Hi everyone! I'm Madison. I grew up in Pasadena, California, but spent eight years living in Manila, Philippines, and one year in Spain. I'm planning to double major in Film and Media Studies and Sociology, with a minor in Human-Centered Design. I love spending quality time with people and having good conversations. I'm so excited to share my college journey with you!
Academic Program
Majors in Film and Media Studies and Sociology, Minor in Human Centered Design
After the fall term, Dartmouth has a six-week winter break called "winterim," which I appreciate because, unlike most colleges, you only need to make one trip home instead of traveling for Thanksgiving, returning for finals, and then going back again for Christmas break. When I returned to campus, the change of weather hit me immediately. The vibrant autumn leaves had faded, leaving behind bare branches, while the paths that were once lined with colors now lay hidden beneath a soft layer of snow. I didn't realize how much I missed my friends over the break, and reuniting with them was very wholesome.
This term, I took three classes: ENGS 012: Design Thinking, Chinese 002, and WRIT 005 (one path to fulfill the writing requirement, necessary for all first-year students), themed "Religions in Kyrgyzstan." It was a well-rounded mix of classes, combining my creativity, cross-cultural communication, and research skills.
If you're interested, I wrote a post about Design Thinking, a high-in-demand course here at Dartmouth. Whether it was designing prototypes or working on group projects, taking this class really helped channel my creativity. Sometimes, when I run into a problem, I have no idea where to start. The biggest thing I learned from this class is that that's completely okay. While the natural human instinct is to shy away from discomfort, I learned that embracing it can be helpful. Sitting with uncertainty and brainstorming as many ideas as possible—no matter how silly or unrealistic—can lead to unexpected solutions.
When I first came to Dartmouth, I'll admit, I wasn't thrilled about taking a language. But over time, I realized how cool and useful it is, not to mention how great it is for making friends in class. You're all in it together, and it can actually be a really fun experience if you make the most of it. This term, I've really enjoyed Chinese 002, so much so that I applied for the Beijing study abroad program this summer—I'll be spending a term there! The vocabulary and sentence structures I learned in Chinese 001 built upon each other and were really helpful in Chinese 002. With the new material we've covered, I feel my fluency is improving, and I'm excited to keep building my skills before heading to Beijing, where I'll need to communicate more confidently.
My Writing 005 class had a great group of people. Each class, we'd sit with a new partner, which was something I hadn't done in any of my other classes before. Whether we were sharing ideas, revising each other's work, or discussing the readings, it was really interesting to be exposed to different perspectives and learn from my peers. The class focused on peer discussions, class conversations, and both group and individual meetings to get feedback on our essays, which made it very engaging and interactive. I also learned a lot about Kyrgyzstan, covering topics like advancements during the Soviet period, government corruption, and religion. This course taught me how to write concisely, research accurately, and avoid overgeneralizations in my papers, which are useful skills I'll apply in the future.
Aside from my classes, this term was filled with winter activities—since, of course, it's my first real winter. It's funny because I've actually written entire blog posts about my experiences with thesnowball fight, Winter Carnival, and skiing, so be sure to check those out if you haven't!
Apart from winter activities, I've attended several sports events this term. For their final home game, my friend Ethan and I made a poster for our friends on the tennis team who were playing doubles and surprised them with it in support of their match. It was so much fun watching them play in their element. I remember Ethan saying, "It's actually insane how good they are," while we watched from the viewing area inside.
Ethan and I posing with Elise and Lauren, two '28s on the women's varsity tennis team.
Overall, I really enjoyed winter term—it was just as good as the fall but with a totally different vibe. I especially loved skiing! I also discovered a hidden gem this term—the gym's sauna—and highly recommend it. It's perfect for unwinding after a workout or escaping the cold. It feels great to be more settled into college now that I've gotten into the groove of things. Next term, I'm excited to keep trying new things and maximize my time here. Oh, and the scooter will be making a comeback! ;)
