Hey friends! I'm Julia, a '21 from Western Massachusetts. I hope that this blog helps shed some light on what life as a Dartmouth student is like. I've been a ski instructor, digital designer, mentor for middle schoolers, and Academic Assistant at the Irving Institute for Energy and Society. I've also spent terms abroad in Spain, Namibia, South Africa and New Zealand. On campus, I love to longboard around Occom Pond, eat takeout by the river, and get up egregiously early for sunrise hikes!
My Dartmouth: Global Opportunities and a Lifelong Family
A warm welcome to prospective students, parents, and anyone else eager to hear from the perspective of a current Dartmouth student. Given that you're taking the time to read this, you must be delving deeply into the search process—kudos to you for your curiosity!
My name is Julia Snodgrass and I am a '21, or rising senior, from rural Western Massachusetts. I love that Dartmouth students refer to themselves by their graduation year. Whether you're a '21 or a '64, you'll be part of the Dartmouth family for life. Even after you graduate, that title of being a '21 stays with you and reminds you of the connection you will always have to this community. I think that sense of a lifelong belonging speaks volumes about the kind of people and experiences you'll find here.
As a quick introduction, here are some fun facts about me:
I'm named after the Beatles' song and my friends make fun of me for having the music taste of a middle-aged man (I love Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.)
My dad's name is James and his brother is Bond… this was completely unintentional.
International exposure is an essential part of my identity. My dad's side is Mexican, my mom's side is Jewish, my cousins are Iraqi, and we also have family in France and Colombia. I have been to 21 countries and hope to work or study internationally after graduation!
In all honesty, when I began the college search process, I didn't give much consideration to Dartmouth. I left my tour here early—partly because I figured I wouldn't get in anyway, and partly because I thought it might be too elitist or stuffy. How wrong I was! I applied on a whim, figuring I would toss my name in the proverbial 'hat' and see what would happen. In the spring of my senior year in high school, a local Dartmouth alum saw my ultimate frisbee team in the newspaper and realized that I was a recently admitted student. Knowing the Dartmouth team had a regional championship near my hometown, he reached out to the captain, who then personally invited me to come meet the team. I arrived as they were warming up for the final game to qualify for the national tournament, but they all stopped to gather in a circle and introduce themselves. This moment exemplifies the spirit of the Dartmouth family, and over the years, I've become increasingly aware of what a privilege it is to belong to this family.
Dartmouth Hall at sunset–Hanover evenings are breathtakingly beautiful!
At Dartmouth, I have had access to opportunities that I would have never thought possible. I've conducted research on indigenous water access in the Kuiseb region of Namibia, explored prehistoric cave paintings in Cantabria, Spain, and studied biblical gender roles with a professor in Auckland, New Zealand. While Dartmouth has supported my global experiences, campus has always remained a dependable home to return to. It's a place where I can spend the night in a cabin with friends on a Tuesday, go sledding with local middle schoolers that I mentor on a Thursday, and ski instruct at our own ski mountain that weekend.
Climbing dunes in the Namib Desert, where we conducted field research as part of the Environmental Studies Foreign Study Program.
I'm thrilled to begin this blogging journey—not only to make life at Dartmouth more tangible for you, the one reading this, but also as a tool for my own self-reflection, so that I approach this final year with a heightened level of intentionality. Till next time!
I recently helped my sister plan an assembly in my hometown in Pennsylvania for a community discussion on race. "A Talk in the Park," as it was called, helped bring awareness to the lack of African American history taught in our schools.
It truthfully feels like I just arrived for First-Year Trips, walking around campus with a sense of disorientation at all the people and things around me.
I saw my friends and professors in the people I pass on my runs, my classes slowed to a snail's pace but in a good way, and I hung onto every word each professor had to offer.
I've been reflecting on the lovely past four years of my life, and I came up with this list of seven things to help you succeed and thrive at Dartmouth.
The fact that our professor gave us a free textbook of his own design is amazing. With Dartmouth having a ton of free resources, I figured I might as well use some on my younger siblings!
Dartmouth Hall at sunset–Hanover evenings are breathtakingly beautiful!
