Welcome! I'm Olivia Koo '26, hailing from Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am studying biological chemistry on the pre-med track, and I'm excited to be supplementing it with music, as a classical pianist and singer-songwriter! Some of my favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos about video games, singing and playing my guitar, and reading New York Times op-eds. Look through my page for information about Dartmouth's pre-med track, STEM research, acapella/music, and study abroad opportunities!
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.
For one of my classes on the London Music FSP, I got to attend a myriad of musical performances in London and discuss them with my class! It was a once-in-a-life-time experience–getting to watch multiple operas, ballets, jazz sets, and a musical, as well as seeing beautiful performances from the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and more, helped me grow my ear so much and my inspirations as a musician.
Hello! I am writing this blog during my mid-term break on my FSP! We have a five-day break to travel anywhere we please; my classmates have gone to Italy, France, and even Morocco—I'm in Edinburgh, Scotland.
What a beautiful city!
It's hard to believe that I am already halfway through my adventure abroad; the journey so far has felt like a dream and a blur all at once. The speed at which Dartmouth terms go seems to be universal, no matter which country my classes are in. From rushing to concerts to preparing for classes to cooking meals at 10 PM, the experience has taught me to be kinder to myself, as not every city-going venture is going to end up perfectly, nor is every practice session going to be mistake-less or even productive. I put high expectations on myself, both in music and life in general, but the unpredictability of the city, the events that we're going to, and the burden of a long commute have allowed me to be more forgiving of the circumstances.
Here are some highlights of the FSP so far:
Going to the Seven Sisters Cliffs – This was the first time I planned a day trip out of London, and I think that the circumstances ended up beautifully! The weather was beautiful, the hike was fantastic, and although the journey was exhausting, I was happy it ended so well.
Seeing Van Gogh and Monet at the National Gallery – Seeing so much art in London has been a huge highlight for me, and I still have so many other places to check out. Art for me is a very important part, and it's great to feel re-inspired musically and expressively through the art I see.
Listening to my classmates' mid-term presentations – This past week, we got to present to our classmates to show the progress we've made and the plans that we have for our FSP performances at the end of the term, as well as our journeys as musicians. The passion that everyone has for their musical crafts inspires me so much, and I hope to work on my own and share my passion, too.
Taking piano lessons – I truly appreciate that my teacher genuinely cares about my progress even for the short time we have together; they are squeezing me into their tight schedules. I've never met a piano teacher who laughs as much as my piano teacher on this FSP, and it's helped me re-realize the joy that can come from classical piano.
With only half of the FSP left, I hope I get to do most of the things I want to do (I have yet to spend a day at the British Museum…perhaps I am saving the best for last)! Even if I don't, I've gotten so much out of living here, even just for half a term. As I took the coach to Edinburgh last night, I felt very lucky to be at Dartmouth, living this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
A view of the Royal Albert Hall, where we watched Verdi's Requiem recently!
This past summer, I studied abroad in the Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—with the government department and Irving Institute. Read on to learn more about my first study abroad experience!
I recently completed a language-pledge homestay week in the village of Orvinio, Italy as a part of the Dartmouth F.I.R.E. Italian study abroad program!
This past week, I got to participate in a Memory Café hosted by the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth with my club, Dartmouth Forte! What's a Memory Café? Read to find out!
