Hello, 你好, and Bonjour! My name is Tao; I'm from New York City, and I'm a proud first-generation student. I'm currently interested in studying applied math and learning a new language (French, with the intent of studying abroad using my D-Plan!) at Dartmouth. I love being immersed at campus–especially aesthetic Woccoms, fookie grubs at FOCO, and Baker-Berry Tower Room study sessions. Come one, come all: let me take you along!
Academic Program
Mathematics and Quantitative Social Science with a minor in French
As the name describes, this class taught me all about food! While the class is centered on teaching academic writing skills, I have definitely learned a lot about fun topics like food diversity, ethical farming, and culinary significances. For my final project, I got to write about how sauces relates to our society!
Dartmouth is covered in snow, and so am I. This term at Dartmouth, I decided to take advantage of the free skiing classes offered by Dartmouth's Physical Education Snowsport School program (side note: they also offer snowboarding classes)!
As a New Yorker, I had never gone skiing—until this weekend—mainly because I am always dwelling in the city. Signing up for the class was super easy; I simply registered for it, and all I had to purchase was a ski pass. The rest—helmet, goggles, skis, and snow boots (and the instructor)—was all provided by Dartmouth during the initial ski-fitting session! What's even cooler is that Dartmouth has a skiing lodge just 25 minutes away from campus. There's a, wait for it, free shuttle bus service that runs every hour throughout the day for the entire term. My classes are held every Saturday morning from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M.; there are also classes offered on other days, but Saturday worked best for me.
Although it was heavy to carry all the ski gear from my dorm to the shuttle, it was so worth it. When I first got off the bus at the ski lodge, the slow-falling snow paired with the existing powdery floor had me in awe: it's a winter wonderland!
For a good five minutes, I stood and just stared into the distance as dozens of people were lining up for the chairlift—I wasn't good enough to get on a lift yet. As a beginner, my group and I had to get acquainted with the skis first. We practiced walking with our snow boots and eventually walking (and sliding down mini hills) with our skis. By the end of the session, I felt like a pro already. I learned how to do ski steps and turns (for a beginner who didn't even know how to ski at the start!). I was super tired by the end of the lesson, so I decided to head back into the ski lodge to grab a refreshing, warm cup of hot chocolate while waiting for my bus. Overall, the experience was super fun for me. Getting the opportunity to have aid and resources fully funded to learn snow sports (which can be quite expensive) adds to my appreciation for trying new things beyond skiing at Dartmouth!
My skiing group with my instructor Arne G. '25 (in orange snow boots).
Valentine's Day at Dartmouth is an exciting day to spread love and appreciation for the people around you! On campus, a myriad of programs are hosted for all students to enjoy.
Don't know what to bring for a Dartmouth winter? Stressed about how to dress for the cold and snow? Look no further than this blog post, where I share my tips and tricks to dress for wintery Hanover.
