Welcome to the blog of an Englishman studying at Dartmouth—do take a look around! Hopefully, my blogs will provide you with an insight on life at Dartmouth, and specifically through the eyes of an international student. Dartmouth has a ton to offer from the staggering natural beauty of its surroundings and stellar academic programs to the wonderful people you meet along the way. So stay a while, I'll make us cups of tea, and take a moment to discover life at the College on the Hill.
As an FGLI (first generation low income) student at Dartmouth, part of my aid package is having an on-campus job. This can be anything I want, but I had to apply and decide on a job to do. This might sound like a drag, but honestly I love it so much! Working here is so fulfilling, and gives me some pocket money to be able to buy the things I want or go out with friends!
My primary job is as an usher at the Hopkins Center for Arts, where I greet and check tickets/COVID-19 records for patrons attending a range of live events, concerts, movies, and plays! This job lets me meet other people from the local community, and gives me a greater exposure to the arts at Dartmouth! It is super interesting being behind the curtain and seeing what goes into a live event.
As a side bonus, I get to watch the shows for free! I get to see a range of awesome stuff, such as last week where I got to watch a new film called Freda about the experiences of black Haitians in modern-day Haiti. This actually was massively linked with one of my classes—"Coloring Brazil"—as it contained a huge amount of coverage on topics such as the degradation of self identity within African Diaspora communities, and the impacts that colonialism can have on communities lasting all the way through to today in rather striking ways.
Freda is an awesome, thought-provoking film—I highly recommend it!
One worry I completely understand about being a student worker is the one of not having time to do work, but don't worry, Dartmouth has thought of this! Generally speaking, student jobs allow for time to work during shifts. I, for example, can opt to not watch the show, and instead do my work! While being paid! It's also a great talking point with others on campus—I definitely worried about there being a stigma around being a working student, but honestly people tend to find my job super interesting and impressive!
I would say overall, Dartmouth is a great school for learning, but also having a job here can be great too. It is a great way to help pay bills or save up for trips with friends, and also can provide some important life experiences (and fill up your CV a little).
When I look back on my time at Dartmouth, and it is hard to believe I will be graduating in just two weeks, I know that Africa Week will always stand out as one of the moments when this campus felt most alive, most joyful, and most like home.
It's my first spring ever (!!!) and I have been blown away by the beautiful scenery that continues to bloom right in front of my eyes. Here are some of my favorite scenes from campus in spring!
