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.
I took this class to learn a little more about the social landscape around medicine, and this class delivered that by a mile. From environmental exposure to racial inequities in medicine/health to the discussion of medicine itself as a manipulative tool in colonialist social structures, this class helped me rethink medicine and my role within it.
As Sophomore Summer moves into the second half of the term, I've found that auditioning for and dancing in a summer dance group has been one of my term's highlights!
Dance groups, acapella groups, and comedy groups are a big part of the Dartmouth campus activity scene–every fall, freshmen and sophomores interested in being a part of one of these groups audition for a spot among the groups, who perform shows throughout the term at Greek houses and other events! As a singer, I chose acapella to be my activity of choice, and have been part of an acapella group (the Rockapellas) since my freshman year. (You can read about some of my experiences here!)
But Sophomore Summer offers a unique opportunity. With less people on campus, the typical campus groups don't have enough members to perform; thus, they recruit some more! The usual members help guide and lead their new members, teaching them arrangements, dances, and more.
Here are the logos of this year's summer dance groups–each one is a summery spin on the original name of the dance group!
Sophomores have a chance to audition for a different activity or an activity that they've always wanted to do; in the spirit of summer and fun, they can audition and participate in their activity of choice even if they are an amateur. One of the acapella groups this summer is called Tone Deaf, singing in good fun with people who call themselves tone deaf!
Here's an summer a cappella group decked out in flair! (Flair is our term for our spirited clothes)
I auditioned for some dance groups early this term, looking for a new experience! I've always enjoyed dancing, having done ballet and tap when I was younger. I ended up in Ujimelt, the summer dance group run by Ujima (with fellow blogger Memo)! We've had one show so far, but we've got two more in the works. It's been a really fun experience learning how dance groups operate their practices, and getting back into the groove, literally and figuratively, of dancing! A couple of weeks ago we had a large performance involving all the dance groups and acapella groups, and everyone got to have their moment to shine as we cheered each other on.
Ujimelt after the first show!
I'll definitely miss dancing when the fall rolls back around, but I'm really happy that this gets to be one of the highlights for my Sophomore Summer!
As a second-year at Dartmouth, I've embraced leadership roles that foster community, creativity, and support! Here's a look at how each role has shaped my journey.
