Hi! My name is Jack and I am a first-year at Dartmouth. While I plan to double major in theater and psychology, I intend to explore social science as a whole. Outside of class, I enjoy performing and I hope to participate in theater productions, a cappella and dance groups on campus. I love hiking and running outdoors and have already explored a lot of Dartmouth's surrounding trails. I still have so much to discover about this school and I'll keep you all updated here with what I find. Enjoy!
I know that when choosing colleges, one of the largest aspects of the decision making process is focused heavily on the "vibe" a school has. I was fortunate enough to visit and tour many schools, but since not everybody has this opportunity, I thought I would take on the challenge of writing about Dartmouth's general community atmosphere. It is extremely hard to concisely and perfectly describe a lifestyle through writing, but I'll do my best and hope you find it helpful.
The first word that comes into my mind when thinking about life at Dartmouth is "intense." Over the past eight weeks, I have been busier than I have probably ever been in my entire life. This description transcends into every aspect of life here. The 10-week quarters result in rigorous academic activity. Classes here are very fast paced and assignments can definitely add up quite quickly. Outside of schoolwork, there is a plethora of extracurricular groups and opportunities. Performance troupes and other non-academic activities (such as writing this blog!) also keep me very busy. Finally, I take any left over time to use up my (quite large) social battery. I love spending time with friends in any way possible, and have been surprised that even with COVID, we have found safe and enjoyable ways to get to know each other more.
An interior shot of Berry Library, where I can often be found during the week when working on some assignments
As rigorous and tiresome days at Dartmouth can be, I wouldn't change anything for the world. I am a person that loves to be busy, so constant motion and a jam-packed schedule is simply the lifestyle I enjoy. I want to constantly explore as much as I can, learn about complex topics, and connect with incredible individuals both similar to and different from myself. Dartmouth has been able to provide me with a similar experience, and while it leads to quite the busy lifestyle, it also isn't overwhelming or too much to handle.
With this said, some of my favorite moments from the past eight weeks have been the slowest and quietest. Walking down the stairs in front of Robinson Hall and feeling the autumn breeze as I head to the library, leaves floating past me. Sleeping in and waking up in the late hours of a Sunday morning, and opening my window to see Baker Tower grinning back at me. Hearing the crunching of popcorn as I laugh at a cheesy movie with friends from my building. Laying out on the Green into the late night hours in the first few weeks, talking with friends about anything and everything. Waving to friends across the room while removing my AirPods in the middle of Novack to absorb the background noise of joyful conversation. These are a handful of the countless momentary memories I'll remember and cherish for years to come.
The view of my building I get to see every day on my walk back to my room after being out
Life at Dartmouth feels like an exercise routine. It is intense and you have to fully commit in order to achieve success. However, inside of stressful situations come breaths of peace; relaxing moments that make the laborious pursuits immediately worthwhile, and that is why I love the atmosphere at this school.
A school had to meet three criteria for me to consider it a "good fit": academics, location, and community. After researching about Dartmouth and visiting the campus, I realized that this school was not a good fit for me-- it was a perfect fit.
This winter, I will resume classes on campus again -- a little older, a little wiser, and yet no less excited to fall countless times while attempting to ice skate. Upper Valley winter, here I come!
From the pandemic to the election, to online learning, every month seemed to be a new level of Jumanji. However, we have made it. And though 2020 has given me great lessons and experiences, I am looking forward to this new year and for what it holds.
Over the course of my sophomore fall, I had the opportunity to take a linguistics field methods class. During the course, we had the one-of-a-kind opportunity to study the Zophei language from Myanmar!
In the spirit of being another term closer to finally going back to Dartmouth, I thought I would talk about a few things this term that have still felt distinctively Dartmouth, even though I'm thousands of miles away.
Since Dartmouth is on a fast-paced quarter system, students are constantly soaking in new information. Let me take you through a day in my life preparing for my Education 1 and Econ 1 midterms!
Finding pretty places to power through schoolwork has definitely made my Dartmouth experience better, and—luckily for students—there's no shortage of beautiful places on campus.
As rigorous and tiresome days at Dartmouth can be, I wouldn't change anything for the world. I am a person that loves to be busy, so constant motion and a jam-packed schedule is simply the lifestyle I enjoy. I want to constantly explore as much as I can, learn about complex topics, and connect with incredible individuals both similar to and different from myself. Dartmouth has been able to provide me with a similar experience, and while it leads to quite the busy lifestyle, it also isn't overwhelming or too much to handle.
Life at Dartmouth feels like an exercise routine. It is intense and you have to fully commit in order to achieve success. However, inside of stressful situations come breaths of peace; relaxing moments that make the laborious pursuits immediately worthwhile, and that is why I love the atmosphere at this school.
