Hello, 你好! My name is Tao; I'm from New York City, and I'm a proud first-generation student. I'm currently interested in studying Math, Economics, and Philosophy. I love being immersed at campus–especially aesthetic Woccoms and soaking in the nature in the Upper Valley. Come one, come all: let me take you along!
Dear stranger (or soon-to-be friends), welcome to my blog! My name is Tao (as in "towel" without the "el") and I am a baker, adventurer, exclamation-mark enthusiast, and a first-generation Dartmouth student!
Let's start with the adventurer part—I'm quite nomadic. From the rural village of Fuzhou, China to the bustling city of New York City to the New-England-esque Hanover, I have been moving around places; on that note, I love taking photos everywhere I go, and I'm excited to share them with you throughout my Dartmouth experience! Fun fact: I am also a first-generation student and a QuestBridge Scholar. So, I'll be the first ever person to attend college in my family!!!
My QuestBridge Match Poster Photoshoot!
Throughout high school, I spent a lot of my time as a baker; I worked in a bakery and ran my bake sales. I'm constantly looking for new recipes (my last being gochujang caramel cookies, which I definitely recommend). In my free time, I also enjoy running—I look forward to the morning runs at Dartmouth since I'll finally be one with nature, which is very different from urban New York City.
Matcha-cheese tarts from the bakery I worked at, one of my all time favorites. I'm dusting matcha-heart-shape on top of them for a Valentine event!
Dartmouth has been magical. As a first-generation college student, one of the most inspiring experiences has been finding communities on campus! Over the summer, I was in the FYSEP program (First Year Summer Enrichment Program), a three-week program designed for both domestic and international first-generation, low-income students to transition into college. Outside of FYSEP, during this Fall term, I've also found communities of all sorts of extracurriculars: hiking and canoeing through the Dartmouth Outdoor Club, career exploration at Dartmouth Consulting Group, and now blogging at People, Places, and Pines!
I "am" a lot of nouns, and the list is inexhaustive. I look forward to updating the lists of "I am" as I venture into the woods of Dartmouth—whether "I am" canoeing with my friends or "I am" debriefing from studying abroad or "I am" taking new bizarre classes for the first time. Until then, as I've alluded to earlier, don't be a stranger. Welcome, again, to my blog and tidbits of Dartmouth
Someone recently reframed my thinking about "surviving" in the winter to thriving, and I have really taken that to heart. Read to find out how I (try to) thrive in a winter climate!
Reflecting on how this school has changed my life for the better during the past year – reconnecting to my reasons behind choosing to call this place home each and every day.
This winter break, I went on tour with the Dartmouth Decibelles to Charleston and Atlanta, performing throughout local communities and making lasting memories together!
