你好！Or Hi! My name is Taylor, and I'm a '27! I'm from Beijing, China. I'm hoping to major in Mathematics Modified with Computer Science and minor in Religion. Outside of the classroom, you can find me going on hikes with the Dartmouth Outing club, drawing or crafting at the jewelry studio, or having fun, philosophical conversations with friends!
Academic Program
(Intended) Mathematics Modified with Computer Science, Religion
Coming to Dartmouth with a solid background in French (Delf B2), I find French 3 a perfect fit for me -- it helps me to consolidate a lot of key grammar and vocabs, and fun weekly cultural activities like coffee hours and french lunch table offers me chances to relax in busy times. While the class is very rigorous and requires a lot of hard work, my professor is so nice and makes the class very fun! I also look forward to going to Dartmouth's Toulouse LSA program after completion of this class!
This course explores how Buddhist concepts of embodiment affect daily life and society in Southeast Asian contexts, and how the intersection of religion, sexuality, and gender impact broader understandings of authority, wisdom, beauty, death, and loyalty. The class takes on many forms beyond mere lectures -- a visit to the Hood Museum of Art, mindfulness practices, and small Buddha-crafting projects. Our professor (the sweetest Prof. MK Long) also invites many of her colleagues at other institutes as guest lecturers to our class so that we can learn from real experts specializing in different countries in Southeast Asia. I have learned a lot from the class and decided to become a religion major after this course!
Having never enjoyed math classes before college, I'm surprised (again) by how I'm becoming a math major and falling in love with math here! My professor (Prof. Shu Longmei, who graduated from the best university in my hometown) is incredibly good at teaching the concepts -- not just explaining things clearly but also showing us the beauty and elegance of calculus. I really look forward to taking more math classes in the future!
SummerVietnam & Beijing, China
I first visited pagodas in Vietnam for a couple of weeks and had days of conversations with monastics! Then, I returned home to savor time spent with my family and old friends, focus on my mental and physical health, and study and work a bit.
An International Student's Journey Through Dartmouth Sorority Rush (Part 2)
At Dartmouth, the sorority rush process is spread across three rounds, with each round lasting around a week. Students can opt out at any point during the process if they decide not to continue due to time constraints or a change of heart. Rush takes place every fall and winter after one's first year, giving students flexibility in when they choose to participate. Winter rush tends to be more relaxed, with fewer participants and less pressure compared to the larger fall rush.
In the first round, potential new members (PNMs) visit all sorority houses that are recruiting. PNMs usually go in pairs, spending about an hour at each house and talking with several sorority members for around ten minutes each. These initial conversations are generally repetitive, focusing more on the PNMs sharing about themselves than learning about the sorority.
After round one, each PNM ranks their houses, while the sororities also create lists. A matching algorithm then pairs PNMs with sororities for the second round. Typically, PNMs get invited back to 1-4 houses, where they have one-on-one and more relaxed conversations with members in round two. After round two, PNMs rank the house they're least interested in, and the algorithm determines which houses they'll return to for round three.
New members of KD!
In the third round, PNMs go to the houses again for "pref night" and then log their final preferences. "Bid Day," held on the Saturday following round three, is when PNMs find out if they've received a bid. For many, this is an exciting moment that leads to "Bid Night"—an evening filled with bonding activities. In the end, I received a bid from Kappa Delta, and I couldn't be happier. The members are diverse, friendly, and supportive, with many I already know. There's no pressure around drinking or partying—just a welcoming, inclusive vibe that's perfect for introverts and extroverts alike. They genuinely want us to feel at home and enjoy KD on our own terms.
After experiencing this Dartmouth winter term, I am ready to write an ode to this cold weather! Here is what a weekend in the Hanover winter feels like.
My first week back on campus– full of lots of hugs and an extensive amount of time spent making my Google calendar! Cold days and walking to classes after six weeks at home can be an adjustment, but my friends at Dartmouth make it all the more fun!
Let's Get Lost in the Library! A deep dive into the known, unusual, and hidden study spots all around Dartmouth's campus! Up first, the Berry Library—the iconic modern half of the central Baker-Berry Library!
50% of Dartmouth students are unaffiliated and find community through non-Greek social spaces. One such space is an undergraduate society. In this post, I interviewed Marion Caldwell '25, who has been a member of Amarna since her junior fall
