Welcome! I'm Olivia Koo '26, hailing from Los Alamos, New Mexico. I hope to study biochemistry on the pre-health track, and I'm excited to supplement it with music, as a classical musician and songwriter! Some of my favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos about my favorite TV shows, fiddling on my guitar, and reading New York Times op-eds.
Unsure whether I would enjoy the biology-heavy pre-health track, I took an intro biology class. I surprisingly found myself so invested each class—I didn’t think I’d ever be excited trying to determine if the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) had DNA or RNA, but here we are! I found it a great introduction to thinking processes at Dartmouth.
I loved coming to this class with its supportive environment! The professor's feedback really helped me improve in my writing. This course guided us through personal narratives and organizational writing while discussing what it really means to be authentic. It also introduced me to the library’s resources for writing and research!
This class was definitely not easy! The accelerated version of general chemistry, it was my first class at Dartmouth that used a textbook, and I had to adapt and learn how to use a textbook for a class properly. But that didn't mean I didn't have a good time! The classes were full of physical demonstrations, and I felt very supported in the lab and beyond.
This was the first group music class I took, and I loved it! Each class we'd move a little forward in time; one day we'd talk about medieval chants, and by the next couple weeks, we talked about Baroque music. We even got to observe original medieval music scores from the Rauner Library, and attend a performance of Baroque music by the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra!
Songwriting 1 was the first time I was able to work on something creative/in the arts at Dartmouth, and I really loved it! I got to learn how to improve my songwriting and get to know a community of fellow songwriters on campus. The class was both supportive and constructive, and I pushed myself to my creative limit with the assignment of writing one new song a week. This class inspired me to continue writing and being expressive, whether in an academic setting or not.
I've realized that the first half of the term is always marked with adaptation, getting to know what strategies and schedules work best during that time. This term was no exception for the adjustment; I had all three of my classes in consecutive time periods this term, meaning that I had to learn how to accommodate for the long stretch of instruction. Here's a day in the life of my spring term, specifically of a Monday!
6:45 – 7:00 am Wake up
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I have Spanish drill, a 45-minute period where students practice speaking Spanish with a student instructor. There are different times for these drills, but this term I chose the 7:45 AM slot to make sure that it wouldn't conflict with other activities, even if that means I wake up earlier than most people on campus. I like to give myself a 15-minute timespan where I can wake up slowly, rather than having to jump out at the first sound of an alarm. It makes the wake-up process a little less painful for me!
I'm always sure to make a thermos of tea in my dorm before heading out, which is my preferred method of caffeine right now!
7:30 am Quick breakfast at Novack Café
The closest breakfast spot for me that's open at 7:30 am is located on the first floor of Baker-Berry library, Novack! I usually order a bagel with cream cheese that I toast myself with the toaster oven next to the café.
7:45 – 8:30 am Spanish Drill
Located in Dartmouth Hall for me this term, the students sit in a classroom while an instructor, a student fluent in Spanish, offers us speaking exercises that test us on the vocabulary and grammar that we are learning in class. Only showing up is necessary, and there's an element of fun to it, even when the sentences get too complicated to understand!
The walk to Dartmouth Hall...
8:50 – 9:55 am Chemistry 11
Located in Wilder Hall, I go straight to the lecture hall from drill to prepare for the class. A lecture-based class, I enjoy listening to the professor on the subject outlined that day. There are even fun demonstrations! This past Friday, we had a demonstration of an exothermic reaction done outside.
10:10 – 11:15 am First Year Seminar: Science Communications & Context
Because this class is in Fairchild Hall, it's connected to Wilder Hall! I don't have to walk very far to get to this class. We spend a lot of time in this class discussing readings and peer reviewing each other's writing. I find it to be a calming class.
11:30 – 12:20 pm Spanish 3
Compared to my other classes, Spanish classes are 50 minutes instead of 65. I make the return to Dartmouth Hall and learn about Spanish vocabulary and grammar. This week, I got to present a famous Spanish painting to my classmates in Spanish. My painting was the Metamorphosis of Narcissus by Salvador Dalí. The class is very conversation-based, and we end up talking about a lot of fun subjects with each other, but in Spanish!
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
For lunch, I pick one of my two preferred options for lunch: Foco (the Class of 1953 Commons Dining Hall) or Collis (the café located in Collis Center)! If I want larger portions of food, I go to Foco, but if I feel like working while I eat, or want to avoid the lunchtime rush of people, I elect for a quick to-go meal in Collis, which includes their lunch special, made-to-order stir-fry, and pre-made wraps and sandwiches.
2/3-ish – 5:30 pm Lab
As I'm part of the WISP (Women in Science Project) program, I get to work in a lab 8-9 hours a week! I usually go after my classes for the day. I am currently in an organic chemistry lab—I may not know very much because I haven't taken organic chemistry classes yet, but I've learned a lot working in this lab. I'm currently practicing how to process and interpret NMR spectra!
5:45 – 6:45 pm Dinner
The walk to Foco
I like to have my dinners a little earlier, so I may meet up with people to eat or relax. Foco and Collis are again good options, but if I'm feeling French fries and the like, I head to Courtyard Café located in the Hopkins Performance Center!
7:00 – 8:00 pm Piano Practice
Since I am continuing my Individual Instruction for piano this term, that means I need to practice my pieces in a practice room in Sudikoff Hall. Oftentimes it's difficult to keep up the streak of practice, but I do my best to touch the keys and stay familiar with my pieces.
8:15 – 11pm/12am-ish Studying
Because Mondays and Wednesdays are quite busy for me, I tend to study more on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Even so, that doesn't mean I can't do any work in the evening! I do any work I require, but only as much as I can handle. Sometimes, I'll head to the late-night snack bar for a little food boost.
I believe that having a routine is a great way to keep stability and good habits throughout the term. I hope that the rest of the term continues to be a busy but educational experience!
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.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a phenomenal total solar eclipse occurred — and we happened to be within the path of totality. As a result, Dartmouth hosted a variety of eclipse-related events on- and off-campus. Find out how I spent the eclipse!
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.
