![Kalina standing amidst the autumn leaves](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x420_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/image/kalina_duncheva_27_-_kalina_duncheva.jpg?itok=NLy4Zbjo×tamp=1694612135)
![Snow-capped mountains](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x236_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/bg/background_photo_4_blogjpg_-_kalina_duncheva.jpg?itok=ij1YDCGf×tamp=1694612154)
Kalina Duncheva
![Kalina standing amidst the autumn leaves](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x420_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/image/kalina_duncheva_27_-_kalina_duncheva.jpg?itok=NLy4Zbjo×tamp=1694612135)
![cloudy sky in the background, the buildings in hanover](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/img_0841.jpg?itok=Hf2F11Lh×tamp=1699847050)
What Are You Most Excited About In College?
Week TEN, here we go!
Did you know that terms at Dartmouth are only ten weeks long? Crazy short, right? It's time for some reflections.
My first term at Dartmouth wasn't really about academics. I remember these questionnaires in high school that were supposed to help you decide what type of a college you wanted. There was this question: "What are you most excited about in college?" And the options were: a) the academics; b) the social life, c) the independence … And I actually don't remember the other options, but I remember that I always answered this question with academics. That's what college was all about, I thought. Learning. Doing research. Reading and working… And that's what I was genuinely excited about when answering this question back then.
Yet my first term at Dartmouth wasn't about academics. This isn't to say that I'm not doing well in my classes. I am. It's just that coursework mostly felt like something I just wanted to get done with and get out of the way, so I could do other things. My first term at Dartmouth was about experiencing Dartmouth. It was about finding that community of "outdoors-y people" I had dreamed of in high school–birdwatchers, hikers, climbers. It was about making new friends, dancing Sirtaki in the middle of a parking lot, listening to Of Monster and Men in the climbing gym, and playing the piano at half past midnight at One Wheelock.
Now I'm falling back into my old scholarly mindset—I'm enjoying my coursework more, and I'm finally liking my classes–maybe you've noticed that I haven't talked about my courses up to now. That's because I felt a bit disappointed in the beginning.
When you hear the upperclassmen at Dartmouth talk about their courses, they always sound so inspired, so happy, so devoted to what they're doing and their research. And I… I didn't feel any such love or excitement for the things I was doing for my classes. Had I not picked the right classes? Should have I taken some other classes this term? These questions plagued me for a good part of this term, but my classes and I finally warmed up toward each other. I love the works I had to read for my Humanities class, and I even love writing essays about them-you'd think that as a writer, I enjoyed highschool lit classes and writing academic essays. So far from the truth. I hated it, but college writing is actually fun. I guess it's the freedom we now have... And I've come to love tinkering and playing around with my code until the simulation of the solar system we had to do for my computer science class finally works...
Hopefully next term I'll have more to tell you about my academic life, but next term is for next term. Now I'm just going to go back and look at some photos from this unforgettable first term. Time to be nostalgic :)
![plants at the greenhouse](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/wysiwyg_width_only_590/public/admissions/wysiwyg/img_1415.jpg?itok=Rdoc1JV4)
![several people stand by while Jack is swinging off the line of a bridge](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/wysiwyg_width_only_590/public/admissions/wysiwyg/img_1405.jpg?itok=ijLkQ-TU)
(In case you're still too interested: a Flora and Fauna trip to the Grant. What's the Grant? That's my cliffhanger. Wait around till next term, and you'll tell you.)
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As I reflect on my first year, I reminisce on the people, places, and things that made the most of my Dartmouth experience!
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Sophomore Summer has already defined itself by its exciting, unfamiliar experiences and the relaxed atmosphere of campus. With new classes and clubs in full swing, here is what I have been up to during this wonderful time on campus!
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In this blog, I would like to share some other academic-inclined ways that Dartmouth students spend their freshman summer.
![blogger_image](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/60x60_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/image/wechatimg3290.jpg?itok=_fEvVHFF×tamp=1695605711)
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In the summer, prospective students might take the time to visit potential colleges and universities to apply to. But what are some things to look for as you peruse campuses and take in the view, especially during the summer? Here are some ideas!
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I'm now finally done with my pre-medical requirements and wanted to continue my recap of the whole journey!
![pic](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/60x60_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-author/image/img_1827.jpg?itok=BAuyur99×tamp=1665456638)
![writing essay in the library](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/sites/admissions.prod/files/styles/400x274_blog/public/admissions/content/blog-post/photos/screen_shot_2024-07-16_at_3.20.04_pm.png?itok=HQbcow8c×tamp=1721157629)
My first-year at Dartmouth has been a period of profound growth and self-discovery. It has challenged me to push beyond my limits, embrace my strengths and weaknesses, and navigate the complex web of opportunities that define college life.
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