Julianna Thomson

This English class qualifies as a Quantitative and Deductive Sciences distributive class needed for our graduation requirement! While I’ve already completed my QDS “distrib,” I thought this class would be a great balance in my usual reading-heavy schedule. Using statistics and data analysis methods, we are going to examine “data in texts and text as data.” On the first day of class, our professor explained this class as coding in the humanities. We will be working with Python to complete two major projects over the course of the term. I’m excited for this class because it is a hands on, interactive class. My best friend and I decided to take this class together because of the transferable skills we will learn and can put on our resume!

One of the last requirements for my Religion major, this Non-Western distributive class is exploring the society, culture and religious practices of Ancient Egypt. I was so pumped for this class to start because I’ve always been interested in mummies and pyramids. Learning about Ancient Egyptian customs in relation to religion will be a really cool part of my major! Additionally, we will spend considerable time at the newly renovated Hood Museum looking at artifacts and art from this time period. Our final paper requires us to study one of these objects in depth to analyze its history and importance (if any) in Ancient Egyptian religion.

Last but not least, REL 62 is a class I am taking for personal interest. This class is offered once every four years, coinciding with the presidential election campaigns and election. We will spend time learning about the role religion has played in previous presidencies, and then turn our focus to today’s current political climate. By attending political rallies and following current events, we will each track a presidential candidate to learn if religion is something that plays a role in their campaign. As a Canadian citizen, I think this class will be a great way to learn more about American politics in relation to my area of study, as well as stay up to date with the news and political happenings.

​​​​​​I’m working full-time as a Senior Fellow at the Admissions Office. I am helping prospective students get a better understanding of Dartmouth through blogging, helping with information sessions and answering questions on the phone and in person. I love coming to work because I am able to chat with prospective students and share my favourite parts about Dartmouth.

​​​​​​While the majority of students on campus are in the class below me, I am having a great time expanding my friendship circles. There are a variety of different programs on campus that encourage interaction across class years. One of the most popular is the housing system. Because most students live on campus for all four years of college, living with different students within your housing community allows for interactions that may not usually take place. The individual housing communities also offer a variety of programming events and activities.

As I prepare for my final year of college, I’m looking ahead to my time after Dartmouth. I’m hoping to apply to law school and am spending time studying for the LSAT this summer. There are two main resources that I’ve utilized in my preparation for post-graduate life. The Center for Professional Development offers guidance in finding internships and jobs after graduation, and also assists in resume building and networking. Dartmouth’s Pre-Law advising program has also provided me with tips and resources as I prepare to apply to law schools.  

Many of Dartmouth students live within driving distance of the campus. Some students elect to drive to school at the beginning and end of the academic year to move their belongings. Because I keep my car here on campus, I will usually make the 8.5 hour drive from my home when I start classes in the fall. For those that enjoy a good road trip, driving to campus is one of the best ways to see the beauty of New England! 

Members of the Dartmouth community often elect to fly into an airport close to campus. There are three airports that are most popular: Boston Logan International Airport, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Burlington International Airport. All of these locations offer flights around the country and internationally. Boston Logan International Airport is usually the most popular choice among students as the Dartmouth Coach (see below) offers daily service to and from campus to the airport. The Lebanon Municipal Airport also offers flights to Boston, New York, and other locations around the North East. 

The Dartmouth Coach not only offers daily service to Boston Logan International Airport, but has routes to New London, South Station in Boston and direct to New York City. Many students love taking the Coach because it offers an easy route from Boston that doesn’t require pre-booking a ticket. The Greyhound Bus also offers different routes around the East Coast, including their popular trip from the Upper Valley to Montreal, Quebec.

During your first year of college, housing and roommate assignments are random. You will fill out a survey where you can share some of your habits and housing preferences. When I was a freshman, I had a two-room triple. This meant that I had two roommates! Having my own bedroom for my whole life, I was pretty scared to live with two other people. However, having roommates has been one of the most fun and beneficial aspects of my college experience. After your first year, you are able to choose your roommate and what type of room you would like to live in. Housing operates on a lottery system for upperclassmen.

There is no minimum GPA required to apply to Dartmouth. Dartmouth practices holistic admissions. This means that the admissions team views your application at as a whole, regardless of your GPA, test scores, or transcript. Our admissions team is also committed to learning about who you are outside of the classroom, so the Dartmouth supplemental essay questions are a really important part of the application.

Good question! I think the answer really depends on what you are personally interested in as a person. There are so many different clubs and extracurriculars offered through the College that students can join. Outside of organized activities, some of my favourite past-times involve anything I can do with my friends. We will spend hours laying out on the Green and looking at the stars, floating on the Connecticut River or exploring one of the many mountains around our campus. I always encourage students to get out and explore the beautiful setting of our campus and make the most of their four years here!

More popularily known as Foco, Dartmouth's main dining hall boasts a plethora of daily breakfast and serves brunch on the weekend until 2PM. 

My Foco order:

-Made to order omelet with gouda, turkey, spinach and green peppers.
-A bowl of fresh fruit (options change daily).
-A cup of nitro brew coffee from the coffee station.

Collis is my go-to option for breakfast most days before class. While the majority of the menu options are made to order, there are also some grab-and-go options!

My Collis order:

-Made to order breakfast sandwich with egg and sausage on a bagel.
-Acai bowl with banana and honey or strawberry banana smoothie (depending on my mood of course).
-Baked good (everyday Collis has a rotating selection of homemade cookies, browies, muffins etc.!).

"KAF" (for short) is a great place to grab a light snack before your early morning class. Known for their incredible chocolate milk, the popular cafe is convinently located on the first floor of Baker-Berry Library.

My KAF order:

-Chocolate milk with a shot of espresso.
-Fruit cup.

At the Ledyard Canoe Club, students are able to rent canoes and kayaks to spend lazy hours out on the Connecticut River. Students can also elect canoeing and kayaking classes that serve to fulfill the Physical Education requirement. If water activities aren't your favorite, the club has a number of hammocks and lounge chairs set up on the shore, so you can relax and maybe even open a new book!

A little further down the College officially operates Swimming Docks. During the summer term, these docks are patrolled by lifeguards and are a popular place to cool off during hot summer days. 

Located on the southern edge of Hanover, Mink Brook Nature Preserve is a 112-acre tract of land that serves to protect the habitat of trout, bears and other wildlife. However, if you follow the Mink Brook trail out from the south-west end of Maple Street, it will bring you to a large, open expanse of the Connecticut River. Here, students can swim and use the famed rope swing that has been hanging from a large tree for years. There are beautiful views of the treed shoreline of the River.

This swimming hole is not patrolled by life guards and students must exercise caution while swimming alone!

While located a short 5-minute drive off-campus, Wilson's Landing is one of Dartmouth student's favorite places to swim. Constructed as a public dock where locals can launch their boats, there are a number of picnic tables and parking spaces on shore. While students must be aware of boat traffic in this part of the Connecticut River, from Wilson's Landing you can see right across the river to Vermont. 

This is one of my favorite places to go after a long day of classes and homework because it is usually less crowded than the swimming spots of campus. Removed from the busy everyday life of campus, Wilson's Landing acts as my personal retreat and escape. 

While still located in a dorm building, Living Learning Communities offer students an opportunity to further connect with the people they live with. Living Learning Communities (more popularly known as "LLCs") offer students the opportunity to extend their learning outside of the classroom, specifically promoting learning opportunities among residence halls. There are a number of different communities on campus, ranging from language based communities that encourage residents to practice their spoken language skills, to other communities such as the Interfaith Floor where residents meet for a weekly dinner discussion about religion. Living Learning Communities are a great housing option for students who are wanting to fully immerse themselves in their learning environment.

Affiliated students can opt to live in their Greek house starting their sophomore winter. Specifically, many affiliated students will live in their Greek houses during sophomore summer or senior year. This is a great opportunity to become closer with other members of your fraternity or sorority! The majority of Greek houses are organized through Dartmouth's housing department, making it an easy application and transition. 

Another popular housing option are Dartmouth's Senior Apartments. During senior year, members of any housing community can apply to live together in a school-owned apartment. There are apartments located on the east and west sides of campus. These apartments are majority three or four-person units with a bathroom and a living room and kitchen. This is a great option if students are interested in cooking some of their own meals or want to live with friends who are in different housing communities.