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Q:

What's something about Dartmouth that you didn't know existed prior to your enrollment that you couldn't imagine your life without now?

A: shuyi

That's a great question, and I think there's a lot of ways I could go with this one. In fact, I even asked some of my friends what they thought, and they all each shared 3-4 things with me. Although everyone had different answers, a theme that appeared from my conversations was kindness. Reflecting on my Dartmouth experience so far, I can definitely say that something I can't imagine my life without now is the kindness of the Dartmouth community. Although I heard about how close and caring the community was when I applied, I never imagined it would be anything like what I have experienced. 

I've been part of a lot of communities growing up, as I've moved four times and gone to 5 schools before Dartmouth. However, none of these communities compare to the support and kindness I have felt at Dartmouth. Personally, I felt the school's kindness as early as during Dimensions, our school's admitted student day. When I visited, everyone I met was genuinely excited and happy to get to know me. I remember thinking this was too good to be true, and decided to take off my Dimensions tag to see what the school would be like as a normal student. To my surprise, people still smiled at me on the Green and helped me when I looked lost and confused. Two years later, and I still enjoy this welcoming support every day. I think what makes Dartmouth so special is that in a way, it is "cool" to be kind. This allows campus life as whole to be more outgoing and vibrant, as I'm not scared to reach out to people in my class or clubs for friendship and advice. Furthermore, when everyone in a community values kindness, it pushes you to be the best version of yourself. Personally, I've definitely seen how my overall attitude has become more positive and compassionate by being around kind-hearted people. 

Finally, I'd like to point out that Dartmouth's kindness comes from the community, extending beyond the student body. Professors and staff also contribute to what I love about Dartmouth, and I think it's amazing how I can still feel this kindness while I'm studying remotely in China. Recently, my boss for the Admissions Blog shipped me a card all the way from Hanover. I felt really touched that she put in the effort to ship a card halfway across the world just to wish me happy holidays, and it is these little acts of genuine kindness that I couldn't imagine my life without now! 

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