Hi all! Welcome to my blog! My name is Robin. I am a freshman studying Economics and Computer Science. Outside of class I'm a guitarist, amateur rock climber, and seasoned billiard player–if you're on campus, there's a good chance you can find me in the basement of Collis playing pool with friends. I'm still new around here and have lots to learn and will share my journey in this blog. So if you're a prospie, parent, or Dartmouth enthusiast, you've come to the right place!
In what ways has the Dartmouth community helped you balance academic and personal pursuits?
A:
At Dartmouth, academics require a large time commitment. Because of the quarter system, classes move fast, covering what is a semester's worth of content at most schools in only ten weeks. I admit that it can be difficult to manage your schedule sometimes; however, we are encouraged by Dartmouth to prioritize our mental health and engage in activities outside the classroom. So, there are plenty of opportunities to pursue your personal interests amidst intense classwork.
Once you get the hang of the quarter system and its fast pace, you realize there is actually a lot of free time to fill, and it's fairly easy to work on your personal pursuits. An example of this is exercising. When I came to college, I knew I wanted to workout and be physically active. So, I started going to the gym every night. Then, after a few weeks, I decided that I wanted to dedicate more time to sports, and joined the climbing team at the end of my first term.
Many of my friends are in sports teams, performance groups, and other fun clubs around campus. These activities are great ways to find a community and meet people, and serve as good study breaks. On weekends, there is always time to hangout with friends — you can go on trips with the DOC, watch a sports game, or just sit back and watch a movie in your dorm. There are plenty of things to do at Dartmouth; personally, I have never felt bored here and if I feel stressed, I can always take a break, head to my room, and play guitar for a bit. It's all about balance.
In short, academics come first but, despite heavy workloads, Dartmouth makes it fairly easy for students to dedicate time to their personal interests.
I have officially settled into my new dorm! Come take a peek at what residential life is like, and some opportunities that might come after the quarantine!
I was especially excited to learn that I would have a lot of control over my academic schedule this term, and I'm here to walk you through what that looks like for me!
After a six week break, I'm back. My winterim was a fun mix of staying at home, binge-watching Survivor, celebrating the holidays, and enjoying the Southern Californian landscape, so I'm feeling refreshed to dive back into blogging!
I'm starting my second year at Dartmouth, and I'm still really quite lost. But in a good way. And even then, I'm lucky that there are people here to help me along the way.
Winterim has zoomed by and I'm so ready to begin a new term, probably filled to the brim with classes, extracurriculars, and lots and lots of skiing, but—first—I'll give a little bit of info what I did over winter break.
One of my favorite things to do as a Dartmouth student is going to all the various talks, lecture series, and events that the school holds throughout the year. Here's why!
A school had to meet three criteria for me to consider it a "good fit": academics, location, and community. After researching about Dartmouth and visiting the campus, I realized that this school was not a good fit for me-- it was a perfect fit.
