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sydney wuu pond reflection

When introducing myself as a Dartmouth student, I often get the question, "So... where is Hanover?" I've only ever lived in suburbs or bustling metropolises—Pasadena, CA; Gibraltar; Sorte Grande, Spain; Manila, Philippines; Claremont, CA—and so the quintessential college town of Hanover, New Hampshire is vastly different from what I've experienced growing up. Some of you readers may have similar experiences, perhaps feeling a little scared about the prospect of moving away to a rural environment, so I'm here to discuss my thoughts as a sophomore adapted to life on the Big Green!

For those of you who have never visited campus, Hanover is right on the state border of Vermont in a gorgeous region called the Upper Valley. The town boasts a Main Street, Hopkins Center for the Arts (which sells $5 movie tickets to all Dartmouth students), Connecticut River (Dartmouth students' summer playground), and of course, the College's very walkable and scenic campus. Main Street is the heart of Hanover overlooking the Green. You can find restaurants ranging from Tuk Tuk Thai (excellent Thai food) to Molly's Restaurant and Bar, the Dartmouth Co-Op (which sells all the Dartmouth merch you can think of), CVS Pharmacy (great for midnight snack runs!), and more.

sydney wuu lous
Many of my friends love to grab breakfast in Lou's Bakery, a classic 1950s All American diner. The day of our matriculation (which had been delayed one year due to COVID-19), we took a trip to Lou's before taking group photos.

sydney wuu matriculation
I love my friends!

And of course, Hanover would not be complete without the surrounding nature. For my ENVS 17: Marine Policy course, I recently took a walk around Occom Pond and Pine Park for my community essay assignment. I brought my friend Leina '24 from Tokyo—who just arrived on campus for the first time as a matriculated '24 this September!—and explained the concept of ecosystem services, which have an indirect or direct benefit to humans.

sydney wuu leina pine park
Leina's first visit to Pine Park is a success.

Pine Park is an ecological sanctuary for water and forest-dwelling creatures. Besides many dragonflies, I discovered a frog poking its head from the surface of the pond as well as a squirrel hiding underneath a tree in Pine Park for protection. I also saw multiple black snail shells in the water near the shore that were likely displaced by the torrential downpour from yesterday. I observed that the algae that has resulted in surface scum with a green/blue tint and would be curious to know if it is related to the recent rain. I'm so glad I'm taking this class and would be happy to talk more about it in a future blog post.

sydney wuu neha orgo
As I write my blog post in 8 Ball Hall, my friend Neha explains the concepts of cis and trans decalins from her Organic Chemistry I class. She says that her favorite place in Hanover is dinners on Friday nights at Molly's Restaurant and Bar with friends!

The people, the places, and pines make the community what it is, and I can't imagine myself spending these four years anywhere else! Until next time,

Sydney

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