Hi there! I'm Nathan, a '27 from Lynn, MA (just outside Boston). I'm an intended Engineering Sciences Major and Studio Art Minor—I like to understand, design, and create things. I also love reading about history, writing, and photography (hence this blog). On-campus, I'm involved in the Triathlon Team, French Living Learning Community (LLC), and Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship. Explore my posts for an inside perspective of everything Dartmouth has to offer!
I took this class to explore the Biology Department and it ended up defining my freshman Fall. I grew close with other biology-minded students and together we delved deep into cellular mechanisms and processes in a fast-paced environment. The labs were long but rewarding and everything about this class made me a better scientist—Professor Bezanilla is an amazing teacher! I would recommend this class to anyone with a passion for biology and research.
“Who do I want to be?” is a question that I frequently ask myself as an undergraduate (and I’m sure you will as well). A good place to begin answering this question, however, is “Who am I ?” Taking Investigative Memoir as my first-year seminar allowed me to explore this question via personal reflection and expressive writing—something that has helped me frame my identity at Dartmouth with the rest of my life. College can be a surreal experience, but Professor Sharlet’s introduction to the world of creative nonfiction has given me the ability to transform my own perceptions into tangible, recorded stories.
As a kid I drew a lot; I was inspired by architectural books like “Pyramid” and “Castle” and fascinated by illustrations in “The Way Things Work.” All of these books are by the author David Macaulay—and I had the opportunity to take this very class with him! I completed weekly sketchbook exercises, worked on visually communicating inventions, and was able to receive personal feedback. The theme of visual illustration as a tool in engineering resonated strongly with me, inspiring my interest in an engineering major modified with studio art. Given my long relationship with his work, this class was truly a dream come true.
SummerAmherst, Massachusetts
I interned at a running biomechanics research lab in Amherst, MA, to explore my interests in kinesiology and running shoe design! I was able to self-fund the internship through a grant from the Dartmouth Center for Professional Development (CPD). I spent the rest of my summer reading, spending time with family, and took a trip to Quebec before returning to campus.
After a week or two into my Freshman Fall, I realized that time-management is pretty much the single most important factor in making sure you feel balanced and on-track. At a place like Dartmouth—where each term is 10 weeks long and the courses move quickly—the ability to manage your time saves you from going off the rails and reduces your overall stress levels. I can't say I was able to perfect my time-management from my first week, first term, or even first year for that matter—but I've realized what it takes to stay organized from my own experience (and, of course, the awesome students I befriend). The following elements are what I believe it takes to feel well and productive at Dartmouth.
1. The Foundation: Classes, Meals, and Sleep
For me, the foundation of a weekly schedule includes time spent in activities that are non-negotiable. That includes class time, meals, and sleep. Classes can come first (in organization and not in priority) because they'll dictate where else you spend your time. I plug all my lecture time and X-hours (a time-block Professors will sometimes choose to use for extra class time) into Google Calendar to get a feel for what a given week of the term will look like. Most classes at Dartmouth either run Monday, Wednesday, Friday for an hour, or Tuesday and Thursday for longer. Then, based on the location of my dorm and classes, I can plan where I can prep for classes and get meals between classes. If you unfortunately selected classes that put you in lectures from hours like 11 - 2 (two or three back to back classes like I did one term), then the timing of meals would be altered (something to keep in mind during course selection). Sleep is another of these non-negotiable time commitments. There are many sleep philosophies in college, but ultimately what matters is what time you begin the day and end the day. Factoring these times into the foundation of your weekly schedule will provide a blueprint for what time exists to complete classwork, exercise, spend time with friends, participate in extracurriculars, or go on trips. Dartmouth is a place with overwhelming options to spend your time, so thriving here requires identification of your genuine values and self-initiative.
Here is an example week from the Spring Term. All classes are in deep blue and everything else is somewhat color-coded. As you can see, the days can get filled up so it's helpful to have all time-commitments recorded!
2. Deep work, Exercise, and Extracurriculars
There's this magical process that occurs every so often during the week. I sit down with a coffee somewhere in the library, open my laptop, and whatever needs to be written or solved actually gets written or solved. It's a fleeting, elusive process that I wish I had more control over. For some, that process is called entering a "flow" state in which the external environment fades away and you become engrossed in the task at hand. For Dartmouth alum, renowned author, and computer scientist Cal Newport, that process is called "deep work." It's the type of cognitively demanding work that we can only really sustain for three to four hours at maximum.
This is where time-blocking comes in. Once the timing and location of your classes have been established and the general structure of your day is known, you can strategically block-out the gaps between each non-negotiable period of time. I like to fit in my "deep work" on days when no classes are happening (so for most, Tuesday and Thursday) and I'm not worried about finishing a particular task in time. In the late afternoon, I fit in an exercise bout, usually a workout with the Triathlon team. It's in the evening that I might also schedule time to attend a club meeting or attend a seminar I'm interested in. Time-blocking is ultimately a strategy that allows you to determine which commitments can be placed where and the total volume of extracurriculars you can take on in any given week. Of course, more is not necessarily better; I just think intentionality and awareness of when time is available—or not available–is crucial to avoiding imbalances in daily life.
This picture was taken after some "deep work" in the library—I really enjoyed the sunset afterwards!
3. Downtime, Trips, and... Trips
Then there are blocks of time on Fridays, the Weekend, and occasionally lighter days during the week. These are where activities that aren't "necessary" can come into play (hint: they're still extremely important). Some examples might include a day trip to a nearby city like Boston or Montreal, a DOC trip in the second college grant, or even simply playing frisbee on the Green. What I've found is that the memories you make if you take these opportunities to craft mini adventures, you'll come away from the term more fulfilled. You'll have stronger memories largely defined by moments like these. At the end of the Winter Term, for example, it's not that random Thursday afternoon I studied in the library that I'll remember, it's the snowball fight on the Green at midnight, the time I went nordic skiing, or the brunch with friends at Lou's. That's what I'll remember, and that's a reason why I'm here.
This is the summit of Mount Moosilauke, a hike that most students complete in their time here. One of my favorite memories from my first year was a little adventure in which I biked to Moosilauke with friends, hiked to the summit the following morning, and biked back to Hanover (covering about 100 miles across two days).
Through Dartmouth's Guarini Institute for International Study, I am getting to take classes and experience life at Wellesley College, an all-women's school!
