditions are a hallmark of Dartmouth's undergraduate experience. I'm proud to share an inherited history with generations of alumni.
Graduate: In ceremonious fashion, my friend and I checked this box—our final one—the day after our commencement ceremony.
This list allowed me to experience Dartmouth so fully, so intentionally, this year—how gratifying, though bittersweet, to fold it away.
