Hi friends and welcome to my page! I'm Emily, a '25 from a town where winter rarely comes to visit and departs after only a few days. In my spare time, I love to read fiction novels, bake cinnamon rolls, play card games, solve riddles, delve into conspiracy theories, and engage in any water activity. I'm thrilled you're here and hope you enjoy!
My fall term began with my favorite class so far at Dartmouth: Antiquity Today. In this intro-level Classics course, we analyzed our own culture through comparison. Delving into topics of violence in entertainment, philosophies of government, and attitudes about sex, we deconstructed our own cultural norms and biases through comparing them with the practices of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Embracing the spirit of the Greeks' dramatic stage was the wonderful professor, Paul Christesen. He would bring a bag of goodies and distribute them to students who asked questions as incentives for students to engage with the course material. Overall, I feel that I have learned worlds about my time as well as the past and can see the world through an enhanced sense thanks to this course.
In an introductory-level Earth Sciences class, we traveled through time studying the origin of the planet, the history of life on earth, its migration to land, as well as the mass extinctions that plagued ancient populations. A key component of this conversation was the earth’s current state, and how we are experiencing the beginning of the sixth mass extinction in earth’s history. We discussed causes of the earth’s critical state and compared carbon levels throughout time to better understand our current carbon situation. In homework assignments, we took what we learned in the classroom into the field, which was my favorite component of the course. We wrapped up the class with the coolest project: Constructing a proposal that would meet the goals set in Biden’s energy plan as practically as possible.
As a last-minute change during Dartmouth's 'add-drop' period (the two weeks where students can make scheduling adjustments), I checked this class's box on a whim. I surely was glad I did because we engaged in some of the most interesting discussions about what makes up a religion and how other frameworks, like economic systems, can overlap. Over the term, we delved into the history of capitalism, the depraved ethics behind the origin of America's capitalistic system, and the Catholic Church's role in capitalism through usury. Very engaging and applicable class to round out Freshman Spring!
What is the soul? Is it the same as the mind? What's the difference between the mind and the brain? How does the heart factor in?
I absolutely adored this class that took a stab at the big questions! Or, at least, guided us through how the ancient philosophers viewed the intangible things that make us who we are. From readings about ancient physics-which could be surprisingly accurate!-to discussions about ancient views on psychiatric disabilities, we pieced together answers and started seeing from the eyes of the great thinkers of the day!
Back to Campus for Dartmouth Reunions: A Student Worker's Perspective
After a term away from Dartmouth, I was beyond excited to venture back into the woods before the start of summer term to work at Dartmouth Reunions! As soon as I walked onto the bus heading from Boston to Hanover, I saw a friend also working reunions and felt that instant rush of energy and excitement that accompanies every return to campus. On our journey to our home away from home, my friend and I spent the drive catching up and playing 'I Spy' together!
The trip was off to a good start, and as we rolled onto campus, we both felt a warm comfort fall over us. After helping each other move in, we were ready to get to work!
During the day, I worked with the toddler program. We held the program at the Cube, a new building generally used as a common space apart from Greek spaces. As the parents walked in with their little ones, we greeted them and took the kids to play in a corner of their choosing: we had the blocks corner, the puzzle corner, the coloring corner, and the storybook corner. Man, do those kids have some energy! As we guided them to an activity, with their quick feet pitter-pattering across the floor, the parents relaxed on the couches. With their newfound respite in responsibility, they were able to socialize with other parents and meet new friends from similar class years!
During the nights, I served food for the Dartmouth Class of 1998! Energetically asking alums for their orders, exchanging stories, and getting glimpses into their Dartmouth memories filled the night. Showered with "thank you's" and praises for our hard work, the alums impressed the student workers and made us proud to share an alma mater. The station was always very well-staffed, and in the lulls between customers, it was nice to get to know my coworkers better—honestly, it felt like hanging out!
This experience filled me with excitement for the future—the reunions Dartmouth held truly were spectacular, and they seemed to make the experience a very special time for the alums. As an alumnus, I can imagine feeling the unique sense of comfort that comes from this special place, where the magnificent mountains and rolling rivers seem to slow time, to a higher degree. I can imagine how the nostalgic pockets of the past will bubble up memories of laughter and adventure looking back on my college experience. I truly enjoyed working reunions, if not for the terrific toddlers and amazing alums, then for the sense of appreciation for this wonderful place and the people inhabiting it that can be easy to take for granted. As I hit the halfway mark (2 years blew by!), I already feel that Dartmouth is my forever home.
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!
