Hey y'all! My name is Natasha, and I am a junior at Dartmouth College. I'm majoring in history and minoring in public policy and Chinese. In my free time, I love to watch New Girl, hang out with my friends, and explore the Upper Valley. Dartmouth is a pretty neat place— I hope you enjoy reading my posts about life here!
Academic Program
History Major and Minors in Public Policy and Chinese
Chinese 004 was my first language class at Dartmouth. Although the class was fast-paced and a lot of work, my professor, Alan Li, was really engaging and I became close with my classmates.
I really enjoyed this class! My professor, Charles Wheelan, was so hilarious and an amazing lecturer. I still find myself applying concepts I learned in that class to my real life.
As part of Dartmouth's liberal arts mission, all students have to take a technology or applied science course with a lab component in order to graduate. I decided to take computer science 1 to fulfill this requirement. As someone with no prior coding experience, I definitely was challenged in this class. However, by the end of the term, I gained a valuable skill and was really proud of how far I came!
This class inspired me to be a history major! In this class, I learned about the major economic developments that occurred from the 1800s till now. I found this topic to be very fascinating, and I really enjoyed the way my professor, Stefan Link, taught the material.
In this class, I was taught the basics of conducting quantitative analysis. We primarily worked in STATA and utilized statistical concepts to analyze social science data. My professor, Kristin Smith, was so incredibly kind and made sure that everyone in the class understood the material.
I gained a comprehensive understanding of Chinese history from this class. As an asynchronous class, I had to be incredibly organized and diligent to ensure I was on top of the material. My professor, Pamela Crossley, was incredibly knowledgeable and was always available to talk to if I had any questions.
This was my first European history course at Dartmouth, and I loved it so much! My professor, David Petruccelli, was an engaging lecturer and was always willing to talk with me whenever I had a question. I learned so much about World War I and its implications on European and international politics.
I have really enjoyed Public Policy 45 with Professor Ronald Shaiko. As a public policy minor, I have found the material in the course to be both interesting and useful. In this course, we learn about different research methods and apply what we learn to conduct non-partisan policy research.
This term, Dartmouth hosted Family Weekend. Typically, Family Weekend is a weekend during spring term for the parents of freshmen to explore their child's campus and learn more about their child's life as a college student. However, both the '23s and '24s missed the chance to have Family Weekend during their freshman year because of the pandemic. So, to allow these students to experience this event, Dartmouth decided to host a Family Weekend for them during the fall.
I was so excited when I learned that I and other '23s would have a Family Weekend this term. Being from Texas, which is quite a trek from Dartmouth, I usually keep up with my parents by calling, FaceTime, and texting them throughout the term. I was excited about seeing them in person because I missed them so much! Another reason why I was excited about Family Weekend was that I wanted my parents to see the campus I call my home away from home and meet my amazing friends.
My Dad and I in Front of the Hop!
From the moment my parents arrived, their schedules were fully packed with Dartmouth-sponsored lectures and events. My parents particularly enjoyed a talk given by Dr. Michele Tine, a professor of Sociology, on whether education acts as a great equalizer in society. They also enjoyed the presentation given by student panelists and faculty on what the next two years of college life will look like for the '23s. My parents felt like they got a better understanding of what I do in college and how I am preparing myself for life after graduation.
Apart from the official Dartmouth events, my parents were also able to experience Dartmouth through my eyes. I gave them a tour of campus, making sure to show places that I normally frequent. In particular, I showed them my dorm, the dining halls, Baker-Berry Library, and the Green. Many of my friends' parents also came to campus for Family Weekend, so my friends and I thought it would be fun to have a group lunch at TuckerBox, a Turkish restaurant only ten minutes away from campus. The food was delicious, and it was so fun getting to meet my friends' parents.
Family Weekend was over in the blink of an eye. It was such a great weekend, and I am so glad I was able to see my parents in person and show them Dartmouth!
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!
