你好! or hi! My name is Yutong, but feel free to call me Taylor. I'm a '27 from Beijing, China. This will be my first time living ten thousand miles away from home and my first time embracing the New England winter, which makes everything more exciting! I'm also a big fan of Dartmouth Outing Club, and you can find me canoeing in the Connecticut River or taking a walk at Pine Park. I can't wait to show you my college life with my blogs!
I'm Yutong but feel free to call me Taylor. I'm from Beijing, China. This will be my first time living ten thousand miles away from home, my first time *embracing* the New England winter, and my first time moving from a bustling city to the woods… Sounds kinda scary, right? But I guess that also makes everything more exciting.
When you first get to know me in a classroom setting, you might find me kind of introverted, kind of intense, and definitely not the most approachable type…But don't be dissuaded to chat with me! Once you get to know me, you will meet a vastly different and more authentic version of myself. I love connecting with people—thanks to the diversity of lived experiences that made me less self-centered and more aware. In high school, I tried to bridge people as I established a Social Action Club, a warm, tight-knit family where everyone, especially sexual minorities, feels their lived experience acknowledged. The debate tournaments that I've participated in also helped me to delve into differing perspectives of pressing issues and find common ground with more nuanced humanity.
So far at Dartmouth, I've sunriked (sunrise-hike) with a lacrosse girl, made friendship bracelets with a sailing pro and a girl who fostered progress in the laws of Virginia, stargazed with a Vietnamese physics and astronomy star, meditated with a karate queen, and the list goes on and on... Getting to become good friends with these drastically different yet similarly talented and kind people in the past few days just made me love this place even more!
I have an uncommon hobby: walking. I believe every place has its own charm that awaits to be uncovered. I'm proud to say that my steps have measured every corner of my city—so if you ever come to Beijing, I can be a wonderful tour guide! As I come to Dartmouth, I will begin to explore this place -- the campus, Hanover, and the upper valley inch by inch. I will also invite you to explore Dartmouth through my footsteps: whether kayaking in the Connecticut River or watching performances at the Hopkins Center—but not just these well-known activities, we'll discover the hidden gems together!
P.S. If you find a girl with a wide smile on her face all the time at Dartmouth, come by and say hi! That's definitely me :D
I was excited to hear that two of my friends will be studying abroad in Ghana. Talking with them about what to expect from the program made me remember all the great memories and lessons I made and learned from my study abroad experience there.
As I am wrapping up my second term at Dartmouth, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on where life has taken me—at least within this cozy college town.
One of Dartmouth's core values is community. Through group-based programs for first-years like Dartmouth Leadership Attitudes and Behaviors (D-LAB), this value is exemplified.
Wellness is super important in college, but especially at Dartmouth – terms move super quick here! Read on to find out more about my perspectives on the topic at Dartmouth.
