Howdy! My name is Crystal and I'm a '28 from 1899.2 miles away in Fulshear, Texas hoping to study Biology on the pre-health track. Outside of being on the grind in my classes at Dartmouth, I enjoy dancing (poorly and with dance groups on campus), cooking (microwave oatmeal), and taking Buzzfeed quizzes to find out what breakfast food I am. While I'll miss Bucc-ee's and brisket from my native state, I'm beyond excited to explore all that the woods have to offer! Hopefully I'll see y'all around!
Chem 11 is my first pre-health course (and consequently my favorite course thus far); I came into Chem 11 with a bit of apprehension over what to expect since the course takes the place of the two-course alternative Chem 5 and 6 sequence. I’ll admit, there was a bit of a learning curve, especially since I hadn’t taken chemistry since junior year of high school, but Prof. Wenlin Zhang’s office hours have become an excellent way for me to gain a better grasp of the course content and work with other students through new concepts. I’m super glad that I chose this course for my first fall!
It's Got a Ring To It! Friday at the Donald Claflin Jewelry Studio
A key concern that I had coming into college was being surrounded by opportunities and that I would have to balance school work and "me time", especially considering Dartmouth's quarter system that fits a course into ten weeks. Blink, and you'll miss it! Particularly around this time of the year, when a majority of my classes have midterm exams, it sometimes feels challenging to allocate time to relax and recharge. So when I was invited to the jewelry studio after classes, I leapt at the opportunity!
Tucked away on the third floor of the Black Family Visual Arts Center, behind the Hopkins Center for the Arts, the Donald Claflin Jewelry Studio has transformed into one of my favorite spots on campus to relax, unwind, and add to my ever-growing collection of jewelry and other accessories. I first stumbled upon the jewelry studio during Orientation Week and while I was interested, it quickly became pushed to the back of my mind as I started course selection. This past Friday brought me back to a spot I am so glad I had the chance to revisit!
My view from the anvil. Inside those drawers are where the supplies for jewelry making are stored.
Right off the bat, the environment of the jewelry studio is incredibly welcoming. With safety glasses on, I found myself in a community of tinkerers from all kinds of backgrounds united by a love for jewelry creation. After discussing what I wanted to design with the employees, who included current students, I was taught how to carefully hammer in a design for my ring on a strip of practice metal before moving onto a strip of silver.
My initial ring design! Surprisingly enough, I did not end up hammering my fingers.
My view from my bench! After I took this picture, the studio immediately became packed as more students came in.
After forming and reforming my ring, I soldered the ends together and carefully filed the edges to allow for a smooth finish. The entire time, I was carefully watched and helped by various employees as I learned how to properly add details, operate the air torch, and angle my file. By the time my ring was finally polished and fitted to my finger, even though nearly an hour and a half had passed, it felt like the time had just flown by! Between chatting and catching up with friends and exploring the various projects that people were working on, I found myself feeling rejuvenated and well rested from the week I had just experienced.
The (unfiled) finished product! It was so rewarding to see my work come to fruition.
Needless to say, my trip to the jewelry studio was much needed. While exploring a completely new niche, I discovered an outlet for expression that blew all of my expectations out of the water! Dartmouth's diverse offerings for student life outside of courses ultimately ensures that you'll be able to branch out and find facets of your identity that may have been previously left untouched.
A chance opportunity to "check out" the jewelry studio has now turned into a new hobby that I'm excited to pursue during my time here!
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!
