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
Winter Carnival is a cherished Dartmouth tradition that brings the community together in the heart of winter. This three-day festival offers a variety of activities for students and alums, from the iconic Polar Bear Plunge and ice skating to a dazzling ice sculpture showcase. This year, as it was my first Winter Carnival, I wanted to make the most of my experience by taking part in as many activities as possible.
Day 1: I kicked off my Winter Carnival with the iconic Polar Bear Plunge at Occom Pond, where participants, secured by a rope, leap into a carved-out section of the icy water. This activity was really outside my comfort zone. I've never been a fan of cold water—I couldn't even do the ice bucket challenge back when it was circulating, and the thought of an ice bath terrifies me. As a kid, I was always afraid of jumping off the high diving board, and even now, the impact of hitting the water from high up still makes me uneasy. The point is, I was really nervous about the Polar Bear Plunge. A group from my Chinese class went right after our test on Friday. There was clearly high demand, as the line was pretty long. It took about 30 minutes, but the wait was totally worth it.
My friends and I are ready to do the Polar Bear Plunge!
Plunging into the icy water was surprisingly refreshing and nowhere near as uncomfortable as I had expected. Or maybe my survival instincts took over, and I barely registered the shock of it. The only actual discomfort came when I got out of the water and was hit by the icy winter air. I quickly rushed to my bag, threw on my layers and the warm, fuzzy robe I had brought, and awkwardly struggled to put on my socks over my wet feet. But once I was bundled up, I felt perfectly cozy again. After that, my friends and I headed to theChinese Language Housefor tea, mahjong, and Chinese snacks. It was a perfect way to warm up and enjoy some great company after braving the cold.
My friends and I dressed in our warm clothes before heading to the Chinese Language House.
Day 2: On the second day, I took the Baker Tower Tour and climbed a ladder to the very top, where I signed my name. The snowfall made the breathtaking, panoramic view of campus feel even more magical. Overall, it was a really memorable time, and I'd highly recommend going if given the chance.
Me posing with the views from the top of the Tower.
I then took a study break before heading out with my friend to watch Aires on Ice, a performance by one of the campus a cappella groups on Occom Pond. The setup was adorable, with hot chocolate, s'mores, and snacks for everyone to enjoy. Their performance was amazing, and club figure skaters gliding in the background made it even more dazzling.
A photo of my POV watching the Aires on Ice performance.
After the show, we went ice skating on the pond, which was so much fun. I had never skated on an actual pond before, so it was a really memorable experience. The Dartmouth Outing Club provided free skates and also had sled rentals available for those who wanted to go sledding on the nearby golf course.
My friend and I ice skating after the performance.
Day 3: One thing I find especially cool and surreal about Dartmouth is that it has its own Skiway. On the last day, I went skiing with a group of friends. This term, I've made it a goal to take full advantage of this experience because I know how lucky we are as college students to have access to it. I bought a ski pass, so I can go whenever I want at no extra cost, which is incredibly convenient. Boy, do I have a story for you....
Bright and early, I woke up and headed to the Skiway. We left at 9 AM. One of my friends, an experienced skier, was helping another friend—who had never skied before—learn the basics on the bunny hill. After a few runs down the bunny slope myself, I felt confident enough to take on a Green run on my own.
Now, keep in mind—I'm not the best skier. I only really started this year. But as I glided down the Green run, I felt good. Then, before I even registered what was happening, the trail split into two. Without thinking, I took the left path.
Big mistake.
It turns out I had unknowingly ended up on a Blue run that was way harder than what I was ready for. I hadn't noticed the sign since I was so focused on making my way down, and it was my first time on this run. Suddenly, I was surrounded by skiers pulling off crazy jumps and tricks. I was so confused—wasn't this supposed to be an easy Green run?! I kept falling, and to make matters worse, I could see people watching me struggle from the ski lift above. Kind of embarrassing, but also kind of funny.
When I finally made it down, I checked my pockets—only to realize my GoPro was gone.
Panic set in. I rushed to the lift entrance and told the attendant what had happened.
"Good luck finding it," he said. "Honestly, the odds are pretty slim, but I'm sure it'll turn up eventually."
The attendant said he'd inform the ski patrol, and I thanked him before stepping aside. That's when the stress of losing my GoPro hit me, and I started crying.
Then, out of nowhere, a group of three people approached me.
"No way—look who it is!" one of them said.
I couldn't recognize them with their ski goggles, but it turned out to be three of my friends. When they saw I was upset, they immediately asked what was wrong. As soon as I told them, they were so kind, reassuring me and offering to help look for my GoPro.
We took the ski lift and scoured the area, hoping to spot it. A black GoPro in the snow should've stood out, but we had no luck. Our search-and-rescue mission turned into multiple runs down the slope, splitting up to cover more ground. Still, nothing. I was losing hope—it was a long route, there was tons of snow, and after all the times I had fallen, the GoPro could've been buried beneath it.
On my third and final attempt, I felt completely defeated. While on the ski lift, I suddenly spotted something black sticking out of the snow. It seemed too good to be true, but I pointed it out anyway. My friend took a picture to mark the spot but told me it was probably just a leaf.
Ready to give up, I skied down one last time—when suddenly, I heard my friends shout: "Madison, we found it!"
I couldn't believe it! I was ecstatic, and skiing the rest of the way down felt like I was flying.
A special, special shoutout to my incredible friends—Sid, Chris, and Lake. I am beyond grateful for their kindness and owe them so much!
Afterward, I finally reconnected with the friends I originally went to the Skiway with, who were completely confused about where I had been the whole time. When I told them the story, they laughed and said they were just glad I found my GoPro in the end. I concluded the day by doing a few more runs with them before heading back at 5 PM. In total, we had spent about eight hours at the Skiway. What a day!
The Lunar New Year festivities continue! Here's a photo gallery of Korean Student Association, Malaysian Student Association, and Vietnamese Student Association's celebrations!
A weekend of embracing the cold and finding fun activities to do! From winning money at a game show to the Annual Snowball Fight, this weekend is a core memory of my experience with Dartmouth winters!
"Only three classes?!" The typical response I get from someone outside of Dartmouth. Come and join as I describe how those three classes actually feel in a ten week term!
