Hi everyone! I'm Oscar, a '28 from Flushing, NYC. My academic interests are a mix of the arts (studio art, graphic design), the sciences (psychology, biology, sustainability), and maybe even anthropology? All of which I'm thinking of merging with a major in Cognitive Science with a focus area on Design. Outside the classroom, I'm passionate about giving back to my community, fiber arts, and em dashes. Welcome to my blog—I'm excited to explore Dartmouth together!
COSC 1 was the most challenging but rewarding class of this term. I had minimal coding experience prior to this class, but the course is manageable because of all the support available. COSC 1 is one of the largest classes offered at Dartmouth—a total of 200 students split in two sections—but there was always ample help from Professor Vasanta's classes and concept hours and the TA team's recitation and office hours. I enjoyed that assignments had creative flexibility—I recreated "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" book cover, wrote an adventure story, and made games for assignments.
I had completed my language requirement by taking CHIN 4 in my last term, but I was interested in further pursuing Chinese through CHIN 22. CHIN 22 is very similar in structure to CHIN 4—small class size, vocabulary exams, and drill sessions. I was lucky to take CHIN 22 with the Beijing Normal University's exchange professor, Professor Yin, who often adds color to lessons by explaining cultural element of China. Some interesting topics we've discussed include the effects of China's One Child Policy, transportation regulations in Beijing, and the symbolism of snow in Chinese culture.
Hanover, New Hampshire may seem a little out of the way from major transportation hubs. Thankfully, there's quite a few ways to get to campus. If you're planning to travel to Dartmouth for Dimensions (Dartmouth's admitted students day) in the spring, read on and make travel plans early!
Depending on where you're traveling from, some of these options may not apply, but they're good to keep in mind if you're planning a quick trip to/from another city. For reference, my traveling experience to and from campus has only been from Hanover, NH to New York City, NYC.
Saying bye to NYC as I write this blog post!
Driving a Car Unfortunately, first-years are not permitted to bring a privately-owned vehicle. But if you have access to a car and someone who is willing to drive you to campus, this is a great option! Depending on where you're traveling from, a car can be a more cost-effective and convenient option. Driving to campus also gives you the option to bring more belongings to campus—though you'll have to figure out how to move and store those belongings once you're on campus.
The Dartmouth Coach/ Buses
The Dartmouth Coach is likely the most common mode of transportation to Hanover. If you like plenty of legroom, convenient travel, and comfy seats, the coach could be a good choice for you. The coach offers service between Hanover, NH, and New York City, Boston Logan International Airport, and Boston South Station. Coach tickets are standard pricing, with a ticket to/from NYC at $89, Boston Logan Airport at $40, and Boston South Station at $35. Thanks to an initiative by Dartmouth Student Government, the Financial Aid Office offers fully paid Dartmouth Coach vouchers for students with financial need. So my travel back home from winterim (Dartmouth lingo for winter break) was free!
The Dartmouth Coach is probably the most convenient of all options. Boston Logan International Airport and Boston South Station are pretty common landing spots for students who are taking flights or trains on their way to campus. And the coach will drop you off on campus grounds, right in front of the Rauner Special Collections library.
Each full-fare ticket is allotted two luggages and one carry on, so you may not be able to bring most of your belongings to campus. As someone who took the coach when moving into campus, I found it helpful to pack light. If you're curious about more packing advice check out this blog post by Yehalah Fernando '26!
There are also other bus companies (Greyhound, Flixbus), which can offer more affordable service to nearby White River Junction, Vermont. See the next section (The Amtrak Vermonter), for a few notes on traveling through White River Junction.
The Amtrak Vermonter
Just across the Connecticut river is White River Junction, Vermont (WRJ), a transportation hub with an Amtrak station and Greyhound service. Getting to White River Junction is pretty easy thanks to the Upper Valley's free public transportation system, Advance Transit (AT). It's just a 30-ish minute ride from campus to WRJ. However, I would be mindful of traveling to White River Junction on Sundays, as AT does not operate on Sundays. So if you're trying to get to White River Junction on a Sunday make sure to have a plan.
Taking the Vermonter was a pretty smooth experience. There were great views, plenty of legroom, and a snack car. There are plenty of Amtrak stations across the US, so if you're not a fan of flights, taking the train could be a great option. The Northeast US is especially well connected, offering easy travel to major cities and even Montreal and Toronto.
Amtrak pricing is dynamic (ticket prices go up as seats fill), so depending on how early you buy tickets, the Amtrak can be more affordable than the Dartmouth Coach. The lowest I've seen a ticket from NYC to WRJ is $60. Though you may make up the difference with the added travel to WRJ from Hanover.
Interesting views from the train car!
Despite being in the middle of the woods, there's plenty of transportation options to campus! Depending on your budget, where you're traveling from, and what you're comfortable with, my experiences may or may not apply, so I encourage you to do your own research!
The Lunar New Year festivities continue! Here's a photo gallery of Korean Student Association, Malaysian Student Association, and Vietnamese Student Association's celebrations!
A weekend of embracing the cold and finding fun activities to do! From winning money at a game show to the Annual Snowball Fight, this weekend is a core memory of my experience with Dartmouth winters!
"Only three classes?!" The typical response I get from someone outside of Dartmouth. Come and join as I describe how those three classes actually feel in a ten week term!
