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.
I have a confession…I didn't really research quarter and semester terms when I applied to colleges. With factors like cost, location, and academics (and deadlines!) taking up my mind, the difference between a quarter and semester term seemed minimal.
But now that we've entered week 8, I've realized that living in the quarter system is much more significant than I anticipated. Frankly, it's amazing how quickly the days go by. And why wouldn't it? The difference between a 10-week and 15-week term is more than a month of living and learning at college. We learn an entire course in two-and-a-half months. Different big events can happen on the same day, and one week is chock-full of them. My experience with the 10-week quarter so far has been defined by, believe it or not, the need for more time and the reassessment of my priorities.
The need for more time
When there's so much to do each day, one naturally wishes they had more time in the day. For more than a couple of times, I've found myself shocked after looking at a clock and noticing that an hour had already passed since I sat down to study. The hours seem to go by faster here. Maybe it's because the homework takes longer to do, or because walking from building to building takes time, or because walking and waiting for meals takes up time as well. In any case, I found that cutting down on the areas where time gets sucked up helps me a lot in getting what I need to do.
For example, to save time walking from building to building, I'll often go to the closest study spots to my next classes. Since two of my classes are in Thornton Hall this term, I choose to walk to the Rauner Library in between those classes to study, since it is closer than the Baker-Berry Library.
Saving some time also allows me to spend some time enjoying cool stuff too!
Reassessing my priorities
With less time to invest in different activities, no one can say yes to everything. Webinars, social activities, guest lectures, and club meetings flood my mail inbox, and it's hard to sort through what I'd want to do and what I'd want to do. On top of keeping up with academic work, keeping my dorm clean, and getting enough sleep, it ends up a daunting task. Without a strict schedule to determine what to do and when, I realized that I needed to decide what I would invest my time in.
Some things I've decided to prioritize are…
Studying: making sure I have time to complete all my homework and review
Playing music: making sure I have the time to practice piano at least a little each day
Health: through exercise, healthy eating habits, and rest
Because every moment counts in the quarter system, I've realized that there is no point in spending my time on things I don't want to do. Priorities will be different for everyone, and they will be different for me in future terms! But knowing what I prioritize informs my choices when I'm met with the plethora that exists at Dartmouth.
I use Notion to help organize my days, but many students also use Google Calendar or other calendars—it's different for everyone!
These experiences are applicable everywhere, but I found that living in the quarter system so far has highlighted them as a learning experience. I really like the fast pace that keeps me moving and growing, but since no one can go at that pace forever, I always try to schedule a time to breathe.
In Solid Mechanics, we designed and constructed a bridge that held 10kN, around 1000kg! The process, from SOLIDWORKS design to laser cutting to gluing parts together, took us weeks, but it was one of the most rewarding projects I have ever done.
I applied through Questbridge's National College Match, but did not match. To others who also did not match, this is not the end of your application process! Here's what I did following match decision day.
Unlimited buffets, flavorful drinks, an assortment of breakfast pastries—Dartmouth has so many great food and drink options to choose from! Join me as I rank my favorite ones.
Walking around the Wellelsey campus, it's clear that it was built with intentional incorporation of the surrounding nature. The architecture of many buildings were also mindfully crafted to support Wellesley's unique principles.
