Hi! I'm Chelsea Mills, a '26 from North Potomac, Maryland. I'm a pre-med student pursuing a Psychology major and a Biology minor. I'm a tour guide, co-president of the Student Mental Health Union, and an outreach coordinator for Camp Kesem (a college-run camp for kids with a parent who has cancer). On weekends, you might find me grabbing a bite at The Works Cafe, spending time with friends in my sorority house, or taking a stroll around Occom Pond. I hope you enjoy my blog- thanks for reading :)
Beyond Hanover: A guide to transportation from campus
If there's one thing that the Dartmouth community can agree on, it's the beauty of Hanover. Inside and out, the town is gorgeous. The population of only 10,000 people echoes the close-knit community of the college itself. Hanover is undeniably welcoming. You'll know the life stories of its residents after just a couple of visits to the local stores on Main Street.
Dartmouth is lucky enough to call Hanover, New Hampshire, home. But the Upper Valley, consisting of several towns in NH and VT along the Connecticut River, is also fun to explore. Students are incredibly connected to the local community, and we strive to maintain that connection through our involvement in the neighborhood.
Beyond the walkability of Hanover, transportation is helpful to explore otherwise. Zipcar is a nationwide car-sharing program that provides transportation on an as-needed basis. With an inexpensive monthly subscription, students can take day trips with friends or skip the 15-minute walk to the Co-op Food Store. Zipcars are convenient for students who don't have cars on campus which, as a freshman, includes pretty much everyone. I highly, highly, recommend getting a Zipcar account.
Sunset in Boston!
As lovely as the quaint New-England vibes are, the city life offers an exciting change of scenery. The Dartmouth Coach is a transportation service that makes the commute admirably convenient for students; The bus stops right in front of the Hop (Hopkins Center for the Arts) on campus. And access to both Boston and New York City is at our fingertips. I love the Dartmouth Coach. I could write a whole blog post about it.
The hallmarks of the bus service include the hourly schedule that runs from 3:00AM to Midnight each day and the convenient locations. Boston South Station is in the heart of the city. It's the perfect stop for those looking for a fun day/weekend trip. I've yet to take advantage of it though; I'll make sure to update you all when I do. I have only frequented the other stop so far, the Boston Logan International Airport.
I live in Maryland, and the Coach makes the commute convenient. I'll take it to the airport, from where I take my flight to DC. We haven't even had our first seasonal break yet, but I know that I'll be taking advantage of it. On the other hand, Zipcar helps for intermediate casual trips. We could all use a breather from Hanover at some point, regardless of how captivating the Fall Foliage may be.
Dartmouth is no stranger to a variety of student-run full-year performance groups in dance, a cappella, improv, and comedy. Sophomore summer is particularly special, as most of these groups allow sophomores to audition and join just for the summer.
While the Hanover community is always strong and thriving, it's hard to imagine what it's like when you are thousands of miles away from The Green. Read on to learn about my Dartmouth life in Rome, and the community within Dartmouth while abroad.
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned how I joined a sorority earlier this fall by going through the recruitment process. I've come a long way since then. In fact, I am living in my sorority house for my sophomore summer!
Dartmouth is not just a college. With world-renowned graduate schools, why would we choose to call ourselves a college instead of a university? The story behind that decision dates back to a significant Supreme Court ruling.
On a quiet spring Saturday in Hanover, I traded the usual campus buzz for Monet in the morning and archery in the afternoon—a reminder that Dartmouth weekends can be just as meaningful when they're slow, reflective, and a little unexpected.
During my sophomore spring quarter, I took on the challenge of four STEM courses, and while it has been intense, the unexpected connections across subjects and the joy of learning have made it one of my most rewarding academic experiences yet.
