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.
A class studying how Christian language has permeated into how we as a society talk about economics. I have virtually no interest in either field as a major, nor am I really religious, but the class is super fun! It challenges you to think in ways that aren't outstandingly obvious, but get more and more interesting if you're willing to put the time in to thinking about them. It's by no means your traditional class. At least in the high school I came from, the idea of dedicating an entire term to a topic as niche as this is unheard of. But honestly? That just makes it so much more fulfilling. Like most Dartmouth classes, there's a ton of freedom to explore topics that interest you. For my final term paper, since I'm a huge hip hop fan, I wrote about the religious and economic underpinnings of Kendrick Lamar's "How Much a Dollar Cost." Without diving too deep into the jargon, I argued that money according to Kendrick Lamar, is defined by Western capitalism heavily intertwined with American Prosperity Gospel; its true nature, on the other hand, is a form of spiritual exchange. I loved this class so much that I was able to take my professor out to breakfast (on Dartmouth's dime, of course. Quick college lesson, never, ever pay for food. Live life Aladdin style.).
For those that don't know, Writing 5 is a class that's mandated for all Freshman. It helps you adjust to college writing, research, all that good stuff. There's a ton of topics to choose from, ranging from the criminal justice system to how food affects your mind. I personally chose "Pursuit of Happiness" because, well, who doesn't want to be happy? This class was my first intro to what the Dartmouth academic experience is really about. It was a small class of only 16 strong where classes were discussion-based and the professor's door is always open. It goes without saying that the course was immensely interesting (is there really a way to make happiness boring?), and we studied a vast majority of topics from Aristotle to Voltaire to Biochemical research studies. I tell incoming students all the time that if you want to make the most of your Dartmouth experience, take classes that interest you and make what you do with those classes interesting too. There's nothing more painful than having to write a paper on a topic you find absolutely mind-numbingly dull. Given my fascination with stand up comedy, I focused on viewing comedy as a form of happiness, starting from comedy in relation to Camus's absurd, the higher prevalence of mental illness in comedians, and what kind of comedians deserve happiness. Honestly? Even though this class was technically "mandatory," I would have taken it regardless.
This is the class I'm currently taking, and it's by far my favorite. You couldn't tell by my posts, or my favorite classes I listed earlier, but I'm actually a huge STEM guy. I'm a biomedical engineering major for a reason, and Dartmouth classes really make STEM fun. They're also so easy a child could follow them. Literally. I'm using the computer science 1 curriculum to teach my little sister coding. At a slower pace of course. She's not THAT smart (yet). I've never tried coding before, but the task-based approach of the CS department really makes things interesting. So far, we've drawn a children's book/ logo, a chalkboard drawing (I drew the Kanye bear), and a retro pong game. There's something fun about solving puzzles for a grade, and even though the course is admittedly pretty challenging at times, it's so worth it.
It's weird to think that summer's over. Weirder still to think that an entire year has gone by and that I'm no longer a freshman. It's kinda sad, really, realizing that 25% of my college years are already behind me. Scary, even.
I could take this moment to lament how I lost half my first year (Spring and Summer) to COVID-19, which is 50% of my freshman year, an overall 12.5% of my college experience that I'll never get back. There's really a lot I could complain about.
Strange thing is, I don't really feel like it.
To this day I still can't but help but fawn over how cute they are...
As much as I'd rather a raging pandemic not terrorize the Earth, I can say that I'm completely satisfied with my Dartmouth life right now. Remote and all. Now, I guess maybe the fact that I get to play with dogs everyday tends to lessen the blow of not being home at Dartmouth, and getting to spend time with my siblings is always nice, but it's more than that.
Now don't get me wrong. I really, really, miss Dartmouth. Heck, these past few weeks I've been inexplicably listening to "Take Me Home Country Roads" by John Denver daydreaming about the campus. I don't even like country music. (Yes, I know that West Virginia is in no ways related to New Hampshire. But I'm from the West Coast, so it's all the same to me).
So why do I not mind the remote situation? I think it has to do with impact.
Fun fact: I bought the red book at a Dartmouth garage skills, and using my haggling skills brought the price down from $7 to $5
There's no denying that Dartmouth via Zoom is a shell of what Dartmouth really is. As great as the professors are, it's really the top-notch facilities and social community that make the school so amazing. But the reason why I've learned to live without them is because even off campus, I feel, for lack of a better word, impact.
Right now, on the shelf above me are two books. One is Boko Haram by Alexander Thurston and the other Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. The second book was given to me by a friend at Dartmouth for my birthday. I sent her a book for her birthday too! I'm Fine… and Other Lies by Whitney Cummings (though mine was signed, which means I win that gift exchange). The first I picked up at Dartmouth (among others). Even if we're separated, the people at Dartmouth are so kind and thoughtful that, even outside of semi-regular Zoom sessions to catch up, we try to make our presence felt in the real world too.
My lab phone! That's just the settings page
Next to my laptop is my second phone. Now, very few good things ever accompany a "second phone," but stay with me here for a second. Right now I'm contributing with research at the Jacobson Lab at Dartmouth, specifically app development. Now, my laptop is, for lack of a better word, a complete potato. I also have an iPhone, but no Macbook for it to connect to, meaning I have no way to actually test the app I'm building. Which is an issue. But a quick mention, and they immediately sent me a Google Pixel, no questions asked. No contract, loan agreement, nothing. Seriously. Part of me suspects that I could run off the phone and they'd be none the wiser.
So even so far away, through the books and phone, I still feel Dartmouth's impact on me. And through the book I gave, and the research I do, in the small way I can, I feel like I'm impacting Dartmouth too. Even through a screen.
After a year at Dartmouth, I've been able to carve out little niches for myself where I'm able to explore my passions, which I'd like to share with you all!
Dartmouth's Student Assembly has already run several voter registration drives, and I had the opportunity to vote early in my first presidential election ever at a town hall just last week. That's a moment I definitely won't forget!
As I write this I'm covered in my fluffy blanket, listening to a ~fall vibes~ playlist as the 36-degree crisp October air enters my room through my window. Obviously, fall in Hanover has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
As much as I'd rather a raging pandemic not terrorize the Earth, I can say that I'm completely satisfied with my Dartmouth life right now. Remote and all. Now, I guess maybe the fact that I get to play with dogs everyday tends to lessen the blow of not being home at Dartmouth, and getting to spend time with my siblings is always nice, but it's more than that.
There's no denying that Dartmouth via Zoom is a shell of what Dartmouth really is. As great as the professors are, it's really the top-notch facilities and social community that make the school so amazing. But the reason why I've learned to live without them is because even off campus, I feel, for lack of a better word, impact.
Next to my laptop is my second phone. Now, very few good things ever accompany a "second phone," but stay with me here for a second. Right now I'm contributing with research at the Jacobson Lab at Dartmouth, specifically app development. Now, my laptop is, for lack of a better word, a complete potato. I also have an iPhone, but no Macbook for it to connect to, meaning I have no way to actually test the app I'm building. Which is an issue. But a quick mention, and they immediately sent me a Google Pixel, no questions asked. No contract, loan agreement, nothing. Seriously. Part of me suspects that I could run off the phone and they'd be none the wiser.
