Hello, 你好, and Bonjour! My name is Tao; I'm from New York City, and I'm a proud first-generation student. I'm currently interested in studying applied math and learning a new language (French, with the intent of studying abroad using my D-Plan!) at Dartmouth. I love being immersed at campus–especially aesthetic Woccoms, fookie grubs at FOCO, and Baker-Berry Tower Room study sessions. Come one, come all: let me take you along!
Academic Program
Mathematics and Quantitative Social Science with a minor in French
This term, I took the plunge and applied to be a Dartmouth Admissions Tour Guide. After a mini audition, I was pleasantly surprised to land the role! But don't be fooled—becoming a tour guide isn't just about walking backwards and talking at the same time (FYI, we don't ever walk backwards as a tour guide, because that's not safe!) It's a whole process, and I'd love to take you through my training journey!
As a tour guide, I'm almost like a mini generalist on everything Dartmouth, from our academic curriculum via the D-Plan, various study abroad programs, Dartmouth's campus buildings, and giving a realistic student experience! Training has been intense but fun! I've shadowed seasoned tour guides, sat through admissions info sessions, and memorized the best routes to keep my groups engaged. And let me tell you—talking for 75 minutes straight while keeping things interesting is no small feat. But the coolest part? Learning all these random Dartmouth facts I never knew before! For example, did you know Dartmouth Hall, one of our oldest buildings, has burned down three times—yet somehow, two of its original windows have survived for over 200 years? I didn't know this either until I went on one of the shadow tours, and learned this from my tour guide mentor.
New tour guides gathered together!
Right now, I'm still in training mode, gearing up for my final test: an "unofficial" tour given to a current guide. If I pass, I'll officially earn my tour guide status! But beyond the memorization and logistics, I've really come to appreciate how much this role is sharpening my public speaking skills. Being a tour guide is yet another way Dartmouth keeps pulling me deeper into its community, and it also has helped me articulate my "Why Dartmouth?" as I'm walking past the buildings. It is because of the community! As I talk about how I interact with various parts of the campus and programs like Take a Professor to Lunch, I begin to appreciate the sense of purpose and resource that Dartmouth provides. And I couldn't be more excited to start leading tours and tell my tour groups all about it—maybe even for you reading this right now!
In my freshman year, I wrote a blog revisiting my decision of attending Dartmouth College. Now that more than a year has passed, I would love to revisit my decision again, with a more realistic lens.
