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.
Happy end of Week 6! With my midterms coming to a close, I got to do a lot of things this week, and I wanted to share some highlights of what I did!
Tuesday: Acapella show!
On Tuesday, I performed with my acapella group! I am part of the Rockapellas, a group that not only likes to sing, but advocate for social justice causes through their songs. This show featured the freshmen in our group, and we sang with the Dartmouth Aires, another acapella group, in a sorority house. Most dance, comedy, and acapella shows are in fraternity and sorority houses, which are one of the social hubs on campus. This week was full of different shows featuring different groups, and it was a lot of fun to be a part of and to watch!
A scene from our show! (I'm wearing the lobster hat)
Thursday: Getting to know my Spanish professor!
I got to spend an afternoon with my Spanish professor, along with some other students! At Umpleby's, a café right outside of campus, I practiced my Spanish by getting to know my professor and the other students, who ranged in Spanish level. It was a really great opportunity and I had a lot of fun talking with my professor!
Friday: Day of Caring
On Friday, the college declared a Day of Caring, which was dedicated to letting students focus on their mental health and well-being. There were many activities arranged by the school after cancelling classes for that day, from discussions about grief to petting barnyard animals. For my health, I went on a run! From my dorm to Occom Pond to the former golf course, even just running a mile outside of campus places you in the middle of the woods. Even though a lot of leaves have fallen, the trees were still full of golden leaves. The former golf course north of campus is now a place of trails and wonderful places to walk. My legs may be sore now, but I definitely think I'll be running more in the future.
A view from the golf course!
Friday evening: Concert!
I attended the last day of a three-day-long concert featuring the world-class violinist Midori and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Performing multiple of Beethoven's sonatas for violin and piano, the concert was incredibly stunning.
My view of the piano and the stage; the show was in Spaulding Auditorium at the Hop!
Saturday: Making dinner!
I'm a part of the Asian and Asian American LLC (Living Learning Community), a small community where I get to live with other Asians and Asian American freshmen. Some of us got to cook dinner together at the Chinese Language House, and I got to have bibimbap for dinner!
Saturday evening: Diwali!
Dartmouth celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, on Saturday. Candles were lit and lined up along the Green's pathways, setting the atmosphere for the many events in the celebration. I couldn't go to everything, but I got to have some really good food and see an awesome performance by members of the South Asian community and Raaz, the South Asian dance group on campus! I had never been to a Diwali celebration before, and it was so cool seeing people and families of all ages come together and celebrate this festival.
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
