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!
My Summer Term Timeline: An End of Term Reflection
What a wonderful summer! With this term being my first New England summer, the ten weeks I spent on campus from June to August proved to be different from any other terms I've spent in residency thus far (in the most amazing ways). From joining a summer dance ensemble (which I will speak more on in a later blog post–stay tuned!) to regularly canoeing along the Connecticut River, I reflect on the aspects that made Sophomore Summer one of the most memorable Dartmouth traditions I've taken part in.
Mid-June marked my return to campus after a revitalizing break following spring term. I had been anticipating Sophomore Summer—an on-campus term between sophomore and junior year required for all sophomore students—since my beginnings as a Dartmouth student. An exciting start to a new set of courses and activities laid the foundation for a term that met all of my expectations. A hiking trip to Gile Mountain and a canoeing adventure across the Connecticut River tied a lovely bow around the rest of this month!
My friends and I canoeing along the Connecticut!
July was quickly defined by festivities on the 4th, out-of-state travel, and adventures outdoors with friends! With the summer's warmth came days spent studying on the grass at Kemeny Courtyard (a small, undisturbed patio area outside Kemeny Hall) and driving with the windows down to nearby locations like Ice Cream Fore-U (an ice cream shop in West Lebanon, NH) and the Norwich Farmers Market (which I chronicled in my previous blog post)!
My friends and I indulging in Hanover's beautiful summer weather with a picnic on the Green!
My friends and I at Ice Cream Fore-U, a fantastic ice cream shop in West Lebanon, NH!
As August arrived, the end of the term came with it, but not before an exciting conclusion to the summer: my 20th birthday! A group of friends helped celebrate my special day on the golf course near Occom Pond, contributing to an incredibly special night that I will cherish for years to come.
The most wonderful birthday party on the golf course!
With Sophomore Summer now a not-so-distant memory, I reflect on its events with a tinge of bittersweetness–how I absolutely loved and cherished this term. I recognize the amount of valuable connections fostered during this formative time on campus, and I am so grateful to have experienced it.
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
