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!
For just $45, I walked away with hands-on training, life-saving skills, and an official CPR certification taught by students at Dartmouth EMS, a Dartmouth-student-run non-transport Basic Life Support (BLS) squad. I decided to take it with my friend Taanvi '28, and we started with the basics—how to assess a situation, check for breathing, and call for help.
I walked into the room being initially anxious—I've never done anything like this before! But the instructors were extremely kind and got us started. We first had to go through the videos provided by BLS, which is an organization that leads training for emergency responses and techniques. It was so interesting learning about the different scenarios you can encounter during an emergency, and the different tools that can help. Fun fact, I learned that in most states, it's legally required to have masks and gloves in buildings in case CPR is required.
Chest compressions on a mannequin dummy
When we were done going through the videos, the fun part came—the heart of the course: chest compressions and rescue breaths. With mannequins set up across the room, we began practicing. The instructor emphasized the importance of proper hand placement, compression depth, and maintaining the right rhythm (pro tip: it's the beat of Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees!). When it came to infant CPR, we adjusted our technique—gentler compressions using two fingers, careful breaths, and extra caution in airway management.
The instructors—Dartmouth students trained as EMTs—were incredibly knowledgeable and patient, ensuring that every participant left feeling prepared. Walking out of that room, I felt empowered. In just three hours, I gained a skill that could one day save a life. If you're at Dartmouth and haven't taken this course yet, I can't recommend it enough; there are so many different ways to learn at Dartmouth even outside of the classroom!
