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!
Two Days of Sunshine and Shaggy: Reflecting on my First Green Key!
Each spring, Dartmouth's most anticipated tradition, Green Key, acts as a celebration for the arrival of a new season and the approaching conclusion of the term. With live music, free food, and student-hosted activities spanning across the length of campus, Hanover was buzzing with anticipation for Friday night's main event: music performances by student band Read Receipts, rapper Young M.A, and Jamaican musician Shaggy.
Personally, my friends and I began our Friday festivities following afternoon classes with a block party. Here, student band Tightrope and guest group Dogpark performed a plethora of songs for students to dance to before Read Receipts, Young M.A, and Shaggy were scheduled to take the stage on Gold Coast Lawn later in the evening.
My friends and I at the block party on Frat Row!
At around 6:45 pm, Dartmouth's undergraduate student body made their short journey from the block party to the side of Russell Sage Hall to line up for entry into the make-shift venue, with Read Receipts taking the stage at 7:30 pm (who I featured in a previous blog post with an interview from Read Receipts guitarist Jackson Yassin '26–check it out!). Here, the Collis Center's Programming Board handed out a limited supply of Green Key t-shirts to those who wanted one, as well as cups of water to ensure that everyone stayed hydrated during the concert.
My friends and I gathered towards the center of the crowd and danced to songs from Read Receipts, Young M.A, and Shaggy until the sun set on the first eventful day of Green Key weekend.
My view of Young M.A on stage!
The second day was spent with free Ben and Jerry's ice cream and BBQ provided by Dartmouth in front of the Collis Center for Student Involvement as visiting bands from around the country performed on the Collis Porch.
With the variety of activities offered during Green Key weekend, it's no surprise that it is one of the most anticipated events of the year on Dartmouth's campus. With this being my first one (since I took the winter and spring terms off last year), my expectations were pleasantly surpassed. I find myself feeling bittersweet writing this post knowing that these are only memories now and not long-awaited activities anymore. But with the end of this year's Green Key weekend comes excitement for a new round of memories to create during next year's Green Key!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
