Hi everyone! I'm Kabir, an international member of the class of '26, from New Delhi, India. I'm thinking of majoring in Psychology and Film & Media Studies. Outside the classroom, I enjoy watching movies, going on hikes, hanging out with my friends, and going on runs (if you see me on the streets of Hanover, say hi!) In the short while I've been here, I've come to love Dartmouth, so if you're interested in what I have to say, stick around! This should (hopefully) be fun :)
Hanover is many things, and rural is definitely one of them. The most happening place in town (minus Frat Row!) is a CVS, where you'll routinely find students perusing the aisles of medicine, trying to find something — anything — to beat that peculiar cold they've had since Week 1. But, within driving distance (10 minutes?) of Hanover, is another town called West Lebanon — a super fun place.
So I went to West Leb (as it is called) in a rented Zipcar with my friends, and found our favorite places to visit there — a helpful list if you're planning on coming to Dartmouth, or want to come to Dartmouth, so you can get a taste of town life!
1, Target
The Target in West Lebanon is a thing of beauty, and that is putting it mildly. It has just about everything you'd need to live your best college student life. Often times, I go in planning to buy absolutely nothing, but drawn in by its long aisles and colorful displays, I fold. One time, my friends and I went to buy some Febreze. She walked out of Target with a brand new set of 5 vinyls, and I walked out with a new rug for my dorm — sweet! (Pro-tip: it gets raided in Orientation Week when students of the new class come and plunder the store. Do what I wish I did: order ahead, so every essential you'd need is ready for you when you're moving in.)
2. Five Guys
Very close to the famous Target is an absolutely delicious Five Guys chain, where my friends and I go more often than we'd like to admit. Our appetites thank us — our bank accounts do not. Five Guys is a good escape that's close enough when you're getting too tired of the daily Dominos runs — you know it's a problem when the pizza delivery man knows your name and order by heart! Five Guys is perfect on a rainy or extra cold day — the food always makes me smile, and acts as a good facilitator of conversation between me and my friends.
3. The Salt Hill Pub
If you're looking for more elevated dining than Five Guys, The Salt Hill Pub or The Three Tomatoes (the restaurant adjacent to it!) are your best bet. The Salt Hill Pub has great indoor and outdoor seating, and delicious food that'll satisfy each and every single one of your needs — I love going there after a stressful week or a midterm that I studied super hard for. Fun fact: there's a trivia night that they do once or twice a week, and I'm kind of a reigning champion … at knowing absolutely none of the answers. A good time all in all.
4. The numerous outlets!
West Leb has numerous strip malls and outlet stores — I love to hit up Sierra for some winter clothes, or LL Bean, when I'm looking for something heavy duty. There's also a HomeGoods for your dorm, and a TJ Maxx for an (affordable) update to your closet. These outlets make sure that as a college student, there's nothing you can't have within driving distance that you absolutely need. They've been helpful all year, and I'm sure they will be for you too!
Despite Dartmouth being on the periphery of the broader Northeast region, its access to major transportation hubs makes travel stress-free. But, how can students without a car see the rest of New England?
After a long winter term where everything was overlaid in snow and serenity, the weekly Norwich farmer's market is finally back—and I could not be more excited.
