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
An introductory Chinese class for beginners that provides a foundational understanding of the language, including pinyin, proper tones, pronunciation, character writing, basic vocabulary, and sentence structures.
A dynamic, hands-on course that emphasizes empathy-driven problem solving, rapid prototyping, and collaborative innovation through team projects, energizing activities, and practical skill-building sessions.
A course that builds on the foundations of Chinese 001 and 002 by introducing more sentence structures and vocabulary, with regular weekly drills to strengthen speaking and tonal pronunciation, and a shift from traditional to simplified characters in the final three weeks.
A course that builds on introductory Chinese 1 2, and 3, following Chinese 22, and deepens previously learned material through more complex grammar, sentence structures, and expanded vocabulary.
A film theory course that builds on some prior intro experience, where you watch, analyze, discuss, and write about films across different genres while learning how to apply various theories.
During my study abroad program in Beijing, I had the opportunity to visit Shanghai on two separate occasions over consecutive weekends. The first trip was with fellow students from my program. The second was a solo journey to meet friends—and Dartmouth tennis players—Lauren and Elise, who were in Shanghai for an all-expenses-paid tournament against local players. We had planned to meet in Shanghai after discovering we would both be in China during the spring term, and as summer came along, I was determined to fulfill this plan.
Trip #1:
The 高铁 (high-speed train) ride from Beijing to Shanghai was super smooth. The funny thing is, you can't pick your seat—it's totally random. My friend Arian and I didn't even book our tickets together, but somehow we ended up sitting right next to each other out of like 600 seats! We talked the whole four hours, so the trip flew by. When we got there, we hit up Shake Shack (a slightly ironic choice in China), conveniently located a three-minute walk from our hotel, the Swissotel. We lucked out with our hotel—it was in a central location, affordable, and the room was amazing.
My first impression of Shanghai was overwhelmingly positive. It's a vibrant city with a distinct international presence, probably because it's such a hub for international business. Even though Shanghai's international atmosphere made me feel more at ease, I'm happy our study abroad program is in Beijing—it's a bit more culturally immersive that way, which is great!
The next day, we woke up early and went shopping, biked around the city, and ate a ton of delicious food. It was so much fun exploring the city with my Dartmouth friends, and checking out Shanghai's nightlife was really cool too!
A visit to the Bund for Shanghai's most iconic view.
The following day, we had lunch withProfessor Yi Lu, who was one of our guest speakers for our ASCL 9.02 Language, Culture, and Communication class. He introduced us to 晗啸 (Hanxiao) '28, who, like him, is a Shanghai local. We all went out for lunch together to get authentic Shanghainese food, which was incredibly fresh and flavorful!
After lunch, they introduced us to Butterful and Creamorous, a bakery chain here in China.
The line can be long, but I promise you, it's absolutely worth it!
Before heading back to Beijing, we spent the afternoon shopping and found some really unique things. I'm loving the fashion scene in China—there's such a range of styles, from cute and girly to edgy and rock-inspired!
My friend Bri and I shopping.
Trip #2:
I was a bit nervous about traveling to Shanghai alone the following weekend, but the commute was surprisingly seamless—I didn't run into any issues at all! Honestly, I really enjoyed traveling solo. Going to Shanghai alone was much easier and more relaxing than traveling with a large group, like I did the last time I went. I loved the freedom to set my own pace and do exactly what I wanted.
When I got to Shanghai, it was funny because I ended up doing the exact same thing as before: Shake Shack first, then check into the same hotel. It was actually really nice. I took a bath, got a massage at the hotel, and then met up with Lauren and Elise. I also got to meet the other tennis players on their program from different colleges, and they were all so sweet.
Reunion pic!
The next day, I went to watch Lauren and Elise's matches. It still shocks me sometimes because I think of them as just ordinary friends, and then I see them play tennis and remember how insanely good they are! Seriously though, watching them play is so much fun! I'd definitely recommend checking out one of their matches if you ever get the chance.
Watching Dartmouth Women's tennis from Hanover to Shanghai, I felt like their number 1 fan!
While watching their matches, I even had the chance to make friends with some local Shanghai tennis players! My Chinese isn't perfect, but it's so nice how people here don't judge you for it. They're just happy to chat and appreciate the effort you put into learning the language.
Fun group shot!
After more shopping, we grabbed dinner at Din Tai Fung, curious to see how it compared to the U.S. locations. Honestly, it tasted a bit more authentic, but nothing crazy different. Later, we went out with the crew from the tennis program. The next morning, we were up bright and early to watch their finale. There were some great moments; the intensity was so high and it felt like being in the movie 'Challengers,' watching every shot and practically sitting at the edge of my seat wondering what would happen.
I'm so glad I got to visit Shanghai twice! It's seriously such a cool and diverse place—I could totally see myself living there someday!
If you're a prospective geology, mining, or resources student, this post is for you. "The Stretch" is Dartmouth's field geology program, and it covers exactly those areas!
This winter break, I went on tour with the Dartmouth Decibelles to Charleston and Atlanta, performing throughout local communities and making lasting memories together!
Paris is often hailed as the center of the (European) art world. Through an Art History Fall Plus program, I explored Parisian art in person and up close!
