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 :)
Believe it or not, Dartmouth is a very study-intensive school. Our workloads are heavy. Our assignments, while super interesting, can take hours on end to complete. Sometimes, that word count is an unmatchable peak that you can't even imagine fulfilling. Something I've learnt over the course of my time at Dartmouth is that a good study spot can make all the difference—taking you from 0 to (sometimes) 5,000 words. Here are the four spots I love studying in the most, on campus!
1. The Poetry Room, Sanborn Library
While it's regularly booked out, so you'll really have to try your luck here, the Poetry Room in Sanborn Library, an adjacent library to the stunning Baker-Berry, is a fantastic place to study with friends. For starters, it's absolutely beautiful! The architecture is inspiring and really gets those creative juices flowing when you have to crack out a really strong paper. Secondly, and more importantly, the room has these unimaginably cool architectural features through which sound travels. I kid you not: you can sit on one side of the room and whisper, and someone else on the other side will hear it like you're speaking through a megaphone, which makes for a fun study break and ensures you really grind on that assignment!
2. The Green!
While it may not seem like the obvious choice, the Green is a truly beautiful place to study, if you like to work in active environments. Now granted, this pick does come with a caveat: it's only available on days when the Green doesn't become the White (when it's entirely covered in snow!) On a nice, warm, fall day, the Green is the perfect spot to sit with friends, whip out your laptop, and finish some work in an effective manner. I personally find that the hustle and bustle of the location, with so much of the student body walking by, acting as a nice background noise to the furious typing noises I make! Bonus: you can even lay out a nice blanket, and have a whole picnic with friends while working.
3. Still North Café
Still North is a coffee shop that is about five minutes away from the centre of campus. Hidden away in downtown Hanover, this coffee shop is a gem (and their iced vanilla lattes are some of the best I've ever had!). They regularly have any of the study material needed for more humanities-intensive courses, so you can get your work done while eating some great food! What's not to like? Fair warning: Still North is a super popular hub for students from all years to come and get some work done, so it's regularly jam-packed; make sure you get there early, so that you can secure a good spot with a nice view, and cut the waiting lines for that essential morning coffee!
4. 3rd Floor Berry (3FB), Berry Library
Baker-Berry Library is sub-divided into Baker and Berry Library, with Baker being the front of the library and Berry being at the back. Berry has four floors, each of which become quieter (and more intimidating!) as you go up a floor. I find the 3rd floor an absolutely perfect spot to study. It's dead quiet, but not intimidatingly so, has great views of the entire campus, and even has a printer handy so you can get all your important work done without having to move too much. You'll find 3rd Floor Berry, or as it is lovingly known, 3FB, jam-packed towards mid-term and finals season, so securing a spot definitely gets harder as the term progresses!
These are my favorite spots to study on campus, especially when I have some assignments that I just have to finish! I can't wait to hear yours.
I applied through Questbridge's National College Match, but did not match. To others who also did not match, this is not the end of your application process! Here's what I did following match decision day.
Unlimited buffets, flavorful drinks, an assortment of breakfast pastries—Dartmouth has so many great food and drink options to choose from! Join me as I rank my favorite ones.
Walking around the Wellelsey campus, it's clear that it was built with intentional incorporation of the surrounding nature. The architecture of many buildings were also mindfully crafted to support Wellesley's unique principles.
