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!
I actually wasn't planning on taking this class but it eventually became my favorite class. The professor was very funny and created a relaxed classroom environment where I enjoyed looking at diversity in different contexts, such as college admissions and group dynamics.
This class was a perfect mix of philosophy, classical studies, and writing. We were able to reflect on societal views, our own ideas of optimism and pessimism, and how we can lead more fulfilling and compassionate lives.
My first experience with computer science was my Freshman winter, and I quickly became interested in the subject. I followed up CS1 with CS10 in the Spring, which I found just as cool. I love how you can solve problems by applying logic and math with computer science, and I look forward to diving deeper into the major!
Econ 21 is required for all Econ majors, and I loved my experience with Professor Gustman. He made the material super easy to digest and allowed me to take exams in my timezone, which I thought was really nice.
It was really interesting to study public speaking in an asynchronous environment, and I came away with a deeper understanding of not only public speaking but speech writing. I wrote a separate blog post about the class, so check it out!
Since English was one of my favorite classes in high school, I wanted to take another writing course at Dartmouth. This was a great choice, as it was a perfect mix of lecture and discussion. I loved reading and learning about several American dramas, and even discussing modern topics such as Trump's rhetoric!
SummerShanghai
I took my Sophomore Summer off, which many international students do, and got involved with the Tuck School of Business through the Bridge and Paganucci programs! You can read more about my summer experiences in my blogs!
This was my first class from the QSS department, which was long overdue considering that I'm a QSS major! I really enjoyed picking up some coding skills and tackling problems like transitional justice with quantitative approaches.
I took Econ 25 in the Fall, and Econ 35 was the next course in the game theory sequence! It was really fun to apply game theory to cool concepts like sports, Covid-19, and auctions.
This was my first time taking a music class even though I have been involved with music my entire life, whether that was playing the piano or learning how to make beats. I loved this class because I not only learned more about music, but more about Native culture as well!
SummerNew York
I took my junior summer off to pursue a management consulting internship in New York. I had a wonderful experience!
I absolutely loved this class! Theatre was one of my favorite classes in middle school, and so it was great to reconnect with theatre again in college. The professor was amazingly kind and passionate, and the final project was a really fun group performance!
This was a small class of around 15 people, which allowed us to have intimate discussions of readings and theatre. I loved hearing from my classmates, as we used our personal experiences to guide us in our understanding of materials. My final project was a protest on campus, which also really fun and refreshing take on performance!
This week, I enjoyed appearing on an international student panel for accepted students. While I shared my Dartmouth experience and answered questions from high school seniors, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to in some form, shape the next Dartmouth class. My experience on the panel also made me reflect on when I was a high school senior, excited to start my college journey. However, before I matriculated, picked my first classes, or even met my Freshman year roommates, I was an Admissions Blogger. Since the application process to become an Admissions Blogger happened over the summer before Freshman year, my first experience at Dartmouth was with the Admissions Office. Now that I've been blogging for a year and a half, I want to share why I decided to become an Admissions Blogger, and all the opportunities it has afforded me.
My introduction to becoming an Admissions Blogger was simple enough. One day, an email popped up in my new Dartmouth inbox, welcoming incoming students to apply for the job. I had always loved writing in high school, and what's more, I've always loved talking about myself. When I discovered that I could potentially get paid to combine these passions, I applied for the role and was excited to have been given an opportunity. When I got to campus, we attended a kick-off event for all the bloggers, where I got to meet new friends and upperclassmen who would eventually become my mentors. From there, I realized that being an Admissions Blogger wouldn't just be an opportunity to reflect on and share my college experience, but also meet other students who were passionate about writing and Dartmouth. Although Covid-19 has made maintaining close friendships challenging, I still have many blogger friends I stay in touch with. I also became a mentor this year to incoming bloggers, as I have enjoyed working with new students and giving some of the advice that helped me flourish my first year at college.
A Zoom snapshot of a panel for prospective students!
Furthermore, becoming a blogger meant that I was able to share my Dartmouth experience through other mediums as well, through all stages of the Admissions process. Last year, I was able to appear on the Dartmouth Admissions Instagram to welcome all the newly accepted 24's. Since I know college can be scary, I look to be a friendly face, showing prospective students that there is nothing to worry about. Next, the student panel is a great example of a way in which I can directly get in touch with high school students who are interested in Dartmouth. Not only can I answer questions that are directly relevant to the students attending the session, but I also look forward to connecting with them afterwards. Finally, what I enjoy most is being paired up with students through our Dimensions program and our Virtual Pine Pods program. Last year, my prospective student chose Dartmouth after our chats together and I still keep in touch with him to make sure he's doing alright!
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! Although I applied to become an Admissions Blogger two summers ago, I've since gained invaluable experiences and lifelong friends. Therefore, if you ever wondered why us bloggers are writing for this website, I hope you now have a better idea of all the rewards that come with being an Admissions Blogger!
I applied through Questbridge's National College Match, but did not match. To others who also did not match, this is not the end of your application process! Here's what I did following match decision day.
Learn about the different programs Dartmouth offers prospective students to explore campus life, learn about Dartmouth, and enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Hanover!
"What's it like working for admissions?" "Are you being truthful with your answers?" "Are you being scripted?" Let's dive right into all these questions.
It's been (almost) a full year since I was in your (figurative) shoes! Let's take a trip down memory lane and dissect my Dartmouth application process. Part one of a long journey!
Welcome to my blog! Here you'll find snapshots of my life and explorations at Dartmouth, ruminations on life, outdoor adventures, process of finding my major and more. I can't wait to show you around!
