Hello there! My name is Shuyi and I'm a '23, which means it's my senior year here at Dartmouth! Follow me for my last year at Dartmouth as I reflect upon my college experience. At Dartmouth, I enjoy playing squash, eating at late night, and of course, blogging. You can ask me about studying social sciences, coming to Dartmouth as an international student, and anything else really. I hope you enjoy the blog!
With recent news that many colleges will continue to stay online for the fall term (although Dartmouth has not made any final decisions yet), all you 24's out there might be wondering if your first college experiences will take place in Hanover. Although you shouldn't think too much about that yet — Dartmouth has said they will communicate final decisions in late June — it might be helpful to share about my remote learning experiences so far.
Although I'm not at Dartmouth, I certainly haven't escaped all the amazing things that Dartmouth has to offer. I've connected on Zoom with several of my friend groups on campus, including my club squash team and my first-year trips. My floor has also hosted Zoom meetings and my UGA has office hours when we can go and hang out or ask questions, which means I feel just as supported as before. Clubs at Dartmouth are still hosting great events, ranging from presentations by Roger Zakheim, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense to Dan August, the VP of Strategy for the LA Rams and even a live performance by Noah Kahan, who sang my personal favorites Need Your Love and HurtSomebody! In fact, part of the reason why these amazing people can talk to us is the remote nature of the term.
As I've mentioned in my previous blog posts, all the great things about classes at Dartmouth are still present. We still get to enjoy personal office hours, tutoring and study group resources, and of course, engaged and invested professors. The collaborative spirit at Dartmouth is also alive, as I've had the pleasure of working with my friends in almost all of my classes (when it's allowed). Finally, if you do have any issues, whether that's something like internet connection or time zones, professors are more than happy to help you. For example, my CS10 class records all the lectures so you can watch later if you're unavailable during meeting times. We also have TA's available at almost every time of the day and night throughout the week, and my professor even recently changed the exam format to better support those who were having internet issues! The school, like my professors, have also tried to be supporting during this time by communicating with updates, helping us with our belongings, and answering any questions we have.
Of course, remote learning does come with its downfalls. I don't get to hang out with my friends on the Green, I haven't met as many new people as I usually do, and I don't get to enjoy the in-person classroom experience that I have grown to love. However, I know I'll be able to experience all these things as soon as its safe to do so, whether that's in the fall or later on in the academic year. Until then, I'll keep answering your questions and blogging about my life away from Hanover, althought definitely not away from Dartmouth!
Entering a new environment miles away from home, knowing little to no people at first, can feel daunting. However, Dartmouth's support systems, particularly through the First Generation Office (FGO), have been nothing short of incredible.
