Hi everyone! My name's Daniel, and I'm a 25! I'm from Orange County, California and Seoul, South Korea. I'm hoping to major in Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health. If I'm not under my sheets watching a new Netflix series, you'll find me spending time at Still North Café or at the engineering building. I hope you learn something new about Dartmouth today!
Academic Program
Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology Modified with Global Health
This class had an emphasis on really learning the material, rather than mindless regurgitation. Every class lecture truly excited and interested me, and readings were thought-provoking, The final was also a project instead of an exam, which was very fun to complete. I could tell Prof. DeSilva was also very passionate about the class materials as well!
As a "seminar" course, we focused on enjoyable discussion-based lectures. Each and every one of Prof. Kangas' lecture topics were engaging and intriguing, constantly pushing me to think. While we had reading assignments, they weren't necessarily linked to graded discussions/quizzes, which allowed me to feel more relaxed and stress-free (I didn't need to go crazy and write notes in-class). All in all, I loved learning about Pompeii!
A classic pre-med requirement course. This class has a basic structure of problem sets, two midterms, labs, and a final. I thought the points were well-distributed and the exams were fair. I personally enjoy problem-solving, which allowed this class to be more exciting personally. I'd suggest you pick the right professor for you as each professor has a different way of teaching!
This class is taught by Prof. Shipley, a professor who teaches mainly during summer terms. It was very different from the previous anthropology courses I've taken –– we had a filmmaking component as well as a collaborative project. I enjoyed this class because the assignments had a very broad, overarching outline and allowed you to explore your interests very freely. For example, for my final project, I created a podcast that delved into the educational inequity in South Korea.
My first sociology course at Dartmouth. It goes very in-depth about the macro immigration policies in-place in America and how it relates to different immigrants' experiences. I found it intriguing because I'm an immigrant myself, and I also was able to analyze and develop a different outlook on my family's experiences as well. We had interesting projects such as immigrant interview assignment, immigration policy brief, and in-class discussions.
Another first - my first Asian Societies, Culture, and Language (ASCL) course here at Dartmouth. Essentially, through a 3-hour class block each week, you watch a Korean film that provide insights into the different aspects of South Korean culture –– from Korean independence of Japan to modern economic disparities. Very interesting discussions and minimal work: the course focuses a lot more on student learning than testing!
I know what you're thinking: no way this guy liked MATH 13 the best out of his classes. I was thinking the same going into the class, but I enjoyed the problem-solving aspects. Math was one of my favorite subjects in high school, but I didn't get a chance to take any courses here at Dartmouth until I changed to an engineering major which made MATH 13 a prerequisite. All you do is solve problems, practice, grasp concepts, and take exams. But, after a bit, you get the hang of it.
One of my favorite, favorite courses throughout my whole time at Dartmouth. If you thought you know medicine and health, think again –– evolutionary perspectives open up a completely new spectrum of thinking. Have you thought about institutionalized racism in BMI indexes? How about adolescent growth differences between women who give birth in birth centers versus hospitals? Conversations you've never thought of within the medical realm happens in this class. Highly recommend it!
ANTH 76 - Evolution of Upright Walking is a biological anthropology senior seminar. The class itself is very discussion-based, reading books/articles/literature to grasp different aspects of bipedalism. Prof. DeSilva allows you to explore areas YOU are interested in with the midterm paper and final project, and there is little emphasis on grading so you can focus on learning!
A very collaborative course –– daily discussions, guest speakers, and group data analysis assignments. I also really enjoyed the term-long ethnography project where you can choose a community to analyze. Essentially there are different frameworks and theories that can be applied to the way we talk within linguistic anthropology, and it was super interesting seeing how everything is connected to our conversations on a daily basis!
Last weekend was Green Key weekend, which consisted of bands, parties, music, free food, and countless events—in short, it was nothing short of amazing. However, of course, students (including myself) are hit with piles of work following such a fun weekend, or even week I'd say. So, here are some reflections and thoughts I had undergoing my last term of freshman year!
Don't overload yourself.
We all have ambitions. For some of us finance, for some of us medicine, for some of us law; whatever it is, you will get there with determination. This term, I made the wrong decision to overload myself with difficult classes, extracurricular activities, all while attempting to sustain my social life. And with some reflection, I realized that I don't necessarily have to live this lifestyle for the accomplishments/future I desire. College is a unique place where you aren't shamed for trying something new—whether it be a new hobby, new major, new sport, new whatever. I realized this a bit too late, but I have decided I want to explore more at Dartmouth, at least more than now. I've been taking on a series of science and math courses, and without a doubt, I'm burnt out. I realized I want to explore my passions like art, music, environmental studies, or even philosophy. And this new goal makes me excited for my sophomore year even more!
It's okay to reach out.
Friends are never something of permanence; they are ever-changing and ever-evolving. I thought that if I joined one friend group fall term, I wouldn't really have a choice of meeting new people. I was wrong. I've been meeting such an awesome group of people in my classes, extracurriculars, and social scenes that I've grown to realize and love the act of reaching out/meeting new individuals that will become great additions to my life. It's honestly… as simple as texting someone to grab a meal for the first time—pretty daunting, but it always turns out to be much better than you thought.
Find a schedule that works for you and stick with it!
I found it a struggle to find what schedule was right for me. Coming from high school, I was confined to a 7 AM - 3 PM schedule each and every day, and I thought that the same lifestyle would be feasible here. Oh boy was I wrong. Apparently, with freedom, I am not a morning person. I physically struggle to get to my 9L class, and if I accidentally miss it (thank god class participation is nonexistent for CHEM 6), I tend to have my whole day messed up. Of course, not everyone is like me, but it's important to find a schedule that works for you. I realized, the hard way, that 9L's are not the best for me; however, at the same time, afternoon classes are also not feasible with my schedule. So, for my fall term, I looked for classes that fit in the 10, 11, 12, or 10A slots that will be optimal for my schedule. And by extension, I will be granted a much better lifestyle, which I value so much more after realizing it this term.
I hope everyone is feeling well going into Week 9, and let's push through finals!
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!
