Hi! I'm excited to welcome you to my blog! I'm Andrea Agola, a '26 born in Kenya and raised just outside of D.C. As the eldest child of three, I'm the first to go off to college! Dartmouth enables me to explore my passions in both the sciences and humanities. Don't even get me started on the numerous extracurriculars that pique my interest, like the Dartmouth Dickey Center, research projects (WISP & DHMC), and dance groups (Soyeya). Follow along as I navigate my unique college experience!
Academic Program
Sociology major, International Studies Minor, Pre-Health
Favorite Thing Right Now
Studying abroad on the French LSA+ in Toulouse, France!
Dartmouth campus officially resembles a winter wonderland. In the last few days, it has been consistently snowing - quite a few inches of snow remain everywhere you look. As I rode the campus connector bus back to my dorm after my last class on Friday, an email notification popped up on my phone with the headline "Would you, could you, in the snow?" I went on to read a poem signed off by Dr. Seuss and addressed to Robert Frost (although really to all of campus). As Dartmouth tradition, everyone was invited for a snowball fight at midnight on the green! True enough, at 11:57pm, I watched in excitement as people came from every corner of campus towards the green (better considered 'the white' now). It was pure fun running around and pelting each other with snowballs.
This Sunday I went skiing for the first time! I got the Dartmouth Skiway season pass that's specially discounted for freshmen and a daily rental which included ski boots, skis, and a helmet. I went with a friend who taught me how to ski while she also snowboarded. Starting off on the beginner "bunny" slopes, skiing turned out to be a little easier than I imagined although I can't wait to get out on the slopes again so I can work on nailing the swerving action needed to go down steeper slopes. It was also nice to see Sklodj (the Dartmouth Ski Lodge) for the first time since I had only been to Moosilauke lodge during fall term.
Me and a friend at the skiway!
While I unfortunately haven't built a snowman yet this winter, I've walked by many people building ones across campus. Often, it's groups of friends rolling different- sized large snowballs into formation in front of buildings like Robinson Hall which houses the Office of Outdoor Programs, campus radio stations, the student media center, the Dartmouth Forensic Union, and The Dartmouth, an independent student newspaper. Whenever I come across a snowman, it's interesting to see the range of unique variations like the snowman with a 6-pack of abs.
Me taking a photo with a snowman!
I took the above picture with my friends after the snowball fight as we made our way to the Collis Center for Student Involvement which includes the Common Ground lounge and event space, One Wheelock coffee shop, 8-Ball Hall Game Room, conference rooms and Collis market and cafe. My friend and I were specifically headed to the One Wheelock coffee shop for the (so good) hot cocoa that is always available for free all day. This is an amazing perk that I just recently discovered. During all of this last week, you could find me either stopping in for the hot cocoa to take it to-go as I made the snowy trek back to my dorm or sitting in to enjoy it in a mug as I studied in the comfortable lounge. I may or not be sipping my second mug of the day as I write this post
Starting college is an exciting transition, but it can also come with its share of challenges. Luckily, students have access to a wide range of free mental health resources at Dartmouth, one of which is the Counseling Center.
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Greta Richardson '26, an engineering major, showed me around her room in her off-campus apartment, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
I wrote my "Why Dartmouth?" essay a little under two years ago, and I've had a year in-between to fully experience Dartmouth: how I've grown, changed, and how Dartmouth has been a part of all of it.
