Hi everyone! I'm Kabir, an international member of the class of '26, from New Delhi, India. I'm thinking of majoring in Psychology and Film & Media Studies. Outside the classroom, I enjoy watching movies, going on hikes, hanging out with my friends, and going on runs (if you see me on the streets of Hanover, say hi!) In the short while I've been here, I've come to love Dartmouth, so if you're interested in what I have to say, stick around! This should (hopefully) be fun :)
My Writing 5 class was definitely my favorite class this term — it opened my eyes to the realities of the food industry, strengthened my skills as a writer, and helped me make a ton of new friends.
My seminar was possibly the best class I've taken so far at Dartmouth. I learned about the importance of free speech and journalists in a democratic society, and how those rights to freedom are being stripped everywhere, all the time.
I've loved Cognitive Psychology as a class so far, especially because of the cool demos that the professor uses to illustrate every type of phenomena we learn about. From illusions to memory tests, it's so cool to see how the human psyche can be tricked so very easily.
The Dartmouth Experience, and the D-Plan: An Interview with a '24
This week, I decided to talk to one of my friends who is a 24 about the D-Plan. She's also an international student with a lot of experiences and a lot to say about Dartmouth. (Quick refresher: a '24 is a student who is a part of the current senior class of 2024!). She wanted to stay anonymous, but allowed me to recount some key moments from our conversation.
Q: What are your experiences with the D-Plan, especially considering the tradition of Sophomore Summer as an international student?
A: The D-Plan has really helped me out, and I can get more into that later on. But, I know that sophomore summer is difficult for international students given the VISA regulations — something that any international applicants will know all about once they come to Dartmouth. But, the Office of Visa and Immigration Services for students was a lifesaver. They basically helped me navigate the entire process and helped me do sophomore summer on campus without any hassle. I got to stay with all of my friends, without any serious issues. But again, everyone's case is different, so I'd suggest talking to the OVIS department once you get to Dartmouth!
Q: Was it easy to assimilate as an international student for you at Dartmouth?
A: I mean, we're both international students so we know that there's definitely not the largest international community here. But, also — I don't think quality is determined by quantity. I think there's a rich and diverse class of students here with different experiences; I didn't need to "assimilate", I just needed to be myself and that was enough for me. At the start of my senior year, I'm realizing that I have friends from all over and I was lucky to get to know such a diverse bunch of people.
Q: Can you expand on the D-Plan and how it aided your college experience?
A: Sure. I decided to change majors pretty late on in my Dartmouth student life; the fact that we were on a quarter system DEFINITELY helped me out. Also, the professors in my new major were super understanding and helped me catch up and get up to date with all my work so that I wasn't left behind. None of that could've been possible without the D-Plan, and to be honest I didn't even know much about it when I came to Dartmouth. So read up about it before you come here — it could really help you out!
Q: Any final words of advice for the prospective '28s as a senior now?
A: Come to Dartmouth! No, I'm kidding — obviously everybody's experiences will be different. But I will say this: college, any college really, is what you make of it. I came to Dartmouth from halfway across the world and didn't know what to expect and just went along with it. That worked out for me: everybody's experience is different, but this is a community of people that are going to try to ensure you have a great experience. All the best of luck!
After returning from an enriching study abroad program, I'm diving into a bustling spring semester here at Dartmouth. Here are my four courses I'm taking this term!
Dartmouth's liberal arts curriculum pushes students to explore new departments and draw connections between seemingly disparate disciplines. Come explore my Economics, Physics, and Asian, Societies, Cultures, and Languages classes!
Over half of Dartmouth students study abroad at least once during their undergraduate journeys—quite a high percentage, right? Do you want to know how to best prepare for your own abroad experience? Come check what it was like for me.
