Hi everyone! Welcome to my blog, also known as my digital diary. I'm majoring in Asian Studies modified with Business, a new program here at Dartmouth, so feel free to ask me anything related to that. Beyond the classroom, I love the Dartmouth sunsets, the traditions, the classes, the merch, and the people, of course. Come along with me as I explore the ins and outs of life in the woods.
A course that definitely surprised me, I did not know what to expect and had very little philosophical knowledge before taking this course. It was a mixture of current and past readings, with the final project to make a group video, testing my technological ability. Professor Bumpus was amazing, and I got to know her more when I took her to breakfast at Pine through the Take Your Professor to Lunch Program.
I was recommended to take a history course, specifically a history course with Professor Lu, and it has not disappointed! This course is cross listed with Asian Studies, my major, but it has made me consider a history minor... We start every class off with a song relating to the topic of that class, and then we move on to discussion based activities.
So far, the Dartmouth classes I have taken have been all based around discussion and essay writing. As an Asian Studies and Government major, I expected that the rest of my time at Dartmouth would follow a similar pattern, but in fact a pre-requisite for the Government major is a Political Analysis class. This class involves coding, analyzing survey samples, and other quantitative methods. The professor is amazing—a friend and I got to know him better by taking him out to breakfast at Pine through the 'Take Your Professor to Lunch' program. The final group project involves making projections for the 2024 elections using past data. Although, obviously, this election already happened, some of our predictions were more accurate than the polls! It is super interesting to take a class that I can see the themes in real world news outlets.
My favorite class this term had to be Developing Vietnam, which is a ten-week course taken in Hanover, in preparation for three weeks in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam during the winter break. The goal of this class was to plan and carry out a research project pertaining to development in Vietnam. During our time at Dartmouth, we collaborated with Fulbright University Vietnam students to come up with a shared research topic, research brief, and agenda. The interdisciplinary nature of this class meant that we had the opportunity to explore Vietnam through different angles/themes spanning religion, history, political economy, and environmental governance.
A quintessential part of the Dartmouth experience is break trips. Led by students, for students, these occur during the four interims—time between terms, aka breaks—and last about a week. There are a whole host of options: from camping in Joshua Tree, to surfing in Puerto Rico to skiing in Norway. As I have yet to experience a break trip, I talked to Charlotte '28, who went canoeing in the Florida Everglades this past winterim.
Why did you decide to sign up for a DOC break trip?
I really loved my First-Year Trip experience, and the way being outdoors helped me bond with other incoming students. There's something about the time and space the outdoors creates that encourages deep connections and meaningful conversations. I felt like I got a glimpse of that during First-Year Trips, and I wanted to experience more of it.
I also liked the idea of the challenge. I hadn't spent more than a couple of days off grid in the backcountry before, and this ten-day backcountry excursion felt both exciting and daunting.
Sunset over the Gulf
What was the application process like?
The application process was quite simple. During fall term, an email was sent out to the entire school with a list of the different break trips that were being carried out. I had identified the Everglades trip as the one I was most interested in, as I was already a member of Ledyard Canoe Club, which was the DOC sub-club running this trip. I then filled out a quick Google form about my interests, and was notified not long after that I had gotten a spot on the trip!
Was there anything that initially made you nervous about signing up—and how did that change once the trip started?
There was a section on the application that asked about any fears I had—and I had heard that in the Everglades, there are invasive pythons, so that's what I put. I was just a bit nervous about the trip in general, due to extended periods of being potentially uncomfortable outside. To be honest, I was most nervous about the insects, and just heinous amounts of bug bites.
What stood out to you about the student leaders on the trip?
The student leaders were awesome about facilitating conversation, games, connection, and fostering inside jokes about our experience. They were also super proactive in terms of reaching out in case anybody had questions going into or during the trip. When people would reach their limits, or just struggle in general, they dealt with it in a way that inspired us to be stronger than we thought we were.
The humble abode
What were some of the small, everyday moments on the trip that ended up being especially meaningful?
Every night we would cook together and just be in conversation around the campfire. I think it was really fun how different pairs of students would get paired up to cook together, making it almost a creative pursuit. We slowly had to dig into the last of our ingredients, and so what we produced each night to feed the group became more and more inventive. I think the beauty was not just in what we produced, but how we shared the meal, lingering around the campfire.
Being pretty much alone on this island in the Everglades meant that it was like our own little world. People would suggest different fun games and activities, and everybody would completely buy in. I would lead yoga flows, which I felt comfortable doing in this almost otherworldly environment. I would always feel super supported during these sessions, as people were so willing and eager to take part.
Campfire under the stars!
What was your favorite moment from the trip?
On the last night, we stayed up really late, looking at the stars and reflecting on our favorite moments of the trip.
We also caught a shark. That was pretty cool.
How do you think this experience fits into the broader Dartmouth culture?
I think valuing the outdoors and the connections it creates is a core part of Dartmouth's culture. These break trips really reinforce that. After coming back, I found myself getting much more involved in outdoor spaces like the Ledyard Canoe Club because I wanted other people to experience what I had. The outdoors can be challenging, but it also brings people closer together in a unique way, and that's something I think Dartmouth does an amazing job of fostering.
What's especially incredible is that these trips are affordable and accessible, so it's something almost anyone can take part in. That creates a kind of ripple effect: people go on these trips, have meaningful experiences, and then want to share that part of Dartmouth culture with others. It really strengthens this shared value around the outdoors and connection.
Would you do another DOC break trip? If so, where would you want to go next?
I'm thinking about applying for a trip to Olympic National Park through the Viva Hardigg outdoors club during spring break!
If you were talking to a prospective student considering Dartmouth, what would you tell them about DOC break trips?
I would genuinely go to Dartmouth just for the break trips. The fact that they are entirely student run and motivated is an aspect that is so special and unique to Dartmouth. If you loved first-year trips (which I'm sure you will), this is just their continuation. I can't wait to hopefully share this experience with the '30s, '31s, and even '32s.
In this blog, I share how joining Ujima, Dartmouth's oldest hip hop dance team, became not just a creative outlet but a family built on collective work, responsibility, and love.
