Hi! I'm Lauren, a '26 interested in biological anthropology, classics, and global health! Originally from Long Island, NY, I grew up spending every free moment swimming in the ocean. Going to college in NH was a shift away from that; however, I frequent the CT River during the warm seasons! Outside of academics, I am a tour guide and am involved in paleoanthropology research, Global Health Fellows, Camp Kesem, and First Year Trips. I can't wait to share my Dartmouth experience with you!
Academic Program
Anthropology major concentrated in Biological Anthropology, Classical Studies minor
Latin 1 is the first of three introductory Latin courses at Dartmouth. The class is split into small teams; students complete coursework as groups. I cannot recommend taking Latin enough: the classes are tiny, the professors are fantastic, and some even bring their dogs to class (check out my blog about Dartmouth's Latin dogs). I finished the introductory Latin sequence, fulfilling my language requirement. Now, I am continuing to work in the department as a Learning fellow—a student who has already taken the class and attends class to facilitate group work.
After taking Latin 1 in my first term, when it came time to pick my writing seminar (the second required portion of the first-year writing sequence), I naturally chose the course themed on the Greco-Roman world. This course was incredible and was seminar-style, so we discussed readings, went to the Hood Museum of Art, and presented on a feature of art in Pompeii that we found particularly interesting.
My first anthropology course! This archaeology course introduced me to the field of anthropology and archaeology at Dartmouth. This course was lecture-style, with different lectures on everything, including the evolution of religious thought, human sacrifice, and Stonehenge! The professor was incredibly engaging, and we even got to pick lecture topics during the end of the term.
SummerWater Mill, NY
I spent my summer at home, working on my family's vegetable farm. I also started working as an Admissions Communications Intern for the Admissions Office!
Anth006 was my first biological anthropology course! This course was incredible; this introduction course delves into the concentrations within anthropology and everything from the first life on earth to applied anthropology today! We also often had guest lecturers, from visiting professors to graduate students, who would speak about their concentration and research.
Fossils, fossils, fossils! Our professor is a renowned paleoanthropologist, so the course focuses on fossil traces of human ancestors and relatives. Human Evolution is a lecture-style course, but every Friday, we go to the paleoanthropology lab to handle casts of fossils—which we were introduced to during lectures. These fossils are also our primary form of assessment, as we were assessed on the fossils in culminating lab practicals. It is incredible not only to learn about the discoveries that shape our understanding of human evolution but also to engage directly with replicas of them.
Anth017 course focused on individuals' experiences of illness. Our professor was a medical and psychological anthropologist, so it was interesting to hear about the intersections of her research and our course's themes. Throughout the term, we discussed various topics like illness behavior, the culture of biomedicine, and structural violence. We had daily readings and three full-length texts—which we read throughout the term. Our final project was a gateway to delve deeper into the course's themes. This opportunity was particularly enriching as it allowed me to integrate my URAD research into the course seamlessly. This personal connection made the final project a truly enjoyable and fulfilling experience.
The Sixties was an incredible Humanities course taught by a Religion professor. Each week, we broke down a year of the “long sixties”—starting with JFK’s assassination in 1963 and ending with Nixon’s resignation in 1974. We learned both about the history and the culture of the decade. My favorite part about this course was the emphasis on the music of the "long sixties." We listened to the top 30 songs for each year of the "long sixties," and now I have a fantastic playlist from all of the songs I have discovered due to this class (some Don McLean, Simon & Garfunkel, The Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, The Supremes, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and so many others)!
There's No 104 Days of Summer Vacation—My Sophomore Summer
School? During the summer? In college?
You might think someone taking classes during a college summer is a sign that they are behind on their graduation requirements; however, this is not the case at Dartmouth.
At Dartmouth, it is a longstanding tradition for sophomores to remain on campus for their "sophomore summer." Due to our academic calendar operating on ten-week quarters instead of semesters, there is more flexibility when you are on Dartmouth's campus. Sophomore summer is a "requirement" for Dartmouth students–unless they have an internship or job, are going on an abroad program, or are international students. Being "on" for the summer quarter affords students an "off term" during the traditional academic year—an opportunity to get an internship, conduct research, or live on an alpaca farm (read about that here).
When applying to colleges in my senior year, I considered the sophomore summer requirement to be a con of sorts; however, the goal of this blog post is to convince you otherwise. Sophomore summer was my favorite term at Dartmouth yet; I loved spending time and exploring the upper valley with all of my fellow '26s.
My summer consisted of copious amounts of pickleball games, swimming holes, rope swings, ice cream runs, formals, dog sitting, and adventures.
While it may look like my sophomore summer was essentially a summer camp for young adults, I was in fact also enrolled in courses. Most students elect to do 2 or 3 less intensive courses in order to ensure they can make the most of the summer with their friends. I still elected to do the standard three courses. I had an eclectic combination of courses over the summer; I was enrolled inMagic and the Occult in the Ancient World,The Sixties, andTwentieth Century Art in Europe, 1900-1945. My "magic course" investigated the historical record of magical thought and occult knowledge in antiquity—and even contributed to my minor requirements! The Sixties is a sophomore summer classic—and I took it out of genuine interest and due to countless recommendations from upper-level students; each week we broke down the culture and history of a year of the "long sixties"—starting with JFK's assassination in 1963 and ending with Nixon's resignation in 1974. I decided to take Twentieth Century Art in Europe, 1900-1945 to get my ART distributive requirement—the broad, bucket requirements students must take in order to graduate from Dartmouth. This course even included a trip to NYC, which you can read abouthere.
Now for the fun part! Here I will provide photos of some of my favorite memories over sophomore summer:
Tubing at Mink Brook and swimming at Lake Morey!
Quechee Gorge and swimming holes near West Lebanon!
Perhaps the highlight of the entire summer quarter was finding swimming holes, waterfalls, and rope swings. Every day, it seemed like there was a new spot to hit. My personal favorite find was a pickleball court next to a beautiful lake. We routinely hit this spot, played pickleball, and swam to cool off afterward.
Dancing! I may have alluded to this in a previous post, but dance groups at Dartmouth open up during the summer for people with no prior dance experience. I took this opportunity to join a dance group with friends. The photo above is from us performing at "StreetFest" over parents' weekend!
These photos were from two awesome weekends I had over the summer. In the first photo, I went to Montreal with some friends, which was my first trip ever to Canada; it was a great adventure and was only a 3-hour drive! The second photo is from my art history field trip, which you can read all abouthere!
Another major pro of the summer quarter was exploring food options outside the immediate Hanover area. The photo on the left is from IC4U, a fan-favorite ice cream store in West Lebanon. We also had the opportunity to cook and eat off campus. The photo on the right is a home-cooked meal from a group of friends living off campus. Spoiler alert: it was terrific.
The end of the term was filled with formals: a bittersweet way to say goodbye to all of the people going abroad or off for the upcoming term!
Hopefully, these photos convince you of the summer camp-esque vibe of sophomore summer. I cannot believe I had ever considered sophomore summer to be a con during my college search; if anything, it's been my favorite part yet.
Some of my rising senior friends from New York have been in contact with me since graduation, and I've compiled a list of FAQs that might help you better understand life at Dartmouth!
From orientation week to your classes, you can easily find community at Dartmouth! Read on to know how I met my Dartmouth family and where you might also find yours.
