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.
As spring unfolds at Dartmouth, our campus once again welcomes a group of monastics from the respected Plum Village tradition of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. This marks the second consecutive year we've had the privilege to host visitors from Deer Park Monastery in California and Magnolia Grove Monastery in Mississippi. They bring with them a wealth of knowledge on mindfulness, engaging our community through classroom visits, meditation sessions, lectures, and sharing their personal stories.
Our week is packed with activities ranging from weekend-long retreats to shorter sessions like candlelight vigils, mindful walks, and Qi Gong, offering numerous opportunities to cultivate mindful living. Each event deepens our engagement with mindfulness, transforming our daily interactions with calm and clarity. This continuous practice of mindfulness has become a part of my daily life, reshaping how I experience each day and turning every moment into an opportunity for growth and peace.
My Buddhism class this term had the incredible fortune to host these monastics for a one-hour discussion that began with a short meditation. They shared insights into their daily lives at the monastery, their motivations for becoming monks and nuns, and their personal journeys in mindfulness. This was particularly meaningful as both Deer Park and Magnolia Grove, where the visiting nuns reside, were founded by Thich Nhat Hanh and uphold the teachings of the Plum Village Tradition. Many of the nuns were taught directly by Thich Nhat Hanh and spent years at Plum Village in France. Meeting his direct disciples provided a tangible connection to the tradition of engaged Buddhism he pioneered—an invaluable experience for someone studying his work.
Following the classroom visit, I had the opportunity to engage in a personal conversation with one of the nuns, Sister True Practice. Her journey from Vietnam to the United States and her path to Buddhism was truly captivating. She discussed her life as a novice and her ordination as a nun, along with her experiences in global Zen monastic communities. The serene contentment she exuded—richer than mere happiness—as she spoke about how spirituality has helped her pursue happiness was profoundly moving.
As a religion student, I am immensely grateful for the chance to meet and learn from monastics who are direct students of a Zen master we study in class. These teachings have guided not only my academic path but also my personal life. Yet, I'm thankful not just as a student of religion but also as an individual. It is incredibly valuable that Dartmouth offers this opportunity for our entire community to engage in and cultivate mindfulness. This initiative not only enhances our academic environment but also contributes significantly to the emotional and spiritual well-being of our community, fostering a deeper sense of mindfulness and compassion among us all.
Through Dartmouth's Guarini Institute for International Study, I am getting to take classes and experience life at Wellesley College, an all-women's school!
