Hello friends! My name is Diana D'Souza, and I'm pursuing a double major in Government modified with Economics and Chinese. On campus, I'm the Co-President of Women in Business and a Chinese language research assistant. I'm also involved in the Dartmouth Outing Club and recently led a fishing first-year trip at the Boston Lot Lake. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading, and spending time outdoors.
I ended up taking this class for two reasons. First, I needed to fulfill my CI requirement; second, my friend was also taking it. Regardless, it ended up being my favorite class fall term. Professor Washburn is an engaging, spontaneous professor and we studied everything from memes to The Tale of Genji. By the end of the term, I found myself to be a more confident and humbled writer.
This was my second time taking a 9 am class with Chen Laoshi. She is understanding, funny, and always eager to help. Even though this was a fast-paced class with daily quizzes, weekly tests, and new vocabulary sets every other day, I became extremely close with my classmates and more excited about learning the language. We ended the term over a feast of dumplings Laoshi prepared!
Because this term was online, I used my extra time to study a subject that has always fascinated me. Professor Ayubi was incredibly accommodating by allowing us to complete work at our own pace. The most memorable parts of the class were examining anti-Muslim materials during a virtual tour to Rauner Library and exploring Muslim punk rock through the movie Taqwacores.
SummerEdison, NJ - Remote Internship
My summer plans were derailed due to the pandemic, but Mr. Forbes, a Dartmouth alum, graciously allowed me to intern at his consulting firm. Over the course of two months, I became a master at navigating Microsoft Visio and writing grant narratives. I also lifeguarded the 5am shift (pain) at my local community pool.
Students at Dartmouth say ENGS 12 will change your life, and I'm one to agree. Professor Robbie helped me rethink and redefine my approach to creativity and radical collaboration. After the class, I became involved in the design community, participating in the Designation, 3 Day Start Up, and Tuck's entrepreneurship program, TuckLAB. I'm even a TA for the class now—oh, how the tables have turned!
WinterEdison, NJ - Remote Internship
In hopes of studying abroad, I declared a five-year D-Plan. I'm still a '23 at heart, but I'll be graduating with the '24's. I ended up working at my local newspaper, TAPinto News, and continuing my linguistics research with Professor Donahue.
SpringEdison, NJ - Remote Internship
With the help of the Magnuson Center, I landed an internship at Q30 Innovations, a medical device company. As a law development intern for Mr. Greene, a Dartmouth alum, I compiled a 20-page patent portfolio and provided recommendations for FDA clearance. I also took part in two Rocky programs, RGLP and MLDP.
Professor Dorsey is by far my favorite Dartmouth professor. He hosted in-person office hours every Friday, where we talked about anything from Japanese healthcare to craft beer to our personal lives. The class was an absolute blast, in which we dissected comics and listened to Japanese folklore. Class highlights included a field trip to a nearby Japanese Zen garden and a zoom call with Japanese folklorist Nakagawa Goro.
This was my hardest academic term to date, but I’m extremely proud of my work in this class.
Over ten weeks, Professor Samwick challenged us to design a financially viable social
enterprise. My team ended up creating BayStay, a one-stop service for homeless individuals in
the Bay area to locate a new roommate and temporary communal housing. The best part of the
experience was getting to interview leading experts on homelessness and pitching our business
model to an angel investor!
Given my areas of study at Dartmouth, it’s no surprise that I loved my introductory international
relations course with Professor Powers. She did a great job helping the class transition to in-
person learning by providing us with reading guides and laying out clear expectations in her
memos. We used high-level theory to explain the motivations of terrorists and the likelihood of
nuclear war. In my final paper, I presented my own analysis of why the United Nations was
powerless to prevent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In this upper-level government seminar, my classmates and I met once a week for three hours.
Although it was sometimes tough to focus, I appreciated having the rest of the week to prepare
and complete readings. During the term, we debated a range of topics, including whether the
government should regulate marriage or whether having a nanny was inherently anti-feminist.
Another cool aspect of the course was that the class was entirely driven by student discussion
and debate. Professor Rose pushed each student to flesh out her thoughts through open office
hours and writing workshops. Looking back at my final paper, I’m really proud of my newfound
ability to argue complex philosophical topics in a clear manner.
SummerHanover, NH - On Campus
While most of the ‘23s are off campus, I’m spending my junior summer in Hanover because I
took a gap year! I’m spending most of my time this term as a Paganucci Fellow at the Tuck
School of Business. I’m also working for Dartmouth Admissions and serving as Co-President of
Dartmouth Women in Business. Even though I’m not taking classes, I’m definitely keeping
myself busy!
FallWashington, D.C. - Internship
I spent my off-term interning on the China desk at the U.S. Department of State (DOS). I loved
being able to apply what I learned in class in a professional setting and getting to see diplomacy
and foreign policy in action. Some of my internship highlights included volunteering for the first,
historic Indo-Pacific Summit and meeting North Korean defectors. Still, I’m excited to be back
at Dartmouth, taking classes again, after six months off!
I took this class because it was the final culminating experience for my Chinese language major. Professor Ericson gave really engaging lectures that made it feel like he was reading us a story. As a capstone project, I wrote a 20-page paper about imperial Japan's use of visual propaganda in Manchukuo, analyzing primary texts in Chinese and Japanese.
This class explored the economics behind the gender gap, child penalty, and labor market discrimination. My favorite part was the MBA-style class study, which focused on the rationale behind Patagonia’s generous parental leave policies. Professor Olivetti was so helpful and held frequent office hours. Definitely take this class, even if you aren’t an economics major.
You might of heard about the classic Dartmouth must do's. There's the Lou's Challenge, where students stay up all night before heading to Lou's breakfast when it opens at 6 am. Not to mention the Dartmouth Daily Dip, where seniors jump into the river every day of spring term. And we certainly can't forget the Polar Bear Plunge, where students flock to jump into Occom Pond during Winter Carnival.
As a senior, I'm here to share 20 Dartmouth should-do's, in no particular order. This may serve as a bucket list for current students. But I also hope this list can show students considering Dartmouth that are so many things to do in the Upper Valley. While it may take some searching, there's something for everyone, even if you're an introvert like me!
Visit New Thailand restaurant in Lebanon, which serves up some of the best Thai food in the area. Tuk Tuk is also a strong contender. Other Upper Valley restaurants I love include Tuckerbox's Turkish food, Trailbreak's Mexican-inspired cuisine, and the Four Aces' hearty American breakfast options.
Visit the Ice Castles in Woodstock. Though admittedly a one hour drive away, some of my favorite memories here were wandering the ice caves, sledding down ice paths, and going for a horse-drawn carriage ride with friends.
Learn how to ski or snowboard at the Dartmouth Skiway. I didn't know how to do either prior to coming here, but some of my friends taught me how to snowboard. I also took weekly lessons during the winter term, and managed to go down a blue run!
Do a hike, any hike, and admire the fall foliage. From Mt. Clough to Mt. Ascutney, there are so many ways to get involved in the outdoors. For those that are more ambitious, I recommend the Fifty, where teams attempt to hike the 50 miles from from Moosilauke Ravine Lodge back to Hanover, in one go with no sleep. I'm definitely not that adventurous and prefer a much tamer two to three mile hike at Gile or Balch Hill.
You're heard about Lou's breakfast, but what about Pine breakfast?I recommend their fresh squeezed juices, raspberry pancakes, and home fries. Better yet, use the "Take Your Professor to Pine" program to get your meal for free on Dartmouth funding.
Climb Bartlett Tower. The stone structure is located behind the Observatory (another must see) and honors former Dartmouth President Bartlett (1877-1892). Students can only climb the stairs during special occasions, such as Homecoming, but the Dartmouth Outing Club also allows students to climb up the sides of the tower with rope!
Visit the Norwich's Farmers Market in the spring. You'll be greeted by fresh made pastries, homemade jerk chicken, fresh honey, and handmade pottery. Local bands often swing by to play. Best of all, it's been recently added as a stop on the Dartmouth shuttle.
Admire Dartmouth's natural scenery by going on a long walk or paddle. Some helpful starting points include Mink Brook, Pine Park, Patchen Point, or right on the Connecticut River.
Head over to Simon Pearce in Quechee.Simon Pearce is a glass shop with a restaurant, and happens to overlook a waterfall. They have made over 23,000 glasses by hand here for the U.S. Department of State. If you're lucky, their glass making station downstairs will be open, and you can watch the workers make the glass from scratch. Definitely a cozy must-see in the winter.
Study abroad. Dartmouth sponsors over 30 off-campus programs, from the Environmental Studies program in South Africa and Namibia to the History program in London. There are also three-week "winterim programs" that happen during the six weeks between fall and winter term, including one to Vietnam and another to Berlin. Sometimes students get caught up in the flurry of campus life as they add on more majors, minors, and extracurriculars. Still, studying abroad is such a unique experience that it has to make the list.
Do an internship in another city.While it's awesome to spend a term at home or in Hanover, moving to another city gives you the opportunity to practice being an adult in a low-stakes way. Through the flexibility of the D-Plan, I've interned in Boston, Washington D.C., Hanover, New York City, and remotely in my hometown, Edison, NJ.
Make pizzas at the Organic Farm, known as the O-Farm.The college has a small farm that is just a ten minute drive away from campus. Students can get involved with weeding, planting, and growing crops. There is also a pizza oven for students to make pizzas with toppings picked straight from the fields.
Meet a presidential candidate.New Hampshire is the first state to vote in the primary, which means that many presidential candidates will make a stop at Dartmouth. I attended events hosted by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren nearly four years ago. Just this week, Chris Christie will speak at an event hosted by The Rockefeller Center and The Dartmouth Political Union.
Work an on-campus job.Whether you're looking to earn a little extra money or to build some skills for your resume, Dartmouth makes it easy with its online job portal, JobX. Dartmouth employers know that students are busy and constantly cycling off and on campus, and work to make sure students can prioritize their academics.
Go to the Hood Museum. It's definitely special that Dartmouth owns and operates its own museum with about 70,000 objects in its collection. Many classes at Dartmouth meet in the Hood to supplement their learning or to conduct research. In fact, I'm actually taking an anthropology class about museums with Professor Ferguson that meets weekly at the Hood.
Take ENGS 12: Design Thinking. By far my favorite course at Dartmouth, ENGS 12 taught me to think creatively and work effectively in teams. Over the course of ten weeks, I created a roller coaster with my teammates over Zoom and pitched a mental health app to Dick's House. I've carried these lessons with me throughout my four years at Dartmouth and will continue to do so in my future career.
Check out BEMA Lights. Every winter, the Collis Center for Involvement installs an interactive light and sound experience in the big empty meeting area (BEMA) next to Bartlett Tower and the Observatory. My friends and I always make time to visit at the tail end of Winter Carnival.
Have a picnic at Nathan's Garden. If you pass the CVS at the end of town, you'll wander into a botanical garden created to honor Nathan Hall. The garden is quiet and secluded, but especially beautiful during sophomore summer. I'd often stop by after swimming in the river to watch the hummingbirds.
Treat yourself to pastries at King Arthur Flour (KAF) in Norwich, Vermont. KAF is massive, with a bakery, gift shop, classrooms for baking students, and areas for you to watch the bakers at work.
Standing at the top of the Berry Baker Library during a Tower Tour
Exploring the glass making station at the bottom of Simon Pearce
Admiring the beginning of foliage at Gile Mountain
It's easy to forget how easy it is to access walking trails during the hustle of a Dartmouth term. As graduation nears, I am reminded of how special it is to step off campus and enjoy quiet moments in nature.
With a solar eclipse sweeping across North America for the first time in nearly seven years on April 8th came a road-trip with hundreds of other Dartmouth students to a zone of totality near campus: St. Johnsbury, Vermont!
