Hi everyone! I'm Julia from Seattle, WA. This blog was very influential during my college search, so I am excited to be writing to you all now! I'm majoring in Quantitative Social Science with a concentration in Geography and minoring in French and Religion. Outside of class, you can find me in Robinson Hall participating in various Dartmouth Outing Club sub-clubs, cooking in the Sustainable Living Center, or chatting with friends while waiting for my go-to Collis Cafe smoothie order. Talk soon!
Academic Program
QSS major; Religion and French double minor
Favorite Thing Right Now
Beautiful (and free) dinners at Moosilauke Ravine Lodge!
Before coming to Dartmouth, I had no real sense of how students interacted with professors here. I had heard that students and professors tend to be close because of our undergraduate focus, but I had no idea what that looked like in practice. TL;DR, I definitely understand what's so special about these relationships now.
Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Rauner Special Collections Library with my Religion 1 class. Our midterm project involved choosing an artifact from the library and explaining why it matters using our own definitions of mattering. We got to select among objects including a version of the First Folio(!!!!), a copy of "On the Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin, and a book with a lock of George Washington's hair encased in it(?!). I chose to focus my paper on a splinter of wood from the Yale goalpost after we destroyed it during our first win against them in 1936 (I do NOT condone destruction of property FYI). It was so much fun to be at Rauner with my classmates who were also geeking out over the incredible pieces we got to touch and examine. It's easy to forget that all of us were/are (to some extent) pretty nerdy people. It's one of the best parts of being at a school like Dartmouth.
LITERALLY THE FIRST FOLIO. WHAT IS LIFE?!?!?!
During our tour, the guide recommended that we drop by the library again to check out the artifacts another time. I felt pretty confident that I wanted to work with the piece of wood, but I decided to go back because, honestly, I just wanted to see some of those awesome pieces again. I ventured back over to the library on Saturday morning. When I got there, I asked the front desk attendant where the Religion 1 cart was. The attendant gave me a bit of a funny look before gesturing over to a group of people crowded around a table filled with objects. To my surprise, I looked over to find my professor waving at me. He was there with his family, all looking at the artifacts pulled for our class. We chatted for a couple minutes before I scurried over to the library to get started on my paper.
I know that I've already written about how much I love being here. However, I think this moment took my adoration to a new level. I came to this school to interact with professors who know my name and are excited to say hi to me on the weekends. These are scholars at the top of their fields that care about me as both a student and an individual. Yes, I love spending time with my friends. I feel so fortunate to have found people who make me feel worthy and special every day. And, I am so lucky to go to a school where I am filled with "pinch me" moments about academics, too. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Dartmouth is the best of both worlds.
Classes at Dartmouth aren't always held in the classroom. Whether you go down to the river for a lab experiment or venture to The Hood, you never know what to expect. Come with me as I take you along on my journey in an unconventional classroom!
In 1956, researchers gathered at Dartmouth to lay the foundations for what we know as AI today. Nearly 70 years later, our legacy continues. Meet Fabrice, a '27 from Rwanda majoring in computer science and conducting research on AI.
This past Friday, my French program stepped beyond the classroom and into history itself with a day trip to Montauban and Moissac, where art, architecture, and place came together through hands-on learning.
Curious about how declaring a major works at Dartmouth? Concerned about getting trapped studying something you don't like? No need to worry. Come explore with me how majors and minors work at Dartmouth!
