I Have Promised to Challenge Myself

After four months away in Spain, it feels incredible to be back home in Hanover! I feel as if my time abroad fostered a fresh appreciation for the immense opportunity available at Dartmouth. This spring term I have promised to challenge myself by experiencing new things that are only available at Dartmouth.

This term I enrolled in Portuguese I at Dartmouth. I knew that learning a completely new language would be a great challenge for me. However, I was so intrigued by the opportunity to know a language besides English and Spanish that I quickly signed up. I think its incredible that my interest in the culture and language of Brazil can develop into the ability to communicate in Portuguese just after ten weeks of class at Dartmouth. However, that is the beauty of Dartmouth courses. All the hard-work that students put into their classes they receive twofold in knowledge and understanding by the end of the term.

The Dartmouth community itself is phenomenal. Returning this spring, I fully appreciate the intellect and passion of those around me. The people that I have met at Dartmouth have exposed me to so many interesting and different viewpoints and ways of life. Amongst the four thousand undergraduates at Dartmouth, every student is unique and from all over the world. I love attending a school where everyday I meet someone who is different than me. My friends at Dartmouth constantly are provoking new ways of thinking and providing challenges to my traditional understanding. These relationships have cultivated a strong sense of independence and individuality in me and have been the greatest source of growth in my life. It has been incredible to be surrounded by people that I feel I can constantly learn from and grow.

Besides the incredible, academic opportunities and amazing student-body at Dartmouth there are hundreds of random things to do around Hanover. This last weekend I stayed in a Dartmouth Outing Club cabin situated on a beautiful lake up in the mountains with a group of friends. It was such a fun, entertaining experience cooking our own food and being completely on our own for a night. Between, world-renowned guest lecturers, the numerous hiking trails, the Dartmouth Organic Farm, dozens of mentoring programs, the fabulous opportunities to grow and change the world are endless in a community like Dartmouth.

I feel as if this college has provided me with the complete experience. The flexibility of the Dartmouth academic structure has allowed me to pursue my passion for foreign language and has provided me with the opportunity to apply my knowledge through my term abroad this last winter. Since coming to school, I have gained invaluable experience through the unique students and unforgettable opportunities surrounding the Dartmouth community. My time here has been full of terrific possibilities that only continue to grow as my college years progress. I feel so fortunate to experience such an extraordinary sense of freedom while simultaneously being a part of such a strong volleyball program at Dartmouth.

-Maddy Baird '12