Hello there, friend! My name is Love and I am a '23. Aside from being on the pre-med track, I'm currently interested in studying math and public policy. I have a penchant for old things, learning languages, and the arts. I also love personality tests, irrespective of their actual validity—in case you're curious, I'm an INFJ, Scorpio, dragon, and type 2w1.
BIOL 11.07 (Major Events in the History of Life and the Human Genome) is a very unique class. We learn topics such as oxidative phosphorylation in conjunction with evolution and paleontology. In other words, where and when did ETC come from, and how can we support our hypothesis? Though not an easy class by far, every day the material I learn amazes me with the wonder of life, which is how biology should be!
MES 7.03 (Jerusalem: Vision and Reality) was my First-Year Seminar and such an interesting class to take! We explored Jerusalem through three main viewpoints (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The class had a bit of religion, literature, anthropology, sociology, and even geography—all things I love to study but don't necessarily have the space for with our three-class quarters. I often found myself going to office hours just to talk with my professor about questions I had outside of the reading!
COSC 10 (Problem Solving with Object-Oriented Programming) is a data structures course and the last pre-requisite for the computer science major. Though I added it as a fourth class on a whim because of COVID-19 and remote learning, it quickly became my favorite class this term because I loved the problem solving that CS has to offer. It is a difficult class but the emotional and academic rewards make it all worth it!
This was one of four classes I took during fall term and it was super interesting! We learned about healthcare systems and innovations from around 4 guest lecturers per week, and were able to do research on our own and propose a new system at the end of the term. Students came from all over campus and the course was very enlightening for me in terms of understanding how care is dispensed in the U.S. and how we can improve it.
Though this was my first "foundation" course in the Biology department and I still found it challenging, I really enjoyed learning the material and found it all super exciting! We learned about DNA replication, mRNA transcription and protein translation, genetics, and had the opportunity to do a literature review at the end of the term.
The dreaded Organic Chemistry sequence of my pre-med track came upon me faster than I thought it would, but it surprised me by being one of my favorite classes to date! I found it intellectually interesting (even though it was time-consuming), probably because I treated it like a STEM-and-logic puzzle instead of pure STEM or pure memorization. Am I great at it? Not necessarily. Do I remember everything I've learned? I'm not too sure! Am I mentally ready for Organic Chemistry 2 next term? Not at all! But I had a lot of fun doing this class and surprised even myself with how I tackled it.
I love dancing, story-telling, and learning about different cultures so I knew going into this course that I would enjoy it. Cross-listed in the theater and AAAS departments, this course let students have the privilege of working with Dance Theatre of Harlem members who were in Hanover for a summer residency. As a group, we analyzed a play ("The Purple Flower" by Marita Bonner) and transformed the text into a physical movement piece. Each student also had complete ownership of a personal final project, and I opted to do a self-choreographed dance. Overall, I loved getting the chance to work creatively in my academics this term and I also was able to broaden my perspective and knowledge of the African-American story in the process!
As a pre-med, I am constantly trying to learn more about the U.S medical system. This course was extremely engaging in all aspects, taking students through all of American history through the lens of healthcare within the span of 10 weeks. I particularly liked having a discussion session that replaced a lecture, since we were able to talk about the issues with the professor and think out loud about our readings. The course was definitely challenging and required a lot of synthesis across different time periods and topics, but I feel like I came out of it with a deeper and more profound understanding of our healthcare system and why it functions the way it does today.
WinterDetroit, MI
For my junior winter, I did an internship in clinical research! With COVID affecting so much of my college experience, this practical, in-person work internship was very important for me to not only hone my employable skills but also see what having a 8am - 5pm job looks like and how it could fit into my future.
Much like my other pre-med courses here at Dartmouth, Biochemistry was quite rigorous and fast-paced. It was certainly challenging, but I found the work extremely rewarding and I enjoyed learning about all the different mechanisms that happen inside of our bodies. Additionally, many of my friends were also in this class as well, rounding out final prerequisites for graduate school, and this fact made it all the more fun.
SummerDresden, Germany
For my junior summer, I had a research internship in Eastern Germany, working at the intersection between math, computer science, and biology! The learning curve was very steep since my project focus changed once I arrived in Europe, but I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the content and myself. I am extremely thankful for all the support that Dartmouth has given me throughout my time here, without which I wouldn't have been able to do a 12-week European adventure!
As a pre-med student interested in health disparities, SOCY 75 was an amazing class to take! We covered numerous topics concerning how where one lives can impact their health outcomes. At the end of the course, students were also able to complete a final project of their choosing and I loved being able to tie my personal experiences into an academic course.
Throughout college, most of my science courses have been at the introductory level: one term of genetics, one term of cell structure, etc. Rarely have I had the chance to engage with something on a deeper level or connect the pre-med courses to human biology. This course was super interesting because I could finally connect everything I've learned throughout college into one cohesive course that connects to something I want to do post-Dartmouth.
Greetings, reader! One of the many things I've learned about Dartmouth thus far is that your experience is really what you make of it. With so many things to do around campus, and so many people to meet, there is truly a never-ending supply of opportunities to be had, if one only takes the time and energy to explore them.
For example, over winterim, I've had the opportunity to do two really amazing things all because of Dartmouth: teach English in China for two weeks and connect with an amazing "three-in-one" alum who operates as professor, physician, and research director at the University of Michigan.
Teaching English in China was something I did with the Dandelion Project, a student-run organization here on campus which partners with Dandelion Middle School in Beijing to produce supplementary English materials for students. After hearing about the winterim trip, I submitted an application, did an interview, and was offered a position along with three other students! The weekend following Thanksgiving, I headed out to China for the very first time and taught there for two weeks.
For the last three-or-so weeks of winterim, I'm doing extended shadowing with a Dartmouth alum. This opportunity I got through the CPD, which has a list of Dartmouth-related connections for programs over the six-week winter break, such as job shadowing, short-term projects, or career days. After a quick email correspondence, I'd secured my first-ever shadowing experience! I will be learning about cardiology/vascular medicine and research, and will even be able to spend a week accompanying the doctors on rounds in the university hospital along with clinic.
There are really so many things that you can get out of your experience at Dartmouth. Finding a job is often as simple as attending the student job fair at the beginning of the term, or heading online to places like JOBNET. One can even directly approach professors in academic departments for positions, or work in downtown Hanover. Research can be found online—Dartmouth keeps a repository of open projects being investigated by various departments or professors—or via word-of-mouth. Many of your fellow classmates will also have connections in all academic disciplines and I've frequently seen upperclassmen sharing contacts for interviews, jobs, or off-term internships. Students at Dartmouth get maybe upwards of 15 emails a day about various clubs or things to try, which is how I discovered most of my extracurricular activities. While one does have to work to get what they want, most opportunities aren't hidden away or only accessible via secret membership, so if one wants it, all one has to do is work for it.
And lastly, Dartmouth itself has a number of programs that are tremendous experiential learning opportunities. For example, during spring break in March, I am traveling to Washington, D.C. with the Tucker Center to learn about the intersections of faith, race, and justice! Other people I know have gone on Dartmouth Outing Club trips during this winterim break, hiking, canoeing, or climbing their way through December. Some student groups, such as a cappella groups or the student orchestra, might go on tour and perform. And, of course, a good majority of my friends are spending their first winterim back at home with family, recovering from the intense ten-week term before January rolls around. Suffice it to say, there are many ways that one can get involved through Dartmouth, however you want it to look like. The fun is in how you personally structure your journey!
The 9th graders at Dandelion Middle School are currently preparing for their high school entrance exam! Dartmouth students, along with two Schwarzman Scholars from Tsinghua University, gave a presentation in an effort to inspire the students to aim high and change their own destinies through education.
Every Dartmouth student is required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Here's my experience navigating the language requirement!
