Hi everyone! I'm Madison. I'm originally from Pasadena, California, but I also spent eight years living in Manila, Philippines, and one year in Gibraltar. At Dartmouth, I plan to double major in Film & Media Studies and ASCL (Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages). Dartmouth has already opened up so many doors for me and truly changed my life for the better, so I'm really excited to share my college journey and experiences with you all!
Academic Program
Majors in Film and Media Studies and Asian Societies, Languages, and Cultures
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.
Aside from the luxury of living in the Fahey dormsand the daily snacks and treats, one of my favorite parts of being a part of West House is the trips they organize. As a first-year, I went to Quechee Gorge in the fall, and during the spring term of my first year, I had the chance to visit New York City with West House. This spring, they brought the NYC trip back again. After spending my off-term in the city—and having such a great experience on the last West House trip—I knew I had to sign up!
Day 1
At 7 a.m., we left the Fahey dorms and hopped on a five-hour bus ride into the city, all organized through West House. After some free time to explore, we headed to Broadway to see Six, a musical about the six wives of Henry VIII and their individual identities and stories. I honestly didn't know what to expect going in, but the performance completely blew me away! The show had so much energy and personality that the two hours flew by. I loved the singing, and the crowd was roaring with laughter the entire time—I couldn't take my eyes off the stage!
What an incredible production!
After the show, we checked into the DoubleTree by Hilton around 5 p.m. and then had the rest of the night free to explore the city on our own. I especially appreciated the free time since I had spent my off-term in New York this past winter, so it was fun getting to revisit some of my favorite spots in the city.
That night, I spent time with one of my friends who's currently on her off-term and interning in the city. We talked a lot about our experiences living in New York and how much we both love the energy here. We grabbed dinner, went to a jazz show, and honestly just had a really great night together. The D-Plan can make everyone feel a little scattered throughout the year, so moments like this always remind me how much I appreciate my Dartmouth friends. It also made me really excited for sophomore summer, when everyone in my class will finally be back together on campus again, and the vibes are supposedly really good.
Such a cute spot. If you go here, you have to try the zucchini chips!
Ending the night with live jazz in New York just felt very classic NYC.
Day 2
The next morning, we started the day with a community breakfast at the hotel, then loaded our luggage onto the bus and headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Everyone had the option to spend the day inside the museum, explore the city on their own, and meet back at the bus by 2:45 p.m. Since I had already visited the MET quite a few times during my off-term in New York, I decided to venture off on my own for the afternoon.
In just a few hours, I somehow managed to walk along the High Line, take the subway down to SoHo to shop around, randomly bump into someone from my ENGS 12group project, and then head to the Upper East Side to grab coffee with one of my childhood friends who had just started summer break. Before meeting back at the bus, I also got to spend an hour walking through Central Park with another Dartmouth friend who's currently interning in the city.
Really enjoyed people-watching while walking through nature that day.
Such a gorgeous spring day in the city!
Such a nice little reunion!
There was honestly never a dull moment during the trip, but one thing I really appreciated was having little pockets of time to myself, too. Whether it was wandering through the city alone, walking through Central Park, or just sitting on the subway in between places, those moments felt really refreshing. As much as I love the energy and excitement of New York, it also reminded me how much I value Dartmouth. Life here is so different from the pace of the city, but I think that's part of what makes it special. Dartmouth's rural setting makes everyday interactions feel more personal and intentional, and it's such an easy place to slow down, spend time with friends, and build meaningful relationships.
On the way back to campus, we stopped in Connecticut to pick up pizza before finally arriving at Dartmouth around 8:30 p.m. During the bus ride, I ended up yapping for hours with a member of the Class of 2029 with whom I had just met. The rest of the bus was almost completely quiet, so at one point, he moved to the seat next to me so we could keep our conversation going without talking across rows. It was such a wholesome and memorable way to end the trip, and I'm really glad I met Isaac!
Say cheese! Featuring my new bus ride best friend.
Overall, I'm so grateful to West House for making this overnight trip to New York possible. It was such a fun experience, both for people visiting the city for the first time and for those of us who just wanted an excuse to come back. Seeing New York in the spring felt completely different from being there in the winter—the warmer weather, packed parks, outdoor cafés, and the city's overall energy made everything feel so free and alive. After spending my off-term there this past winter, it was really special getting to experience the city in a completely new way.
Needless to say, I already miss New York a lot. But for now: West House, Best House.
After three terms apart due to Dartmouth's D-plan, junior spring marks a joyful reunion with old friends, deepened by the Toulouse study abroad group that has carried their bond seamlessly back to campus.
As my friends and I navigate complex feelings of nostalgia and excitement, we all have very different senior springs. Find out what I have been working on and what it has taught me!
