Hi everyone! I'm Madison. I'm originally from Pasadena, California, but I also spent eight years living in Manila, Philippines, and one year in Gibraltar. At Dartmouth, I plan to double major in Film & Media Studies and ASCL (Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages). Dartmouth has already opened up so many doors for me and truly changed my life for the better, so I'm really excited to share my college journey and experiences with you all!
Academic Program
Majors in Film and Media Studies and Asian Societies, Languages, and Cultures
One of the primary reasons I chose to participate in this study abroad program was to enhance my Chinese language skills. I've been learning the language over the past year at Dartmouth, and I think it'll be really cool and rewarding to finally put what we've learned into real-world use. That said, I know it's going to be a challenge, especially since I can be a bit timid when it comes to speaking. However, I'm hoping that being in Beijing, surrounded by native speakers and fully immersed in the culture, will help me achieve fluency.
2. Make new friends!
There will be approximately 20 of us from Dartmouth participating in the Beijing Language Study Abroad (LSA) program this summer. While I'm excited to bond with my classmates, I'm also hoping to meet new people—whether that's local friends or other students at the university. Approximately 100 students from the Princeton program will also be studying Chinese at Beijing Normal University (BNU). They're from a mix of colleges across the U.S., not just Princeton. Since we're all staying in the same building, we'll likely cross paths frequently, and I'm hoping we'll have the opportunity to do some fun things together and connect with students from other schools.
3. Explore China
We'll have classes starting at 8 a.m. for four hours every day, except on weekends. After that, I'm hoping to stay on top of my studies so I can make time to explore the amazing city of Beijing. I want to try great food, check out shops, bike around with friends, take the subway, and visit parks and other local attractions. Dartmouth also has several excursions planned—we'll be visiting cities like Xi'an, Chengdu, Qufu, Mount Tai, and Yantai, and seeing famous historical sites like the Great Wall. It's going to be a packed and exciting summer, and I'm really looking forward to hitting all these spots.
I also want to find time to visit Shanghai. Two of my friends from the tennis team, Lauren and Elise, will be there for a program that brings Ivy League players to train and compete with local teams on an all-expenses-paid trip. I definitely want to meet up with them—and maybe even squeeze in a visit to Shanghai Disneyland at some point.
4. Journal every day
During the week between the end of the Dartmouth term and my flight to China, I had a chance to catch up with Luke '27, who's also from my hometown of Pasadena. We grabbed dinner, and he shared some of his experiences from doing this program last summer. One of his favorite parts was keeping a notebook where he wrote, in Chinese, about what he did each day. If it isn't obvious from my blogs already, I love journaling, so I thought having a journal would be a great idea and decided to do the same. It's a great way to practice writing in Chinese while also documenting my trip and creating something I can look back on later.
A journal I purchased to document my adventures this summer!
Overall, I'm stoked for this summer! These 10 weeks in Beijing are going to be a blast, and I can't wait to see what's in store. I'll be posting updates along the way, so stay tuned to see how it all unfolds!
One of the first Dartmouth terms you'll hear is the "D-Plan." It might sound confusing at first, but don't worry—read on to learn what it is and how it works!
