23W First Snow
« All Posts by this Blogger
Occom Pond Sunrise in Spring

There are hundreds of things I could tell you about Dartmouth's campus or even Hanover. Maybe I would start with how I ended up in this small, picturesque town. Or I potentially might blab about the academic mindset we share at this institution. I mean sometimes it's astonishing how remarkably intelligent my peers are, and it's warming to imagine our futures as we move past our four years together. However, I think there is one thing that is woven into the fabric of our culture here which we cannot escape and which we would never want to. That component is our location in which we reside. Putting an indescribable feeling into words is how it feels to write about our sense of place. Yet, I want to show people that our location truly makes our college different from the start.


Winter Trees
I love the snowy branches on the trees.
Winter Sunrise Over the Green
And the sunrises!

First, I would have to say that visiting Dartmouth is the best way to experience and learn about this feeling. As someone who also was unable to visit the town before attending, this blog post is to help you understand how it feels to be on our campus if you can't visit. Dartmouth is located in the town of Hanover, New Hampshire which sits along the border of Vermont. Every season in Hanover creates large scenic changes during different terms. For example, you can expect to walk to class in the Fall observing orange and yellow leaves falling in front of you. Yet, you also could see massive heaps of snow fall from buildings and trees during the winter.

No matter what season it is, Hanover will always remain its own place. Recently, I had a friend tell me that they believe Dartmouth "feels like its own country." I sometimes find myself absorbed into the life of Hanover as the little town encapsulates me with its lifestyle. Although I know I can easily get off campus, I prefer to stay on campus most of the term because it feels more right to me. The way we are bubbled into Hanover allows us to focus on ourselves in many ways. Usually, I can learn about the world by meeting other students from different lifestyles or places which I value more than reading about it from some random news outlet. 


Snowball Fight Tradition Scenery

Sending yourself into this isolation can sound intimidating, but I honestly have found it nothing but refreshing to me. I mean I feel so lucky that I can just relax by going on a scenic walk across many parts of the town. When my parents visited last year, they were amazed as to how people live up here in such a picturesque town. I vividly remember my mom telling me she wanted to move up here just to enjoy the town all year round, and I don't blame her at all. Dartmouth's place in the woods and upper valley truly makes it so unique compared to other schools. I highly recommend googling pictures of Hanover during its different seasons and imagining what it would be like to live there all year round.

Posts You Might Like