Hi there! My name is Kiara Ortiz, a '24 from New York! I'm interested in studying Neuroscience along with Public Policy on the pre-health track. In my free time, I like to read sci-fi, play board games, and brag about my (supposedly) awful science puns. If you don't find me lost on the Green, I'm probably playing Werewolf or Trivia on Zoom with other '24s. Stay tuned to learn about the Dartmouth community I fell in love with and more about our virtual reality!
Academic Program
Intended major: Neuroscience; Intended minor: Public Policy
More specifically, I'm back on campus! Though classes started on January 7th, Dartmouth allotted at least two weeks for students to properly quarantine after the holiday break and had students move-in the weekend of the 16th. As the last term, I am in a building with West House first-years and our UGA (undergraduate advisor). Navigating campus was fairly easy, unlike my new dorm building. I am now inhabiting the space known as "North Fay" which is connected to "South Fay" and "Mid Fay" by a series of hallways in the basement. (Together, they make up "The Fays"). However, I didn't realize this as I entered South Fay and climbed the floors searching for my room. I walked through laundry rooms, common spaces, and dorm floors before someone luckily recognized me and directed me toward the proper hallway. I found my floor, unlocked my room, and was ready to drag some suitcases up the stairs!
An after picture of my dorm!
Each Dartmouth room usually has a closet, a desk, drawers, a bookshelf, and a bed. I was in a single room again, but some of my friends on the floor were in two-room doubles, two-room triples, or one room doubles. To help clarify this, a one-room double means it's one room with two beds in it. A two-room double has a separating wall that creates the illusion of having two rooms, so the beds are in separate spaces. And a two-room triple has two beds in one room while another bed is in a space separated by that wall. (Note that, due to the pandemic, each student's room assignment has enough space for them to effectively quarantine.)
West House Welcome Bags!
Besides dorms, students can live in fraternities, sororities, living-learning communities, undergraduate society houses, and more. I can't wait to explore these options in the upcoming years! I am so excited to be on campus with new opportunities such as ice skating on the Green, sledding on the golf course, and more! For the next couple of days, I will be in quarantine (with West House welcome bags for comfort), but afterward, I'll be ready to venture out and continue exploring campus!
It's hard to believe that it has been a year since I wrote my first end-of-fall-term reflection. It felt like only yesterday that I stepped into my dorm room this September, eager to reunite with my friends.
Most students have to go back to college after Thanksgiving to take their finals, but not at Dartmouth! We have a six-week winter break, known as "winterim!" Let me tell you how I spent my winterim!
As a second-year at Dartmouth, I've embraced leadership roles that foster community, creativity, and support! Here's a look at how each role has shaped my journey.
