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!
Back in early February, I submitted my application for a Dartmouth Outdoor Club (DOC) "break trip"—one of the many incredible adventures organized by the nation's oldest collegiate outdoor club. I had heard so much about DOC trips before coming to Dartmouth, but I never imagined I'd get the chance to go on one over Dartmouth's spring break. Just a week later, an email landed in my inbox: I was in! I could already picture it—ten days in the desert, hiking through Joshua Tree National Park, stargazing under an endless sky, and making unforgettable memories with my trippees (that's Dartmouth-speak for trip buddies).
Fast forward to March 16th, the first week of Dartmouth's spring break, and I was hopping on a flight to Los Angeles, buzzing with excitement. As I stepped off the plane and into the California sun, I met up with the rest of my trippees. Some of us had never met before, but there was an instant sense of camaraderie—after all, we were about to embark on a ten-day adventure together.
Our first stop? IN-N-OUT Burger, of course. As an East Coaster, I had only ever heard about the legendary burgers and fries, and let me tell you—it did not disappoint.
My first DOC break trip = my first IN-N-OUT!
Between bites, we marveled at the low-rise architecture of LA, so different from the towering buildings back on the East Coast. Then, with full stomachs and high spirits, we made our way to Walmart to stock up on supplies for the trip: mac & cheese, tortillas, snacks, and a seemingly endless supply of water.
Liam O'Neill '28 pushing a shopping cart full of water gallons outside of Walmart. Yes, gallons.
Rather than heading straight to Joshua Tree, we had a special detour planned—our trip leader and fellow trippee, Ethan Greenberg, lived in LA, so we were lucky enough to crash at his place for the night. But before settling in, we made one more stop: Manhattan Beach. With the sun beginning to set, we kicked off an impromptu beach volleyball and spikeball session. There was something magical about it—playing under the golden California sky, the sound of waves crashing in the distance, and the laughter of new friends. By the time we wrapped up, we were exhausted in the best way possible. To refuel, we wandered into downtown LA for some of the best tacos and horchata I've ever had. The perfect end to an already perfect first day.
Tomorrow, we hit the road to Joshua Tree. I can already feel the desert calling. Stay tuned for what's next!
IT FINALLY FEELS LIKE SPRING! Inspired by "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles, read about my first experience in the Hanover spring sun! From lounging on the Green to playing games with friends, see what Dartmouth students do in the spring!
Inspired by my fall term recap post, I wanted to share a similar recap at the end of these nine weeks of the winter term. Read on to see what I've been up to!
From meeting some of my best friends to sitting in classes and exploring new parts of campus, read on to see how Dimensions got me excited for college!
