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 I am reflecting on my summer internship, I want to emphasize the importance of making time for self-care. I am dedicating this blog post to the topic of self-care and the necessity of supporting oneself.
Throughout my first year at the College, I focused on my own self-care throughout the busy terms. By discussing my own perspective of self-care, I hope to give ideas or inspiration to others and emphasize the importance of putting oneself first.
Personally, I set time aside for myself and have created boundaries to ensure my own personal growth. For example, I love listening to podcasts such as The Cult of Pedagogy Podcastor Code Switch. Both podcasts touch on my own personal interests such as the "sciences" behind education or the acknowledgment of systemic barriers in society today. In regard to creating boundaries, it is so important to define your own limits and know that it is always ok to say "no." Altogether, you are entering a new stage in your life, where you are much more independent and in control of your own life. For me personally, acknowledging this fact has helped me navigate my first year at the College and summer internship.
Furthermore, meditating is such an amazing form of self-care, it has helped me a ton (I use the Calm app, lol)! There are really good resources on the app that have guided me through some stressful times. In addition, reading is another tool in my "self-care kit"; currently I am reading Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. I highly recommend this book—it is a powerful piece of social justice literature that showcases the interplay between poverty and housing.
I hope you all enjoyed reading about some examples of how I self-care!
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
I have written about being a student worker plenty of times in the past, but I have yet to talk about one of my favorite jobs ever: ticket selling at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
Traditionally, Dartmouth students take three courses during a term, but I decided to take four courses this term! Learn about course load and the academic system at Dartmouth.
As I approach the halfway mark of my Dartmouth journey this spring, I find myself reflecting on the significance of distributive and world culture requirements in shaping my academic experience.
