Hi, I'm Youmi from China and Japan and I'm majoring in CS and minoring in Human-Centered Design. I love playing tennis, taking peaceful morning walks around Occom Pond, and relaxing by the river with friends. Dartmouth feels like a patchwork of people and places that constantly surprise me, and I'm excited to share those little discoveries with you through my blogs and photos.
Dartmouth offers a variety of different first-year writing classes across disciplines, but “Understanding the Craft of Dramatic Writing” caught my attention right away upon browsing the descriptions of all 32 classes offered this year. As an avid binge watcher of TV shows, movies, and short films, I couldn’t wait to explore my favorite pastime hobby in a classroom with peers. I also had the chance to explore theatrical plays, which is a literary medium that I’ve always wanted to explore but never had the opportunity or resources to. What I love the most, though, are the weekly check-in sessions led by Professor Carabastos — through these short life updates, our class formed a relationship beyond just being classmates. I’m so glad to have chosen this class!
Dartmouth offers a wide range of unique classes, and this term, “Drawing 1” has been my favorite. Even though it’s not directly related to my academic interests, I’ve always been passionate about art but never had the opportunity to fully explore it before. This class has given me the chance to experiment with techniques and express myself creatively, but what I love most are the critique sessions. Hearing my classmates share their interpretations of the same drawing has been eye-opening—it’s fascinating to see how everyone’s perspective adds a new layer of meaning. The discussions have deepened my appreciation for art and made every class a rewarding experience.
After hearing my friends rave about CS22, I had to see what the hype was about... and it absolutely lived up to it. 3D Modeling is truly my favorite class taken here so far. Despite the demanding workload and fast pace, seeing all your hard work come together in the end makes the late nights worth it. What really made the experience special, though, was the community—Lorie and the TAs were incredibly kind and supportive, creating a space where even complete beginners (like me) could thrive. Taking this class was hands down one of the best decisions I’ve made here.
Look to the right side of your screen and you'll see my favorite class for fall term—WRIT 5: Understanding the Craft of Dramatic Writing. Although every first-year student at Dartmouth is required to fulfill the writing sequence (which I did through Writing 5), there are many themed Writing 5 options available each year across disciplines, including "Food for Thought," "What is Knowledge?" and "A Poetry of Horror." You'll be surprised by the diverse range of topics offered. Feel free to take this chance and deepen your knowledge in a field that you're familiar with or explore a new academic discipline!
Binge-watching TV shows and movies is my guilty pleasure, so that's also why I chose to take the course "Understanding the Craft of Dramatic Writing." I knew I'd find more "hidden-gems" to add to my watchlist and rant about my favorite shows during class discussions, and indeed I was not disappointed! We looked at a variety of fictional podcasts, TV shows, movies, plays, or other dramatic media that "start from the same storytelling fundamentals," but here are two of my favorite watches so far!
In The Heights
In the Heights follows Usnavi, a bodega owner in Washington Heights, New York, as he navigates dreams of a better life alongside his close-knit community. Through music and dance, the story captures the hopes and struggles of the neighborhood as they navigate change and cling to their shared identity. I'm not an avid watcher of musicals, but I loved this movie! During class discussions, we watched snippets of the opening and ending and shared how our own cultural backgrounds or stories connected to the film. Not only did this movie help me learn about my friends' cultures from their home, but I also discovered new songs to add to my playlist!
Fleabag
Fleabag is a dark comedy about a young woman in London navigating love, family, and personal struggles with sharp wit and unfiltered honesty, often breaking the fourth wall to reveal her inner thoughts and vulnerabilities. A lot of my friends have recommended this show to me, and I finally understood the hype after watching the first episode for this class. I love everything about this show: its discussion about adulthood and feminism and, of course, its elite dark humor. I chose to analyze this show for one of my three assignments in the class, and I will definitely be watching more episodes of Fleabag!
Taking Writing 5: Understanding the Craft of Dramatic Writinghas been one of the best parts of my first term at Dartmouth! Watching movies and shows in class—and actually discussing them—has been a dream. I've picked up so many new favorites, from the catchy songs of In the Heights to the hilariously sharp humor of Fleabag. Additionally, hearing everyone's thoughts and personal connections to the stories made each discussion feel significantly more meaningful. If you're someone who loves binge-watching or diving into stories, I can't recommend this class enough. I'm already excited to see what else we'll watch next
During my sophomore spring quarter, I took on the challenge of four STEM courses, and while it has been intense, the unexpected connections across subjects and the joy of learning have made it one of my most rewarding academic experiences yet.
On the Beijing LSA+, we have real-world Chinese practice every Friday. Last week we went to two neighborhoods, Houhai and Shichahai, and wrote a photo log about our experience. Read along to see what immersive language learning here looks like!
With so many undergraduates hoping to participate in the exceptional atmosphere of the Tuck School of Business, Tuck created programs specifically designed for us. I was fortunate enough to take part in one of them: TuckLAB Entrepreneurship.
