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.
Reflecting on my first year, I'm incredibly grateful that I didn't force myself to fit into the conventional social mold. By embracing my true self and seeking out spaces and people that resonated with my values and interests, I found meaningful connections and friendships that enriched my Dartmouth experience. Navigating social life may have been challenging for an international student and an introvert, but it was certainly not impossible. In this blog, I would like to share how I found my group of friends at Dartmouth.
Orientation: A Foundation for Friendships
Orientation week was a blur of introductions, icebreakers, and bonding events. International Student Orientation (ISPOP) was especially helpful, connecting me with other international students who were also navigating the challenges of living in a new country. First-Year Trips, where I lived in a cabin with other '27s and the twilight ceremony were great opportunities to meet people and make new friends.
Making friends through hiking on First-Year Trips!
Academic Involvement
In the quarter system, academics can dominate your schedule, naturally making classes a major way to connect with others. For me, challenging courses, in particular, fostered strong connections. MyFrench 3 class in the fall was intense, with morning drills at 7:40 AM three times a week and an impressive amount of grammar tests. Working through it together with classmates—figuring out verb conjugations while we were waking up during morning drill or forming study groups in the library before exams—created tight bonds and has led to some of my closest friendships. And then there was CS10 during spring term—this was one of the most challenging classes I've taken here. Being the only two people studying in Baker Lobby (part of our Baker-Berry library) for numerous Friday nights as I worked on problem sets with my friends, forming study groups for midterms and finals, and celebrating at the local ice cream store after exams led to some of my closest friendships. Working through this class has made us friends for life.
Post-midterm celebration for CS10 with friends
Interests and Identity: Finding My Community
Outside of academics, my interests and identity played a crucial role in building my social circle. Joining the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) led to friendships through shared hiking trips and outdoor adventures. Attending lectures by thePolitical Economy Projectand panel talks with our Montgomery Fellowshelped me meet friends with similar intellectual interests. The tight-knit Chinese student group on campus became another essential support network, where we celebrated major Chinese festivals and spent time together regularly. Speaking French also opened doors to new friendships through French Living Learning Community (LLC) activities; being a People, Places, Pines admissions blogger introduced me to fellow bloggers of different class years who shared a passion for writing and storytelling (I'm close friends with a lot of bloggers, and I'm so grateful for meeting them through this blogging team!).
Cooking with other Chinese students at Dartmouth during Chinese New Year
The Dartmouth Advantage: A Tight-Knit Community
One of the unique aspects of Dartmouth is its small size and the sense of being a "family in the woods." This intimate environment makes it easier to meet people and form lasting friendships. Whether it's bumping into classmates on the Green or sharing meals in the dining hall, the close-knit community fosters connections that might be harder to come by at larger institutions.
As a Digital Media Student Director for Dartmouth's First-Generation Office, it is my role on campus to amplify first-gen voices, foster community, and create meaningful connections through creative outreach.
This fall, Dartmouth provided me with incredible opportunities to get involved in politics. I registered as a New Hampshire voter, joined civic organizations, canvassed, and more! Read on to follow my journey leading up to Election Day!
