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.
Hello, fellow reader! My name is Love Tsai and I am now entering my second (!!) year at Dartmouth College. It's definitely hard to believe that a year has already gone by since I first matriculated at grand 'ole Dartmouth, but looking back, I definitely feel like I've grown and changed a lot. So—what's changed for me since this time last year? And what can you look forward to during your Dartmouth career?
1. I've decided on a (relatively) stable major and minor!
I was one of those students who came in with a list of 20 potential majors because I was interested in everything and couldn't yet distinguish among what I found personally interesting, what I wanted to spend my academic time and resources on, and what would be useful to me professionally after college. Through taking 10 different classes my freshman year, I was able to explore various departments from Quantitative Social Science (QSS) to Middle Eastern Studies, from Chemistry to the other STEM departments of Computer Science, Biology, and Math. Dartmouth allowed me to get a taste of what classes in each department looked like and what the academic environment, research, professional outcomes, and even potential mentorship opportunities would be through meeting professors, fellow students, and graduate TAs. From these resources, I was able to decide on a math major and a public policy minor, with a possible modification in computer science or philosophy for the math major and a concentration in health policy for the minor. If you're someone who feels like you have a lot of interests, you will have access to the same types of support, so don't fret! Dartmouth is uniquely positioned as a small school with an enormous network to let you try things out without too much stress and get a great education after you've declared.
2. While I've decided on a concentration, I'm still taking classes in other departments!
One thing I love about Dartmouth is the focus on a liberal arts education. While I have decided on a pretty strict path as a pre-med student with a major and a minor, I still find that I am able to design my course load so that I have classes from a variety of departments. This term, for example, I am taking classes in physics, engineering, math, and French. Instead of being shoe-horned into an academic discipline, I am able to engage in that "interdisciplinary" mindset that I've loved since forever. A particular strength about this is that I can actually draw connections from multiple fields and create a more complete picture and understanding of something. Your professors know this value, too, and actively try to engage your thinking by bringing in guest speakers, highlighting prompts for you to think about, and giving you readings and applications.
3. I've found student organizations that align with my values!
Dartmouth students aren't just about academics—we spend lots of time together in student organizations as well. There is an enormous amount of student clubs (more than you could ever want or take part in). From clubs as niche as Sports Analytics to massively popular clubs like Dartmouth Investment and Philanthropy Program (DIPP), there will always be something that meets your fancy—or you can create your own! Similar to my predicament with my major, I've always had a wide array of hobbies and struggled to divide my time because every activity seemed so interesting. Over time, I was actually able to find student organizations that align with my core interests and beliefs so that I wasn't forever running from place-to-place across campus. I am still "zooming" around all the time as a sophomore, but each and every organization now holds a specific place in my heart and the value that I get from both the experience and the group dynamic is unbeatable.
4. I've discovered more of my values!
On top of simply finding clubs that aligned with my values, I actually was able to re-discover and distill my passions and interests. In my first year, I've discovered more of myself, like how much I love explaining things empirically but also creatively. So while I spend a lot of my time analyzing things in class, I now make time to cultivate my artistic side through dance, art, music, and writing. I've identified that I feel a calling towards social impact and conversations around human life, connection, and spirituality. I've found that even though I think I am more of an introvert than an extrovert, nothing makes me feel better than spending time with friends, family, and loved ones. For most, college is the time when you really become an adult and being a Dartmouth student is so rewarding in that the environment is supportive and yet extremely dedicated and rigorous during this time in your life. Dartmouth will push you to define what you value and why, and it will be there when you have trouble finding the words to describe it.
5. I've gotten more adventurous!
I have, admittedly, never been too adventurous. Something about the risk, possibility of injury, and the "unknown" always made me feel uneasy about embarking on said adventures. However, I've noticed that I have gotten more easygoing and confident since being a Dartmouth student. Dartmouth has an uncanny knack for giving students almost a crash course in opening up once they enroll as freshmen (my crash course was Trips). This adventure is present in how I carry myself, what I feel comfortable pursuing, and what I enjoy doing. I take the lead in conversations now without as much hesitation as before, I love hikes and mountains, I ask for help readily, and I help others myself when I know I can. Dartmouth has taught me how to "take up more space" and how to be more adventurous and live life to the fullest. This, for me, started Day 1 and has never left. It's what pushed me to audition for a cappella and dance, what helped me approach professors, and what got me my first internship freshman summer. I'm still not there 100% though! Some of my future bucket list items include climbing Mt. Moosilauke, skiing on the Skiway during the winter, doing the ice cream challenge at the Ben and Jerry's factory, and singing in front of an audience. Do you have a Dartmouth bucket list?
So that's it! 5 things that have changed for me within the span of one year. A Dartmouth experience is truly something that is absolutely life-changing and I can't wait to see what this year has in store for us. À bientôt!
It's easy to forget how easy it is to access walking trails during the hustle of a Dartmouth term. As graduation nears, I am reminded of how special it is to step off campus and enjoy quiet moments in nature.
With a solar eclipse sweeping across North America for the first time in nearly seven years on April 8th came a road-trip with hundreds of other Dartmouth students to a zone of totality near campus: St. Johnsbury, Vermont!
