Hi all! Welcome to my blog! My name is Robin. I am a senior studying Economics and the Digital Arts. 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 at the Collis pool hall. I love Dartmouth and am sharing my journey through this blog. So if you're a prospie, parent, or Dartmouth enthusiast, you've come to the right place!
In this class, I'll be learning about stellar evolution, the origin of the elements, the deaths of stars, black holes, the structure of our Galaxy, other galaxies, dark matter, the expanding universe and the big bang.
In this class, we explore the issues of mark, line, scale, space, light and composition. I'm not naturally a great artist, but I love art and am taking this course to improve my skills.
This course studies the economic behavior of employers and employees as they interact in the labor market, covering topics such as human capital investment, the structure and determinants of financial compensation and benefits packages, contract negotiations and arbitration.
Painting I is an introductory class in oil painting techniques, painting language, and critical thinking. Major topics that will be covered include: basic color theory, color mixing, paint application, and color composition.
This course explores how the brain controls our motivation to pursue goals and how drugs of abuse hijack those systems, exploring in detail how narcotic drugs (opioids, stimulants, alcohol, cannabis) act in the brain and the mechanisms underlying the transition from drug use to addiction.
As a kid, I used to spend my summer days drawing on my sketchbook or painting with watercolors to pass the time. With time I left this hobby behind—life gets busy, and I found new interests to pass the time. However, art is something that I love to this day, and I always find it fun and relaxing to doodle, mostly in my notebook during class. I know, it's a bad habit—well, not in every class.
This term, I am taking Studio Art 15: Drawing 1. As I mentioned above, I love making art, so I am taking this class out of interest, to improve my skills, and to dabble in something new. The course is in-person this term, and is taught in the Black Visual Arts Center where there is a studio reserved specifically for Drawing 1. There, we have all of our materials: pencils, charcoal, pens, inks, brushes, and anything you could think of—plus, we have access 24/7, so night-owls can feel free to put their art on paper any time that inspiration strikes.
I've been in the class for two weeks as I write this blog, but this class is already one of my favorites ever. My homework is to draw for about 10 hours a week, with each assignment being based on the latest technique or form of drawing learned in class. Plus, I was given a sketchbook at the start of the term, in which I am to draw anything that comes to mind. It doesn't have to be super detailed, although it can be—it can be about anything and everything. Generally, I end my night by sketching until I'm ready to sleep. It's a great way to unwind after a busy day and, at the same time, helps me improve my technique.
After Drawing 1, there are many courses in the Studio Art Department where one can learn to paint, sculpt, print-make, and much more! I will definitely be exploring these down the road—and if you have the opportunity, I think you should too! There are no prerequisites for these courses and students who take them come from all different levels of experience. The liberal arts are all about trying new things. So, if you have the opportunity, give art classes a shot! They're fun, and are the only time you'll be encouraged to doodle in class.
Unlike some other universities, many of the STEM lecture classes at Dartmouth require concurrent enrollment in a laboratory section. What is it like navigating that time as a student?
