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!
Crepes & Hot Apple Crumbles: A Quick Brunch in Vermont!
On this day, in particular, a Tuesday at the onset of Week 5, we were craving crepes and french toast. On the hunt for a quick and tasty restaurant, our eager Google searches presented The Skinny Pancake in Quechee, Vermont as the top choice for both of our breakfast cravings.
After navigating Google Maps to lead us to the location of our crepe-filled dreams, we arrived at the conjoined buildings of The Skinny Pancake and Jake's Quechee Market, a quaint general store for all your fresh produce and grocery needs. We were greeted by kind welcomes and quickly ushered to an available booth.
Before moving to New England, I had never known about the significance of maple syrup in the Northeast, but after browsing the menu, I was reminded of its importance in Vermont's culture. The locality of its sugary goodness was a key selling point for many of The Skinny Pancake's menu items—that, alongside the yummy crepes it paired with in the menu's pictures, convinced me to try this pairing for myself. I ordered Noah's Ark: a sweet combination of two cinnamon crepes, two pieces of bacon, and two eggs over-easy. This delicious food, warm atmosphere, and sweet company of friends turned this quick trip to Vermont into a memorable part of this fall term.
My friends and I, with stomachs full, on our way back to campus!
These unique and local restaurants, like The Skinny Pancake, add charm and a sense of home to the Upper Valley. The variety of tasty options in and around Hanover makes the most mundane of meals an enjoyable treat!
The Dartmouth Green is more than our school color. These words describe Dartmouth's commitment to sustainability. If sustainability is important to you, read through this post to discover a non-exhaustive list of sustainable initiatives on campus.
It's hard to fully express just how meaningful Cabin and Trail (CnT) is to me. Since coming to Dartmouth a year and a half ago, this community has shaped me in ways I never expected. It is a source of hope and a new home.
When I first came to Dartmouth, the last thing I wanted to experience was the infamous, chilling New England winter—but I've discovered that Dartmouth's climate was a blessing in disguise, and even perhaps my favorite thing about campus.
