I have had some awesome and not so great moments with alumni. My first bad encounter was actually for my interview for Dartmouth. All of the Dartmouth applicants met at a center in downtown Baltimore and waited in a room until an alum came and got us. The selection process was random; whichever alum was done with their interviewee came in the room and took whichever student was next in line. Of course I was very nervous because I had no idea who I was going to get.
When I sat down with my interviewer he told me he graduated in the early 70s (which was before Dartmouth was coeducational). The whole interview was kind of awkward because I felt like he wasn't trying to get to know me as a person as opposed to just asking me questions so he could hurry up the process. I remember leaving the interview telling my mom that I didn't think I got into Dartmouth because I thought the interview was bad.
But look where I'm at! It just goes to show that interviews aren't everything and you shouldn't give up on a school because of one bad encounter.
I have also had many great moments with alumni. When I went to Thailand, a former Dartmouth Graduate who now works for IBM Thailand invited me and the other Dartmouth student on my program, Casey, out to lunch. We all just chatted about our experiences and she offered to find Casey and I internships in Thailand for the summer. Also, the Dartmouth Club of Thailand organized a dinner for Casey and I so that we could meet more Dartmouth Alums. Some of them were very prominent figures which made me a little nervous at first. They were all down to earth and it was a great experience interacting with them. I had a lot of fun.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
We Bleed Green!
My most memorable experience with Dartmouth alums was cheering for our Girls' Varsity Basketball Team this year when they went to the NCAA Playoffs. Our girls made it to the first round of the NCAA tournament which means they played the number 1 seed University of MD, College Park's, Lady Terps. I grew up watching MD girls but I knew I had to cheer on my Dartmouth girls. I came to the game in Big Green apparel and was scared for my life in a sea of Terps fans. I expected to be the ONLY Dartmouth fan at the game...but as I walked into the arena, I heard a group of people yelling "YEAAAAAAA DARTMOUTH!!!." There was an entire cheering section of Dartmouth alums and their families. We all sat together and had an amazing time cheering on our girls and talking trash! Granted we suffered a huge loss, but it was so great to be surrounded by so many people of all ages who didn't care that we were the underdog. Afterwards, there was a reception for mixing and mingling. That night I realized more than ever that nothing can overcome the pride that Dartmouth alums have in our school. We really do BLEED GREEN.
Gift of a Lifetime
My most memorable experience with a Dartmouth alumnus occurred this past fall. I was invited by the Dartmouth College Fund to attend a scholarship luncheon because this year a Dartmouth alumnus decided to fund my tuition. I was extremely nervous to be meeting a guy who didn't even know me but just from reading my file decided to help pay for my education. However, he did not make me feel awkward at all. If anything, I think I made him feel awkward for even saying thank you!
If you are like me, I wondered why anyone would give a ridiculous amount of money to their alma mater. However, the moment I met him, I knew the reason why he choose to donate his money to the school, he absolutely LOVES Dartmouth. Mr. Rees-Jones discusses his time at Dartmouth as a very enjoyable experience and he has always wanted to give back to Dartmouth.
The reasons why the moment was memorable are: First, he had the thickest Texan accent I have EVER heard, and I am from Texas. But that made him even more genuine.
Second, from the moment we met to the end of the lunch, he was constantly asking me what I did on campus, if I was enjoying my time here, where my family was from, what am I studying and so on and so forth. He wanted to actually get to know me.
Third, he was very humble. He never once flaunted his wealth in any way even though he is also funding five other Dartmouth students' tuitions.
Mr. Trevor Rees-Jones '73 has definitely made an impact on my life and I am grateful for everything he has done for the College and for me.
To find out more about his HUGE donation to the school click here: Mr. Trevor Rees-Jones ' 73
P.S. I didn't know this about him till I left the luncheon and went to my room and googled him. However, in 2007 Forbes named Mr. Rees-Jones in the top 400! Read more about the article here: Forbes Article
If you are like me, I wondered why anyone would give a ridiculous amount of money to their alma mater. However, the moment I met him, I knew the reason why he choose to donate his money to the school, he absolutely LOVES Dartmouth. Mr. Rees-Jones discusses his time at Dartmouth as a very enjoyable experience and he has always wanted to give back to Dartmouth.
The reasons why the moment was memorable are: First, he had the thickest Texan accent I have EVER heard, and I am from Texas. But that made him even more genuine.
Second, from the moment we met to the end of the lunch, he was constantly asking me what I did on campus, if I was enjoying my time here, where my family was from, what am I studying and so on and so forth. He wanted to actually get to know me.
Third, he was very humble. He never once flaunted his wealth in any way even though he is also funding five other Dartmouth students' tuitions.
Mr. Trevor Rees-Jones '73 has definitely made an impact on my life and I am grateful for everything he has done for the College and for me.
To find out more about his HUGE donation to the school click here: Mr. Trevor Rees-Jones ' 73
P.S. I didn't know this about him till I left the luncheon and went to my room and googled him. However, in 2007 Forbes named Mr. Rees-Jones in the top 400! Read more about the article here: Forbes Article
Looking for advice? Talk to an alum!
My most memorable experience with an alum of Dartmouth came my sophomore year, while looking for an internship for one of my Leave terms. I remember hearing about Career Services and their network of alumni but I wasn't too sure if they could help me. When I walked in, though, they sat me down at a computer and showed me how to use the database of alumni advisors. Between Career Service and Alumni Relations, there are literally thousands of alumni who have given their personal phone numbers and email addresses so that Dartmouth undergraduates can contact them for advice, guidance, or anything at all. At the time, I thought I wanted to go into the entertainment industry, so I looked up producers, actors, and business people associated with TV, movies, and music. Eventually I found a handful of alums who lived where I was looking and simply sent them an email. The following week I was on the phone with a producer from MSNBC, the head of ESPN International, and an alum who had worked for Comedy Central when he was an undergrad. I think that's when I realized the Dartmouth alum are crazy, passionate, enthusiastic and completely in love with Dartmouth.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Dartmouth FLICKR photo stream!
UNRELATED TO QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
More great photos of Dartmouth and student life here: the Dartmouth Flickr stream
Dartmouth Lingo!...What are some of your favorite words, terms, phrases, etc that are unique to Dartmouth?
The posts below answer last week's blog question.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Dartmouth Lingo
It seems Dartmouth students like to shorten a lot of words:
The Hop: This stands for The Hopkins Center. Most students will say, "Let's eat at The Hop" which really refers to Courtyard Cafe inside the Hop.
LSA: Language Study Abroad
FSP: Foreign Study Program
HPO: Hanover Police
S&S: Safety and Security - Dartmouth security officers
The Hop: This stands for The Hopkins Center. Most students will say, "Let's eat at The Hop" which really refers to Courtyard Cafe inside the Hop.
LSA: Language Study Abroad
FSP: Foreign Study Program
HPO: Hanover Police
S&S: Safety and Security - Dartmouth security officers
More Dartmouth Lingo!
facetime: When one desires attention by being somewhere where they know others will see them. Usage: "You don't really study on the first floor of the library, you just get facetime." This can also be used as an adjective to describe someone who pursues 'facetime'.
wicked: This word has a special place in my heart because of its prominent usage in New Hampshire. Being from Hanover, I have always used "wicked" to mean "very" or "extra." Most Dartmouth students pick up the term and bring it home at some point. Usage: "Man, it rained wicked hard yesterday" or "I thought that test was wicked easy."
wicked: This word has a special place in my heart because of its prominent usage in New Hampshire. Being from Hanover, I have always used "wicked" to mean "very" or "extra." Most Dartmouth students pick up the term and bring it home at some point. Usage: "Man, it rained wicked hard yesterday" or "I thought that test was wicked easy."
EVENT: Fieldstock
Right now all of the talk on campus is focused on Summer Term's big weekend: Fieldstock. Fieldstock is a newer tradition that was started four year ago. (Before we had Tubestock, which involved events on the river, but safety regulations and NH state law killed it...RIP.) As a sophomore I've been anticipating this event for all of Sophomore Summer.
So what happens during Fieldstock? Teams sign up to compete in a sort of mini-Olympics that consists of all sorts of crazy events. There is a "flair"** showcase (note the Dartmouth Vocab lesson below), an eating competition, an obstacle course, and many other team events. The highlight of all of the events is the Human Chariot Race. After all of the competitions the team with the most points is awarded. Throughout the weekend there will be many live student performances, parties, BBQs, and I've even heard rumor of a mechanical bull!
Next week, we will be sure to follow up with a re-cap of the weekend! TO BE CONTINUED....
SIX FLAGS!!!
Unrelated to the question of the weekIn student forums and on tours I get the question, "What do you do on weekends?" a lot! So, I just wanted to share what I did this weekend.
A group of my friends and I went to SIX FLAGS for $10. Yup, you got that right, $10 for the bus trip and the ticket into Six Flags.
How?!
Student organizations are a beautiful thing :-). One student organization, Programming Board, is in charge of basically keeping the student body happy. Not really, but they do a good job at that also. Programming Board has this huge budget dedicated towards funding concerts like Three 6 Mafia who came last spring, or funding events like taking 96 students to Six Flags, for very low costs to the students (tickets are generally between $5 - $10). And note I said student organization. That means, as a student, even as a freshman, you can be in charge of organizing these events.
So, basically, I am in love with Programming Board, if you couldn't tell, because they make the term just that much fun with all the special events they have each term.
P.S. In case you want to know more of the nitty-gritty details about Programming Board, they have their own website: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sao/prgboard/
Monday, August 3, 2009
Dartmouth Slang
We also have:
* sketchy: to describe someone who is acting weird in any sense of the word
*flair: clothing that is eccentric (colorful, different, wacky)
* sketchy: to describe someone who is acting weird in any sense of the word
*flair: clothing that is eccentric (colorful, different, wacky)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
More Dartmouth Words!
Dartmouth students definitely have their own vocabulary and I think there should be a special dictionary just to decode it! We have our own words with special meanings that will leave your friends back home wondering what are you talking about.
Here are some more words for your collection:
>FoCo: Short for Food Court, one of the main dining areas in Thayer Dining Hall. Famous for Spicy Russian, grilled cheese sandwiches, Fried Chicken Mondays (FCM), and other delicacies that only the Dartmouth Dining Services (DDS) know how to prepare best.
Ex. "Send me a blitz if you want to grab some food at FoCo."
> Self-call: Used to take note when an individual arrogantly boasts or brags about their achievements or grades.
Ex. Person 1: "I just got a perfect score on my Chemistry test!"
Person 2: "That's such a self-call!"
>DOC Trips: Dartmouth Outing Club Trips. First-year outdoor trips that occur before Orientation. Students can pick to do a variety of activities such as kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, fishing, and much more!
> D-Plan: Dartmouth's unique academic calender based on a quarter system that is split into 4 terms (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer) each lasting between 8-10 weeks.
>Prospie: A prospective student who is interested in Dartmouth. Not a disease!
>UGA: Undergraduate Advisor. A UGA is similar to a Resident Advisor at other schools, but much cooler! UGA's are responsible for a building a sense of community on your floor and are in charge of planning fun activities, events, and are helpful resources when picking classes and applying for study abroad programs. They are not "rule enforcers."
> BFAB: Breakfast For A Buck. BFAB occurs every Saturday in the freshmen dorms. Your UGA organizes this delightful breakfast event with eggs, ham, pancakes, and other goodies and all you have to bring is a $1 and your own silverware.
> DBA: Declining Balance Account. This is your meal plan. We do not have a "points" system or a set number of meals that you can eat. At the beginning of the term you sign up for a dining plan and you will have this money available to spend on food whenever you want, and at any dining facility.
> Topside: Dartmouth's own grocery store located on the 2nd floor of Thayer Dining Hall.
> Fro-Yo: Frozen yogurt. A must-have in FoCo.
> Pavilian Cookies: Synonymous with "the most amazing cookies you will ever have in your life!" Types include: Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter, White Chocolate and Macadamia Nuts, and of course Chocolate Chip.
Hope this gets you started on your Dartmouth lingo!
Here are some more words for your collection:
>FoCo: Short for Food Court, one of the main dining areas in Thayer Dining Hall. Famous for Spicy Russian, grilled cheese sandwiches, Fried Chicken Mondays (FCM), and other delicacies that only the Dartmouth Dining Services (DDS) know how to prepare best.
Ex. "Send me a blitz if you want to grab some food at FoCo."
> Self-call: Used to take note when an individual arrogantly boasts or brags about their achievements or grades.
Ex. Person 1: "I just got a perfect score on my Chemistry test!"
Person 2: "That's such a self-call!"
>DOC Trips: Dartmouth Outing Club Trips. First-year outdoor trips that occur before Orientation. Students can pick to do a variety of activities such as kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, fishing, and much more!
> D-Plan: Dartmouth's unique academic calender based on a quarter system that is split into 4 terms (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer) each lasting between 8-10 weeks.
>Prospie: A prospective student who is interested in Dartmouth. Not a disease!
>UGA: Undergraduate Advisor. A UGA is similar to a Resident Advisor at other schools, but much cooler! UGA's are responsible for a building a sense of community on your floor and are in charge of planning fun activities, events, and are helpful resources when picking classes and applying for study abroad programs. They are not "rule enforcers."
> BFAB: Breakfast For A Buck. BFAB occurs every Saturday in the freshmen dorms. Your UGA organizes this delightful breakfast event with eggs, ham, pancakes, and other goodies and all you have to bring is a $1 and your own silverware.
> DBA: Declining Balance Account. This is your meal plan. We do not have a "points" system or a set number of meals that you can eat. At the beginning of the term you sign up for a dining plan and you will have this money available to spend on food whenever you want, and at any dining facility.
> Topside: Dartmouth's own grocery store located on the 2nd floor of Thayer Dining Hall.
> Fro-Yo: Frozen yogurt. A must-have in FoCo.
> Pavilian Cookies: Synonymous with "the most amazing cookies you will ever have in your life!" Types include: Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter, White Chocolate and Macadamia Nuts, and of course Chocolate Chip.
Hope this gets you started on your Dartmouth lingo!
Dartmouth Talk!
At Dartmouth we use a lot of our own words. You'll hear a lot of abbreviations, word combinations, and just plain made-up words. Some of my favs are:
* blitz- Dartmouth's word for e-mail and the main form of communication on campus. It probably comes from the World War II term Blitzkrieg (lightning warfare), since blitzes are sent so quickly and so often. It's funny to go home and tell someone you'll blitz them because they look at you like you're crazy!
* schmob: large groupings of freshmen who travel everywhere together.
Ex: During orientation and the first couple weeks of school you will see schmobs everywhere as freshman learn to navigate Dartmouth.
* awk-rando: a term to describe someone who is "awkward" and "random."
* blitz- Dartmouth's word for e-mail and the main form of communication on campus. It probably comes from the World War II term Blitzkrieg (lightning warfare), since blitzes are sent so quickly and so often. It's funny to go home and tell someone you'll blitz them because they look at you like you're crazy!
* schmob: large groupings of freshmen who travel everywhere together.
Ex: During orientation and the first couple weeks of school you will see schmobs everywhere as freshman learn to navigate Dartmouth.
* awk-rando: a term to describe someone who is "awkward" and "random."
Where are you from and have you ever been homesick?
The posts below answer last week's blog question.
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