'Tis the SeaSUN

Dartmouth winters are frosty and beautiful, but since I'm unfortunately not on campus right now, let's talk about summer for a second!

I've had the luxury of being on campus for all four seasons. Having seen it all, my summer term was one of my favorites (and not just because of the weather). 

Here are some of my favorite summer memories:

1.  Okay, I'll admit, the sunshine was lovely. Nothing makes a gloomy Monday better than sunshine hitting your face.

2.  Getting matched with an awesome roommate! (Whom I've already raved about in an earlier post)

3.  Living in New Hamp (and having an elevator)
I loved my stay at the River Cluster, okay? But even I'll admit that the walk could sometimes get a little tedious. New Hamp is a beautiful dorm, and it's located right next to the gym. (To future New Hamp residents: no excuses!)

4.  Short Kaf lines
Seriously, this was such a gamechanger. Kaf (aka King Arthur Flour), the coffee shop in Baker-Berry Library, is known for notoriously long lines because it's seriously that amazing. Regardless of the season, I go to Kaf every morning... that usually entails an earlier wake-up time to budget in the line. But since fewer people are on campus in the summer, I got to sleep in an extra 20 minutes each day! 

5.  Swimming and canoeing with friends
Since I grew up in Utah -- one of the most arid states in the country, waterfront activities were a pretty new and special part of my summer. As a result, I spent as much of my free time as possible by the river!

6.  Summer rain. It feels so good after the gym.

7.  Meeting new friends!
We might be known for small class sizes, but I met people over the summer that I've never even seen before. In addition to meeting many '20s, I was introduced to a group of '21s (my class) on campus who are now my close friends! In fact, one of my summer friends is going to be my roommate this spring.

8.  Taking classes that I loved. (All three of my summer classes are on this list.)

9.  Hiking Mt. Cardigan
Mt. Cardigan is a scenic hike with stunning views of the Upper Valley. A couple of friends and I wanted to try a sunrike (sunrise hike), so we trekked to the trailhead in a Zipcar at 5 am. We, unfortunately, didn't get to see the Upper Valley in all its glory from the top of Mt. Cardigan... it rained. But we had a great time along the way! This was my first time hiking in the area and to all of you '22s and potential '23s: take a hike! It's such a great way to bond with your friends. (Maybe check the weather first though.)

10.  Eating at the Farmer's Market after class

11.  Taking spin and Zumba classes
Exercising had such a positive impact on my mood that I've continued taking Dartmouth PE classes. Say hello if you're in "Dart Strong" this spring!

12.  Cold showers
 I took cold showers all summer to jumpstart my mind before studying. (They also make your hair very shiny.)

13.  Studying in a hammock

14.  Visiting Boston for a weekend
I made time to visit one of my best friends in Boston. She was doing a pre-med internship through Dartmouth!

15.  Completing my Drawing 1 final!

I'll never forget the sense of accomplishment I felt when I completed all seven of my final drawings for Drawing 1. The class was super challenging and time-consuming, but it revived my love for art and inspired me to pursue a minor in it.

Writing this post made me wish I was back on campus. Dartmouth harbors a unique charm every season, and I have great memories of all of them. Over this "off" term (my first extended time away from Dart since I got here), I've reminisced a lot about the memories I've made over my first year, and I honestly can't wait to be back on campus to make new ones.