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 take you through some of the things I have been up to during the first week of my Sophomore Summer. Let's get started!
Sophomore Summer is a term at Dartmouth where most sophomores remain on campus and take classes. While it may not sound super fun to spend your summer at college taking classes, Dartmouth makes Sophomore Summer a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
This term feels like something I like to call 'Camp Dartmouth' because it completely feels like a summer camp. During this term, you get to enjoy campus and connect with all your classmates in your graduating class—shoutout to all my fellow sophomores, aka (20)28s. In my opinion, the best part of Sophomore Summer is getting to enjoy all the outdoor activities in the Upper Valley to their fullest potential.
Now, I will take you through a few of the activities I have been up to with my friends this first week of Sophomore Summer!
Vermont Concert
The first thing I did this week was drive up to Vermont with my friend Stephen to listen to a really cool band live—Fitz and the Tantrums. I have been a fan of their music for a while, and I was ecstatic to find out they were playing live on Thursday night at Lake Morey Resortin Vermont, which is only a 20-minute drive from Hanover. The best part about this concert was the fact that the tickets were completely free—we did not even need a ticket to get in and watch the concert!
Another great thing about the concert is that Dartmouth also provided transportation to and from the concert to all students interested in attending. This meant that my friend and I ended up meeting up with some of our mutual friends by coincidence. We ended up having a blast on Thursday night!
Overall, I really enjoyed this concert and highly recommend any future sophomore to attend at least one Lake Morey concert during their Sophomore Summer, especially as there are different artists every week!
A little snapshot of the concert when Fitz and the Tantrums started singing my favorite song—Handclap!
Renting Paddleboards at Ledyard Canoe Club
Something else I did this week was going down to the Connecticut River and renting a couple of paddleboards with some of my friends at Ledyard Canoe Club—Dartmouth's own canoe club and boathouse!
The best thing about getting rentals at Ledyard is that they are free for students. This means you can easily rent canoes, kayaks, or paddleboards and spend some time out on the river with your friends.
Something else I really enjoy about Ledyard is how accessible it is to campus, since it is only a 5- to 10-minute walk, depending on where on campus you are. This week, I got out of class at 12:35 PM and was out on the water by 12:50 PM paddleboarding with my friends!
This is a little picture I took of the dock at the Ledyard Canoe Club. Paddle boarding alone or with your friends is such a good way to disconnect from your classwork for a bit!
Going for a Woccum
Something else I did this week was go on a woccum—which is short for taking a walk around Occum Pond, a small and scenic pond in Hanover.
I usually enjoy going on a woccum when I feel a little overwhelmed from my coursework, or I wish to enjoy the vibrancy of summer. I also enjoy going to Occum Pond and Pine Parkfor runs in the afternoon. Pine Parkhas a series of trails in a small wooded area near Hanover.
Occum Pond is a great place to go for a walk with your friends, get some fresh air, exercise, or simply clear your mind.
Look at this view!
I am so happy and excited to spend the rest of this summer exploring the Upper Valley and enjoying the beauty of a summer term at Dartmouth. To me, Sophomore Summer is a once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget!
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.
I'm so happy I chose Dartmouth, as it offers unparalleled access to the beautiful outdoors. Click on this blog post to read a poem I wrote in appreciation of nature and Dartmouth!
