Hi, and welcome to my corner of the woods! I'm Lauren, a '27 from Munger, Michigan. My favorite places on campus include Sanborn (for writing), the river (for paddling), and the Green (for everything else). I'm excited to share a bit about my favorite place with all of you!
I took this class as part of Dartmouth's first year writing requirement. We read a pro cyclist's life narrative, discussed research papers on controversial topics in sports, and wrote our own papers on a contentious sports technology of our choice. I really enjoyed this course's emphasis on discussion, and the small class size!
This was my first class in the classics department, which was super exciting as a classical studies major! We learned about the ancient Olympics and the connections between athletics and other aspects of ancient Greek society. I loved the final project in this class, which involved creating an argument about how the ancient pentathlon was scored!
To conclude my language requirement, I took Latin 3! This class was super exciting because we began to read ancient texts and poetry. We also took a class trip to the Rauner Special Collections library so we could physically handle and read some manuscripts. And as an added bonus, Latin counts as a prerequisite for my classical studies major!
As a part of my language study abroad in Italy, I also took a class on Italian history and culture! We went on field trips to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, participated in walking tours of Rome, and watched a lot of great cinema in this class! I loved it so much that I decided to minor in Italian.
This class, in addition to being a pre-requisite for my major, was super interesting! I loved learning about archaeology through hands-on projects and lectures that felt like TED Talks.
My favorite course on my Italian LSA+ in Rome is focused on Italian literature, which we are studying in a reverse-chronological order! It has been incredibly fun to see different topics and styles evolve over time and to learn from the works of the best writers.
I’m absolutely loving this hands-on introduction to paleography, and the fact that my class meets at Rauner every day! I can’t wait to hear from our guest lecturers, too, and I’ll be sure to share those experiences on the blog. All in all, Latin 10 was a great way to get back into the language after a term away in Rome.
As I cross the halfway point of my remaining terms here at Dartmouth (time is absolutely flying!), I find myself reflecting on everything I've experienced so far—but I still have so many things I want to try! So, I decided to put together a sort of Dartmouth Bucket List for the next two terms. Maybe this will even inspire you to create your own!
Attend a Guest Lecture
Each term, Dartmouth hosts a wide range of guest speakers—from politicians, to world-renowned scholars, to experts in a variety of fields. I'd love to sit in on one of these lectures outside of my usual areas of study, just to broaden my horizons. I'm incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to hear firsthand from people who have dedicated their lives to a subject, and I want to take advantage of that.
Cheer on the Big Green at a New Sporting Event
I've been to my fair share of football, hockey, and rugby games while writing for the sports section of The Dartmouth, but there are so many other teams I haven't had the chance to support in person yet. Whether it's a track meet, a soccer match, or even a sailing regatta, I hope to cheer on my peers at a different type of competition!
Catch a Show at the Hopkins Center for the Arts
The Hopkins Center for the Arts, in my humble opinion, is one of the most underrated resources on campus—and I'm guilty of this underrating as well! Between film screenings, musical performances, and workshops, I hope to find an event that works with my schedule in the upcoming months. Supporting students performances or seeing a visiting artist would be a great way to engage with and support the arts at Dartmouth!
Have a Picnic at Pine Park
I've definitely enjoyed meals outside during the warmer months in Hanover, but I've never had a full-fledged, pre-planned picnic on campus. I'm picturing a more elaborate operation in my future, complete with a wicker basket (or maybe just some Green-2-Go containers). With the beautiful scenery of Pine Park and the warm sun, I think this would be a great way to bridge the gap between spring and summer terms on campus.
Spend an Interim in Hanover
This may be a more niche bucket list item, but it's one of my most anticipated! This spring-summer interim, I'll be staying on campus to support Reunions for Dartmouth alumni. I can't wait to meet generations of past Dartmouth students, and I hope we have the opportunity to learn from each other and our unique experiences. I also hope to take advantage of being in the Upper Valley without classes to do a little bit of exploring!
Ice Cream Fore-U is one of my favorite local businesses, and I'd love to discover more!
In today's blog, I want to discuss transportation options to/from and around Dartmouth's campus. Even though Dartmouth is known as "the college in the woods," that doesn't mean students don't have access to ample transportation options!
