Hello there, friend! My name is Love and I am a '23. Aside from being on the pre-med track, I'm currently interested in studying math and public policy. I have a penchant for old things, learning languages, and the arts. I also love personality tests, irrespective of their actual validity—in case you're curious, I'm an INFJ, Scorpio, dragon, and type 2w1.
BIOL 11.07 (Major Events in the History of Life and the Human Genome) is a very unique class. We learn topics such as oxidative phosphorylation in conjunction with evolution and paleontology. In other words, where and when did ETC come from, and how can we support our hypothesis? Though not an easy class by far, every day the material I learn amazes me with the wonder of life, which is how biology should be!
MES 7.03 (Jerusalem: Vision and Reality) was my First-Year Seminar and such an interesting class to take! We explored Jerusalem through three main viewpoints (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The class had a bit of religion, literature, anthropology, sociology, and even geography—all things I love to study but don't necessarily have the space for with our three-class quarters. I often found myself going to office hours just to talk with my professor about questions I had outside of the reading!
COSC 10 (Problem Solving with Object-Oriented Programming) is a data structures course and the last pre-requisite for the computer science major. Though I added it as a fourth class on a whim because of COVID-19 and remote learning, it quickly became my favorite class this term because I loved the problem solving that CS has to offer. It is a difficult class but the emotional and academic rewards make it all worth it!
This was one of four classes I took during fall term and it was super interesting! We learned about healthcare systems and innovations from around 4 guest lecturers per week, and were able to do research on our own and propose a new system at the end of the term. Students came from all over campus and the course was very enlightening for me in terms of understanding how care is dispensed in the U.S. and how we can improve it.
Though this was my first "foundation" course in the Biology department and I still found it challenging, I really enjoyed learning the material and found it all super exciting! We learned about DNA replication, mRNA transcription and protein translation, genetics, and had the opportunity to do a literature review at the end of the term.
The dreaded Organic Chemistry sequence of my pre-med track came upon me faster than I thought it would, but it surprised me by being one of my favorite classes to date! I found it intellectually interesting (even though it was time-consuming), probably because I treated it like a STEM-and-logic puzzle instead of pure STEM or pure memorization. Am I great at it? Not necessarily. Do I remember everything I've learned? I'm not too sure! Am I mentally ready for Organic Chemistry 2 next term? Not at all! But I had a lot of fun doing this class and surprised even myself with how I tackled it.
I love dancing, story-telling, and learning about different cultures so I knew going into this course that I would enjoy it. Cross-listed in the theater and AAAS departments, this course let students have the privilege of working with Dance Theatre of Harlem members who were in Hanover for a summer residency. As a group, we analyzed a play ("The Purple Flower" by Marita Bonner) and transformed the text into a physical movement piece. Each student also had complete ownership of a personal final project, and I opted to do a self-choreographed dance. Overall, I loved getting the chance to work creatively in my academics this term and I also was able to broaden my perspective and knowledge of the African-American story in the process!
As a pre-med, I am constantly trying to learn more about the U.S medical system. This course was extremely engaging in all aspects, taking students through all of American history through the lens of healthcare within the span of 10 weeks. I particularly liked having a discussion session that replaced a lecture, since we were able to talk about the issues with the professor and think out loud about our readings. The course was definitely challenging and required a lot of synthesis across different time periods and topics, but I feel like I came out of it with a deeper and more profound understanding of our healthcare system and why it functions the way it does today.
WinterDetroit, MI
For my junior winter, I did an internship in clinical research! With COVID affecting so much of my college experience, this practical, in-person work internship was very important for me to not only hone my employable skills but also see what having a 8am - 5pm job looks like and how it could fit into my future.
Much like my other pre-med courses here at Dartmouth, Biochemistry was quite rigorous and fast-paced. It was certainly challenging, but I found the work extremely rewarding and I enjoyed learning about all the different mechanisms that happen inside of our bodies. Additionally, many of my friends were also in this class as well, rounding out final prerequisites for graduate school, and this fact made it all the more fun.
SummerDresden, Germany
For my junior summer, I had a research internship in Eastern Germany, working at the intersection between math, computer science, and biology! The learning curve was very steep since my project focus changed once I arrived in Europe, but I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the content and myself. I am extremely thankful for all the support that Dartmouth has given me throughout my time here, without which I wouldn't have been able to do a 12-week European adventure!
As a pre-med student interested in health disparities, SOCY 75 was an amazing class to take! We covered numerous topics concerning how where one lives can impact their health outcomes. At the end of the course, students were also able to complete a final project of their choosing and I loved being able to tie my personal experiences into an academic course.
Throughout college, most of my science courses have been at the introductory level: one term of genetics, one term of cell structure, etc. Rarely have I had the chance to engage with something on a deeper level or connect the pre-med courses to human biology. This course was super interesting because I could finally connect everything I've learned throughout college into one cohesive course that connects to something I want to do post-Dartmouth.
I will be 100% honest with you: no school offers something that no other university does, Dartmouth included. Plenty of places might fit the bill when you look for things such as a great undergraduate experience, a liberal arts college, or a highly distinguished economics or government department. Just try it yourself: how many schools come to mind with just these three traits?
That's why the "fit" of a school is so important! It is how you engage with and see yourself at the institution which really informs you of your potential future at any given college. And interestingly enough, it is often the smaller things that can make you feel at home, not the big, catchy phrases that school pamphlets throw around. With all this being said, here are 5 weird, small, and perhaps surprising things that make Dartmouth home for me.
The Upper Valley
The quaintness of the Upper Valley and New Hampshire is just so endearing to me! I love the slow pace of life here that can balance out Dartmouth's crazy 10-week quarters, as well as how small and tight-knit the community seems. I think that every undergraduate can learn valuable lessons from the lifestyle here, especially since most of us will never live in a rural setting again post-graduation.
The Staff at Dartmouth Dining Services
All the staff at Dartmouth are overwhelmingly kind and always going above their job description. Ask any student where they like to eat, and we'll almost always name an employee we've gotten to know there as a reason why! Not many college campuses are small enough where you can get to know the staff, and fewer colleges exist where the staff want to get to know you.
Open Social Spaces
Greek events on campus are open to the entire student body. All you have to do is show your Dartmouth ID and you're good to go! No fees, no dress code, no weird restrictions based on gender, race, or social groups. I think this just goes to show how open our entire community is: if you want to get to know someone or step outside your comfort zone, there is always a way.
Sanborn Library
Baker-Berry Library is the quintessential Dartmouth library, but Sanborn is one of my personal favorites. It is the home of the English department and has an old charm with dark wood and lamps instead of the fluorescent LEDs you see everywhere else. When I have to write or read, I always enjoy coming here! And on the weekdays in the late afternoon, you can get free tea and cookies. Who doesn't love that?
Annual Snowball Fight
On the first snowfall of the winter term, an email gets sent out from Dr. Seuss to Robert Frost (cc'ing the entire campus) about a midnight snowball fight on the Green. From freshman to seniors, students from all across campus gather on the Green and spontaneously start throwing snowballs at each other (sometimes whether you know the other person or not!) If you asked me to name one Dartmouth tradition that perfectly encapsulates the Dartmouth student, this is it: free-spirited, open-minded, and all-in.
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!
