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 lived in a dorm for most of my first and second years at Dartmouth. I think it's a great experience that's especially important as you enter college. It's a great way to socialize with your peers, mainly because you're living in such close quarters, and it exposes you to a diverse group of people early on in your college life. 90% of Dartmouth students will live in college housing for all 4 years.
However, as you grow older and more established in your friend groups, it's nice to get a little further away from campus and have a kitchen and a bathroom for yourself, a living room, and all of the amenities of a home. I've lived off campus for two terms, and here are my honest thoughts on it.
For the most part, I've loved it! During sophomore summer, I was part of a three-unit house with four people in each unit (so twelve in total), and it was a blast. We had a large backyard where we hosted parties from time to time, and we lived really close to the Alumni Gymnasium and popular dining centers like Collis and FoCo (1953 Commons Dining Hall).
I reallylike having a living room, or a space to lounge in that's not your bedroom. While dorm life is super efficient, it can get a little cramped, which is why I've loved having different spaces to work, eat, sleep, and get stuff done in. I've been living a little beyond the main Hanover Main Street this term, specifically near the CVS.
One downside to living off-campus in Hanover is that you're going to be a walk away from things. A quick fix for this (especially if you're an international student) is to get a roommate with a car because it cuts down fifteen-minute walks to two-minute drives. Still, the town of Hanover is beautiful, so at least the walks have excellent views! Now that I think of it, I've come to see it as less of a downside and more of an experience.
I've spent most of my Dartmouth life living on one side of campus, and now, having moved across it, I've been excited to explore more parts of the town. Another benefit of my new house is that I live next to the main town area, where stores and restaurants are, so it's been nice to have quick access to them.
My apartment this term!
Overall, I've settled well into living off-campus this term! I really enjoyed it during my sophomore summer, but especially as the months get colder, it's nice to have a home that's a little removed from my main social and academic circumstances on campus. I'll keep you updated on how I feel, though, once I have to brave those long walks in 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit!
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!
