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
One of Dartmouth's beloved traditions is Homecoming weekend, which includes activities like football games, alumni visits, and the bonfire. Everyone says that Homecoming weekend as a first-year is something you'll remember forever. As you walk around the bonfire, you'll hear upper-level students and alumni shouting to "touch the fire!" Believe it or not, this is your first official welcome as a class into the Dartmouth community. Watch my YouTube vlog to follow along with my Homecoming weekend!
1. Building the bonfire
Fun fact: every year, the first-year students build the bonfire. I signed up to join in on this tradition, which was such a cool experience. The build took an hour, and my group comprised four '28s in total. I was part of one of the later teams to help build it, so we had to climb a ladder to reach the top. We were instructed by one of the workers on how to position the wood blocks and where to place them. He cautioned us not to drop anything at the top of the bonfire, as there would quite literally be no way to retrieve it. Working in teams of two, we carried each piece together. It was laborious work but fun and rewarding.
Fellow blogger Nuna '28 and I posing before we get to work.
2. Board Signing
In preparation for the bonfire, students across campus sign wooden boards representing their class year, student organizations, and clubs.
My friend Ryan signing the Class of 2028 board.
Signing my Chinese name on the Dartmouth Chinese Student Association board, a group on campus I am part of.
3. Experiencing the bonfire
The night of the bonfire, we gathered in our French common room to head to Fahey Hall, another building a part of West House, which is where the meetup point for the first-years in West House was. Here, they had glowsticks, pom poms, face paint, etc. We socialized for a bit and then went to pick up the other houses. After walking around campus for a while, we eventually made it to the Green, where the bonfire took place. The bonfire was mesmerizing, and walking around it as a class felt surreal, with the warmth of the flames all around us.
A photo of the bonfire I captured using my drone.
Our class ready to walk around the bonfire.
4. Attending the football game
This was my first college football game, and it was an exciting one against Harvard. We started at a tailgate, where some '28s were grilling burgers and hotdogs to good music. We put on face tattoos, played spike ball, and hung out for a bit before heading to the football game.
My friends playing spike ball at the tailgate.
A view of the tailgate scene.
At the football game, the energy was very lively. Our team was undefeated all season, so everyone was super hyped for the Harvard matchup. Even though I have no clue how football works, it was so much fun watching the game with my friends. The marching band was incredible, and the cheerleaders and dance team also put on an awesome performance. We were in the lead for a while but lost it in the end. Even though Harvard won 31-27, we gave it our all, and it was a really close, intense game overall.
My friend Tara and I at the football game.
In a nutshell, Homecoming weekend was definitely a memorable highlight of the term. Between meeting new faces, adjusting to campus life, attending classes, joining clubs, and embracing traditions, my first fall term has been incredibly eventful. There's so much to share with you all, so stay tuned for a full recap in my next blog post!
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50% of Dartmouth students are unaffiliated and find community through non-Greek social spaces. One such space is an undergraduate society. In this post, I interviewed Marion Caldwell '25, who has been a member of Amarna since her junior fall
