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.
We are in the home stretch of spring term, and I (once again) cannot believe that ten weeks flew by so quickly. College itself is a marathon, but Dartmouth terms are definitely sprints.
I myself have always liked the fast-paced nature of the quarter system, although I will acknowledge that it is hard to develop a more sustainable lifestyle since things pass by so quickly. I, for example, had wanted to go to the gym more regularly this term since we do pay for membership through our tuition and I think it is important to keep active. It is now Week 10 and I haven't stepped foot in the gym once this term (whoops), because things kept snowballing with four courses, research, extracurriculars, etc. But there is always next term!
After I finish my papers and exams on June 6th, I will officially be a rising senior. That in itself is such a crazy (and scary) thing to think about, especially because I don't necessarily feel like I am at that stage of maturity and leadership yet. I do know, however, that growth comes through opportunity and challenges. I am sure that I will rise to the occasion when the time does approach. Come fall, we will welcome the '26s, I'll need to start looking for gap year jobs, and everything will be the beginning of the end. I think I may be a bit sentimental because we have begun saying goodbye to the '22s already, who really had a huge part in shaping my college experience alongside the '20s. Right now, they're finishing up final projects, presenting senior theses, and eagerly anticipating Senior Week, the time between finals and graduation when the entire class just has fun on-campus together before leaving for the last time. I'm so excited for them, even though I'm sad to see them go.
All in all, it was a really good term! I got to go to a conference out-of-state, which helped me break out of the Dartmouth bubble for a weekend. I got to go canoeing with my dance group when the weather became nicer. I balanced four courses in-person (!) which is more than I ever thought I could do as a pre-med, even if my grades in certain classes could be better. I made so many new friends and strengthened relationships with old ones. I went on many Woccoms (walks around Occom Pond) with friends, sometimes looping around multiple times to continue our conversations. I experienced my first Green Key with music and lines galore, and had a lot of fun at formal. There are definitely things I could have done better, such as being more diligent about going to the gym, practicing more biochem, or reaching out to certain people to reconnect after a term away. But overall, I am happy with how my spring term went and am so grateful for such a wonderful time amidst COVID and an always-chaotic world.
I hope you've enjoyed reading my posts this term. I will be back soon, with more escapades and lengthy reflections to help you see the Dartmouth that I see every day. This week, I will be frantically reviewing transaminase pathways, writing papers, and cramming as much knowledge into my brain before heading home for some much-needed rest and quality time with family. Thank you for reading my posts and spending some time with me.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a phenomenal total solar eclipse occurred — and we happened to be within the path of totality. As a result, Dartmouth hosted a variety of eclipse-related events on- and off-campus. Find out how I spent the eclipse!
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
