The Dartmouth

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On Haircuts

By Cristian Cano | May 20, 2020

“For the first time since freshman fall …” It’s worth trying to finish that sentence, especially if you’re a fellow ’20. As graduation rapidly approaches, feeling nostalgic and reflecting on our time at Dartmouth is practically inevitable. But there’s something about that specific phrasing that feels a little different: It emphasizes not just what has long since passed, but rather what has finally made a reappearance. You might feel like you and your freshman fall self are totally different people — I know I feel like that sometimes — but you probably have more in common than you think.

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On Employability

By Cristian Cano | May 13, 2020

This week in my Business French class, we have mock interviews with real French professionals. We spent last week learning how to craft our resumes and cover letters in French, and now our fluency is getting put to the test. I’m pretty nervous for the interview, for the obvious reason that it is in a language I’ve only studied for three terms. Beyond the language barrier, though, these mock interviews have me thinking about something else: what it means to be “employable.”

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On "Knowing Everyone"

By Cristian Cano | May 6, 2020

Sometimes, it’s a question: “How do you know so many people?” Other times, it’s an exclamation: “You know everyone!” Whatever the exact wording is, it’s something I’ve heard again and again. I’ll be with a friend, perhaps passing through the library or getting food, and I’ll bump into some people I know. I’ll say “hi,” and afterward, the friend I’m with will inevitably make some kind of comment.

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On Being Busy

By Cristian Cano | April 29, 2020

Remember when we all thought that with online classes, we were going to have so much free time to watch Netflix, go hiking and maintain a consistent sleep schedule? Good times.

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On Reframing Spring

By Cristian Cano | April 22, 2020

This term, I’m finally taking the legendary course that is ENGS 12, “Design Thinking.” Okay, maybe legendary is a strong word — but I’ve never heard so many people describe a course as “life-changing” before, and when I was reflecting on how I wanted to spend my last term as an undergrad, I figured it was my last chance to find out what all the buzz was about. That said, nearly every time I tell people that I’m taking ENGS 12, they follow up by asking if I’m taking it for the distrib. It seems to them almost unfathomable that a senior in his last term would take a class not for any requirement, but simply to learn and acquire new life skills.

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On Silver Linings

By Cristian Cano | April 15, 2020

I have to start this piece by admitting something: I’m a little relieved commencement won’t be happening this June.

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On Taking Up Space

By Cristian Cano | April 1, 2020

If there’s one thing that this coronavirus situation has made me think about, it’s how much space I take up, both on Dartmouth’s physical campus and in the community. At Dartmouth, whether we think about it or not, we’re often defined by the spaces we inhabit. Where do you live, and what kind ...

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A Complicated History: Slavery at Dartmouth

By Cristian Cano | February 19, 2020

Updated: February 19, 2020 at 4:48 p.m. We only know some of their names: Achelous, Bill, Billy, Brister, Caesar, Cloe, Dinah, Elijah, Exeter, Fortune, Hagar, Hercules, Ishmaal, Peggy, Selinda and Sippy. Those are the names of the enslaved people belonging to Dartmouth’s founder, Eleazar Wheelock, ...

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Q&A with Government Professor John Carey

By Cristian Cano | January 29, 2020

Government professor John Carey is associate dean of faculty, and his research has spanned topics like American democracy, campus diversity and conspiracy theories. This week, The Dartmouth sat down with Carey to learn more about his work on conspiracy theories, which includes how they affect perceptions ...

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Facing the Unexpected: Trigger Warnings in the Classroom

By Cristian Cano | January 22, 2020

It’s no secret that current college students have a reputation for being “snowflakes.” The existence of things like safe spaces and emotional support animals can seem to many like classic examples of Gen-Z coddling. One of the more notorious of such examples is the idea of trigger warnings. Trigger ...