Hi! My name is Chelsea Mills and I'm a '26 from Maryland. I'm quite indecisive, but currently pursuing a Psychology major and Classics minor on the Pre-Health track. On campus, I plan to join POCO (People of Color Outdoors). I also love playing tennis, exploring campus with friends, and curling up with a good book. I can't wait to share my Dartmouth experience with you all virtually :)
With the college experience comes the dorm experience. It can be scary to think about living away from your family. Luckily, roommates help make the space feel more like home.
The process begins before you even step foot on campus. Months before Fall term, incoming students are sent a "roommate questionnaire." It asks about how early we get up in the morning, preferences on keeping the window open, etc. It's a basic survey that helps give some sense of direction in the randomized matching system. This was unique among my friend group in high school; many of them were stressed about choosing their own college roommate. I like that Dartmouth randomly assigns us one. It allows us to meet people that we wouldn't otherwise.
Daphna!
My roommate Daphna and I probably would have been friends either way. We've gotten really close as the year goes on. We also have a lot of fun together, so our room always has a lot of good energy. I consider her to be one of my closest friends, and someone that I can really trust. I think that's the most important part of a roommate relationship. Some of my friends don't go out with their roommate or otherwise hang out together often. But, they still have a respectful, trusting relationship.
Daphna and I live in a two-room double. This means that I have one roommate (a double), and we each have our own room (two-room). My favorite thing about this set up is the privacy it affords for both of us. Our rooms are connected through a door, so we have the option of opening it when we want to talk or closing it when we want some alone time. It's important to note that there isn't a "typical" Dartmouth dorm. Many of my friends are in singles, triples, or one-room doubles. I'm secretly a little jealous of the three-room doubles... they're huge!
If you were to knock on my door on any given night, you'd probably open it to find me sitting on my bed sitting and chatting with Daphna, catching each other up on our days. There's nobody else that I would rather have nightly debriefs with. I really lucked out with my first-year roommate.
In August, I participated in the First Year Summer Enrichment Program, a pre-orientation program designed to help FGLI students adjust to life at Dartmouth!
I'll argue why my dorm, French Hall, is not only the best in the River Cluster and West House but also the best dorm you can get as a first-year at Dartmouth.
Now that I am more than a half into my Dartmouth experience, I have grown and learned about the world in ways that I would never have anticipated. How do I feel about it? Where do I hope to go next?
What a wonderful summer! From joining a summer dance ensemble to regularly canoeing along the Connecticut River, I reflect on the aspects that made Sophomore Summer one of the most memorable Dartmouth traditions I've taken part in.
