What does "Dartmouth" mean to you? It's a hard question to answer, but it's one I aim to explore in my blog. Whether you're considering Dartmouth or anticipating matriculation, I hope my blog serves as an entryway to learning more about Dartmouth! I like learning new instruments and 3D model in my free time. Alongside Hanover, I call Queens, New York, home.
Music is primarily received through the ears, but reading it is even more fulfilling. I took this course with no prior knowledge of any music theory. Now I can read treble and bass clef, transpose pieces across different keys, and play some piano! I highly recommend this course, as it can expose you to the Music Department at Dartmouth and the variety of what you can study here.
On what principles are our societies governed? How do utilitarianism and hedonism converge in creating social harmony? How can we thrive as critical thinkers through the human condition? These are just some questions covered in GOVT 006 that continuously ruminate in my mind after having taken the course. This course introduced me to plenty of political thinkers from Socrates to Friedrich Nietzsche (which, in 10 weeks, is an exciting pace). If you're ever curious about how government constitutions are formed, or which ones are the best ones, take this course to see how your inquiries unfold. Keep an open mind, as Socrates would encourage, and do not interpret the readings as merely archaic. Knowledge is powerful, and GOVT 006 is a reminder of how political philosophy and its principles have truly stood the test of time.
I read a lot of Plato in GOVT 006 and enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much that I was super excited for this upper-level Philosophy seminar. Many people know Plato's Republic. But what about his Theaetetus? Gorgias? Timaeus? Philebus? Studying these texts and how they overlap was super interesting. Plato's interpretation of physics gives us a peek at how the worlds of philosophy and science merge, which this course helped me explore even more. This course also helped me see Plato's application of metaphysics, particularly in The Republic. Reading Plato in this deep way is integral to my major declaration in Philosophy, and I'm so grateful to have taken it.
Recently I was on the Admissions Beat podcast with Dean Lee Coffin, admissions officer Will Kieger, and two of my fellow bloggers: Ariana and Sarah! We discussed the relevance of social media use in the college search, pulling in from our personal experience. But I had deleted social media back in April of 2025.
It's always a little awkward. "Could I get your Instagram?" and I never know what to respond with.
While I did have social media throughout high school, I deactivated all my accounts the spring of my senior year—and I've experienced Dartmouth so far without them. The experience has been pretty normal for me, as by the time I moved to Dartmouth, I hadn't had social media for a long time already. I want this blog post to describe the pros and cons of not having a digital presence at a school like Dartmouth!
Below I listed some downsides:
1) Wait, what happened?
The Dartmouth is the oldest collegiate paper in the United States!
It's ironic that I work for our school paper The Dartmouth and have taken Government classes … yet I often miss a lot of the news happening in the world when they happen. Granted, I still inevitably end up being caught up on the press, but I'm more late to things.
Internet memes or pop culture is another thing I'm on top of less. Certain trends I won't know about until at least a couple months go by. While I can at times feel excluded from not being in the ingroup of things, there are some benefits to this. I'll talk more about the positives in the later part of this blog post. And at the end of the day, I still have friends who are more than willing to help catch me up whenever necessary. I never feel far from my friends even if I am from trends.
2) Communication
Some platforms are extremely easy to communicate over. However, without social media I lost access to a lot of the ways I talked to people. I have to rely on my phone's native Messages app, emailing, and phone calls.
This can get a little frustrating at times, especially when making plans for group projects. Yet a lot of organizations on campus use an app called GroupMe to communicate and post announcements.
3) Lack of sharing
While privacy is awesome to have, at times I wish I had a platform to share positive news with other people. And this applies the other way around too. I never really know what my friends from back home are up to unless we explicitly share news with each other through direct communication. This can occasionally make me feel alone with my accomplishments, which can be gratifying but also a little underwhelming.
But there are so many positives and work-arounds to not having social media at Dartmouth!
1) Emails, emails, emails!
Clubs do not solely use social media to post announcements and updates for clubs. As mentioned before, organizations typically use GroupMe to send out quick messages to members regarding anything important.
In addition, a good majority of campus organizations send emails to your inbox directly, which is convenient to see! The Dartmouth QuestBridge Scholars' Network (DQSN), which I serve as the Co-Vice President of, uses both of these platforms (as well as social media) to keep members updated.
DQSN alongside other club organizations use emails for updates.
2) Intentional communication
Communication can be harder without social media, but that's what's particularly great about not having it. Now, calls back home or updating friends from high school feels a lot more intentional. Whenever Dartmouth had a new dish at FoCo, I would let my friends know with a message.
Texting friends back home through iMessage.
3) Focus & Attention Span
Without social media, to pass the time, I've been consuming more long form content. I've been watching movies (particularly Audrey Hepburn ones) and reading some books instead of scrolling. This adjustment to long form media also helps me focus. This media consumption has translated into how I focus during lectures, do readings for class, or have patience for solving inquiries related to my academics.
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But I'm not completely offline, and I think it's dangerous to be so. In this modern age of technology, it's important to still somewhat be connected to the internet. I still watch fun videos on YouTube and have some digital platforms for career development.
Yet I think having no social media during college has been an enriching experience. I'm not one to comment on other people's digital usage—that's not my business. But for me personally, it has been a great way to focus on Dartmouth and the environment of Hanover more than I likely would have been able to otherwise.
Thanks to West House, one of the housing communities I'm part of, I got the chance to go on an overnight trip to New York City. Read on to hear all about the experience!
After three terms apart due to Dartmouth's D-plan, junior spring marks a joyful reunion with old friends, deepened by the Toulouse study abroad group that has carried their bond seamlessly back to campus.
Senior spring is here and it is surreal to reflect on how much my daily routine has evolved. We have just welcomed the Class of 2030, and I am so incredibly excited for the next generation of Dartmouth students to find their home in Hanover!
