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.
At the end of every term, I like to reflect on my time gone by and what I've learned through this term. Honestly, after being off-campus for the winter in Los Angeles, I was unsure about what to expect coming back. I'm really pleasantly surprised by a lot of things, and here's what I'm taking away from this term:
There is a really strong film community. I'm a film major, and I saw a lot of this in Los Angeles, too, but there's a really strong (but small) film community at Dartmouth. This is a group of undergraduate film majors who are all interested in different aspects of the moviemaking process. Still, they stick close together and are super helpful in giving you exposure to a brand-new world. Whether or not you're a film major, there's space for you here to learn and explore your interests.
Broadening my academic horizons. If you recall from an earlier post I wrote on the classes I'm taking this term, you'll recall I spoke about physics and economics—two departments that I had absolutely no knowledge about. Even though I took beginner classes, I really enjoyed both of them. I now feel inspired to take classes in a diverse variety of departments and gauge my interest in widely different fields.
The idea of being outdoorsy. People always say that Dartmouth is a super outdoorsy school, and I've always said that it's as outdoorsy as you want it to be. However, this term, I've really gotten into going on hikes with my friends or swimming in the river on sunny days. I feel like I've started appreciating the nature around Dartmouth more this term, and maybe it's because I'm more actively involved in it.
Traveling is fun (and easy). The great thing about New England is that it's super interconnected, with a great line of buses, trains, and other modes of transport that let you move around pretty easily. Just this term, I've visited Burlington, Boston, Hartford, and Providence. These trips act as fun little breaks from Hanover but also really reinforce the idea of Dartmouth as home.
It's crazy to think that I'm nearly done with my sophomore year (I still have my sophomore summer next term!) and that I'm still learning things about Dartmouth as I go along. I can't wait to keep updating you next term. Please reach out if you have any questions :)
As a senior, one of the most exciting things for me is my thesis project. In this blog, I describe how to approach making a senior honors thesis. As Dartmouth focuses on their undergraduate research, many students complete a thesis, so let's dive in!
Near the start of every fall term, the Jones Media Center hosts the library's annual 48-hour film contest! This event encourages all levels of student filmmakers to create a short film using a specific prompt and prop given by the library staff.
I'm starting my sophomore year feeling more grounded and clear about my academic and personal goals after a whirlwind first year of exploration. This fall, I'm excited for new experiences!
As my first year (and first spring) at Dartmouth had come to an end, I wanted to provide some thoughts and reflections on my classes this term. Perhaps you'll find something you'd like to take someday!
