Welcome!! My name is Serena and I'm a '28 from New York City. I couldn't be more excited to be here at Dartmouth and share my experiences with all of you! I know I want to explore English Literature alongside a STEM discipline. I love to run, play volleyball, hike, knit, and read books! If you want to hear about a city kid's adventures in rural New Hampshire, follow along as I experience life in the woods!
In this dynamic class, Visiting Professor Vera Kallenberg taught us a survey of Jewish history and culture from the European enlightenment to the establishment of the State of Israel while also sharing her wealth of knowledge with us! Our small, seminar-style class lent itself to profound conversations around the difficult topics that arose during our discussions. From the Haskalah to discourse around the modern-day Israel-Palestine conflict, our class approached these topics with respect and care for one another. We read historical texts and fascinating personal narratives for homework, and then wove our knowledge about the past and present together in class discussions. What an incredible course!
I absolutely loved this Junior Colloquia English class taught by Professor Beckman. This small, discussion-based class is designed to prepare an English major for the type of work they will do in their Senior year. Professor Beckman is such a brilliant and kindhearted professor, and, especially as the only first-year student in that class, I really benefited from meeting with her in office hours. We read King Lear, The Alchemist, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Roaring Girl alongside various other academic papers. I left every class amazed, my brain filled to the brim with new and exciting knowledge about Renaissance literature. I loved engaging in fascinating topics and discussion in this challenging, high-level class!
My friends from home like to tell me, "Your stories about Dartmouth make no sense."
Well, at least they used to say that.
They had accepted that they would never truly understand what I meant 90% of the time.
They had accepted that they would never fully understand the awesome stories I shared about Dartmouth.
But no longer. I refuse to accept this devastating reality.
No longer will friends, parents, and relatives of Dartmouth students swim in the abyss of misunderstanding alone. Now, I will be their guide. I will be their shining beacon of light in the confusing swath of the world they feel they have not been invited to, nor do they understand.
I will light the way. I will invite them. I will help them understand.
No longer will friends and family constantly ask for clarification until one day they are too tired and they no longer ask what I mean. No longer must they just accept anything strange I say as part of "Part of Serena's world I will never understand."
Dartmouth students often use strange words and complicated phrases, casually dropping utter made-up nonsense into their stories and sentences—I hope to define these up-until-now unknown nouns and verbs.
So, I write this blog post for my friends from home, my parents, my family, and current and future Dartmouth first-years. I write this blog post not just to decode the strange Dartmouth code, but to invite you in.
So without further ado:
Your invitation to be a Dartmouth insider, aka the family and friends guide to understanding what Dartmouth students mean.
Enjoy :)
May you go from feeling as distant as the mountains we are gazing at to feeling as close as the rays of sunshine beaming down on our smiling faces!
Foco:
The Class of 1953 Commons. Commonly thought to be called Foco due to the "fo" sound from 5 in 53 and the "co" from the beginning of "Commons". The real answer is nothing quite so elaborate: food court = Foco.
Loco and Doco:
There are two sides of Foco: Loco and Doco. One is a more modern light side and one is a more historic dark side filled with beautiful arches of dark wood. Light side Foco and dark side Foco. Hence the terms Loco and Doco.
Fookies:
Fookies are an essential part of the Foco lifestyle. Many students grab a fookie or two as they leave Foco, hence the term Fookie = a Foco cookie.
The Hop:
This one is tricky. This "The Hop" is actually a dining location called "The Courtyard Café." The other "The Hop" officially refers to theHopkins Center for the Arts. Perhaps the courtyard cafe's proximity to the hop is why students call it "The Hop." Regardless, students use "The Hop" to refer to both locations.
Blobby:
Baker-Berry Libraryis one of the main libraries on campus. Baker is the older, more historic and "dark academia" part of the library.
Hence blobby = Baker lobby.
Baker lobby is a great study space. It is conducive for group work, facetimes with friends, or quiet work into the wee hours of the night. Strangely, I have made so many friendships here.
FFB, 2FB, 3FB, 4FB
These terms refer to the different floors in Berry Library (the newer, more modern part of Baker-Berry Library). When I first arrived at Dartmouth, I had absolutely no idea what these words were. Now they are practically as familiar to me as breathing.
FFB = First Floor Berry. Great for group projects and other collaborative things. Very lively. Noise level is normal.
2FB = Second Floor Berry. Many computer monitors. Great for working on group projects or individually. Noise level depends on which section of the floor you visit, varying from quiet to normal.
3FB = Third Floor Berry. Great for individual study or quietly working next to friends. Noise level is quiet.
4FB = Fourth Floor Berry. Great for individual study or working quietly next to a friend or two. Noise level is very quiet.
Flitz:
Let's break it down.
Flitz = flirty blitz
Blitz = an email (used to be nickname of former Dartmouth email system)
Therefore flitz = a flirty email
Fritz:
Fritz = friendly email/blitz
Woccom:
A walk around Occom Pond!
Croom:Croom = common room, specifically the Wheeler Hall fourth-floor common room. The fourth-floor common room has a long and storied history as being referred to as "the croom," just ask anyone who lives there. (check out my ode to Wheeler Hall blog post!)
I'm sunsiking gile here! What a beautiful fall day.
Sunrike:
Sunrike = sunrise hike
Sunsike:
Sunsike = sunsike hike
Check out my latest blog postto see pictures from my sunrike and sunsike!
As I begin my junior year, I feel my time at Dartmouth shifting from exploration to deeper focus, with my studies, experiences, and passions beginning to take clear shape.
As a senior now, I've experienced and learned more about myself and about life than I ever anticipated I could. With that, I want to reflect on Dartmouth's unique qualities, from its rural setting to the Greek Life presence to the quarter system!
Senior Fall brings an eventful and diverse courseload, taking up almost all of my time! Find out what I am involved with this term and the incredible variety of classes that Dartmouth has to offer!
New Hampshire is such a glorious state with so much to offer in the fall! Come with me as I explore Plainfield, NH, and go apple picking at Riverview Farms.
