Hello there! I am an avid doodler and caffeine addict who can be spotted 24/7 at KAF (the coffee shop in Baker-Berry Library). I've grown up skiing in the Rockies, so I'm a hype man for low temp activities like throwing snow at friends and carving ice sculptures (yes, I actually did that!). Aside from blogging, I conduct research at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, do UI/UX design for DALI (Dartmouth Applied Learning & Innovation Lab), and travel a ton with the fencing and debate teams.
Freshman fall flew by! While I unwittingly took some of Dartmouth's more difficult classes, I met so many amazing people and got to explore campus with a fresh set of eyes (I'd never visited before). I also got inspired (after taking my prof to lunch) to pursue a major in economics!
Winter was my favorite term freshman year, largely because I felt more settled into the campus rhythm and took awesome classes. Prof. Kalish (my Writing 5 -- a required class for all freshmen -- professor) was not only fun and insightful, but also made an active effort to connect with every student. It's one of the best classes I've ever taken.
In my opinion, Hanover is most beautiful in the spring: you see everything from fluffy snowflakes to vibrant blossoms. The weather kept me cheerful, even if spring was my most rigorous term. My favorite class was Econ 22 with Prof. Comin, who led a case-based course that helped us understand the real-world applications of what we were learning. He's also a super cool guy to chat with, and he's done fascinating research.
Most freshmen don't stay "on" their first summer, but I scheduled my D-Plan around my winter internship. Summer didn't disappoint: I love the new friends I made and the classes I took (and I also got super fit from attending two PE classes). Taking Drawing I was also one of the highlights of my summer. It's a lot of work, but I'd rather spend 10 hours on a drawing than 10 hours on a problem set.
I finally met the '22s!! (Seriously, you all are so cool.) This term, I took a class on game theory, which is basically a subject where we literally learn about games. While it was by far my most challenging class this term, I thought that what we learned was super rewarding.
WinterSalt Lake City, UT
This was my first "off" term since I arrived on campus! I interned for Cross Creek, a venture capital firm in Salt Lake City, Utah (my hometown!).
I could RAVE about public economics and Prof. Skinner for hours. While public econ wasn't easy, it challenged me to think critically about my political philosophies and about the economic theories I'd previously considered fact. Prof. Skinner was one of the most engaged professors I've ever had; he even recommended a few running routes to me!
SummerOn Campus
The famous "Sophomore Summer" and my second summer on campus! I'm taking an unconventional four-course term complete with Econometrics, Gender & Philosophy, DALI Lab Independent Research, and Independent Studies in Engineering!
The reason economics is the most popular major at Dartmouth is simple: it's the best subject!
People study economics because they're interested in learning about (and addressing) the world's most pressing issues. Economics isn't limited to finance and business: economics is the study of how people use resources and respond to incentives, and it's also the study of decision-making. So yes, a lot of economics is the study of money, but it's far more multi-faceted than that.
As an officially-declared economics major (finally!), I thought I'd share a little about econ at Dartmouth with you:
No. 1
Introductory Econ (Econ 1):
Most freshmen start out by taking Econ 1 (unless you took AP Micro in high school) to see if they're interested. You'll hear a mixed bag of reviews about Econ 1: people either love it, or they absolutely hate it. That's the point of Econ 1! As an introductory class, it's meant to help you figure out whether or not econ is the right fit for you. Your freshman year is all about exploring your options and learning about what you like, and what you don't. I first arrived on campus thinking I'd be a math major, but Econ 1 changed my mind. It's not an easy class, but I recommend taking it if you're even remotely interested!
No. 2
Core Major Classes
All econ majors are required to take Econ 20, 21, and 22. I have yet to take Econ 20 (which is essentially a course on statistical analysis of economic data), but I've taken 21 and 22 and loved both of them! Econ 21 and 22 are in-depth classes on the two main divisions of economics -- microeconomics and macroeconomics, respectively. Generally, people who've taken both classes will passionately recommend one over the other. Personally, I liked Econ 21 (Microeconomics) a bit more, but it's all dependent on what your personal preferences!
No. 3
Major Concentrations
In addition to the core classes, econ majors also need to choose two specific tracks that interest them. These tracks include: industrial organization, money and finance, labor, public, development, and international economics. I haven't figured out my second track yet, but I know that one of my concentrations will be in industrial organization (dubbed the '5s track, because all classes in this field end in the number 5). Industrial organization includes classes on game theory, and competition and strategy.
No. 4
Fellow Econ Friends!
I have friends studying a variety of subjects, but several of my closest friends have varying interests in economics (econ majors, modified majors, and minors). There are also a bunch of organizations on campus that cater to an economics skillset/interest: Women in Business, Dartmouth Consulting Group, Dartmouth Investment and Philanthrophy Program, etc. I'm personally invovled in Women in Business, and it's a great community and network of people.
No. 5
Professors
My econ profs have been wonderful. Dartmouth profs in general are wonderful, but I've taken a pretty good chunk of econ classes, so I can speak best to that department. Dartmouth econ profs are not only super intelligent scholars, but super great people too. I've found that they genuinely care about me and how well I'm learning, so I'm never afraid to pop in during office hours if I'm hopelessly confused. Even after I've finished their classes, I still stop by just to say hi.
The D-Plan describes how you spend each term at Dartmouth: on, off, abroad... And it can be quite challenging, especially for international students. Luckily, I am here to explain it all just for you!
Sophomore summer is a Dartmouth classic, and something that captures a lot of what makes this school special - small classes and amazing professors, a close community, and boundless opportunities to explore, in all senses of the word.
GIS was one of the experiences that played a major role in influencing my freshman experience, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to give back and continue participating in the program.
Something that is relatively important to a Dartmouth term that has an unnecessary mysticism about it is the elusive period of testing at the end of every term known simply as "finals." While they are certainly difficult and do take a lot of work,
I participated as a Women in Science Program (WISP) intern, presenting a poster entitled “Visualizing machine learning models for predicting readmission after an acute myocardial infarction”.
