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!
Welcome to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, I sat down with Casey Bertocchi '26 in her room to talk about all things Dartmouth dorms, classes, and campus life.
Q: Who are you?
A: My name is Casey. I'm a '26. I am from the Chicago area. I'm majoring in government and minoring in environmental science, but within government my focus is international relations. On campus, I'm the president at Kappa Delta sorority. I am one of the editors of the Jack-o-Lantern, the satirical paper. I write for The Dartmouth. I'm in a band. I play the guitar, and I sing.
Q:How have you been able to pursue your interests at Dartmouth? This can relate to academics or hobbies you've developed outside of the classroom.
A:Yeah, I mean, I have always been a big fan of the liberal arts educational model, because I am someone who is very interested in a lot of different things. I've never considered myself someone who does just government or just environmental science. I enjoy math, which sounds crazy. I really enjoy art classes, and I think there's a lot of value in those. I feel like it has honestly taken some of the pressure off of me in terms of fulfilling my major requirements. Some people might see them as filler classes, but I actually think those are really important.
Q: What's been your favorite class you've taken at Dartmouth thus far and why?
A: I took this class in the winter with my thesis advisor called GOV 59: Foreign Policy and Decision Making. It was a lot of work, but it was the kind of class where you'd feel like the work that you're putting in is actually meaningful. I felt like after the class, my world view was a lot bigger. I had kind of learned a different way to think about international relations problems. My other favorite class that I took at Dartmouth was over my sophomore summer. I took Photography I. I took everything, developed all the film myself in the dark room, and made prints. I was like, 'you know, I only get one shot to take this class and have these resources, I'm going to do it.'
Q:Tell me about your room!
A:We are in Kappa Delta in the presidential suite. I've put a lot of work into it. I thought about it more, and I realized that my room is a sort of collage or portfolio of my time at Dartmouth. A lot of these decorations are from my first year.
Casey's room features movie posters, disposable camera photos, and various mementos from her hometown.
A lot of these decorations are from freshman year. Most of the photos on this string of lights are photos that I printed out right before I came to college. The Ferris Bueller's Day Off poster was given to me by a student from Italy who was doing some sort of exchange term. He was in Jacko with me, and he was auctioning off all of his decor. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is based off of my hometown and the surrounding towns. So I thought that would be cool to have. It's like a little piece of home, but a lot of people don't know that.
Q:Where else have you lived on campus, and which dorm did you like the best?
A:My freshman year, I lived in the River. Sophomore fall I lived in McLane on the fourth floor with my friend, Lily. Then, I went abroad. I've had to move around a lot on campus just because of my D-Plan. Came back, lived in McLane again. I lived in one of the five-person suites. That was actually awesome. My room had an insanely high ceiling and a common room. Then, over sophomore summer I lived off campus, which I'm glad I did once. Then, junior winter and spring I lived in the Kappa Delta house on the third floor. Now, I'm here in the president's suite.
Another corner of Casey's bedroom, featuring her closet, desk, and a window that faces Occom Ridge.
This room is huge, and it has two windows which I really really like. It's on the first floor. It's in a good location. I probably could not ask for a better room.
Q:Any advice for prospective students?
A: Dartmouth has so many different types of people. I really, truly feel like no one I've met has been the same. So, just really emphasize the things about yourself that you feel are important and make you unique.
That's it for this week's Open Doors! Thanks, Casey, for sharing your space with us.
As I begin my junior year, I feel my time at Dartmouth shifting from exploration to deeper focus, with my studies, experiences, and passions beginning to take clear shape.
As a senior now, I've experienced and learned more about myself and about life than I ever anticipated I could. With that, I want to reflect on Dartmouth's unique qualities, from its rural setting to the Greek Life presence to the quarter system!
One of the most unique traditions at Dartmouth is sophomore summer, where students stay on campus to take classes the summer before their junior year. My sophomore summer has been an incredibly special experience!
Senior Fall brings an eventful and diverse courseload, taking up almost all of my time! Find out what I am involved with this term and the incredible variety of classes that Dartmouth has to offer!
New Hampshire is such a glorious state with so much to offer in the fall! Come with me as I explore Plainfield, NH, and go apple picking at Riverview Farms.
