First, I'll explain who I am. I'm Nicholas Sugiarto, a '23 (freshman) from San Diego, California. Second, a quick disclaimer. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Prior to Dartmouth, I've never hiked, skied, or seen snow. So yeah, you could say that Dartmouth is quite a bit different from what I'm used to. You'll probably find me on campus lost. I have no sense of direction. Please help.
I think each of us are hiding something. Not in that malicious, secretive way, but rather little passions that we've always wanted to try. You know? Like, things in which you had more than just a fleeting interest, but for whatever reason, never had the chance to try it out. For me, that's always been comedy. If you read over my intro post, you might remember that I self-identified myself as a "stand-up nerd." That's because I grew up watching a ton of it, which inevitably brings up the question of, "What if I tried it?" And not just stand-up comedy either. I meant, "What if I just tried comedy as a whole?" Comedy as an institution has always fascinated me, and I could go on and on about it, but that's neither here nor there. What's important is how Dartmouth has allowed me to explore this.
Since coming to Dartmouth, I've joined both the Dartmouth Jack O' Lantern ("Jacko"), and Dartmouth Comedy Network (DCN). Essentially the Jacko is the school's satire magazine that's been around since 1908, while Dartmouth Comedy Network is a sketch comedy/stand-up club that's been around since, well, spring of last year. They're a tad bit different, but both help me explore something I've never had the chance to do.
The best way to describe the two is that they're both just a ton of fun. Jacko's a space where I can try new things, and get genuine, honest critique on it. In an environment that is, objectively, very academically demanding, that freedom to explore and create with no judgement is just so refreshing. In fact, another of the bloggers, Jonathan Gliboff '20, is the president of it. Check his stuff out! But that's neither here nor there.
One important value that I hold is "whatever you do, have fun with it," which I often shorten to simply just "have fun with it." DCN has been another outlet for that. I've never tried sketch comedy nor stand up, and now I've done both. Since joining, I've both written directed and edited my own sketch, and, at long last, tried out stand-up for the first time.
Me performing stand up! Tons of fun!
Stand-up was a ton of fun. I kinda just went up on stage and riffed for a bit. My friends came out to watch me, and they had a good time too. All this begs that inevitable question. The sketches, Jacko articles, stand-up I do. Was it funny?
No. Probably not.
But that's not the important part. It's that I tried, and had fun doing so. Dartmouth for me has been a place to try new things that I could have never even imagined doing in high school. I'll improve over time, probably, but for the time being, I think I'll just have fun with it.
As I reckon with a Senior Fall that looks quite different than those past, I've decided to reflect on my previous Fall terms (both on and off campus) to help me find the common thread between four vastly different Fall term experiences.
When applying to college, research what the college you are applying to will do to best support you! In this post, I share a few of the numerous resources Dartmouth has provided me with to become a better me.
Today, I thought I'd reflect on my Dartmouth move in experience and share how I've been adjusting to residential life at West House so far in the "new norm."
The tree outside my door becomes more and more red each day, I ordered a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks the other day, and on several occasions have stopped dead in my tracks to enjoy the beautiful New England foliage.
Dartmouth may be your dream school, and you might be over the moon with gratitude to be staying in a gorgeous autumn-leaf strewn campus beneath a perfect blue sky. But be that as it may, adjusting to college life right now isn't easy.
Being gone from campus for a full year and now living off-campus, I am currently feeling some serious nostalgia for delicious food and amazing staff of Dartmouth Dining Services (DDS).
With Early Decision deadlines right around the corner, I thought I'd share a moment that made me super excited to submit my Early Decision application about a year ago.
Stand-up was a ton of fun. I kinda just went up on stage and riffed for a bit. My friends came out to watch me, and they had a good time too. All this begs that inevitable question. The sketches, Jacko articles, stand-up I do. Was it funny?
