Hi everyone! I'm Yehalah and I'm a '26 coming all the way from Colombo, Sri Lanka. My academic passions lie in Energy Engineering and Environmental Studies. I am a first-generation and low-income student, actively involved with the community. I love to paint and read during my free time. I'm excited that you're here, and I hope you enjoy this account of my life at Dartmouth!
Taking an art class has long been a dream of mine. Drawing 1 with Professor Enrico Riley exceeded my expectations greatly! He is an inspiring instructor who allowed us creative freedom, while guiding us in the right direction. We drew in different forms of charcoal, with colour introduced towards the end of the term. I loved my experience and I cannot wait to take another Studio Art class!
The sequel to Drawing 1 with Professor Enrico Riley! We worked in oil paint, which I was completely new to and admittedly afraid to use. I ended up falling in love with the medium and the flexibility it gave me to adjust and refine my paintings at any point in the process. I am sad to finish this class and I hope I get to take another Studio Art class in the future!
Moving to America was a drastic adjustment, especially considering the difference in perception of race and ethnicity. This class gave me a insight into past and current American oppression against Black and Indigenous communities. I loved how much I learnt through this class, which was also my First Year Seminar requirement.
My first language class at Dartmouth! Taking German was intimidating, especially because of the fast-paced and rigorous learning method that Dartmouth uses. It was so interesting to learn the different grammar and rules used in the German language. I cannot wait to use my Beginner German skills in Berlin next Spring!
The Sacred Architecture of Asia is one of the most incredible courses I have taken at Dartmouth! The course is primarily discussion-based, with Professor Seher explaining and initiating conversation about the course material. The material assigned was incredibly inspiring and taught me so much about South Asian religions and their beginnings. Everywhere I travel now, I think about the lessons I have learnt in this class and I am truly grateful to Professor Seher for facilitating an incredible learning experience!
Learning about German history in Berlin was a great way to explore the city and culture! The class had weekly excursions where we visited important sites in Berlin, which was so informative and helpful. Overall, I learnt so many new aspects of Germany and the people who played a significant role in German history.
SummerPerrysburg, Ohio
Interning at First Solar, a solar panel manufacturing company! I work on the Application Engineering team under Product Management, developing ways to better serve our clients and enhance our products. It has been an amazing experience so far, I have learnt so much and I am so grateful for this opportunity!
The space I live in is very important to me, and creating a new space was a cause of concern when going to college. Incoming first-year students at Dartmouth will complete a housing form, which sorts them into one of six housing communities. Housing communities have their own dorm buildings, and students will stay within their housing community's dorms for all four years at Dartmouth—unless they choose to live off campus.
I have found on-campus housing beneficial because I love studying with my friends and being able to access my room at any moment throughout the day. While living on campus is mandatory for first-years, some of my friends chose off-campus housing options for their sophomore year. Specifically, they live at Summit on Juniper, an apartment complex about 20 minutes away from campus by bus.
At Summit, there are singles, doubles, triples, and quadruples available! My friends live in a double, which includes two bedrooms with a private full bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. My friends even hosted a cooking day there, which was incredibly fun! A grocery store is nearby, and the kitchen includes a fridge, microwave, stove, oven, and dishwasher. Some of my friends chose to live at Summit because they love cooking, and having a personal kitchen is a major plus!
Cooking at Summit!
From personal priorities, one key advantage of living at Summit is the personal full bathroom. Depending on your dorm, there are different types of bathroom arrangements. For instance, some dorms have communal bathrooms, whereas others have personal full or half baths. Summit almost guarantees you will have a full bathroom—even if you can't get a dorm with one in your second year onwards.
While Summit is 20 minutes from campus, the Dartmouth Campus Connector Bus runs seven days a week. The bus runs every 30 minutes on weekdays from 7 am to 10 pm and every hour from 10 pm to 2:45 am. On Fridays, the bus runs every 30 minutes from 7 am to 2:45 am on the next day. On weekends, the bus starts running at 9 am. My friends note that these times are enough for daily activities and commitments.
Off-campus housing is an excellent opportunity to separate your personal life from classes and on-campus commitments. My friends have found that the privacy and personal space are worth the commute for them. Maybe I will write an update if I decide to live there in the coming terms!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
