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 :)
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.
This fall, I took INTS80.06: Multilateralism and US Leadership. The course was taught by visiting Professor DeLaurentis. We finished off the term with a trip to New York City to visit the UN and various UN Embassies.
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Sarah Getraer '26, a studio art major, showed me around her dorm room, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
