Hey y'all! My name is Natasha, and I am a junior at Dartmouth College. I'm majoring in history and minoring in public policy and Chinese. In my free time, I love to watch New Girl, hang out with my friends, and explore the Upper Valley. Dartmouth is a pretty neat place— I hope you enjoy reading my posts about life here!
Academic Program
History Major and Minors in Public Policy and Chinese
No Summertime Sadness Here: A Reflection on My Sophomore Summer
As people are beginning to trade in their tank tops for sweaters and iced coffees for pumpkin-spiced lattes, I can't help but reminisce about my summer term at Dartmouth, commonly known as sophomore summer. This summer was particularly special to me because I hadn't been on campus in over a year due to the pandemic. Seeing all of my friends in-person and taking part in fun activities on campus was nothing short of surreal.
In one of the blog posts I made before the summer started, I had written down a bucket list of things I wanted to experience by the end of my sophomore summer. I can gladly say that I was able to accomplish all the items on my bucket list and some more! One of the highlights of my summer was joining Ujimelt, a summer dance group.
Me and some members of Ujimelt!
As someone who did not have any hip-hop dancing experience going in, Ujimelt allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. In addition, I was able to meet so many cool people I had never met before. Although I probably will not be asked to be a backup dancer for Beyoncé anytime soon, being in Ujimelt was such a fun and memorable experience.
Another highlight of my summer was doing all the summery-activities that the Upper Valley has to offer. From hanging out by the Connecticut River to eating delicious ice cream at Ice Cream Fore-U and basking in the sun on the Green, my friends and I truly embraced the summer season.
My friend Emily enjoying some delicious ice cream!
I also really enjoyed my classes this summer. One class in particular that I took was HIST 96.37, Topics in Economic History. The culminating assignment in this course was a 20-25 page paper on a topic of our choice. While daunting at first, this paper was so rewarding to work on because I was able to sharpen my historical researching skills and dive-deep into a topic I was passionate about.
Sophomore summer has been my favorite term at Dartmouth so far. It was amazing to be back on Dartmouth's beautiful campus and to be face-to-face with my friends again after such a long time. As I begin my fall term, I will hold dear in my heart all the wonderful memories I made this summer!
In August, I participated in the First Year Summer Enrichment Program, a pre-orientation program designed to help FGLI students adjust to life at Dartmouth!
I'll argue why my dorm, French Hall, is not only the best in the River Cluster and West House but also the best dorm you can get as a first-year at Dartmouth.
What a wonderful summer! From joining a summer dance ensemble to regularly canoeing along the Connecticut River, I reflect on the aspects that made Sophomore Summer one of the most memorable Dartmouth traditions I've taken part in.
