Hi! I'm Memo, a rising junior from Bangkok, Thailand. On campus, I'm involved in undergraduate research, the Women in Computer Science Club, the Thai Student Association, and the introduction-CS-course TA team! I'm currently in Ujimelt, a summer dance group, and TA-ing for a Dartmouth Summer Scholars class. When I'm not too busy with classes and extracurriculars, I love to cook, paddle board, drink matcha, and, of course, blog!
Academic Program
Computer Science modified with Digital Arts Major + Human-Centered Design Minor
Coming in with some Python background, I still find this class challenging. Yet, I always enjoy going to Vasanta's lectures and working on the short assignments with the help of the TAs. Awesome experience.
Professor Pierson taught the class really well—his lectures always start with a hook that keeps me engaged. Although the material is definitely more challenging than the prior class, I learned a whole lot more. My CS1 professor suggested we learn Java before taking CS10 (she even sent us resources for it!), but of course, I didn't. It was a language I continued picking up as I did my short assignments and PSETs with my partner. The workload is not light; however, I felt like everything was worth learning!
Initially, I felt daunted by the thought of taking Data Visualization due to its rigorous materials and challenging projects. The course is structured as a flipped classroom, encouraging us to read textbooks before class and complete assignments with guidance from Professor Horiuchi. This approach was incredibly beneficial; he allowed us to solve problems independently, answered our questions, and provided valuable insights at the end of each session. Although the exams were tough, they directly reflected our in-class practice. Additionally, I applied what I learned during my first summer internship!
Professor Beaudoin is one of my favorite professors and lecturers at Dartmouth! I have always been interested in classical music, and this class allowed me to completely immerse myself into it. Early Classical Music was vastly different from traditional college classes – we listened to pieces from ancient civilizations, flipped through preserved music scripts written on cattle skin, copied down old music notations, and attended a Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra performance. For our final essay, I read extensively about Élisabeth Claude Jacquet de La Guerre, a French harpsichordist from the 1600s. This experience not only enhanced my knowledge of Jacquet de La Guerre but also taught me how to efficiently navigate the library and utilize its resources.
Taking ENGS 012: Design Thinking with Professor Steinhauer (Rafe) was one of my best decisions. The class significantly enhanced my creative thinking and collaboration skills. We worked on various projects, each with different groups. My favorite project involved building a foamcore rollercoaster for a ping pong ball. The class became really close and it felt like high school all over again!
In this course, my team and I built a motorized gutter system! The class focuses on applying design thinking principles from ENGS 012 to create need-based solutions for specific user groups. With the theme of 'rural living' this term, my group targeted homeowners in snowy areas with gutter systems. Our motorized gutter system aimed to prevent ice dams and gutter damage during winter.
Greek Life as an International Student: Finding My Place
Growing up in Thailand, I had never really heard of Greek Life. I did watch Joelle Park's (Class of 2019) YouTube video about her rush experience at Dartmouth before arriving on campus, but I didn't seriously think about joining. It wasn't until my sophomore year that I decided to give it a shot—and I'm so glad I did.
I appreciate that Dartmouth has a two-month pause on Greek Life for first-year students. It gives you time to settle in without depending on Greek spaces. Additionally, you can't join Greek Life until your sophomore year. So instead, students find their community in other places—through First-Year Trips, dorm life, or clubs. I spent my first year bonding with friends from my dorm and cultural organizations, which made it easy to find a tight-knit group outside of Greek spaces. It felt like the perfect balance, allowing me to consider rushing later, without feeling like I had to.
When sophomore fall came around, I was a little unsure about rushing, especially as an international student. However, I had the chance to chat with an international student from the Class of 2024 who was already affiliated, and her experience put me at ease. Soon after, I decided to go for it—along with most of my friends. Even if you don't know someone in Greek Life, sororities make the process super approachable with coffee chats where you can ask questions about the houses and their culture.
The rush process was surprisingly smooth and exciting. Throughout the three rounds, I got to explore each house and meet the members. I can't lie, for two weeks, I couldn't stop thinking or talking about it. It was a mix of nerves and excitement, wondering where I would end up, but in the end, everything worked out perfectly! My friends and I each found a house that we liked. Even though we ended up in different ones, we still hang out all the time—and now we get to go to each other's events and meet even more people.
Joining my sorority has been such a rewarding experience. From the moment I joined, I felt welcomed and supported. A few weeks after initiation, I found out who my "big" was—an older member who became my mentor—and my sophomore year took off from there. It's been filled with fun events like spa nights, apple picking, and "sis dins" (Sunday sister dinners where we cook and catch up). I've started seeing more familiar faces around campus, and I've felt truly supported both academically and personally. Additionally, my house fully meets the demonstrated financial needs of all its members, which has made my experience much more stress-free and affordable.
Big-Little Family!
Now that I'm a junior, I'm getting to see things from the other side as a member of the Rush Committee. It's been a full-circle moment, helping decorate the house and plan the rounds. I love being part of this community—it's such a special feeling to sit in the Grand Hall (our living room), do my homework, and chat with my sisters about life and classes, or ask for advice from older members (especially when they're TAs!). I'm so excited to see who will join us this year.
Rush Round 1!
Greek Life at Dartmouth, in my experience, has been inclusive and welcoming. My background and culture have never been a barrier to joining. Even for those who don't rush or remain unaffiliated, there are so many events open to campus. It's been an amazing part of my Dartmouth experience.
Some of my rising senior friends from New York have been in contact with me since graduation, and I've compiled a list of FAQs that might help you better understand life at Dartmouth!
Exploring Chicago with my fellow women engineers from Dartmouth! We explored the city outside of the SWE conference and got to see how exciting Chicago can be.
I applied through Questbridge's National College Match, but did not match. To others who also did not match, this is not the end of your application process! Here's what I did following match decision day.
