Hello! My name is Cal Shin, and I am a '27 double-majoring in Economics and Philosophy. When I'm not studying or writing a blog post, you can find me drawing as the Design Editor for The Dartmouth, hosting my radio show at WebDCR, or spending time with my friends. And if I'm not doing any of those, I'm probably watching cat videos. Follow along as I share the moments that make Dartmouth feel like home!
I took this course with Professor James Binkoski and loved it! I had never taken a philosophy course prior to Dartmouth, so this introductory course in the department was perfect! After all, it combined my interests of philosophy with time and time travel — at least, how time and time travel are depicted in the media. This course may initially seem to be on the more technical side, but Professor Binkoski made sure to break down the various time travel theories — various ways scientists and philosophers think of time and its supposed movement — in a manner that’s easy for anyone to understand. A very popular course overall; I am fortunate to have been able to take it during my first term here!
I took this course with Professor Ha Yan Lee and it was absolutely amazing! I had my initial reservations about this course, mainly because I knew a lot of my classmates would have had some background knowledge while I had none. Professor Lee did a wonderful job of breaking down concepts in a manner that, as she often put it, is easy for even “your grandparents to understand”. Even beyond the course, the level of care Professor Lee exhibited towards her students is significant. She’s one of the most popular professors at Dartmouth, and for good reason! I ate lunch with her at The Pine through the Take a Faculty Member to Lunch program, and she gave me tremendous insight and advice! Because of this course, I have been inspired to explore more courses within the Econ department and potentially major in Economics.
I took this course with Professor Jasmina Savic and examined how the vampire figure evolved over time, starting with Slavic literature, going through Dracula and Twilight, and ending with “vampire” political figures. I realized what the portrayal of vampires could tell me about the thoughts of that society, including the fact that the early notions of vampirism are akin to modern-day diseases. For my final project, I wrote a research paper comparing the gumiho (the Korean nine-tailed fox) to several Western vampires.
SummerNew York City, New York
I had the opportunity to visit New York City for the summer! I met up with a good friend of mine, explored the city itself, and went to a networking event with other college students.
ECON 10 is one of the required courses for the Economics major. Based on my stellar experience with Professor Ha Yan Lee during ECON 1, when I saw that she was teaching ECON 10 this term, I immediately jumped at the chance to take the course with her. Once again, Professor Lee did an amazing job of breaking down concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. (The fact that her slideshows were colorful and featured various pictures of cats helped.)
My main interest in philosophy lies in normative and applied ethics, so when I saw the opportunity to take a class on the former, I didn’t hesitate! The class focused on consequentialism, utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. I enjoyed the ample opportunities for discussion, including discussion posts about the readings, as well as the table-wide conversations. My table, in particular, had lots to say, and there was one reading in particular where we ended up diving into discussion, not once, but twice! In fact, we had so much to say that all of us coincidentally chose to write our essay on this reading — and none of us knew until after we started talking about our papers!
As Decision Day approaches, you might find yourself feeling an odd sense of both finality and new beginnings. Some of you have your hearts set on attending a certain school, and may have already committed. Some of you may find yourselves at a crossroads between two (or more) schools, each with its own four-year journey. Everyone's college decision process is different, but if you are reading this, Dartmouth is probably one of the institutions you are interested in spending your next four years at. Having already spent two out of those four years here, I will reflect on a small fraction of thethings that made me choose Dartmouth.
As someone who was in no way certain of what I wanted to study, one of the biggest factors that mattered in choosing a college was the flexibility to explore. I quickly realized I could find that in Dartmouth's liberal arts education. You may already have a major in mind—a lot of my classmates in high school did. Don't pick your college solely based on what you think you want to study now. Odds are, you'll change your mind. You haven't taken the classes yet, nor have you met the professors teaching those classes—you only have an idea of what you think the field is like. Dartmouth allows you to take a variety of classes before you formally decide what you want to major (and perhaps minor) in. In fact, you're not allowed to formally declare your major until your sophomore year, and even then, you can change your major and minor as many times as you want, even up to your senior year!
Some might say that in the 21st century, practical skills, especially STEM, outweigh a liberal arts education. However, real practicality comes from a strong foundation, and the best problem-solvers are those who have mastered critical thinking, communication, and creativity—all of which Dartmouth embodies. Dartmouth's distributive requirements, including those in a language and wellness, reflect the institution's commitment towards fostering well-rounded students.
And speaking of students—as a student, you will get the chance to know everyone. Dartmouth is smaller than most schools, with between 1000 and 1500 students in a given graduating class. Before classes even begin, you'll have the chance to explore the outdoors and connect with your classmates through First-Year Trips designed for a variety of experience levels. (You do not have to be outdoorsy to fit in. There are students who have never been involved with the Dartmouth Outing Club after First-Year Trips, and they are perfectly happy.) And once classes begin, you won't find yourself lost in a sea of hundreds in a lecture hall. You will end up fostering close bonds with your professors who know you by name and care about your successes.
When else in your life will you have the opportunity to spend four years immersed in books, conversations, and moments of discovery alongside peers whom you will learn from, and who will learn from you? You may not truly realize the impact of a Dartmouth education yet, but if you're uncertain, worried, or even scared about what your future will hold, don't worry: Dartmouth's got your back.
This time last year, I attended Dimensions of Dartmouth, Dartmouth's accepted students day. I had so much fun at Dimensions and it's ultimately the reason I chose Dartmouth!
From meeting some of my best friends to sitting in classes and exploring new parts of campus, read on to see how Dimensions got me excited for college!
