Hi, welcome to the blog! I'm a sophomore from a small suburb in South Carolina, just outside of Augusta, Georgia. On campus (and virtually), I'm involved in club water polo, the America Reads program, and the TAMID student consulting group. In the classroom, I'm super excited to pursue my interest in improving the world through public policy by studying the intersection of government and economics. I hope you enjoy following along as I explore all that Dartmouth has to offer!
As a student from South Carolina, experiencing my first New England fall has definitely been one of the highlights of my first terms here at Dartmouth! Everyone said that fall was a special season on campus, but I figured it wouldn't be all that different from what I'd previously experienced – I was wrong about that! Thanks to the cool temperatures and wide variety of trees in New Hampshire and Vermont, the tree tops surrounding campus turn began to turn into a quilt of reds, oranges, and yellows at the beginning of this term. As I've watched the leaves change colors, I've also found that there are a ton of ways to enjoy fall, on and off campus.
My friend and I showing off our first Maple Creemees!
My favorite experience so far has been visiting a local apple orchard to pick apples, try apple cider, and explore a corn maze. The farm also offers Maple Creamees, a regional dessert that involves a delicious combination of soft serve ice-cream and maple candy sprinkles; if you're ever in the area, you have to try one! I went to the orchard with Christian Union, one of the groups I'm involved with hear on campus, but there are a ton of other student organizations that also sponsor apple picking trips. I have friends that have gone with acapella groups, sports teams, and engineering clubs, so whatever you're into, there will be an opportunity to explore a local apple orchard.
Dried flowers from the local apple orchard! They're perfect for dorm rooms because they're beautiful and last for a super long time!
Another great way to experience the fall foliage around campus is by hiking through it! The Dartmouth Outdoors Club, or DOC as we like to call it, leads hiking trips of various skill levels every week, so it's easy to get outdoors whether it's a short hike after class or an eight-mile trek on a Saturday. The DOC also loans out any gear you might need, so being involved is accessible even for those with limited hiking backgrounds. Another uniquely-fall, uniquely-Dartmouth experience, is the Spooky-Scary-Full-Moon-Night-Hike, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like and is super fun!
This is the view from my dorm window, proof that the beauty of New England fall is literally everywhere!
Visiting an apple orchard or take a hike are great ways to enjoy fall, but I also love how easy it is to enjoy the outdoors in my day to day life. Because Dartmouth is not in a big city, mountains are visible on my walks between classes and most of my favorite study spots have a view of the fall foliage. Whether it's eating at the campus wide Fall Harvest dinner, studying beneath the trees on the green, or enjoying hot apple cider with my friends, I've enjoyed everything that fall here at Dartmouth has to offer and I can't wait to explore the snow-covered campus this winter!
Spring has sprung in Hanover and the term feels like it's really getting off the ground with classes starting up in full swing, warmer weather, and the occasional muddy day.
There is never a dull moment at Dartmouth! One of the main reasons why the College is so special is our unique D-Plan, which operates on the quarter system.
Thinking back, this winter has been a whirlwind. I wanted to use this final blog post as an opportunity to organize my thoughts and share some reflections as I move into my final term!
For the students who want to start looking into colleges --- here are some resources that helped me learn more about the colleges I was interested in and wanted to continue looking into!
Dartmouth is home to 35 Division I varsity teams, 33 club sports, and a variety of intramurals, so I assure you that there is a place to get involved here for student-athletes of all levels.
My favorite experience so far has been visiting a local apple orchard to pick apples, try apple cider, and explore a corn maze. The farm also offers Maple Creamees, a regional dessert that involves a delicious combination of soft serve ice-cream and maple candy sprinkles; if you're ever in the area, you have to try one! I went to the orchard with Christian Union, one of the groups I'm involved with hear on campus, but there are a ton of other student organizations that also sponsor apple picking trips. I have friends that have gone with acapella groups, sports teams, and engineering clubs, so whatever you're into, there will be an opportunity to explore a local apple orchard.
Another great way to experience the fall foliage around campus is by hiking through it! The Dartmouth Outdoors Club, or DOC as we like to call it, leads hiking trips of various skill levels every week, so it's easy to get outdoors whether it's a short hike after class or an eight-mile trek on a Saturday. The DOC also loans out any gear you might need, so being involved is accessible even for those with limited hiking backgrounds. Another uniquely-fall, uniquely-Dartmouth experience, is the Spooky-Scary-Full-Moon-Night-Hike, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like and is super fun!
My first time picking an apple!
This is the view from my dorm window, proof that the beauty of New England fall is literally everywhere!
