Hello, and welcome to my neck of the woods! My name is Brendilou Armstrong, and I am a '26 hailing from the cornfields and grassy plains of Western Nebraska. This year, I plan to involve myself in The Dartmouth and WebDCR (Dartmouth College Radio). I couldn't be more excited to set out on this expedition through college alongside all of you. Thanks for visiting my page!
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!
Hello, People Places Pines readers! I want to be the first to welcome you all to 24W: winter term! After a long and refreshing break, I wanted to reflect on everything that I did in the six weeks I was away from classes and the techniques I adopted to revitalize both my physical and mental health before my busy four-course term.
On arriving back to my hometown, the first thing that I did was… sleep! Although I tend to overwork myself during the academic year and feel guilty when I don't have many tasks to accomplish, I've learned to recognize that one of the most important things to prioritize for yourself after an eventful term or semester is your physical wellbeing. After traveling for over 24 hours (and having multiple hour-long layovers in Charlotte and Denver), I definitely needed it.
After a few days of pure relaxation (i.e. staying in bed and binge watching my favorite shows on Netflix), I spent the majority of my time at home fully indulging myself in the connections and relationships I had missed so dearly. Reconnecting with the friends and family that you will have left behind before college is refreshing and necessary, especially if you get homesick easily like me. Some of my favorite memories that I made over winter break was with my childhood friends as we baked holiday cookies, exchanged gifts, and spent time with one another before we each left for college once again.
My hometown friends and I!
The rest of my break in my hometown was spent blogging and picking up shifts at a restaurant I had worked part-time at throughout high school! Although there were not many activities for me to partake in while being back home, I felt as if that was part of the rejuvenation process. I spent much of my time focusing on bettering myself mentally and physically for the upcoming term by adopting the following new self-care rituals: journaling, pilates, meditation, and hiking, all of which I did with a notebook, a pen, and self-guided YouTube videos--you don't need much to prioritize your health!
A view from one of my many hikes at my local state park!
Now being back on campus for winter term, I am able to look back on my break with fondness and gratitude. I used to think that Dartmouth's six-week-long interim period was almost too lengthy, but I now reap the benefits of it, as I am fully ready and recharged to experience a new term of classes and activities, and I am ecstatic to bring you guys with me!
Join me for a 5:30 A.M adventure as I hike the Gile Mountain to catch the sunrise and explore the Norwich Farmers' Market, enjoying delicious treats and a beautiful morning!
