Hey everyone – this is Brandon! I'm a '22 from Vancouver, Canada double majoring in Government and Linguistics modified with Neuroscience. I'm involved with the Center for Social Impact, Wind Ensemble, Collis Center, and my fraternity. Aside from that, I'm always looking to explore the Upper Valley whether it be in the outdoors making maple syrup or inside a diner!
Academic Program
Government and Linguistics modified with Neuroscience
Favorite Thing Right Now
Catching up with friends who I haven't seen since last year
...and Trips comes along just to end it! Coming out of my classes and finals period in my junior summer, I was so excited to be able to be a part of the First-Year Trips program. For those of you not familiar with this beloved Dartmouth tradition, the Trips program is an orientation program where each first-year student is matched with a group of their peers and two upperclass Trip Leaders and the entire group – also known as a trip – goes into the out of doors for various outdoors activities. I know that coming to Dartmouth, when I was selecting my trip, I was not very familiar with going into the outdoors or camping. Luckily, there is a wide variety of different options available for students, everything from strenuous hiking to flatwater kayaking (which was my trip)! This year, there was an even broader selection of trips for the 25s, everything ranging from community service in the Upper Valley to museum exploration.
H-Croo all prepared to welcome the 25s home!
For Trips this year, I was a member of Hanover Croo, or H-Croo for short! H-Croo is a group of upperclass student volunteers who serve as the logistics and hype team, welcoming students to campus and making sure they're ready and excited for their Trips experience. Almost a year in planning, it was amazing to see the hard work of the Directorate team (shoutout to my amazing co-captain and fellow Tour Guide, Katie!) pay off and for the program to come to fruition - culminating in the 25s finally arriving on campus and leaving for their trip!
Katie, my Co-Captain, and I preparing for a Directorate meeting!
Throughout the two weeks of Trips, I had an awesome time getting to know my fellow H-Croolings (that's what we call members of H-Croo!) whether it be bonding over washing trangia (camping stoves) or moving hundreds of frame packs. However, we weren't just working all the time! H-Croo also makes sure that incoming students and volunteers are comfortable and excited, and there's nothing we do better than playing some classic Trips games (like the infamous "I have a Blitz for…") and dancing the medley (a series of choreographed dances to some 2000s hits). We also cooked and ate Annie's Mac and Cheese together on the golf course and had the opportunity to go up to the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge for dinner. At the end of the day, it was so rewarding to see all the 25s, some of whom I've only met before on Zoom, come to campus and begin their Dartmouth journey. As a senior now volunteering for Trips, it seems like just yesterday when I left for my own trip!
When adapting to a unique college environment, it is important to open yourself up to new perspectives and meet all kinds of wonderful people! Yet, it is even more important to remember your values and what makes you happy.
I reflect on Week 4 and the beauty of Dartmouth's many opportunities and resources. I discuss the amazing memories and bonds that I have created within the Dartmouth and Upper Valley communities!
As the leaves begin to turn, fall festivities are around every corner! From Harvest dinner to Homecoming weekend, campus was buzzing with excitement from students, parents, and alumni!
In hopes of sharing my Homecoming in a unique way that will hopefully show you a different side of Dartmouth's biggest tradition, I decided to just share three things. Three nice things that I experienced during Homecoming.
H-Croo all prepared to welcome the 25s home! 
Katie, my Co-Captain, and I preparing for a Directorate meeting!
