Hey there! My name is Pau and I am a '25 from Nicaragua! At Dartmouth, I am a Government major modified with Economics and I also plan to minor in International Studies. A little more about me is that I have an undying passion for eating fruit, watching sunrises/sunsets, petting dogs, and finding myself in warm, cozy places. Feel free to ask me any questions on anything and everything that piques your interest about Dartmouth! I love to share :) Go Big Green!
In this class we pondered essential questions centered around human existence. To tackle "What Matters" we took a quest throughout time exploring different events throughout our collective history that have de-centered us in space and time and made us question how we derive meaning and purpose in our lives.
This class was led by Lisa Adams, MD, and Dr. John Butterly, MD, who are both AMAZING. This class discussed several health issues such as diseases, malnourishment, and improper sanitation that still plagues the world today and various solutions that can be undertaken to increase the overall health and wellbeing of the world's population.
A hallmark of the Dartmouth education, ECON 1 "The Price System" is offered during every term at Dartmouth except the summer. Whether or not students want to major in economics, many decide to make the first plunge into the world of supply and demand through this introductory course. ECON 1 was a memorable part of my Freshman Spring as I became engrossed into the economics department through the teachings of Professor Diego Ramos-Toro. This class helped me and other students alike gain an understanding of economic policy and concepts that I continue to be useful today. ECON 1 is a profoundly helpful course that would be beneficial to all students regardless of their academic interests.
Development Economics is a course that focuses on using statistical methodologies to understand a fundamental question what makes some countries rich and others poor? And what can we do about it?
Violence and Security is a class offered through the International Studies Department that seeks to understand the underlying causes of human conflict. To answer this question, the class takes on a multidisciplinary approach and draws from the fields of biology, anthropology, economics, and political science. I loved the way in which the class sought to “illuminate the news” through our discussions and also created a vivid space for us to actively question human behavior and the implications of governmental policy towards security.
Government 5 is one of Dartmouth’s most popular courses. In it, students get a taste for subjects in the international realm by thinking critically about the multiple facets of international politics including questions of conflict and security, global economics and trade, climate change, as well as allegiances and cooperation. I loved the way in which Professor Daryl Press was able to expertly weave current events into the class in order to make students gain a deeper understanding of the topics at hand.
With only about a month left in the term, I decided to reflect a little on the classes I'm currently taking!
This fall term, I started focusing more on classes related to my major. At Dartmouth, one does not have to declare their major until the 5th term of residence, which is usually during their Sophomore winter. This gives Dartmouth students ample time to experiment within different departments of the College and are even expected to do so as they fulfill different distributive requirements needed for graduation. Distributive requirements are implemented by the College in order to ensure that students receive a comprehensive education that covers a wide-range of topics instead of simply centering around a single discipline. There is a ton of time and opportunities for academic exploration within Dartmouth's liberal arts curriculum.
Since I am leaning heavily toward becoming a geography and economics major, I decided to continue this track by taking another Introductory course in geography: Introduction to Human Geography and what could eventually become the focus of my economics track: Development Economics. Within the economics department, students can choose different tracks that include International Trade, Finance, Labor Economics, Development Economics, and other such focuses on the field. While I am still not 100% decided on being an economics and geography double major, these two courses are still things I find interesting and could help me during future projects.
In Introduction to Human Geography, we talk about how people interact with their environment and how this has varying effects on culture, politics, and other social outcomes. Taking this class has definitely shaped my worldview to encompass a more holistic view of the world around me.
We focus on contemporary social issues in low-income countries in Development Economics. Specifically, we study the way in which child-mortality, fertility, gender inequality, hunger, inadequate education, infectious diseases, and other such afflictions seem to be more pervasive amongst poor countries. In all of these topics, we examine the factors and constraints using statistical inference and study different papers and studies published in the field of Economic Development.
My third course this term is a class offered by the Institute of Writing and Rhetoric which offers many courses involving writing and speech. In this department, I am taking Public Speaking through which we explore what makes good public speaking. Over the course of the term, we have to deliver various individual speeches on different topics.
Overall, I am incredibly happy with my fall term course load as it is allowing me to branch out into different disciplines such as into the realm of writing and rhetoric by analyzing public speeches as well as also being able to continue my progress as an economics and geography major.
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
As I approach the halfway mark of my Dartmouth journey this spring, I find myself reflecting on the significance of distributive and world culture requirements in shaping my academic experience.
This is my final term before senior year, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. One thing I am excited about is the classes I am taking this term, so let me tell you more!
This is part two of me "nerding out" about my honors thesis! If you want to learn more about independent projects, theses, or the humanities at Dartmouth, check it out!
