Welcome! I'm Olivia Koo '26, hailing from Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am studying biological chemistry on the pre-med track, and I'm excited to be supplementing it with music, as a classical pianist and singer-songwriter! Some of my favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos about video games, singing and playing my guitar, and reading New York Times op-eds. Look through my page for information about Dartmouth's pre-med track, STEM research, acapella/music, and study abroad opportunities!
My name is Olivia. I was born in San Francisco, California, but my home for the last 14 years was the mountainous mesas of Los Alamos, New Mexico. I have no shortage of hobbies, from jamming on my guitar or a piano as I make up random lyrics, to playing tennis on the courts even when it's annoyingly windy, to playing video games (or watching others play video games). I hope to study sociology on the pre-health track, and I'm excited to supplement it with another area of study, whether it be music or something new!
I am cautiously hopeful for my future at Dartmouth, for the slew of opportunities and lessons that lie ahead, and for the people whose stories I'd love to listen to. I may have only been in Hanover for a few weeks, but among the trips to the Connecticut River, club applications/tryouts, and dining hall dinners, I've already met so many people whose stories are fascinating and downright inspiring; I feel very lucky to be here, and I'm excited to share my journey through Dartmouth with you all.
Me with my plants in my dorm room!
When I was first admitted to Dartmouth, I visited the school in the spring of my senior year. As my father and I drove through the streets, my eyes were drawn to the people on the big green lawn in front of the famous Baker Tower. Students were eating dinner together, biking, playing spikeball, and studying. The quaint streetlights around the lawn were bright and welcoming, illuminating the sidewalks, still damp from a prior rainstorm. Taking in the juxtaposition of the bustling atmosphere in a cozy town, I knew that this was where I wanted to be.
The study-abroad opportunities, generous financial aid, and balance between academic structure and independence through the D-Plan were all incredibly enticing. But as I stepped onto campus, I could feel that Dartmouth was where things happened, where people worked together to create and learn, and that, at its core, was all I really wanted in a college.
A view of Occom Pond (the nearby pond on campus) before sunset!
I am confident that it's not going to be a cakewalk. After all, I'm here to fill my life with challenges that help me grow as a person. But with the level of support and guidance that I have already seen, I know that Dartmouth will help me take on those challenges every step of the way.
Starting college in a new country is a big leap, but with orientation programs, cultural connections, and helpful resources, Dartmouth quickly became more than just a campus—it became home.
It's hard to believe that it has been a year since I wrote my first end-of-fall-term reflection. It felt like only yesterday that I stepped into my dorm room this September, eager to reunite with my friends.
