Asher Mayerson

Asher comes to Dartmouth from North Bethesda, Maryland, where he attended Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. He plans on being a Math and Social Science major. This term, he's taking Honors First-Year General Chemistry, Urbanizing China (his First-Year Seminar), and Multivariable Calculus. Among his campus activities are Dartmouth College Hillel and Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering. And despite the recent addition of a King Arthur Flour cafe to the library, Asher's favorite place to study on campus is his room.

Three tips to surviving midterms

 Posted by Asher Mayerson at 8:47 pm  No Responses »
Jan 282012
 

I’m feeling pretty free now.  Midterms are over (at least for a few weeks), and I can just enjoy the weekend…and blog a little bit to give all you guys some tips on how to get through midterm week…

(1) Look at the schedule of all of your midterms at the beginning of the term!  It’s really helpful to know when you’re going to have a couple of midterms at the same time.  Something you can always consider is taking two classes that have midterms and one that has papers, which gives some balance and definitely helps lower the stress level.

(2) Start studying at LEAST a week in advance.  Even though you might think that Dartmouth is in the middle of nowhere and that, consequently, nothing happens, this place is happening.  There are always things to do…student performances, social events, meetings for campus clubs/organizations, volunteering opportunities, and more.  Studying in advance really gives you the flexibility to be able to take advantage of all that Dartmouth has to offer.

(3) Don’t worry about the grade…worry about whether you understand the material.  Yeah, this one seems pretty cliche, but here’s my thinking: worrying about the grade literally does nothing.  You do get a good grade, however, if you really understand what you’re being tested on…so focus on that.  Also, after the midterm, you can do nothing to change your grade…so just forget about it and move on with the week!

That’s just three tips, but there are so many more (like getting a nice cup of coffee before any midterm from King Arthur Flour, which is right in the middle of Baker Library).  Now, because I’m not drinking the coffee right before a midterm, each cup might taste a little sweeter.

Winter break!

 Posted by Asher Mayerson at 3:09 pm  No Responses »
Dec 292011
 

With only a week left until I return to school, I thought it’d be a good time to reflect on what I’ve done over winter break.

Winter break is a time to get away from academics and to recharge after a tough but rewarding term.  For someone like myself who always wants to keep busy, however, winter break can move a little bit slowly.  To make the time go faster (and to use that time productively), I decided to volunteer at a local soup kitchen.  It’s really rewarding work; I only go in for four hours a day, and I leave feeling like I did something to benefit my local community.  In addition to my volunteering, I’ve been spending a lot of time hanging out with my friends from high school and running.  I feel that my winter break has been enjoyable and productive, but I’m happy that I’m getting back to school.  I’m really excited to explore some new academic subjects (economics and computer science) and meet some new people.

Next year’s winter break will be a bit longer because of schedule changes, so expect campus groups to have plenty for you to do.  Next winter break, for example, I’m planning to go on a service trip to Rwanda through Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering…so keep an eye out for winter break opportunities if you’re here next year!!

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’16s: T Minus 276 Days!

 Posted by Asher Mayerson at 1:18 pm  1 Response »
Dec 092011
 

Welcome to Dartmouth, Class of 2016!  We are all so excited to have you coming to Hanover next year.  It’s really an amazing place, which you’ll begin to realize once you step foot on campus…the countdown begins today!  Now, it’s time to relax…the long college process is over, and you know where you’re going next year.  All you can do now is dream about how great the next four years of your life will be, but, even then, the Dartmouth experience will far surpass whatever you conjure up in the next 276 days as you wait to join the amazing Dartmouth family.

Just think…at this time next year, you will have completed a full term at Dartmouth.  You will have made a core group of friends, taken interesting classes, explore the quaint town of Hanover, gone on unforgettable first-year trips led by the Dartmouth Outing Club, and experienced Homecoming Weekend (maybe you’ll run around the bonfire on the Green all 116 times).  Get pumped, ’16s…because of experiences like these, the next four years of your life will be the best four years of your life.

But I realize that you might have some questions. or maybe even a few concerns..after all, it’s going to be a big change from high school, so feel free to e-mail me at asher.j.mayerson.15@dartmouth.edu.

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Life after finals

 Posted by Asher Mayerson at 8:05 pm  No Responses »
Dec 062011
 

Hey everyone.  Right now, I’m done with all my final papers and exams, so I’m just hanging out in Hanover with my friends who are still here.  In fact, I even changed around my travel plans such that I leave on Thursday (instead of Monday)–that’s how much I love this place.  It’s great being here with nothing hanging over my head…no homework, exams, or essays!  I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with so many different people and have been able to explore the town a little bit more.

If you come here, my advice to you would be to spend as much time here as you can.  It’s an amazing place (even disregarding academics).  The town is really lovely, and the people here are incredible–smart, caring, interesting, and welcoming.  I’m planning on staying at Dartmouth during most of my leave terms, interning or doing research on campus.  I’m having such a great time here; why would I ever want to leave?

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Professors at Dartmouth

 Posted by Asher Mayerson at 2:25 pm  No Responses »
Nov 192011
 

One of the reasons that I chose Dartmouth was because I heard that students really get to know their professors, and I haven’t been disappointed.  As a first-year student, I expected some larger classes, so I thought that I wouldn’t get to interact with my professors on a personal level until sophomore or junior year.  My classes, however, are small–50 people, 16 people, and 15 people, respectively.  Even in the 50-person class, I have a real relationship with my professor.  Not only does she know my name, but she also knows my personality.

Last night, I brought my professor from my first-year seminar to a dinner that was specifically organized for students to bring their professors.  My friends and I got to talk to my professor for a few hours, which was really valuable because I learned where her unique perspective in class comes from based on her background.  Yet, the dinner was not the first time that I got to talk with my professor.  I often go to office hours to talk to her about current events from a critical geographical perspective.

Whether through organized events, office hours, or simply classroom interactions, I’ve really gotten to know my professors, and they’ve gotten to know me too.  If you come to Dartmouth, I’m sure that you’ll have a similar experience.

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First-year floors and diversity

 Posted by Asher Mayerson at 9:15 pm  No Responses »
Oct 292011
 

My floor is really close; we eat meals together, go to sports games together, and go to the fraternities together.  My floor consists of people from different races and backgrounds, and I’ve made deep connections with floor-mates who have had totally different upbringings from my own.

Becoming close with my floor-mates has made me realize how lucky I am to be in such a diverse environment.  Dartmouth College brings together the best and brightest from the US and from around the world, and each student brings his or her own story.  It is incumbent upon each student to make relationships with students from different backgrounds.  I’ve come to realize that, without my freshman floor, I wouldn’t have made such a diverse group of friends.  I now see that I have to seek out people who have different backgrounds from my own to broaden my world view.  In my opinion, a core part of learning at Dartmouth occurs outside the classroom through interactions with friends and acquaintances.  To get the most out of the Dartmouth experience, it’s important to meet people of different races, backgrounds, and personalities.  Just as an example, I am planning on participating in cross-cultural dialogue throughout my time at Dartmouth.  In this way, I hope that I’ll get a thorough education–one that is based not only on academic learning but also on personal connections with peers.

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Clubs–Getting Involved Early

 Posted by Asher Mayerson at 9:01 pm  No Responses »
Oct 292011
 

After being on campus for only a couple of weeks, I am already active in Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering and Hillel (the Jewish student organization).  Already, I’ve been able to make contributions to each of these groups.  In Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering, I work on the Marketing & Development Team.  I am currently working on our team’s application to the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition, which has a grand prize of around $30,000.  The projects that the group has implemented — such as water purification in rural Tanzania and hydro-power in Rwanda — have made significant impacts on communities around the globe.  Getting funding is necessary to continue to have this impact.  In Hillel, I am serving as VP of Religious Affairs and Education, which has put me in a position to give back to a community that has given so much to me–the Jewish community.  It’s been incredibly fulfilling to have become entrenched in these organizations so soon after arriving on campus.

Joining a club is a great way to pursue a passion or a hobby, but it’s also great for meeting other students.  It’s awesome to be able to meet other first-year students who you would not have otherwise met.  It’s also nice to get to know sophomores, juniors, and seniors who can give you valuable advice on life at Dartmouth.  One of my best friends here is a sophomore, and he’s definitely helped ease the transition from high school to college.

At Dartmouth, it’s easy to do what you love and meet new people at the same time; all you have to do is join some clubs!

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