Hello, and welcome to my neck of the woods! My name is Brendilou Armstrong, and I am a '26 hailing from the cornfields and grassy plains of Western Nebraska. This year, I plan to involve myself in The Dartmouth and WebDCR (Dartmouth College Radio). I couldn't be more excited to set out on this expedition through college alongside all of you. Thanks for visiting my page!
If you are interested in Victorian literature in any capacity, this is the class for you! It is a course taught by the WGSS (Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies) department and combines historical and political aspects into a literary seminar. The material is compelling and allows you to view female authors, including Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, and Elizabeth Gaskell, in a different perspective knowing the societal context of the time period and themes in their most popular works.
If poetic language and artistic writing styles are your forte, this is the perfect class for you! Taught by the English/Creative Writing department, Introduction to Poetry is an incredible foundation to storytelling, introducing students to poetry styles from prose to ekphrastic and written to slam. The approach to teaching the course revolved around the strategies of Robert Frost, where the Poetry Room in Sanborn Library held our class, and students' chairs were arranged in a circle rather than in rows of desks. CRWT 12 is one of the most unique and fascinating classes I have taken thus far, and as a result, has become my favorite class I have taken on campus.
Niche classes and concentrations define a Dartmouth education, and before this term, I never intended on taking an Asian art history course, let alone one with such a defined focus. Taught through both the Department of Art History and the Department of Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages by Columbia University guest lecturer Seher Agarwala, this course contextualizes sacred architectural structures of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic faiths. I left this course with a newfound interest in the artistic practices of East Asian cultures and an appreciation for their diverse historical backgrounds and religions.
For any Los Angeles natives or those generally wanting to delve into the history of southern California, this class is for you! Focusing mainly on the contributions of minorities to the area, this class provides insight on the seldom-discussed history of L.A. through the perspectives of non-white settlers from the 18th century to the present day. Through examining controversial films depicting L.A. (including La La Land and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood), I left this course with a deep understanding of the sacrifices made to construct contemporary Los Angeles.
If the history behind 1960s politics, fashion, art, music, and society interests you in any capacity, this class is the perfect fit for you! Taught through Dartmouth’s Humanities Department, this course covers the late 1950s through the early 1970s, focusing on the era's transformative nature while immersing students in the time period through samples of art and music. What an incredible introduction to an incredibly important decade!
Much like all of you, fellow People Places Pines enthusiasts, I have many other interests that span outside of the academic realm, and one of the most important factors that contributed to my college decision was the amount of diversity in extracurriculars–Dartmouth's lengthy list of clubs intrigued me and kept me satisfied when finding ways to pursue my hobbies. Whether that be through a club sport, theater troupe, literary journal, or dance group, Dartmouth has a club for virtually every interest. These are just a few of the extracurriculars I am participating in this year!
1. The Dartmouth Newspaper: Whether or not you come from a background in journalism, The Dartmouth is an incredibly rewarding club for anyone who decides to apply (even if you have no prior experience in journalism–like me!). I decided to apply for Templating (the behind-the-scenes team that formats the printed layout of each section) after my friends convinced me to try it out for the first time. I couldn't be happier to be a part of both a welcoming community of people and history, as The Dartmouth (on top of the other awesome aspects of it) is also America's oldest collegiate newspaper!
2. Spilled Ink Poetry Club: If you take an interest in any type of poetry, whether that be free verse, haiku, or sonnet, Spilled Ink is the perfect extracurricular to join if you need a place for your creativity to flow! I joined this club at the beginning of the term and have had such an amazing experience writing poetry alongside others with the same taste in creative writing. Each hour-long meeting begins with analyzing a poem of a specific form and ends with free time to write and peer-edit each other's pieces of work. I couldn't be more excited to participate in their poetry slam event being held during the eighth week of this term–watch for a possible blog post about this in the near future!
3. Dartmouth Chamber Orchestra: Similar to the other two aforementioned clubs, the Dartmouth Chamber Orchestra (DCO) is yet another activity that I have not participated in before this term. As you may remember, I played for the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble (DCWE) last fall, but I wanted to try something different this year. The Dartmouth Chamber Orchestra is a student-led ensemble that welcomes players of all experience levels! This term, our repertoire consists of pieces like "The Blue Danube Waltz," "Rhapsody in Blue," and even a medley from "How to Train Your Dragon!" Expect a blog post later in the term about this activity as well.
Most students have to go back to college after Thanksgiving to take their finals, but not at Dartmouth! We have a six-week winter break, known as "winterim!" Let me tell you how I spent my winterim!
As a second-year at Dartmouth, I've embraced leadership roles that foster community, creativity, and support! Here's a look at how each role has shaped my journey.
