Hello! My name is Mario and I'm a Dartmouth '28. I am double majoring in government and economics with a concentration in international relations. I love to spend my free time swimming at the Connecticut River or skiing at the Dartmouth Skiway with friends!
German was absolutely one of my favorite courses Freshman Fall. German, like many other languages at Dartmouth, is taught in small, tight-knit classes that help students become comfortable practicing a language while receiving support from their fellow students. This course was incredibly interactive between students and the professor, with activities ranging from role-playing buying a house, to having improvised acted conversation mid-class. If you're looking for a class with a small group of people that's very interactive and fun, you should look no further than GERM 1!
ENGS 12 was an incredibly fun and fulfilling course during Freshman Winter. It consists of learning how the design process works when it's centered on addressing specific human needs. This course teaches you several new skills, such as using Photoshop, video editing, working with foamcore, sewing, and more. It's such a really good course to make new friends through group projects, to learn new skills, and to adopt a new mindset for analyzing your ideas. Specifically, it provides you with the tools to bring your craziest ideas to life!
Weapons of Mass Destruction was my favorite class during Spring Term. Throughout this class, I got a chance to learn the theories behind the use and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Specifically, I studied the origins and taboos surrounding nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Ultimately, I applied my theoretical knowledge to a prospective scenario where I evaluated the likelihood of Saudi Arabia obtaining nuclear weapons. Incredibly fun class with lots of discussions between the professor and the students.
Growth and its Critics was my favorite class during sophomore Fall. In this course, I studied the theories and arguments behind population growth, economic growth, pollution, and technological innovation. The class was taught by Professor Henry Clark—a brilliant and incredibly dedicated professor. I enjoyed the course's focus on current political-economic issues as well as students' abilities to discuss their points of view with the professor and other students. Incredibly insightful and fun class!
My favorite class this Winter term was an introduction to creative writing with New York Times Best Seller Author Prof. Crouch. I had an amazing time during this class. I learned so many things, such as how authors create complex characters and use various writing styles to convey different meanings. We also discussed several interesting works of fiction. The main thing I loved about this class was writing my own short story from beginning to end. I have never written a work of fiction, and doing so this term made me appreciate how much time, work, and dedication go into each book I read. Overall, amazing class!
This spring, I had the opportunity to take ECON 29, an international finance class, and I loved it. The class focused on all aspects of international relations (which I love as a government double major), including trade, the balance of payments, exchange rates, and more. It was a very technical class, but I enjoyed the content a lot. I can say that this class helps me understand what is going on every time I read a financial article in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times!
I hope you guys are doing well. In today's blog, I want to talk about some of my must-do activities during spring term at Dartmouth. I love these activities as they usually keep me both active and entertained, helping me balance the strenuous workload of classes at Dartmouth. Let's get started!
Go for a Walk/Run around Pine Park
Every spring term as the weather starts to warm up in the Upper Valley, I make sure to go for a run or walk around Pine Park—a public park a 10-minute walk from Dartmouth. I usually love going to Pine Park because of its peaceful nature, which helps me clear my mind and de-stress when classes become a little too overwhelming—especially during midterm season!
Pine Park is also an amazing place to play frisbee with your friends, to hang out and chill, or even study during the warmer days in the spring. I usually just love finding a tree with shade and lying down for a little while to take a short nap, or do some of my class readings!
Rent a Canoe/Paddle Board/Kayak from Ledyard
Another must-do activity in my spring term to-do list is going down to theLedyard Canoe Club— Dartmouth's own boathouse—and renting one of their kayaks or paddleboards. It is a fun little activity as I get to race my friends in our kayaks, lie down in the middle of the river on my paddleboard, or simply relax by the shore and enjoy the pretty spring term weather.
Another thing I love to do is go swimming during the summer with my friends for fun—only during open hours when a lifeguard is on duty, of course. My friends and I usually just swim for a little bit, play some music, and lie down to enjoy the sun, which feels especially good after a very cold winter term.
Attend Green Key
Green Keyis one of my favorite activities to look forward to during Spring term because of how fun it is. Green Key is a yearly concert sponsored by the Collis Center for Student Involvement, which features different popular singers for the students' enjoyment. Green Key weekend, the weekend when Green Key is hosted, also has multiple smaller concerts hosted by the various Fraternities and Sororities at Dartmouth.
I excitedly look forward to Green Key as my favorite spring term event for two reasons. First, I love how it brings my friends and me together during this weekend, as we hop from event to event and attend cookouts held by the Fraternities and Sororities. We usually spend the entire weekend together, laughing, eating, and just having a fun time with each other.
Second, I love going to the Green Keyconcert with my friends, as it is a different little activity to participate in and breaks up my weekly routine. It is a fun way to de-stress and let go for a weekend—especially since, in the past, some of my professors have been lenient with work and lectures on the Friday when Green Key is held.
My friends and I during Green Key
Lay down on the Green and take in the Weather
Another thing I love to do during spring term is just go to the Green—the courtyard in the middle of Dartmouth's campus—and lay down on the grass and enjoy the weather. I know I have been mentioning the weather a lot, but it is a nice change of pace coming from a cold winter term!
I love to lie down on the Green and relax as I say hi to my friends walking by, watch other Dartmouth students playing pickleball or throwing a frisbee, or simply catch up with a friend as we eat a sandwich we got from The Works—a small sandwich/coffee shop in downtown Hanover!
I love the Green during spring term!
Ultimately, these are some of my favorite activities to do during spring term. I see spring term as a fun and lively term where students can enjoy the beauty of the Upper Valley, explore the outdoors through the various outdoor activities available to Dartmouth students, and get some reprieve from the cold Hanover winters!
With all the amazing dining options Dartmouth has to offer, rest assured you will not go hungry on this campus! In this blog post, I will be discussing one of my favorite dining locations, Collis Café, with you.
