Hi there! I'm Brendilou, a '26 from Western Nebraska. As an English major interested in journalism, I'm passionate about writing to educate—to explore differing perspectives, to emphasize the mundane. Through this blog, however, I write to introduce you all to my perspective, my mundane, at the college that's stolen my heart. Welcome to my neck of the woods.
As I near my eighth week of being a Dartmouth student, I prepare for two more weeks of my first-year fall and reflect on an eventful weekend where I experienced both Homecoming and Halloween back-to-back at the College on the Hill!
My weekend started Friday night with temporary tattoos and face paint at the Cube for School House's spirit station. Here, the first-years of School House gathered to celebrate our first Dartmouth Homecoming with music, candy, and anticipation for the house parade and bonfire to immediately follow. I personally spent this time applying silver and blue glitter onto my friend's faces and reconnecting with peers I had met during Orientation Week (which was ten weeks ago now… wow!).
My friends and I at the Cube's spirit station!
After about an hour of eating pizza and lounging on the Cube's soft, brightly-colored couches, the time had come for School House to join the ensuing house parade. This parade, among many other events, is a Dartmouth tradition each Homecoming season to lead up to the legendary bonfire and features the 26s (first-years) specifically. As we walked to each of the first-year dorms to "pick up" the remaining houses, a sense of overwhelming pride filled me as we trekked across campus, the Class of 2026 sharing a level of excitement for the bonfire and the activities to follow the next few days.
Twenty minutes later and the entire first-year class finally neared the Green, spying large clouds of smoke and flames billowing from the wooden structure at its center. Here, we walked one lap around the bonfire, signaling yet another Dartmouth-specific tradition to celebrate the spirit of Homecoming.
The Homecoming bonfire!
Afterwards, the Halloween festivities began as I joined a group of friends to get ready in costumes for a night of fun at Sarner Underground's Bonfire Embers Dance Party. As unnecessarily extra as it may seem, I chose three this year: Veronica Lodge from Riverdale, a dark angel, and Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's.
The next day, current students and alumni alike gathered at Memorial Field to watch the annual Dartmouth vs Harvard football game. Although it didn't end in our favor, I had so much fun showing my school spirit and cheering for the Big Green with my friends and fellow peers.
This year's Dartmouth vs Harvard football game at Memorial Field.
As I write this post the Sunday before Week 8, I end Homecoming-Halloweekend on a high note with a plethora of new memories and a stronger sense of Dartmouth pride.
Amid the whirlwind of a ten-week term, the quietest moments — studying in the sun, cooking with a friend, running through Pine Park — turn out to be the ones worth savoring most.
After three terms apart due to Dartmouth's D-plan, junior spring marks a joyful reunion with old friends, deepened by the Toulouse study abroad group that has carried their bond seamlessly back to campus.
