First, I'll explain who I am. I'm Nicholas Sugiarto, a '23 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.
I'm just starting to enter my second year at Dartmouth, which has prompted me to really think back about last year, and what's coming for me moving forward. I think my freshman year, an upperclassman friend told me not to be too worried about Dartmouth because by the time I started my sophomore year I'd figure it out. I can now say, confidently, that she was a dirty liar.
That doesn't mean that I haven't loved my time here. And I've definitely got a much stronger grasp of what Dartmouth is like, even though I've really only been on campus my freshman fall and winter. I just think that saying that I've "figured it out" is a stretch. Because to be honest with you, I really still have no idea what I'm doing.
And I think that's normal for 90% of students here. Every year is a constant continuation of learning. Not just academically, but personally too. Coming into Dartmouth, I had no idea what my freshman year would look like. And coming into my sophomore year, I don't have the slightest clue what the next three years will entail.
Me interviewing Nimesh Patel. It was a super cool experience!
I'd never think that during Fall, my friend and I would get a chance to interview Nimesh Patel, the first Indian-American SNL writer, and first Indian-American SNL writer to be infamously kicked off stage at Columbia. Nor did I think that I'd get a chance to do research with the Dartmouth supercomputer. Dartmouth has provided me with so many opportunities that I honestly think I wouldn't get anywhere else.
Of course, all this talk about getting lost doesn't mean that I have any direction. Since I'm starting my sophomore year, I'm now in the process of declaring my major, which means that I have to design a (rough) plan of the major-related classes I'll take the next four years. It's a massive undertaking that requires me to dig through packets of course offerings, figure out what I want to do, and sort them out over my next nine terms. The weird thing about it though is that I don't feel nervous at all.
I mean I should be. After all, it's only the degree I'll have for the rest of my life. But I'm not, and mostly for two reasons. One, I've been at Dartmouth long enough to have faith that I'll find whatever class I take meaningful and rewarding. Two, I'm not alone. Choosing and planning a major is a monster of a task, but Dartmouth sets everyone up with a faculty mentor to help you choose your classes, which has honestly been a massive lifesaver.
So that's where I'm at right now. There's a lot of opportunity of all kinds at Dartmouth. From designing your own course load for your major to interviewing Nimesh Patel, there's so much to do it's honestly quite frightening. But I'm glad knowing that, whether it be friends, professors, or faculty mentors, I have people around me here that will help me along the way.
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
As I approach the halfway mark of my Dartmouth journey this spring, I find myself reflecting on the significance of distributive and world culture requirements in shaping my academic experience.
Witnessing an eclipse was one of the most exciting days in my life to date, and a solid reminder of our place in this universe. Read on to hear about it!
This is my final term before senior year, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. One thing I am excited about is the classes I am taking this term, so let me tell you more!
