Hello! My name is Cal Shin, and I am a '27 planning to double-major in Economics and Philosophy. Outside of academics and blogging, you can find me drawing (perhaps even designing for The Dartmouth), hosting my radio show as a proud deejay at WebDCR, perusing the Free Market, or hanging out with friends. Ultimately, I am an artist and a storyteller. I hope you enjoy reading about my Dartmouth experience; the journey has just begun!
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.)
Dartmouth offers a variety of off-campus study abroad programs through the Frank J. Guarini Institute for International Education. There are Foreign Study Programs (FSPs), which are 10-week-long programs led by Dartmouth faculty; Exchange Programs (EXCH), where students directly enroll with a certain institution and are more independent; and Language Study Abroads (LSA+), which are similar to FSPs except for the fact that they may require a certain level of proficiency in a specific language. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASCL Chinese LSA+made its return to Beijing during the summer of 2024. I interviewed a member of the class of 2027 who went on this LSA+ the summer after their first year.
Tell me a little bit about the Chinese LSA+. The Chinese LSA+ takes place at Beijing Normal University, where you can be on one of two different tracks. You can either take first-year Chinese at Dartmouth, then study second-year Chinese at BNU, or take two years' worth of Chinese at Dartmouth to study third-year Chinese in Beijing. During the LSA, you will take one language class, as well as a second class that's about the culture of China.
What drew you to apply to the Chinese LSA+, and what was the process for applying? Similarly, what was the process after you were accepted? I was just really interested in the Chinese language, and I wanted to visit China and visit all the different places. As for applying, you have to answer a few essay questions, and that was it. There's no interview stage. After getting accepted, you have to sort out international travel logistics, like getting your visa, make sure your passport is updated. Additionally, during the spring, you prepare for living in China by taking a class called Intro to Chinese Culture. There, you attend talks about the differences between living in the US and China to better prepare for the LSA+ that summer.
What did financial aid look like for the duration of the LSA+? I received full financial aid, meaning housing, group meals, and transportation within China, which were all covered by Dartmouth. Plane tickets to and from China were not.
What did being in the LSA+ involve on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis? Did you take any specific classes? There are two types of classes you take at BNU. One class is a pure language class where you study Chinese, and the other one is about the history and culture of China. The language class was taught in Chinese by BNU faculty, while the other class was taught in English by a Dartmouth professor. We would normally have five days of classes, but we also went on trips to cities like Shanghai, Chengdu, and Xi'an.
The Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai
What do you think were some of the benefits of attending the LSA+? There are a lot of benefits, and I would definitely recommend going on the LSA+ for anyone. You get to hone your Chinese language skills, and you'll get to go all over the country. It's very convenient because all the logistics and transportation are arranged for you through the program. You get to see all these amazing places, travel everywhere, and eat amazing food. Through this, I got a new perspective of the world through an international lens. I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning about the Chinese language and culture to apply.
Any last words of advice you would give to prospective students? Definitely go on a study abroad program! Even though I only went on one, I—and everyone else I know who studied abroad—had very good experiences. There are some experiences that you can only have in a different country. Studying abroad during college is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Take advantage of the programs that Dartmouth has to offer.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The interviewee has stated they wish to remain anonymous. Cover photo courtesy of Lei Yan.
