Hi everyone! I'm Yehalah and I'm a '26 coming all the way from Colombo, Sri Lanka. My academic passions lie in Energy Engineering and Environmental Studies. I am a first-generation and low-income student, actively involved with the community. I love to paint and read during my free time. I'm excited that you're here, and I hope you enjoy this account of my life at Dartmouth!
Taking an art class has long been a dream of mine. Drawing 1 with Professor Enrico Riley exceeded my expectations greatly! He is an inspiring instructor who allowed us creative freedom, while guiding us in the right direction. We drew in different forms of charcoal, with colour introduced towards the end of the term. I loved my experience and I cannot wait to take another Studio Art class!
The sequel to Drawing 1 with Professor Enrico Riley! We worked in oil paint, which I was completely new to and admittedly afraid to use. I ended up falling in love with the medium and the flexibility it gave me to adjust and refine my paintings at any point in the process. I am sad to finish this class and I hope I get to take another Studio Art class in the future!
Moving to America was a drastic adjustment, especially considering the difference in perception of race and ethnicity. This class gave me a insight into past and current American oppression against Black and Indigenous communities. I loved how much I learnt through this class, which was also my First Year Seminar requirement.
My first language class at Dartmouth! Taking German was intimidating, especially because of the fast-paced and rigorous learning method that Dartmouth uses. It was so interesting to learn the different grammar and rules used in the German language. I cannot wait to use my Beginner German skills in Berlin next Spring!
The Sacred Architecture of Asia is one of the most incredible courses I have taken at Dartmouth! The course is primarily discussion-based, with Professor Seher explaining and initiating conversation about the course material. The material assigned was incredibly inspiring and taught me so much about South Asian religions and their beginnings. Everywhere I travel now, I think about the lessons I have learnt in this class and I am truly grateful to Professor Seher for facilitating an incredible learning experience!
Learning about German history in Berlin was a great way to explore the city and culture! The class had weekly excursions where we visited important sites in Berlin, which was so informative and helpful. Overall, I learnt so many new aspects of Germany and the people who played a significant role in German history.
SummerPerrysburg, Ohio
Interning at First Solar, a solar panel manufacturing company! I work on the Application Engineering team under Product Management, developing ways to better serve our clients and enhance our products. It has been an amazing experience so far, I have learnt so much and I am so grateful for this opportunity!
Thirty hours. That is how long I traveled to get to Dartmouth this August. As an international student, the journey back and forth from Dartmouth is a long and tedious one. It involves multiple flights, transits and exhaustion. If you are an incoming international student, this post is for you.
Pack light! Especially if you are travelling alone, packing light is extremely important. Handling multiple heavy suitcases in an airport is impractical. Bring only the essentials and purchase the rest when you get to campus. Every enrolled student is a part of the Hinman mail service, which allows you to order items to campus and pick them up. To find your unique Hinman box number, go to your housing portal on DartHub! Hinman is typically available for incoming students two weeks before fall classes start.
Chances are that if you are traveling alone, you will be taking the Dartmouth Coach. The Dartmouth Coach runs multiple times a day and makes a stop at Boston Logan Airport. You can buy your ticket to Hanover at the Dartmouth Coach website for about forty dollars. The coach makes stops at all the terminals, which will be terminal E for international students. When you land in Boston, you will go through US customs, collect your bags, and exit from the terminal. As soon as you exit, the Dartmouth Coach will stop at the far right end. There will be boards on which the Dartmouth Coach is listed. Do not panic if the coach is late, it is normal during peak traffic hours!
Dartmouth is known for being cold and I can confirm that. You may feel the urge to buy every winter-related item of clothing before arriving on campus. However, if you come from a relatively warm country, they most likely do not produce the best winter clothing. I found that the winter items I brought with me from home were of much inferior quality and did not keep me adequately warm. So, if you are looking to buy a warm winter coat, definitely consider purchasing one only when you get to campus.
Saying that, do consider traveling with a light jacket! Planes and coaches can get cold if you are not used to that climate. Furthermore, Dartmouth happens to have cold days even in the summer, especially when the sun goes down. Please note that post is not meant to make you feel intimidated or to instill a fear of traveling. The journey may be difficult, but the destination is so worth it in the end. Travel safe!
Walking around the Wellelsey campus, it's clear that it was built with intentional incorporation of the surrounding nature. The architecture of many buildings were also mindfully crafted to support Wellesley's unique principles.
