Hey all! So excited to see you here. My name is Sydney and I'm a '24 studying Economics and Government from Southern California. I've also lived abroad in Spain, Gibraltar, and the Philippines, so Hanover and the East Coast are a whole new world to me! I love to scuba dive, bike, travel, and listen to anything by Kasey Musgraves or The Weeknd. Besides blogging, I am involved in the news section of The Dartmouth, Women in Business, club water polo, and the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact.
Hey hey hey! I'm Sydney and I'm a '24. To start off, here are a few fun facts about me. I'm an all-around nature-enthusiast who can't wait to experience fall foliage and her first real winter. My favorite weird food combo is Flaming Hot Cheetos and fresh poke, my favorite color is emerald green, and the last series I binge-watched was all 16 seasons of Grey's Anatomy. I'm a third-generation Chinese-American who has moved around quite a bit, attending British school while living in Spain, international school in the Philippines, and boarding school in California before most recently settling down in the forests of New Hampshire. So you may be wondering, how did a third culture kid like me find home in a rural town like Hanover?
While I may be a city girl at heart, Dartmouth is a hub of adventure, kindness, and community that I'm ever so eager to explore. Stepping onto the Green for the first time wrapped me in a blanket of small-town charm and sense of place that simply wasn't there when I visited other campuses. Whether it be paddling down the Connecticut River or conquering the icy Polar Bear Plunge at Winter Carnival, Dartmouth students aren't afraid of getting their feet wet. They are constantly innovating, collaborating, and pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a well-rounded student at Dartmouth.
Hanover sunsets are incredibly beautiful!
Before visiting campus last summer, I had no idea I'd fall in love with Dartmouth's collaborative atmosphere, proximity to the outdoors, and focus on providing an unparalleled liberal arts undergraduate education. With this open mindset, I drove further into the woods with my dad, finally crossing the Connecticut River and entering a quintessential small college town USA with over 250 years of history. Dartmouth's picturesque natural setting immediately struck me as somewhere I could spend the next four years. The more I talked to people, the more I learned that Dartmouth students are interdisciplinary and kind thinkers ready to change the world in a myriad of ways. The alumni and current students I've interacted with can gush about their love of Dartmouth for hours. Wacky traditions ground Dartmouth in its familiarity, but the community is constantly changing alongside its students.
Dartmouth is where I can explore my passions broadly – a scientist can delve into the arts, an athlete can become a biomedical engineer. Dartmouth is where I can take control of my own college experience, customizing my terms with the unique flexibility of the D-Plan. At what other college could I find a student-led organic farm, a plethora of study abroad programs, and the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the nation? But most importantly, Dartmouth feels like home, and that is why I'm so grateful that I applied ED and am now a '24. I hope four years from now, I'll reflect on my posts and appreciate all the ways Dartmouth has pushed me to grow. I can't wait to share my stories on the Big Green, so stay tuned!
After a six week break, I'm back. My winterim was a fun mix of staying at home, binge-watching Survivor, celebrating the holidays, and enjoying the Southern Californian landscape, so I'm feeling refreshed to dive back into blogging!
A school had to meet three criteria for me to consider it a "good fit": academics, location, and community. After researching about Dartmouth and visiting the campus, I realized that this school was not a good fit for me-- it was a perfect fit.
Since Dartmouth is on a fast-paced quarter system, students are constantly soaking in new information. Let me take you through a day in my life preparing for my Education 1 and Econ 1 midterms!
I was recently looking at some of my older posts, reliving the glory days of freshman fall, and I realized that I never actually wrote an introduction post talking about myself! But better late than never, right?
After a year at Dartmouth, I've been able to carve out little niches for myself where I'm able to explore my passions, which I'd like to share with you all!
Today, I thought I'd reflect on my Dartmouth move in experience and share how I've been adjusting to residential life at West House so far in the "new norm."
Hello, People Places Pines! My name is Kiara Ortiz, and I am a '24 from New York! After much anticipation, I finally get to experience this phenomenon known as "grass" at Dartmouth, and I am beyond thrilled.
