Hey! I'm Nuna and I'm a '28 from Accra, Ghana. I'm currently studying Biology at Dartmouth on the pre-med track but I'm still on the lookout for any other interesting areas of study. When I'm not in class (and not catching up on sleep), I'm reading, cooking or winning card games with my friends (especially Uno and Hearts!). I am constantly exploring new activities, places on campus or meeting new people, so come along for the ride!
I had a little experience with calculus before I came to Dartmouth, but this course made it a lot more fun while still being appropriately challenging. We learnt about limits, derivatives, differentiation and integration methods. My professor was a lot of fun and I made a lot of good friends in this class because it was such an engaging class and a friendly environment. I’m not sure if I’ll be taking any more calculus classes, but this one was a really good way to kick off my journey.
This class is an even mix between an English, History and Jewish Studies class. By using articles, movies and memoirs, we learn to how write effectively on the topic of gender and sexuality in relation to the Holocaust. The main focus is on organizing arguments, using evidence and developing a distinct writing style. Though I'm not a big fan of History, I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Not only do I think my writing has improved dramatically, but I also learnt a lot about World War II and the nuanced experiences of people of different genders and sexualities. Our professor was also brilliantly engaging and very constructive in her teaching style. I might end up taking more History classes after this!
This class was one of the best I've had at Dartmouth so far! We learnt about the basic structure and function of cells in the first few weeks. From there, we delved much deeper into cellular mechanisms and the molecular pathways that govern cell functions/the cell cycle and ended with a discussion of cancers. We also did a lot of interesting labs such as protein purification and microscopy. My professor broke down complex concepts in a way that made them seem much simpler. He was very friendly, always available for office hours and really funny! Apart from teaching well, he made sure we were actually engaged and enjoying the class. I've always been a more STEM-inclined student but this class made me further consider what area of biology I want to concentrate in. There's always so much more to explore!
SummerAccra, Ghana
I spent a chill summer resting, catching up on sleep, binging books and TV shows, and seeing family. It was a lot of fun and it made me feel prepared for fall term.
I started off my sophomore year on a great note. I'm sure many students have heard the horror stories about organic chemistry (aka orgo), but I personally enjoyed this class a lot. During the term we reviewed a bit of content from general chemistry, such as hybridization, acids and bases, and Lewis structures. After that, we moved swiftly on to alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and most of the other functional groups. We discussed their nomenclature and their reaction mechanisms. By the end of the term, we had covered so much content. My professor was excellent! He really brought the subject to life and explained it in a way that not only made sense but facilitated real learning instead of rote memorization. Labs were sometimes fun (and sometimes not) but as a whole I truly had a blast in this class.
Bonjour from Toulouse: Being on a Dartmouth Language Study Abroad
Hello, or as they say here in Toulouse (and literally everywhere else in France), bonjour! I often talk about studying biology at Dartmouth, but I have also always had a bit of a passion for French. I've also always wanted to see France itself. Enter the Dartmouth LSA+ (Advanced Language Study Abroad) Toulouse. To get into this program, I had to complete an application and finish French 3, which is the final French course in Dartmouth's introductory French sequence.
There were a few things I found interesting about the preparation and arrival process. Firstly, my financial aid package was not the same amount as it was for regular terms. Although the cost of a term abroad was higher than a regular Dartmouth term, my financial aid was adjusted to meet the cost of living, which greatly increased affordability for the program. Secondly, all the students on the program were allowed to fly from any respective locations, which was very convenient for me. For the Winterim Break (after fall term), I was at home in Ghana, and so I simply had to arrive in Toulouse within a predetermined time interval.
Exploring the streets of Toulouse!
It's only been slightly less than two weeks since I arrived, but I am loving it so far! To promote cultural immersion, we all have homestays, and all the students live with host families. Not only is it a chance to meet new people, but it also offers great insight into how Toulousians live. The immersion doesn't end there. We all signed a contract that requires us to speak French during our stay. It's exhausting, but worth it!
So far, I've just been getting used to our schedule. We have class 3 days a week, and several excursions to museums and towns. When I'm not in class or on an excursion, I enjoy discovering the centre-ville (town center) and finding new places to eat with my friends on the trip. We've already found some real gems so far. I'm very interested in satisfying my constant and intense craving of macarons, so we'll see how that goes! We're also allowed to visit other towns, which I'm very excited about. We've already been to Carcassonne, a small town known for a beautiful castle and scenery. It might've been a rainy day but we enjoyed it anyway.
Me and my (much needed) umbrella in Chateau Comtal, the stunning castle in Carcassonne!
Even though I've just arrived, I've had so many new experiences and I cannot wait to see where this term takes me.
Learn about my first internship at Dartmouth, DSCI's ImpACT Winterim Initiative, and more about internship opportunities, DCSI, and pursuing hands-on experiences at Dartmouth!
My final week in Saigon was nothing short of adventure. Bittersweet, but still jam-packed with activities, come with me as I conclude my time in Vietnam
This winter, I'm studying abroad in Toulouse, immersing myself in French language, literature, art, and culture through place-based classes, city explorations, and firsthand experiences across southern France.
From surfing in Puerto Rico to backpacking in Joshua Tree to Norway: Break trips are a unique Dartmouth experience, giving students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the outdoors
This past summer, I was a Dartmouth Bound Leader with Admissions and a leader for Strengthening Educational Access with Dartmouth (SEAD) with the Center for Social Impact. With my rural, low-income background, I found it fulfilling to be a mentor.
