Hello! My name is Cal Shin, and I am a '27 planning to double-major in Economics and Philosophy. Outside of academics and blogging, you can find me drawing (perhaps even designing for The Dartmouth), hosting my radio show as a proud deejay at WebDCR, perusing the Free Market, or hanging out with friends. Ultimately, I am an artist and a storyteller. I hope you enjoy reading about my Dartmouth experience; the journey has just begun!
I took this course with Professor James Binkoski and loved it! I had never taken a philosophy course prior to Dartmouth, so this introductory course in the department was perfect! After all, it combined my interests of philosophy with time and time travel — at least, how time and time travel are depicted in the media. This course may initially seem to be on the more technical side, but Professor Binkoski made sure to break down the various time travel theories — various ways scientists and philosophers think of time and its supposed movement — in a manner that’s easy for anyone to understand. A very popular course overall; I am fortunate to have been able to take it during my first term here!
I took this course with Professor Ha Yan Lee and it was absolutely amazing! I had my initial reservations about this course, mainly because I knew a lot of my classmates would have had some background knowledge while I had none. Professor Lee did a wonderful job of breaking down concepts in a manner that, as she often put it, is easy for even “your grandparents to understand”. Even beyond the course, the level of care Professor Lee exhibited towards her students is significant. She’s one of the most popular professors at Dartmouth, and for good reason! I ate lunch with her at The Pine through the Take a Faculty Member to Lunch program, and she gave me tremendous insight and advice! Because of this course, I have been inspired to explore more courses within the Econ department and potentially major in Economics.
I took this course with Professor Jasmina Savic and examined how the vampire figure evolved over time, starting with Slavic literature, going through Dracula and Twilight, and ending with “vampire” political figures. I realized what the portrayal of vampires could tell me about the thoughts of that society, including the fact that the early notions of vampirism are akin to modern-day diseases. For my final project, I wrote a research paper comparing the gumiho (the Korean nine-tailed fox) to several Western vampires.
Every incoming student is randomly assigned a Faculty Advisor, a faculty member who may or may not be related to the student's intended course of study. Your assignment may be akin to a roll of die if your advisor's area of study is completely unrelated to yours. When I received an email informing me of my assigned advisor, I was initially caught off-guard. My advisor happened to specialize in Middle Eastern Studies, an area I had no particular interest or intention of pursuing. Like anyone else with a seemingly out-of-left-field assignment, I had my reservations.
My concerns were quickly dispelled after my first meeting with my faculty advisor. It was immediately apparent that Professor Kadhim was genuinely interested in getting to know me — not just as a student or an advisee, but as a person. I could see how dedicated he was to understanding my passions, goals, interests, and challenges. I soon realized that he wasn't just an academic advisor, but a mentor figure supporting my overall well-being as I navigated my first year at Dartmouth.
One of the most valuable aspects of my experience was how proactive my faculty advisor was in reaching out to me. Unlike a more typical advisor-advisee relationship where students initiate contact, Professor Kadhim made it a point to regularly check in with me. Whether it was asking how classes were going, offering to help me with course selection, or just seeing if there was anything I needed, he was constantly there, providing me with a steady voice of encouragement and reasoning. Even when I was swamped with other commitments, I always tried to make time for his check-ins because our conversations were always worthwhile.
My faculty advisor's support was most apparent during winterim. When he learned I was staying on campus during the 6-week break from Thanksgiving to New Year's, he reached out to me inviting me to dinner at a cozy restaurant in White River Junction, Vermont. I got to learn more about him as a person — his interests, his journey, and what brought him to Dartmouth — over a delicious meal.
A snippet of an email from my advisor inviting me to a meal during winterim.
I know that not everyone is as lucky as I am to have such a wonderful advisor, especially given the random nature of these assignments. However, I strongly encourage you to take the time to get to know your advisor, not just as a professor or an academic guide, but as a person. At worst, you meet with them once and decide not to continue the relationship. But at best, you may end up finding someone who is genuinely rooting for you throughout your first year and the rest of your college journey, offering a listening ear and some sage advice when you need it most.
Unlike some other universities, many of the STEM lecture classes at Dartmouth require concurrent enrollment in a laboratory section. What is it like navigating that time as a student?
Join me for a 5:30 A.M adventure as I hike the Gile Mountain to catch the sunrise and explore the Norwich Farmers' Market, enjoying delicious treats and a beautiful morning!
