Hello everyone! My name is Natasha Raman and I'm a freshman at Dartmouth. Although I'm undecided on my major, I am leaning towards something related to government, economics, and Asian studies. In my free time, I like to watch The Office, keep up with current events, learn new languages, and hang out with my friends. I am excited to explore my interests at Dartmouth and take advantage of the amazing opportunities offered here!
Now that we are well into fall term, I have gotten into the groove of things. Here are the classes I am taking this term:
1. Making of the Modern World Economy
Making of the Modern World Economy is a history course taught by Professor Stefan Link. In this course, we learn about the major economic developments that have occurred over the past two centuries. The class meets three days a week—2 days are reserved for lectures, and one day is for class discussion. My favorite topic we have covered so far is the economic impact of WWI. It was really fascinating to look at the war from a purely economic perspective rather than a political or social one (like I had done in high school).
2. United States Political History in the Twentieth Century
This is another history course I am taking this term. Because I love history and might want to major in it, I really wanted to explore a variety of classes in the department this term. In this course, which is taught by Professor Bethany Moreton, we analyze American political life in the 1900s. Similar to the Making of the Modern World Economy course, we have both lecture-based and discussion-based classes weekly. Professor Moreton split up the class into two for the discussion groups, so each group has around fifteen people in it. These small discussion groups allow us to really dig into the material and have in-depth conversations about the readings. It has been interesting to see how applicable the things we have learned are to our current political climate.
3. Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation
This course is taught by Professor Sachi Schmidt-Hori, who is in the Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages (ASCL) Department. In this course, we examine how Asian languages have formed gender, sexual, and national identities. Our assigned readings are usually journal articles or chapters from books, which has given me experience with tackling academic writing. Languages and Scripts of Gender, Class, and Nation is the second course I have taken within the ASCL Department, and I can't say enough about how excellent the professors are. This class only has 15 students, so I've been able to engage in substantive discussions with my peers and professor.
In case you didn't know, Dartmouth operates on a quarter system, which means that in each term, students typically take three classes. However, they can also elect to add an additional course!
Have you ever wondered what a Dartmouth freshman's course of study may look like? The beauty of the D-Plan is everyone can customize their own schedules, so this term I'm taking International Politics, Global Health & Society, and Expository Writing.
Professors at Dartmouth really love their discipline and want to share their knowledge with as many students as possible through a variety of resources. I'll walk you through some of the ways they do this while telling you about my classes this term.
This winter is my first term really focusing on classes in the government and economics departments, so I thought I'd walk you all through my class schedule and experiences so far!
Dartmouth's Center for Social Impact has several opportunities for students to be involved with the Upper Valley. This year, I have the privilege to be involved in Foundations, a first-year program, and can't wait for other opportunities!
While taking four classes at most other schools with semester-based calendars seems like a breeze, Dartmouth's unique D-Plan and quarter system make my efforts to take four classes this winter a bit more challenging.
DUJS is a great opportunity for students across campus to get together and discuss scientific thought and innovation, whether from psychology, astrophysics, or more social justice-oriented medical research.
