Welcome to the (virtual) woods! My name is Natalie and I'm a '25 from Oakland, California (3035 miles away from Dartmouth)! I'm a political science and crossword puzzle nerd who's excited to dive into the millions of activities we have on campus. I love to cook and read, I make a mean Spikeball partner, and I love to ski. I'm hoping to pursue a Government major here at Dartmouth and am equally excited for all the academic exploration between now and when I declare my major. Go Big Green!
My name is Natalie Keim, and I'm a '25. At Dartmouth, we don't use class words (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) to introduce ourselves. We just use our graduation year! I'll graduate in the year 2025, so I call myself a '25.
I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area, over 3000 miles away from Dartmouth! I've been shocked by how many California kids walk the streets of our Hanover campus—there are more Californians than kids from New Hampshire!
Over the past few weeks of orientation, first-year trips, and classes, I've gotten really good at introducing myself. Although lots in my life is rapidly changing, it seems like icebreaker questions stay the same, no matter which coast you're on.
So I figured I would introduce myself to you all, the blog readers, the same way I introduce myself to people here on campus.
Dartmouth's Top 5 Most Common Icebreaker Questions
What's your major?
Right now, as a freshman, I'm undecided! I'm choosing between government, creative writing, and math. I also am really fascinated by the idea of adding a Human-Centered Design minor—it's one of Dartmouth's most unique academic programs.
Favorite ice-cream flavor?
If we're at Foco (the dining hall on campus), I love the chocolate soft serve. If we're at Ice Cream Fore-U (just 10 minutes away from campus!) I love the Maine Black Bear flavor.
What do you like to do for fun?
The list is long and varied, but I'll fill you in on a couple of my favorite activities. I love staying active through playing Spikeball, skiing, running to EDM music, yoga, and hiking. Long story short, I love to be outside. To relax, I like to cook, do the New York Times crossword puzzle, read, watch cringy romance movies, write poetry, and make elaborate friendship bracelets.
What's a fun fact about yourself?
I went to elementary school with Zendaya and am a twin!
What's your dream job?
Besides Dartmouth admission blogger (kidding, not kidding), my dream job is Secretary of State. How cool would it be to travel the world, learning from international leaders, and pursuing global collaboration? I'm hoping to apply for Dartmouth's First-Year Fellows program later this year, which is a summer-long public policy internship experience in Washington, D.C. through the College.
Hopefully, these questions taught you a little about me, but I'm so excited to get to share my Dartmouth experience with all you readers: students, parents, and guidance counselors alike. Please reach out if you have any questions!
I hope this post can be a great starting point for those of you beginning to explore People, Places. Pines. I truly enjoyed reading it while I was in your shoes, and now I'm so excited to be producing content for all of you!
When you imagine spring break, images of crowded beaches in sunny Florida probably come to mind. However, after being away for ten weeks, I wanted a chance to come home to be with my family. So I spent two wonderful weeks in Georgia.
I miss you.
But is this New Hampshire place not super cool? No, I meant it has been lots of fun, not that it has been cold. Well, it's been a little cold sometimes but that's besides the point.
I'm not a regular mom, I'm a COOL mom! And by "mom," I mean "First-Year Undergraduate Advisor for School House" — but that doesn't fit in the post title :(
