Hi guys! I'm Chidera and I'm a '25 from Lagos, Nigeria. I've lived in a big city for nearly half of my life, so it's great to experience the scenic outdoor spaces surrounding Dartmouth. Outside of the classroom, I conduct research with the economics department, I'm a peer tutor for the Academic Skills Center and I'm also involved with the Dartmouth Energy Alliance.
When I was applying to Dartmouth, I was so excited to take fun classes, meet new people and join various clubs and organizations. I had a vague idea of what I would major in, or at least what classes I was most interested in. I also knew a few extracurriculars I hoped to get into. However, one thing I was never sure about was what Dartmouth students did for fun, on Friday nights and weekends when they needed a break from work. There are tons of awesome activities organized by various groups on campus that provide ways to unwind after a stressful week.
Collis After Dark
This is one of my favorite things to do on the weekend, especially because of the stunning breadth of activities offered. Collis After Dark is organized by the Collis Center for Student Involvement and offers an impressive range of fun late-night weekend activities, from laser tag and mini-golf to hypnotism and karaoke. The activities my friends and I are always most excited about are the trivia and bingo nights where you can win an iPad or air pods! I haven't won any of these yet, but fingers crossed!
Concerts and Acapella Shows
A lot of Dartmouth students are talented singers and songwriters. Although they don't happen every weekend, I'm always on the lookout for what Dartmouth musicians or Acapella groups are performing. Usually, my friends who are involved in these groups invite me to watch them, so being able to support my friends makes the experience even more fun! Friday Night Rock is a student-run organization that brings live bands to perform at Dartmouth about three times each term.
Game Room
I think a lot of Dartmouth students can agree that the game room in the basement of the Collis Center is one of the most underrated spots on campus. With two pool tables, a foosball table, a pinball machine, a skeeball machine, and an arcade basketball game, I've spent several hours in this room with my friends, barely even feeling the minutes go by. Playing arcade games was not exactly how I thought I would spend weekends at college, but it's surprisingly fun!
Of course, there are several other fun things to get up to during the weekend at Dartmouth, but these are a few of my favorite. I hope this gives you an idea of the various ways Dartmouth students have fun in their free time.
Three years ago today, I received an email that would shape my entire Dartmouth experience in a way I never could have predicted. It's funny to think that it all started because I was a prospective student obsessively reading this very blog.
The River Cluster (the group of residence halls closest to the Connecticut River, including French and Judge Hall) has a reputation…and some of it is warranted. But there's more to living in the River than you might expect!
