What's your blueprint for success?
Sarah Alpert ’21: Planners and proactivity. By keeping organized, I not only get my work done, but I also feel like I can pull the different threads of my life together and not be overwhelmed by all the different responsibilities I have on campus.
Yuna Kim ’22: My Moleskine notebook! It has my entire schedule, so many to-do lists and all the crazy ideas that pop up in my head throughout the day.
Eliza Jane Schaeffer ’20: I don’t think there’s any such thing.
Novi Zhukovsky ’22: Strong coffee.
Josephine Kim ’UG: Be the genuine friend I want, begin with knowledge, but leave it for wisdom.
Claire Callahan ’22: A confident attitude that cheers on other people’s successes.
What's your favorite building on campus?
SA: Sanborn Library
YK: The first building that comes to mind is Rauner. It’s absolutely gorgeous with all the natural light flooding in, and it’s definitely my favorite place to study, especially on a sunny day.
EJS: The Current Periodicals Room in Baker-Berry.
NZ: Sanborn.
JK: Sanborn reading room.
CC: Sanborn.
How have you gone about designing your Dartmouth experience?
SA: I didn’t really design it. In fact, I’ve changed my Dartmouth experience pretty drastically from year to year. Freshman year, I was part of the Wind Ensemble, so I spent much of my time rehearsing in the Hop. I also thought I was going to be a Chinese major. Sophomore year, I quit Wind Ensemble and joined The Dartmouth and other organizations, and I switched academic gears from Chinese to English. For me, Dartmouth hasn’t been about designing a concrete academic or extracurricular plan, calculated to get me the right job after graduation. I’m just doing what I enjoy, and that seems to change from term to term.
YK: In college, I really wanted to focus on what I value most, so a lot of my time at Dartmouth is centered around doing things that make me happy, like practicing yoga, taking classes I love and making time in my D-plan to study abroad in places like Spain and France.
EJS: It’s definitely been a process of trial and error. I really like the Michelangelo quote, “Just chip away the stone that doesn’t look like David.”
NZ: Still figuring that one out!
JK: Do something new, and meet new friends every term.
CC: I found out what I was passionate about and looked for the best classes and professors. I found a community where the people made me feel comfortable and committed to it fully.
Design your ideal coffee order:
SA: Dark roast, no room.
YK: Iced hazelnut coffee with a splash of almond milk.
EJS: Soy cappuccino, two Splendas, extra cinnamon.
NZ: Medium almond milk latte.
JK: Double shot Italian expresso, steamed oat milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and cocoa powder.
CC: Iced almond milk latte with extra ice and a mocha shot.
How do you decorate your room on campus?
SA: I have this tapestry from Urban Outfitters, which sounds basic, but it’s actually a painting by an artist named KT Smail. It’s basically a giant picture of a girl’s face, extending to a rogue nipple at the bottom. Other than that, I have the usual photographs of friends and family and twinkle lights above my bed.
YK: Lots and lots of pictures of friends I’ve made here and ones from back home. Also, I love adorning my walls with posters from our local poster store right here in Hanover.
EJS: The most prominent decorative feature of my room is probably the Kentucky flag hanging on my wall. It reminds me of home.
NZ: String lights, posters, fuzzy pillows and pictures of friends and family.
JK: Keeping it simple is keeping it real.
CC: A colorful tapestry, Christmas lights and photos.
Why do you think design is important?
SA: Because aesthetics matter at least as much as anything else in life. We all notice the world around us, and we want it to be as beautiful as possible. That’s the aim of all art — to draw beauty out of the ordinary. The design of everyday buildings and objects forms our experience of beauty in the world each day.
YK: Design is people’s first interaction with anything and everything they encounter in the world, whether they realize it or not. Good design goes happily unnoticed, but bad design sticks out like a sore thumb. Design is the glue that holds together and elevates any human experience.
EJS: The word “design” implies intention. I think it’s important to be intentional about how you parse out your time and attention.
NZ: Design is a reflection of our own creativity and ingenuity.
JK: Humans are both creation and creators, so design is how we express our identities.
CC: Physical spaces allow us to relax and have privacy in a comfortable, homey space. Planning and designing our futures give us structure and goals.
