Hello there! My name is Shuyi and I'm a '23, which means it's my sophomore year here at Dartmouth! I'm currently taking classes at Dartmouth remotely from China, so it's definitely been an interesting 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!
After seeing some great blog posts on the website, I've decided to revisit my "Why Dartmouth" essay from when I applied to college, not only because I think it's a fun idea, but also because I'm running out of things to write about during this remote term. I hope that by looking back at why I wanted to come to Dartmouth, you can learn a bit more about my favorite aspects of the school!
Dartmouth's focus on undergraduate studies will hopefully allow me to develop strong relationships with professors, affording me unique research experiences.
For those of you that don't know, the "Why Dartmouth" essay is only 100 words, which I appreciated. However, it also meant I had to highlight the things that I loved most about Dartmouth. I began my essay by speaking about the undergraduate focus at Dartmouth. Coming from a boarding school where I joked around with and spoke personally with teachers, I wanted to find similar relationships in college. I haven't been let down, as my professors at Dartmouth have been empathetic and invested in my life. So far, Dartmouth's undergraduate focus has shown itself in the professors, opportunities, and resources, and I'm excited to pursue more of them in the coming years.
Furthermore, as someone who values close and compassionate friendships, I am excited to foster lasting relationships in Dartmouth's small and intimate community. When I toured Dartmouth, I heard that alumni would often come back for the Homecoming Bonfire to cheer on the Freshman as they ran around it, evidence to me of a devoted and loyal alumni network.
A snapshot of the Green during Homecoming
Next, I moved on to talk about the community. As I've mentioned in my previous blogs, the people here are the best thing about the place. Everyone is warm and supportive, and the community has honestly been better than I thought it would be! I loved the idea of the Homecoming Bonfire, as my high school also had a bonfire every fall and it was one of my favorite traditions, as I got to see graduated friends and come together with the whole school. Homecoming gave me a similar vibe, as I loved meeting new alumni and feeling a sense of togetherness with the entire student body.
At Dartmouth, I hope to develop strong connections that can support me in my personal and professional pursuits.
Finally, I decided to end my essay by talking about the growth I hoped to experience at Dartmouth. Although most of us develop new life views and learn more about ourselves during our young adult years, I believe these changes are best made when you have supportive people around you. Dartmouth's atmosphere allows you to focus on your own pursuits and not compare yourself to others. Instead, you'll feel like you'll have a safety net to fall back on as you extend yourself to new challenges.
I hope that my reflections on my "Why Dartmouth" essay has allowed you to learn a bit more about Dartmouth and me!
I decided to put some of the most popular questions together and provide some answers for future prospective students who also have these questions on their mind!
As you can see, what started as a simple blogging job has transformed into one of my biggest involvements on campus. What's great is that I love the work that I'm doing, and since it takes on so many forms, I never get bored!
Dartmouth is home to a diverse range of students that will become your lifelong friends. For this blog post, I thought I'd interview a few of my fellow '24s to give you a glimpse into the crazy awesome people that make Dartmouth, Dartmouth!
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There is never a dull moment at Dartmouth! One of the main reasons why the College is so special is our unique D-Plan, which operates on the quarter system.
A snapshot of the Green during Homecoming
