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.
I like to sit down at the end of each term and reflect on my term gone by. This term is particularly interesting because it was sophomore summer—a tradition at Dartmouth where sophomores take classes during the summer in which they are rising juniors. A lot of non-Dartmouth students are confused by this; a lot of my friends think I'm taking summer classes because I failed my regular ones. To clarify, that is (luckily) NOT the case!
For a lot of students, the minute you enter your first fall at Dartmouth, people are discussing "sophomore summer" because of how legendary it's supposed to be. I've heard of the craziest stories and the best classes all during this term. Having been through it, I can confirm—it definitely lives up to the hype! Sophomore summer, for me, was a relaxed term where I got to connect even more with my friends and the Dartmouth community at large. For the first time, I lived in an off-campus house which was great; adulting is scary but also super fun.
My off-campus sophomore summer house!
I think I've finally understood the distinction between dorm life and house life—both of them have their merits, but both of them are so very different. Also, the weather was completely different this term! For some of the fall, all of the winter, and some of the spring, Hanover is chilly. To be here for an entire term of warm sun and temperatures in the 70s and 80s was so drastically different. Classes happened outside, everybody was dipping in the river, and the vibes just felt like they had switched.
My classes were phenomenal this term. I only had two—Decolonizing Translation and Forensic Psychology. The first was a deep-dive into the ways that current translation tactics in the world help to cement colonial ideas, especially in countries that are newly independent. I don't think I'd ever considered the wide reaching implications of the field before I took this class. My second was Forensic Psychology, a glimpse into how psychology interacts with the law and helps to rehabilitate victims of cruel legal systems. Both of these classes, while dealing with completely different topics, solidified the need for empathy and understanding in our world.
This term has honestly been phenomenal and I'm really sad that it's over. I've made so many new friends, gotten to try so many new experiences, and ventured in ways I haven't before at Dartmouth. Luckily, I'll be here in the fall, so see you then, incoming '28s!
And for any other readers, see you soon with more tips and ideas to make your applications to Dartmouth even better!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
