Hi all! Welcome to my very public blogging page! I am Toni Fabian '25, the middle child of my family, from a small town in sunny Southern California. I plan to study economics and human-centered design. I am passionate about culture, educational equity, and social justice. I will be writing about all things Dartmouth, from the infamous FOCO cookies to the resources and opportunities offered here on campus. I am truly so excited to bring you along with me while I navigate my college journey!
Academic Program
Intended majors: Economics and Sociology; Intended minor: Human-Centered Design
Each week I was responsible for completing problem sets, quizzes, classwork, and discussion boards. Every week we related what we learned in class to the real world. For example, we read about food banks and their past struggles with efficiency. As a class, we discussed solutions and delved deeper by asking questions and collaborating with each other. I loved this class a lot because Dr. Petre made learning really fun and is so kind! I learned a lot of information ranging from different elasticities of demand and supply to the indicators of poverty. This class was awesome!
For my FYS (First-Year Seminar), I took a history course called Gender and Urban Transformation (9L slot). Our class discussions drew from primary sources and historical analyses that dabbled on gender and its intersection with race, sexuality, and class in the development of U.S. suburbs and cities. Essentially, we explored urbanization and suburbanization as a multi-gendered process. I developed my research skills as I drafted an annotated bibliography, book review essay, and prospectus on the Chicano Movement's impact in the realm of higher education from the 1960s to the present in California, Texas, and Chicago. I learned a ton, I am so happy that I took Professor Rabig's course!
Sociology 1 is the introductory course for the Sociology major, and I loved this class so much! We had a ton of class discussions and the material was very insightful. We were assigned a term-long discussion group, and my group leader was so kind and knowledgeable. We analyzed and discussed the reasons behind class stratification, power dynamics, and social and economic inequalities in society. This class has truly helped me further develop my sociological imagination and changed my perspective in life. :)
For the entire summer, I interned for Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano (SJC). Breakthrough SJC is a non-profit organization situated in Southern California that aims to close the achievement gap for underrepresented and underserved students. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have served as a teaching fellow this summer and for Dartmouth's support in preparing me for this amazing and unforgettable experience!
I am writing this blog post towards the end of August. As summer comes to a close, I would love to talk about food! I want to dedicate this blog post to all food within the College and across the street in Hanover.
Novack Cafe: Personally, I love their chocolate chip cookies and croissants. A nice complement to this pair is their infamous hot chocolate. Novack also offers Starbucks drinks, kombucha, sodas, juices, sandwiches, and a selection of fruit.
Collis Cafe: They have some awesome smoothies; personally I like their 'Life Changer' smoothie. In addition, they have some good pasta. I enjoy their marinara pasta and vegetables, paired with their garlic bread. By the way, they sell the best gummy bears on campus!
HOP: This place is known for its burger specials, quesos, fries, and burritos. I often go here after I pick up some mail from Hinman (as a reward for walking there, lol). Moreover, the HOP is pretty popular with Dartmouth students and highly recommended. Also, they have a salad bar I haven't tried yet, but I heard some pretty good things about it!
FOCO: This is the main dining hall on campus, and is usually packed with Dartmouth students. The food here is good, and there are so many selections! I enjoy their margarita pizza, fruit, ice cream, FOCO cookies, cereal, and salads. By the way, seating at FOCO is essentially broken down as either the "dark side" or "light side" due to their contrast in lighting.
Boloco: This is a restaurant in Hanover, and I really recommend their Mexican bowls. It is similar to Chipotle but in Hanover. Their cookies are good and the people there are really nice!
Lou's: I love Lou's a ton, and it's probably my favorite restaurant in New Hampshire. I love their french toast, pancakes, and blueberry muffins. They are always busy and sometimes run out of their bakery goods. I have learned to come early in the morning to avoid the rush.
Thank you so much for reading my blog post! I hope it offered some insight into the many food options on campus.
Being a super senior ('23) is like being an incoming freshman ('28) in that you get to make a new set of friends. Luckily, Dartmouth is a small school with many social spaces students can tap into.
It's easy to forget how easy it is to access walking trails during the hustle of a Dartmouth term. As graduation nears, I am reminded of how special it is to step off campus and enjoy quiet moments in nature.
With a solar eclipse sweeping across North America for the first time in nearly seven years on April 8th came a road-trip with hundreds of other Dartmouth students to a zone of totality near campus: St. Johnsbury, Vermont!
